The New Orleans Pelicans have hired Joe Dumars — a former NBA champion as both a player and an executive with the Detroit Pistons — as their executive vice president of basketball operations.

Dumars, 61, takes over for David Griffin, who was fired on Monday after a six-year stint that coincided with the drafting of power forward Zion Williamson in 2019.

Dumars’ first order of business will be to decide whether to retain coach Willie Green, who has a year remaining on his contract. Next, he’ll have to decide whether the Pelicans continue to build around the injury-plagued Williamson — who has missed more games than he’s played — or deal him elsewhere and move in a new direction.

He also ran the Pistons’ front office when they won another title in 2004.

Since leaving the Pistons in 2014, Dumars has worked in Sacramento’s front office and most recently served as executive vice president and head of basketball operations for the NBA.

College basketball

Duke’s Knueppel declares for NBA draft >> Duke’s Kon Knueppel is heading to the NBA after one college season.

The 6-foot-7, 217-pound wing announced his decision after a season that included him being named MVP of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament while helping the Blue Devils reach the Final Four. Knueppel averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists as the team’s No. 2 scorer behind Associated Press national player of the year Cooper Flagg.

College football

Raiders’ Maxx Crosby becomes assistant GM of alma mater >> Pro Bowl pass rusher Maxx Crosby has become the latest professional athlete to take a side gig as a front-office executive with a college athletic program, becoming the assistant general manager for the Eastern Michigan football team.

The school announced this week that Crosby, who signed a record-breaking three-year extension worth $106.5 million with the Raiders last month, would help evaluate high school and transfer portal prospects, manage the team’s NIL and revenue sharing budget, and assist the athletic director with fundraising, alumni relations and student-athlete support.

Baseball

Yankees’ Gil comeback delayed >> New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil is delaying the beginning of his throwing program because his strained right lat is healing slowly.

Gil was slated to start his throwing program on Wednesday or Thursday, but Yankees manager Aaron Boone said an MRI showed the right-hander needs more time before progressing in his rehab.

Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, stopped a bullpen session on Feb. 28 because of tightness in his pitching shoulder. He went to New York for a second MRI that revealed a high-grade lat strain on March 3.

Hockey

Stars’ Seguin activated after missing 58 games >> The Dallas Stars activated Tyler Seguin from long-term injured reserve after he had missed 58 games since hip surgery in early December.

Seguin was activated before the playoff-bound Stars played their regular-season finale at Nashville. The six-time All-Star was considered a game-time decision.

Coach Pete DeBoer said after the morning skate that it would be nice to get Seguin some game action instead of going cold into the playoffs, though he also noted that it was only one game.

Penguins’ Letang has surgery on heart >> Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang’s season is over.

The 19-year veteran will miss Pittsburgh’s finale against Washington after undergoing a procedure to close a small hole in his heart.

The Penguins made the announcement on Wednesday. Letang did not participate in the team’s practice on Tuesday for what coach Mike Sullivan called a medical appointment.

Letang, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, has missed time earlier in his career due to strokes related to a hole in his heart.

Soccer

Champions League >> Arsenal defeated defending champion Real Madrid 2-1 to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2009 in a match where VAR played a key role in two penalty decisions.

Arsenal advanced 5-1 on aggregate after a 3-0 first-leg win at home in London last week, keeping alive its chances of winning Europe’s top club competition for the first time. It will face Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals.

Saka was able to put Arsenal ahead from inside the area in the 65th minute, and Madrid couldn’t manage more than an equalizer by Vinícius Júnior a couple of minutes later after a defensive blunder by William Saliba.

• Former Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard scored against his old club to help Inter Milan to a 2-2 draw against the German team, sending the Nerazzurri through to the Champions League semifinals 4-3 on aggregate.

It was Pavard’s first goal for Inter, after the France international joined from Bayern in 2023.

Inter will face Barcelona in the semifinals.