Jim Mora's tenure at UCLA began with three years of enormous promise. It ended with the school abruptly firing the coach late in his sixth season — and on his birthday, no less.
UCLA dismissed Mora on Sunday with one game left in the regular season. Athletic director Dan Guerrero announced the move one day after rival Southern California's 28-23 victory over the Bruins (5-6, 3-5 Pac-12), who have lost six of nine while going winless on the road this season.
Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch will coach the Bruins in their regular-season home finale against California on Friday night.
UCLA must pay more than $12 million to buy out the remainder of Mora's contract, which runs through 2021.
The extraordinary buyout indicates the depth of frustration in Westwood with Mora, whose program has declined precipitously since 2015. The Bruins even fired Mora on his 56th birthday.
Mora went 46-30 in his first significant collegiate coaching job, but the Bruins are on the brink of their second consecutive losing season despite a roster filled with elite recruits led by quarterback Josh Rosen.
President Trump says he should have left UCLA players in Chinese jail
President Donald Trump says he should have left three UCLA basketball players accused of shoplifting in China in jail.
Trump's tweet Sunday comes after the father of player LiAngelo Ball minimized Trump's involvement in winning the players' release in comments to ESPN.
"Who?" LaVar Ball told ESPN on Friday, when asked about Trump's involvement in the matter. "What was he over there for? Don't tell me nothing. Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out."
Trump has said he raised the players' detention with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the leaders' recent meeting in Beijing.
The players returned to the U.S. last week. They have been indefinitely suspended from the team.
Says Trump: "Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!"
Trump later tweeted: "Shoplifting is a very big deal in China, as it should be (5-10 years in jail), but not to father LaVar. Should have gotten his son out during my next trip to China instead. China told them why they were released. Very ungrateful!"
Fultz out 2 to 3 more weeks for 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers guard Markelle Fultz will miss another two to three weeks as he recovers from soreness in his right shoulder.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft will continue with physiotherapy as he returns from his soreness and scapular muscle imbalance.
Fultz has played only four games this season. He is shooting 33 percent, 50 percent from the free-throw line and has not attempted a 3-point shot all season, all as a reserve.
Orlando Magic will no longer host summer league
The Orlando Magic has decided to end their annual summer league.
Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said Sunday the trend of NBA teams playing in the Las Vegas Summer League led to the decision end Orlando Pro Summer League. Orlando's Summer League, which showcased rookies and young players, began in 2002.
Las Vegas will host all 30 teams for the summer league beginning in the summer of 2018.
FROM WIRE REPORTS