CHARLOTTE (AP) — The Hornets announced they have signed free agent guard/forward Damien Wilkins.

Terms of the contract were not released Friday.

The nine-year NBA veteran has played in 563 games with 149 starts five different NBA teams, averaging 6.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 19.3 minutes per game. He has shot 42.7 percent from the field and 78.3 percent from the foul line.

Wilkins last played in Puerto Rico where he averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 31.8 minutes per contest. He spent part of the 2014-15 season with the NBA D-League’s Iowa Energy, where he was an All-Star after averaging 20.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 37.8 minutes per game.

Wilkins is the son of NBA veteran Gerald Wilkins and nephew of nine-time NBA All-Star Dominique Wilkins, a former basketball player at Washington High School.

 

WILSON MAN GETS FOOTBALL FROM STEELERS MONDAY NIGHT WIN

WILSON (AP) — A Wilson man battling liver cancer got a big lift from the Pittsburgh Steelers win over the San Diego Chargers.

Pittsburgh long snapper Greg Warren shipped one of the game balls from Monday night’s win to Richie Creech.

The Wilson Times reports that Richie Creech was diagnosed with stage 4 primary liver cancer two years ago. Sallie Creech says her husband has gotten much worse since a fundraiser earlier this month.

The couple’s 11-year-old son, Jake, said the game could have been his dad’s last game.

A family friend knew Warren, who went to Southern Wayne High School and the University of North Carolina. Warren had the ball shipped overnight to Creech.

The signed ball included a handwritten letter to let Richie know Warren was praying for him.

 

UNC’S STEWART TO FACE MISDEMEANOR ASSAULT CHARGES

CHAPEL HILL (AP) — North Carolina cornerbacks M.J. Stewart and Mike Hughes face misdemeanor assault charges tied to an altercation earlier this month.

Stewart turned himself in and was released on an unsecured bond Thursday night, while Hughes was arrested before being released on bond, according to police arrest reports.

UNC announced Thursday night the two were suspended indefinitely from all team-related activities for a violation of team rules, sidelining them from Saturday’s game against Wake Forest. The school’s release said it was connected to an Oct. 4 incident in Chapel Hill, while coach Larry Fedora’s statement referenced an “altercation” and that UNC had worked with Chapel Hill police to gather information.

Stewart, a sophomore, has started every game while Hughes, a freshman, has is a reserve for the Tar Heels (4-1).

 

PANTHERS DE ALLEN INACTIVE FOR SEAHAWKS WITH BACK PAIN

CHARLOTTE (AP) — Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera says defensive end Jared Allen will miss Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks after sitting out the entire week of practice with a pinched nerve in his back.

Wes Horton will start in Allen’s spot.

Rivera said Allen might have played had this been a playoff off.

The Panthers also ruled out backup middle linebacker A.J. Klein (concussion) and offensive tackle Daryl Williams (knee).

Allen was injured during the Panthers’ first game against Tampa Bay in Week 4. He has been experiencing numbness in his legs ever since.

The Panthers will get middle linebacker Luke Kuechly and wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery back on Sunday. Kuechly has missed the last three games with a concussion, while Cotchery has missed two games with a sprained ankle.