Sports briefs

Basketball

LEBRON TO GO ESPYS: LeBron James will be leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers summer league team for another social function.

James, who left the Cavs' summer team this week in Orlando to attend a wedding in Akron, has accepted an invitation to ESPN's "The ESPY Awards" on July 16 in Los Angeles, his family's publicist, Alexandria Boone said Thursday.

James is nominated for two awards.

After they finish in Orlando this weekend, the Cavaliers will play in the Boston Celtics' summer league from July 14-20. James will miss Cleveland's July 16 game against New Jersey, but will return to play the next day, Boone said.

The NBA's No. 1 overall pick made his summer league debut on Tuesday with 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds in a win over the Magic.

On Wednesday, he scored 17 points in a loss to the Miami Heat.

U.S. EDGES SLOVENIA IN JUNIORS: Paul Davis, a forward at Michigan State, scored 24 points as the United States edged Slovenia 84-83 on Thursday in the opening round of the World Junior Basketball Championships.

The U.S. team plays China on Friday and Nigeria on Saturday.

In other games Thursday: Nigeria defeated China 92-69, Croatia beat Lithuania 73-69, Angola beat Iran 74-50, Argentina beat Korea 87-67; and Venezuela beat Malaysia 88-60.

The 16-nation tournament was moved from Malaysia because of fears of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

Football

VIKING RB TO MISS CAMP: Michael Bennett said Wednesday he will miss the Minnesota Vikings' training camp with a slow-healing foot injury that could also keep him out for the season.

UCONN TO START EARLY: Connecticut will become a full-time football member of the Big East Conference next year, and the league won't add any new schools before the 2005-06 season.

The decisions were made after meetings of presidents and athletic directors of the Big East's football playing schools.

NFL NETWORK DEBUT: The NFL Network will kick off on Election Day.