Cavs guessing, enter draft unsure of LeBron’s plans

COLLEGES: Jordan Westburg hit a grand slam, doubled and drove in seven runs and Mississippi State went on to beat North Carolina 12-2 in the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. The Bulldogs (39-27) need one more win to advance to the best-of-three finals. Also, Jackson Kowar struck out a career-high 13 in 62⁄3 innings as defending national champion Florida (48-20) eliminated Texas with a 6-1 win . ... Oklahoma will pay football coach Lincoln Riley $25 million over the next five years, including $4.8 million next season. Oklahoma’s Board of Regents approved the new numbers. His deal last year started at $3.1 million, and he led the Sooners to the Big 12 title, a spot in the College Football Playoff and a No. 3 final ranking . ... Notre Dame senior LB Te’von Coney pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana stemming from an incident before the 2016 season. A judge gave Coney nearly a year of probation and suspended a 180-day jail sentence after Coney served a day behind bars. Coney led the team in tackles last season. There was no immediate word on whether he faces discipline from the team and whether his playing time will be affected next season . ... Tennessee added two graduate transfers in Alabama OL Brandon Kennedy and Michigan State RB Madre London . ... A letter signed by at least 130 sexual abuse victims of disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar urged Michigan State’s governing board to oust interim president John Engler, saying he has reinforced a “culture of abuse.”

NBA: Bucks G Sterling Brown sued the city of Milwaukee and its police department, saying officers’ use of a stun gun during his Jan. 26 arrest for a parking violation constitutes excessive force and that they targeted him because he’s black. Brown’s attorney Mark Thomsen filed the lawsuit in federal court, accusing police of “discriminating against Mr. Brown on the basis of his race.” The lawsuit alleges officers involved in his arrest used their incident report to try to re-frame what happened to give the impression Brown was resisted and obstructed them.

NFL: The wife of former Lions and Bears QB Erik Kramer said she’s worried he will hunt her down and try to kill her according to TMZ. Cortney Baird made the comments while appealing for an extension for a restraining order against Kramer that was granted earlier this month following a domestic assault involving the two. Kramer was arrested on June 13 at his home in Agoura Hills, Calif . ... The Browns signed OL Greg Robinson, the No. 2 overall pick by the Rams in 2014. He spent three seasons with the Rams before he was traded to the Lions last year.

NHL: The Senators traded left wing Mike Hoffman, hoping to solve an ugly off-ice issue involving star defenseman Erik Karlsson and his wife. The Senators sent Hoffman to the Sharks, who then dealt him to the Panthers. All told, the two transactions involved four players and six draft picks.

TENNIS: Roger Federer opened his Gerry Weber Open title defense by defeating Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-4 in Halle, Germany. Federer, fresh from winning his 18th grass-court title in Stuttgart on Sunday, extended his grass-court winning streak to 17 matches.

CLEVELAND — LeBron James won’t be picking any players during Thursday’s NBA draft. At least not directly. With the trajectory of their franchise riding on where he decides to play next season and beyond, the Cleveland Cavaliers will enter this year’s draft not knowing if they’re choosing a player to help them — and James — contend for another championship, develop a prospect for the future or potentially take a player to trade. It’s a guessing game. James has until June 29 to exercise his $35.6 million contract option for next season or decline it and become an unrestricted free agent, officially making him the planet’s best and most coveted player.

The 33-year-old is not expected to reveal his intentions until after the draft.

By that time, the Cavs, still stinging from a Finals sweep at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, hope to have chosen a player that makes them more appealing to the three-time champion, who is mulling whether to leave them — and his Northeast Ohio home — for the second time in his career.

Anything seems possible at this point. James and his representatives have kept an air-tight lid on their plans.

The Cavs, too, have been secretive while general manager Koby Altman prepares for his first draft by consulting with his staff on what to do with the No. 8 overall pick, the one they received last summer in the seismic trade that sent AllStar point guard Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics.

It’s quite a quandary for Cleveland, and James isn’t helping the Cavs by keeping them in suspense.

It’s James mind.

Following Game 4 in the Finals, James said he’ll factor in his family’s well-being along with his thirst to win more titles into a decision that once again has Cleveland edgy.

“I still want to be in championship mode,” he said. “I think I’ve shown this year why I will still continue to be in championship mode.”

And while there are numerous unknowns, there is one indisputable fact: the Cavs must upgrade their roster to have any chance of keeping James and continuing a relationship that was resurrected in 2014.

After yielding to Irving’s request and trading him, the Cavs spent all last season trying to replace him. They never came close, and without a dependable second scoring option or a guard, James was forced to shoulder a heavier load than ever. He succeeded in getting to his eighth straight Finals, but was then overmatched by the deeper Warriors.

To remain viable contenders and keep James happy and healthy, the Cavs must address their backcourt issue this summer, either in the draft, through free agency or a trade.

With this year’s draft top loaded with quality big men, there’s a strong possibility the Cavs will have their pick of one of the elite guards, perhaps Oklahoma’s Trae Young or Alabama’s Collin Sexton — two players James has praised in the past.

Young was college basketball’s most electrifying player last season, averaging 27.4 points and 8.7 assists even while teams designed defenses specifically to stop him. James kept an eye on the 6-foot-2 scoring phenom from afar and is intrigued by not only his ability to break down teams but his unselfishness. also possible that hasn’t made up his