Blazers' Oden rolls ankle at practice

Here we go again? Not according to Portland coach Nate McMillan. After missing his rookie season because of knee surgery, Trail Blazers center Greg Oden rolled his right ankle during the first day of training camp in Tualatin, Ore. "He's fine," McMillan said yesterday. "Everybody, he's fine. He's OK." Oden was injured during a drill while pushing fellow center Joel Przybilla for rebounding position . . . The Golden State Warriors plan to meet with Monta Ellis's representative next week to discuss any potential disciplinary action or fine because of his moped-related ankle injury. The point guard signed a six-year, $66 million contract in July, then injured his left ankle in August in a low-speed moped crash - an offseason activity prohibited in his new deal. Ellis will miss training camp and at least several weeks of the regular season. To give themselves some insurance, Golden State signed Dan Dickau . . . The Sacramento Kings hired Shareef Abdur-Rahim, 31, as an assistant coach on Reggie Theus's staff, a week after the veteran forward retired because of a persistent knee injury.

Serena Williams's game collapsed after she swept the first set, leaving her with a 0-6, 6-1, 6-4 loss to China's Li Na that will cost her the No. 1 ranking. By dropping the second-round match at the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, Williams will be overtaken by Jelena Jankovic Monday, the WTA said. Williams gained the top spot when she beat Jankovic in the US Open final three weeks ago for her ninth Grand Slam title. "Obviously, I want to be No. 1, but I am not focusing on that," Williams said . . . Roger Federer withdrew from next week's Stockholm Open, saying he needs to rest before starting his quest to reclaim the top spot in the rankings. Federer said he had been playing catch-up after being diagnosed with mononucleosis at the start of 2008.

Northeastern sophomore free safety Nate Thellen and Maine Maritime junior back Jim Bower received this week's Gold Helmets from the New England College Football Writers. The 6-foot-2-inch, 200-pound Thellen claimed Division 1 honors, picking off three passes in host Northeastern's 27-10 win over Cal-Davis. The Brockton native returned his final interception 92 yards for a touchdown. The 5-9, 205-pound Bower rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns - including an 85-yard scamper - in the Mariners' 41-31 win over visiting Bridgewater State.

Joey Logano will stop driving Sprint Cup Series races this season for Hall of Fame Racing. The 18-year-old phenom is set to replace Tony Stewart in Joe Gibbs Racing's flagship No. 20 next season. The team scheduled him for a handful of starts in a fourth JGR entry this year, and loaned him to Hall of Fame for another five races. But his first two races in the No. 96 were a struggle: He finished 32d in his Cup debut in New Hampshire and was 39th last week at Kansas. "This will allow Joey to concentrate on his remaining races in the Nationwide Series and preparing for next season," JGR president J.D. Gibbs said. "I think I learned a lot in those [two Cup] races, but they were nowhere near the runs we were looking for," Logano said while testing at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta.

Rusty Wallace, 52, denied a report by his brother that claims he's considering a return to NASCAR's top level. Kenny Wallace wrote in his SpeedTv.com blog that the former Cup champ is pondering a return to the Sprint Cup Series, and said it was rumored he'd fill a seat at Dale Earnhardt Inc. Rusty Wallace retired after the 2005 season and is currently an analyst. "While any rumors like this are certainly flattering, they're untrue. I have a long-term commitment to ABC and ESPN and I really love what I'm doing."

World record-holder Paula Radcliffe, 34, will defend her title at the New York City Marathon Nov. 2, pronouncing herself healthy after a 23d-place finish at the Beijing Olympics when injuries hampered her preparation . . . The BAA Half Marathon Oct. 12 will boast one of the strongest fields yet, featuring Charles Munyeski, John Korir, and Gilbert Okari, and Kathy Newberry, Irene Limika, and Neriah Asiba among the record 5,061 participants . . . Oscar De La Hoya said he wants to fight at least a couple more times after taking on Manny Pacquiao Dec. 6. "My mind can still do it, my body can still do it," De La Hoya said in New York . . . Russian forward Alexander Radulov was wrong to sign with a club in his home country while under contract with the Nashville Predators, ice hockey's world governing body ruled in Bern, Switzerland. But the International Ice Hockey Federation said it had no legal basis to suspend him because there is no agreement in place to regulate international transfers . . . Scott Cashman, 39, the Beanpot Eberly Award winner in 1990 for Boston University, died suddenly Monday in Kanata, Ontario. The goalie is third in the BU record books for saves (2,468) and minutes (5,679:56). He played from 1989-93 . . . In submitting their Major League Lacrosse 23-man Protected Roster for 2009, the Boston Cannons elected not to protect two veterans, defenseman Ryan Curtis and midfielder David Jenkins.