NBA union to help retired players

NEW YORK — The National Basketball Players Association’s player representatives have voted unanimously to fund health insurance for all retired NBA players with at least three years of service. “The game has never before been more popular, and all the players in our league today recognize that we’re only in this position because of the hard work and dedication of the men who came before us,” Los Angeles Clippers star Chris Paul, the union president, said in a statement Wednesday. “It’s important that we take care of our entire extended NBA family, and I’m proud of my fellow players for taking this unprecedented step to ensure the health and well-being of our predecessors.” The June 26 vote in New York established a health insurance program through UnitedHealthcare. Under the current proposal, for example, retired players with between three and six years of NBA service time, but who are not yet eligible for Medicare, would be offered a plan that includes medical, hospital and prescription drug coverage with modest out-of-pocket costs for deductibles and co-pays. “I couldn’t be more proud of Chris, our executive committee and our entire membership,” union executive director Michele Roberts said. “Providing health care security for players who came before them has been on the players’ minds for the past year and they worked closely with us to make it happen.” Easy for US women Tina Charles scored 17 points and Maya Moore added 13 to help the US women’s basketball team beat France 84-62 Wednesday night in an exhibition game in Newark. The game was a rematch of the 2012 London Olympics gold medal game that the Americans won 86-50. This time the US took a half to get going, which wasn’t a total surprise as the Americans have had little training since getting together for the first time as a full team Saturday in Los Angeles. They played Monday night against a US select team, winning by four, before flying across country for this three-game exhibition series. France’s core has been together for months qualifying for the Rio Olympics in a last chance tournament in June. The US only led by one at the half, but used a 9-2 spurt to start the third quarter spearheaded by Charles and Moore to create some space. The Americans extended the lead to 63-46 after three quarters. France couldn’t get within 15 the rest of the way.