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Lauri Markkanen scored 27 points for the Jazz, who were short-handed aftertrading Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks to Memphisearlier Tuesday for Jaren Jackson Jr., Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr.

The last NBA player with 22 assists in a game was Denver's Nikola Jokic last March 7. Collier, who played the entire game, also scored 17 points as all seven Utah players had 14 points or more. Brice Sensabaugh scored 20, Ace Bailey had 19 and Kyle Filipowski had 16 points and 16 rebounds.

Quenton Johnson scored 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting and Jarace Walker also had 24 for the Pacers, who held out four regular starters — All-Star Pascal Siakam, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell — for rest or because of minor injuries. All four played a night earlier, whenIndiana lost 118-114to visiting Houston.

Little-used Kam Jones, a healthy scratch on Monday, made his first career start for the Pacers and had 12 points.

Keyonte George (ankle), Kevin Love (illness) and Walker Kessler (shoulder) sat out for the Jazz. Jusuf Nurkic was listed as available with an illness but did not play.

Stockton had 22 assists for Utah on Dec. 18, 1992 against Philadelphia. The Hall of Famer also had eight games with 23 or more, including a career-best 28 on Jan. 15, 1991 against San Antonio.

Jazz: At Atlanta on Thursday night.

Pacers: At Milwaukee on Friday night.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Cathy Lanier, the NFL's chief security officer, addressed the topic during a security briefing with reporters ahead of Sunday's game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

"There's no planned ICE enforcement activities,"Lanier said. "We are confident of that."

Lanier's claim stands in conflict with repeated statements from DHS officials that ICE will have a presence at the Super Bowl amid a nationwide campaign targeting immigrants for deportation under President Donald Trump.

DHS: Super Bowl not a 'safe haven'

DHS adviserCorey Lewandowski saidon a podcast in October that the Super Bowl would not be a "safe haven" for targets of ICE activities.

"There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people who are in this country illegally," Lewandowski said. "Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else. We will find you. We will apprehend you. We will put you in a detention facility, and we will deport you."

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem echoed Lewandowski's statement, saying on the same podcast that ICE will be "all over" the Super Bowl.

Lewandowski and Noem made their statements shortly after the NFL announced that Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny would headline the Super Bowl halftime show. Noem said this of the NFL when asked what message she wanted to send the league in response to its decision to feature Bad Bunny:

"They suck, and we'll win,"Noem said. "They won't be able to sleep at night because they don't know what they believe. And they're so weak, we'll fix it."

Bad Bunny pushes back

Bad Bunny is a vocal critic of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement campaign andreiterated his stance during an acceptance speech at the Grammy awardsSunday night.

"Before I say thanks to God, I'm going to say ICE out,"he said. "We're not savages, we're not animals, we're not aliens, we are humans and we are Americans ... The hate gets more powerful with more hate. The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love.

"So please, we need to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love."

NFL commissionerRoger Goodell reiterated the league's support for Bad Bunnyas the Super Bowl halftime performer in a news conference Monday.

ICE, DHS plans for Super Bowl remain murky

DHS has not confirmed in recent days whether or not it has plans for ICE enforcement at and around the Super Bowl.Per the Associated Press, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin refused to say whether federal immigration agents will be present around the game.

The AP reports that DHS official Jeff Brannigan indicated in private calls with local law enforcement and the NFL that ICE does not plan to conduct enforcement activities around the Super Bowl. DHS has not publicly confirmed that stance, and concerns remain among critics that a Trump administration prone to changing its mind could do so if that is the plan.

ICE and its tactics are under increased nationwide scrutiny in the aftermath ofthe shooting deaths of U.S. citizens Alex PrettiandRenee Good by agents.

The trade on Tuesday was first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania. Cleveland becomes the sixth team in Harden's 17-year career.

Harden, who averages 25.4 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds, gives Cleveland another scoring option for the remainder of the regular-season. After all, he is No. 9 all-time in NBA scoring history with 28,805 points. For what it's worth, he's No. 12 all-time in assists.

TheCavaliersacquire a combo guard in Harden who can play shooting guard and run a team as a point guard. He's played with superstars his entire career and has had success, especially in the regular season.

Having played with an array of stars like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving and Chris Paul throughout his 17-year NBA career, he should have no issue gelling with Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell.

Harden, who stands at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, gives Cleveland more size in their backcourt, a difference from Garland's 6-foot-1, 192-pound frame.

He should fit right in with Cleveland, who has been looking for a consistent secondary scorer after Mitchell. They happened to get one of the best offensive players in the game's history.

Harden joins the team as someone who control an offense. He's a constant scoring threat whether via penetration or knocking down perimeter shots. He's second all-time in NBA history with 3,310 3-pointers made.

Harden has been successful in his career when paired with other shooters or an athletic big who can set screens and finish above the rim, an archetype that matches both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

With the Cavaliers sitting at No. 5 in the Eastern Conference standings with a 30-21 record, Harden's addition gives them someone who can add a veteran presence and playoff experience.

On the receiving end of the trade are the Clippers who not only get a scorer at the point guard, right after losing one, but they also get younger in the process. Garland, who turned 26 in January, gives the team in Inglewood an 18 point-per-game scorer who turns out nearly seven assists per game this season.

The Clippers started the season with a 6-21 record by Dec. 18, and looked like they were headed towards the lottery with the Oklahoma City Thunder owning their pick.

But since then, the Clippers have turned their season around, having won 17 of their last 22 games. They now sit at the No. 9 spot in the Western Conference standings, which would qualify them for a NBA Play-in Tournament berth.

Garland can help recently named All-Star Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers creep into a potential playoff-berth by reaching the No. 6-spot or even better. They have a long way to go, as they stand seven games behind the No. 6-best Minnesota Timberwolves. But it's not entirely impossible.

The Kawhi Leonard-era isn't over just yet with the Clippers, this is just the latest iteration. From Paul George to Harden, now Garland attempts to help bring the Clippers over the hump and a chance to make and win their first ever NBA championship.

See how others are reacting to the NBA news:

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

More NBA trade news:Chicago Bulls agree to trade Nikola Vucevic to the Boston Celtics

Sports world, fans react to Harden-Garland trade:

See immediate reactions and feedback from the NBA world, from NBA experts and insiders to fans of the game.

Experts and insiders:

Take a look at what some of the NBA experts and pundits had to say about the Harden trade.

A few weeks ago James Harden was waxing poetic about his time in LA, telling ESPN how "blessed" he'd felt to play in his hometown. I believe he was genuine in those sentiments. But this is a business decision for all involved. Garland is 10 years younger and gives the Clippers…https://t.co/aY8fqeeOaX

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne)February 4, 2026

By targeting Cleveland as his next destination, James Harden had to waive almost all of his $2.3 million trade bonus. He wanted the Cavaliers, like he wanted the Clippers... like he wanted the Sixers... It's honestly impressive this man keeps pointing at a team and getting there.https://t.co/SpOZrKhdTz

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer)February 4, 2026

Here are the salaries in the Cleveland/LAC trade:To ClevelandJames Harden: $39.2M, $42.3M ($13.3M GTY)Note: 2026-27 is a player option. If Harden opts-in, the contract is not guaranteed until 7/11To LA ClippersDarius Garland: $39.5M, $42.2M, $44.9M

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42)February 4, 2026

"I would not trade Darius Garland for James Harden under any circumstances. You know why?… All this guy does is quit on teams and fold in the playoffs."@getnickwrightsounds off about James Harden:pic.twitter.com/GsP6pZINuv

— First Things First (@FTFonFS1)February 3, 2026

I enjoyed covering James Harden during his time with the Clippers.On multiple occasions he stated his desire to finish his career in his hometown of Los Angeles. But the business side of things didn't line up that way.Should be an interest night at Intuit Dome tomorrow with…

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_)February 4, 2026

Harden x Spida 😤This new duo in Cleveland 🔥pic.twitter.com/rWbX8akhrD

— ESPN (@espn)February 4, 2026

NBA, sports fans around the world:

Check out these reactions from various sports fans around the world.

Cavs got an old, washed James HardenClippers got a 26 year old who still isn't in his primeWe ALL know who wonhttps://t.co/OzYMLZTz8g

— Trey Park, College Basketball Insider (@tp13enthusiast)February 4, 2026

So next season Cavs gonna have James Harden, LeBron James, and Donovan Mitchellhttps://t.co/4oXRPhs6sA

— Blake / Tech2000 💿 (@ucegotthejuce)February 4, 2026

As a long time James Harden hater and day 1 Darius Garland fan, I will simply never recover from this. I hate everything.https://t.co/kJ9xTIubIQ

— Kayley (@kayleyk)February 4, 2026

Dear James Harden, from the night you got traded here it's been an absolute honor to witness you play on this team. Never sat out any games, never complained, gave it 100%. I appreciate everything you've done for this team. Thank You and Good luck in Cleveland GOAT 😭😭🙏🏾🙏🏾❤️❤️1️⃣pic.twitter.com/5nvRh8VuyL

— AMB🫀 (@AMBGotAura)February 4, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:James Harden, Darius Garland trade: Reactions to Clippers-Cavs deal

WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - State prisons in the United States became more violent and nearly 50% deadlier over the past five years as authorities struggled to keep enough guards on the job, according to a government-funded report to be released on Wednesday.

The United States locks away ​more people than any other nation, including about 1 million people in state-run prisons. The previously unreported evaluation, paid for by the U.S. Department of Justice ‌and conducted by an initiative called Safe Inside, found that those systems are under increasing strain, even as many states sharply reduced the number of people they locked up.

"We have less staff and they're asked to ‌do more," said John Wetzel, a former head of Pennsylvania's prison system and the chairman of Safe Inside, a nonpartisan research effort focused on improving state prisons. "We're seeing the increased deaths, increase of assaults and there's no argument that these are going up."

The staff shortages mean prisons have fewer people on duty to protect inmates, and fewer who can take them to medical appointments, Wetzel said.

The rising death rate came as the number of assaults on inmates increased 54% over the same period, and the number of assaults on prison staff rose ⁠77%, the review found. The report did not include details about ‌the raw numbers of assaults.

The death rate among state prisoners increased 47% between 2019 and 2024, the most recent years for which the organization could gather data. The deaths include homicides, suicides and violence, and the report concluded that understaffing and high turnover "likely contribute" to the ‍increase, though researchers said they lacked enough data to prove causation.

The review based that report on conditions in 12 state prison systems; most of the rest, it said, did not report adequate information on the number of people who died in their custody. It found that the death rate was 2.8 for every 100,000 prisoners in 2019; by 2024 it had risen to 4.1.

"There is ​not enough personnel to provide the attention that is needed to people in state custody," said Maria Goellner, vice president of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, which advocates reducing ‌the number of people in prison. "So you do see increased neglect, abuse and violence, and horrendous prison conditions."

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She added part of the problem is that states are imprisoning people "who don't need to be there."

The increase in deaths was particularly sharp in some states. In Alabama, researchers documented 337 inmates who died in 2024, compared to 99 in 2019. In California, which operates one of the nation's largest prison systems, deaths among inmates were largely unchanged even though the state cut its prison population by nearly a quarter.

Spokesmen for the Alabama and California prisons did not respond to questions about the deaths.

The researchers chose those years so that they would not capture deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, which wreaked ⁠havoc in some jails and prisons and also pushed state and local governments to free thousands ​of people to slow the virus's spread. Michael Thompson, the director of Safe Inside, said the death rate ​has increased faster than could be explained by prisoners getting older or sicker.

Prisons throughout the United States have struggled for years to hire enough guards and other staff, and to keep the ones they have. New York and Florida have sent thousands of National Guard soldiers to ‍fill gaps in understaffed prisons.

The Safe Inside review ⁠found understaffing cost states more than $2 billion in overtime in 2024, 80% more than five years earlier. Some prison workers told researchers that they worked multiple 18-hour shifts in a row and that some facilities were so shorthanded that it was common for guards to be unable to take a bathroom break because ⁠there was no one to fill in for them while they were gone. That pressure, in turn, makes it harder to keep workers from quitting.

In Michigan, for example, the report found that one of every ‌six prison jobs was unfilled last year. At some prisons, almost a third of jobs were vacant.

A spokeswoman for Michigan's Department of Corrections, Jenni ‌Riehle, said the rate of unfilled jobs had fallen slightly since then.

(Editing by Craig Timburg)

Feb 4 (Reuters) - Seventy-five years ago, the idea of harnessing the power of the skies was little more than fantasy spun by futurists like Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov. Elon Musk's mega-merger of his companies xAI and SpaceX this week brings this sci-fi dream a step closer.

NASA engineers and technologists have speculated for nearly ​two decades about moving energy‑hungry computing off the planet. More recently, the idea has captured the attention of Big Tech including Alphabet andJeff Bezos' Blue Origin. The physics made sense, the ‌solar energy was abundant. Still, the challenges seemed insurmountable.

Musk, though, known for betting on seemingly far-out theories and getting them to work, may finally be laying the groundwork to make data centers in space a reality. He is armed with the world's busiest satellite launch ‌fleet, an AI startup, and an appetite for infrastructure that stretches from Earth to vacuum.

"In the long term, space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale," Musk said on Monday. "To harness even a millionth of our Sun's energy would require over a million times more energy than our civilization currently uses! The only logical solution therefore is to transport these resource-intensive efforts to a location with vast power and space."

The merger sharpens investor focus on how he might overcome big hurdles through a tightly woven ecosystem of rockets, satellites andAI systems, to take AI infrastructure beyond Earth. It comes just as SpaceX is preparing for a potential $1.5 trillion IPO.

SpaceX has sought permission to launch ⁠up to 1 million solar‑powered satellites engineered as orbital data centers, far beyond ‌anything currently deployed or proposed. In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission, SpaceX describes a solar‑powered, optical‑link‑driven "orbital data-center system," though it did not say how many Starship launches would be required to scale the space data-center network to an operational degree.

"Compute in space isn't sci-fi anymore," said David Ariosto, author and founder of space intelligence firm ‍The Space Agency. "And Elon Musk has already proven himself capable across multiple domains."

OLD IDEA MEETS NEW ECONOMICS

Advocates argue space-based data centers would be a cheaper alternative to data centers on Earth, thanks to constant solar energy and the ability to dump heat directly into space. But some experts have warned that big commercial gains are years from reality as the concept faces daunting challenges and is fraught with technical risks: radiation, debris, heat management, latency, and formidable economics that include high maintenance costs.

"There's ​some real challenges here, and how do you then make that cost-effective?" said Armand Musey, founder of Summit Ridge Group, who said the financial details of a project such as this was hard to ‌model because the "technical unknowns haven't been clarified."

"But never say never," said Musey, who called Musk's track record "unbelievable." "I think a large part of it is, it's a bet on Elon. His success is really hard for people to ignore."

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Even with Musk's ambitions, data centers in space may not be achievable for another decade, some experts have said.

The underlying physics behind space-based infrastructure is not new. Harnessing solar power in orbit dates back to Cold War-era research, when the U.S. Department of Energy and NASA studied space-based solar power concepts in the 1970s, ultimately concluding that launch and materials costs made them impractical.

What makes Musk's efforts different is that his companies have more direct control over key elements of the system - from the rockets that will carry the hardware, to the links to beam data back to Earth, to a Musk-owned social network to generate demand for cheap AI ⁠computing.

"SpaceX has structural advantages that few others can match. It controls the world's most active launch fleet, has demonstrated mass ​production of spacecraft through Starlink, and has access to substantial private capital," said Kathleen Curlee, a research analyst at Georgetown University.

BOMBARDING CHIPS ​WITH RADIATION

Among the biggest challenges facing space data centers are radiation and cooling.

Data-center hardware will be bombarded by cosmic rays from the sun. In the past, chips designed for space were specially "hardened" for such radiation but were rarely as fast as today's flagship AI chips.

Cooling AI chips, which generate immense heat during computations, is the other hurdle. While ‍space is cold, it is also a near vacuum, so ⁠heat cannot be carried away the way it is on Earth. Powerful chips must instead move heat into large radiators that shed it as infrared energy, adding significant size, weight, and therefore cost.

SpaceX's filing with the FCC describes cooling via "passive heat dissipation into the vacuum of space" and outlines how satellites that suffer operational failures rapidly de-orbit.

More recently, Alphabet's Google bombarded one of its AI chips ⁠with radiation at a university lab in California to see how it would endure a five- or six-year mission in space for a research effort to network solar-powered satellites into an orbital AI cloud called Project Suncatcher.

"They held up quite well against that," said ‌Travis Beals, a senior executive at Google and lead of the project, which is set for a prototype launch to space in 2027.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Joey ‌Roulette in Washington; Additional reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Matthew Lewis)

FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Ryan Routh will be back in federal court Wednesday morning for the first time sincehe was found guiltylast year of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump.

Prosecutors are asking for a life sentence for Routh, who was convicted of trying to kill Trump, then a presidential candidate, at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in September 2024.

Prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum that Routh "remains totally unrepentant" and that "the heinous nature of this assassination attempt — his selfish, violent decision to prevent the American voters from electing President Trump by killing him first — that warrants severe criminal punishment."

Routh, who represented himself during the trial, has been assigned a court-appointed attorney to help him prepare for his sentencing hearing.

The attorney, Martin Roth, argued in a court document last month that Routh did not "commit an act of terrorism" and asked the judge to issue a "term of 20 years, followed by the required 7 year mandatory sentenced required" for his firearm conviction in relation to the assassination attempt. Routh would "be in custody into his eighties and would not pose any threat to cause harm to the public," Roth said.

Routh will have the opportunity to make one more plea before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon at the sentencing hearing, which is expected to last only over an hour. Each side will be allowed to present arguments, but neither expects to call any live witnesses or present any exhibits.

Routh was arrested in September 2024 after Secret Service agent Robert Fercano spotted him hiding in the shrubbery near the fifth hole of Trump's golf club. According to prosecutors, he was waiting for Trump to get into his line of fire.

Friends and relatives of Routh's have submitted letters of support to the court.

Routh's son Adam wrote that his father "wants to move forward in the right way and continue to be someone who contributes to our family and his community" and added that "we still need him, and he still has people who love and support him."

Nancy Meyers, Routh's sister, asked Cannon to consider placing her brother in a prison facility in North Carolina, saying the family was "devastated" by his actions but "committed to assisting him with his rehabilitative efforts."

Wednesday's hearing will be the first time Routh has been back in court since hetried to stab himself in the neck with his penafter his guilty verdict was read last year. U.S. marshals quickly escorted him out of the courtroom.

During the closing of the two-week trial, Routh delivered a brief and disjointed argument in which he tried to argue that there was no crime because he never fired a shot at Trump. Routh brought up the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on Capitol Hill and began talking about Ukraine, Founding Father Patrick Henry and the "common man," before Cannon put a halt to his argument.

After just over two hours of deliberations, the jury of seven women and five men found Routh guilty on all five counts, which included three federal gun charges and an assault on the Secret Service agent who rousted him from his hiding place.

Routh underwent a medical evaluation before the trial. In its sentencing memorandum, the government wrote that a private psychiatrist retained by Routh's former counsel "ultimately acknowledged that Routh had no basis to claim incompetence, insanity, or diminished capacity, but did propose that Routh suffers from two disorders [Narcissistic Personality Disorder and a Bipolar II diagnosis]."

The government said Routh made no effort to explain how the supposed conditions related to his crimes or how they excused his criminal conduct.

Routh's attorney asked that his client receive mental health treatment while he is in custody after he is sentenced.

TheNCAAand Republican Sen. Ted Cruz saydefinitely not.

But player advocates say yes, they should. And there's one team they can hold up as the poster case for how players are treated as employees under the control of a pro-style program —Coloradowithfootball coach Deion Sanders.

Sanders, 58, has been unabashed about it, most recently with an NFL-style disciplinary system in which players arefined for team rules violations, including $500 for being late to practice.

"Viewed in a broader context, what Sanders is doing is an extension of longstanding control tactics by NCAA coaches," Illinois law professor Michael LeRoy told USA TODAY Sports. "They set schedules, manage work, expect performance, push out or cut deficient players, recruit better ones. But Sanders' approach strips any remaining veneer from the idea that his players are not employees."

'Train wreck.'Unlimited transfer portal 'sucking life out of college sports.' Ask man who ignited it

Toppmeyer:NCAA lied about NIL. College sports have never been more popular

The way he operates and markets his program takes the debate to a different level, complete with dozens of annual free-agent signings and a de facto waiver wire for players who have fallen out of favor.

"At the end of the day, man, this is an NFL-based program," Colorado receiver Sincere Brownsaid in September. "It's like a mini-NFL program."

What's at stake in this debate about college athletes as employees?

It's about more money and rights for players. Those who oppose college athletes as employees generally say it would be too expensive for colleges that already arestruggling to come up with the moneyto pay players under the revenue-sharing terms of theHouse vs. NCAAlegal settlement.

One pending lawsuit,Johnson vs. the NCAA, wants college athletes classified as employees under theFair Labor Standards Actso they can be entitled to wages for services they provided unrelated to academics. That case is still active in federal court after being filed by plaintiffs attorney Paul McDonald in 2019.

"Certainly, what's going on in Colorado is a big flashing light kind of thing," McDonald told USA TODAY Sports.

But to McDonald and his case, the issue is much simpler: Why can regular college students earn employee wages for selling popcorn at games in a work-study program but not student-athletes for playing in the games? He's pushing for an answer in court.

The political football of college athletes as employees

Separately, under the National Labor Relations Act, players as employees could unionize and reach a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with private schools or conferences for more money and benefits. In exchange, they would make tradeoffs in a CBA, such as a cap on the number of timesa player can transfer to a new school.

In 2021, the then-general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, Jennifer Abruzzo, issued a memo that said sheconsidered college athletes to be employees under the NLRA.

"Under common law, an employee includes a person 'who perform(s) services for another and (is) subject to the other's control or right of control,'" the memo stated. The memo said payment for services "is strongly indicative of employee status."

The Trump Administrationrescinded that memo in 2025. Now the U.S. Congress is in conflict about the issue as it considers legislation to regulate college sports. Democrats don't want to forbid employment status for college athletes while Cruz recently told ESPN it was "absolutely critical" to clarify "that student athletes are not employees."

2003: Deion Sanders and family celebrate Kids Day at the New York Knicks vs. New Orleans Hornets NBA game at Madison Square Garden in New York, on Nov. 29, 2003.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 2000: Washington's Deion Sanders jukes the Detroit Lions' Brock Olivo at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, on Sept. 10, 2000.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 1997: Deion Sanders at the plate for the Cincinnati Reds during the 1997 season. The Reds were among four different MLB teams that Sanders played for during a nine-season career.

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See Deion Sanders' 'Prime Time' career in football, baseball and coaching

The 'mini-NFL program' under Deion Sanders

To be sure, Sanderspromotes classwork and education at Colorado. He has said he wants to develop his players as young men, not just football players.

At the same time, probably no other major college sports program in America is a better example of a college team treating players like employees in a setting that advertises itself as a pro development operation. Here are some examples below.

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Deion Sanders issues fines for rules violations

Colorado players arefined for infractionslike in the NFL — $400 for being late to a meeting and up to $5,000 for "social media misconduct."

This isn't the first time a college program has tried this. In 2015, the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia reported Virginia Tech had asystem for fining players, including $100 for drawing a personal foul penalty. The newspaper said Virginia Tech's athletic director "had no idea" about it and discontinued it immediately.

"The fact that the players are required to follow specific rules and are subject to consequences for violating them is a level of control often seen in the employment context," Abruzzo told USA TODAY Sports. "This conduct seems to be similar to an employer taking action against a worker for a handbook rule infraction. But, rather than suspend the worker, thus making them unavailable for work (games), for example, he assesses fines."

Deion Sanders' pro-style roster control

Sanders pioneered thepractice of signing dozens of free-agent transfersevery year, even more so than NFL teams. This year, he's signing players for money under the national revenue-sharing rules that started last July. He also has used the transfer portal as a pro-style waiver wire as an escape hatch for players who underperform. He's not the only coach who controls roster spots like this, but he's been the most famous example of it. He's said he had to"get rid of" the mess he inherited.

"Those of you we don't run off, we're gonna make you quit," Sanders told his inherited Colorado players at hisfirst team meeting in December 2022.

Deion Sanders 'wanted pros' for pro development

Sanders has advertised his program as a pro-development program filled with former NFL players and coaches. Last year, three Pro Football Hall of Famers were on staff. His offensive coordinator last year, Pat Shurmur, previously was the head coach of the NFL's Cleveland Browns and New York Giants.

"We have two new coordinators that are wonderful, that combined I believe they have over 35 years of NFL experience, because I wanted pros," Sanderssaid in 2024. "It's like a navigational system. You can't tell me where to go unless you've been there (the NFL)."

Online classes and reality TV at Colorado

His players previously signed releases or agreementsto appear in a reality show featuring Sanderson Amazon Prime Video, including for compensation.

Many of his players don't attend classes in-person and do their college classwork online instead. His quarterback sonShedeur Sanderssaid he attendedonly one in-person class in his time at Colorado. This isn't unique to Colorado and isn't unusual for athletes after the pandemic of 2020, but it doesn't exactly contribute to the notion players are living the campus life as "student-athletes." Instead, it adds to the notion these players are separated from the rest of the student body while "working" on a separate revenue-generating mission.

"The rules, the perhaps implied coercion to appear on and promote the reality TV shows for his financial gain, and the lack of taking in-person classes if as a consequence of scheduling conflicts related to games, traveling, practice (and) training where academics is forced to take a second seat to athletics, all together suggest that the player is more akin to an employee than a student," Abruzzo said.

'Pro Day' at Colorado on NFL Network

Sanders hosted amassive "pro day" eventlast April, in which NFL scouts, coaches, executives and media came to campus to measure his players and watch them work out before the NFL draft. Other schools have "pro days," too, but this was televised on the NFL Network — the kind of marketing and publicity that other programs want but few can get.

Sanders called it "a tremendous boost for our program and what we're trying to accomplish here at CU."

'Focused on the NFL' at Colorado

To legal experts, it's a matter of control and compensation in exchange for services provided, not marketing. In theJohnson vs. NCAAcase, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal set up atest to determine whether minimum-wage law applies to college athletes.

The court said they may be considered employees in this context if they "perform services for another party, that are "necessarily and primarily for the (other party's) benefit," under that party's control or right of control and in return for "express" or "implied" compensation or "in-kind benefits."

"My view has long been that the football and basketball players in the Power 5 conferences easily meet the definition of employee," said Marc Edelman, law professor at Baruch College in New York. "So while Deion Sanders adding fines to compensated athletes marks another obvious indicia of employment status,  this decision just seems to be indicative of a far broader scope of control over athletes, extending from control over what they wear to control over their social media."

Sanders has never tried to hide what he's been trying to build. At his introductory news conference in December 2022, he said he wanted his players focused on more than making money from their names, images and likenesses (NIL).

"I'm not crazy about the NILs, but I understand the NILs," Sanders said then. "But I would rather our kids be focused on the NFL, not just the NIL."

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer@Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Why Colorado's Deion Sanders fuels labor debate over college players