NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was named Sports Executive of the Year at the '15 Sports Business Awards last night in N.Y. The NBA was named Sports League of the Year. ESPN won three awards: Best in Sports Media, Best in Sports Television and Best in Digital Sports Media. About 800 people attended the event at the Marriott Marquis at Times Square.

The full list of Sports Business Awards winners:

The night clearly belonged to Dick Ebersol at the Sports Business Awards, as he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the industry. He was surrounded by friends and family filling three tables at the front of the ballroom. His moving remarks touched on the importance of family, relationships and how fortunate everyone in the room was to work in sports. After Ebersol’s remarks, the rest of the evening was filled with similar themes and massive appreciation for all of Ebersol’s many accomplishments.

NBC’s Bob Costas and Cris Collinsworth brought some laughs to the traditionally nervous audience when they introduced Ebersol. The two skillfully played off each other and had three fun videos to showcase various moments in Ebersol’s career. Ebersol took the stage to John Williams’ “SNF” anthem, while Costas and Collinsworth entered to Williams’ NBC Olympic fanfare theme. After the show, a group almost 20 deep, including Jim Bell, Jeff Zucker, Costas/Collinsworth, Molly Solomon, Ken Schanzer and Mike McCarley, celebrated with Ebersol and his family on the main stage and posed for photos.

Some of the notable occurrences and appearances at last night's Sports Business Awards:

• The Red Sox leadership team of owners John Henry and Tom Werner and COO Sam Kennedy ducked out from MLB's quarterly owners meeting, which was being held across town, to join the awards show midway through the proceedings.
• The NBA took advantage of industry types being in N.Y. for the SBAs to hold its own partner summit. Included in the programming were discussions on youth basketball moderated by Grant Hill and a panel on "Navigating Millennial Disruption," which included Dwyane Wade.
• The exec cited most often for leadership and vision from the stage after Ebersol was clearly the SEC’s Mike Slive, with major shout-outs from CFP Exec Dir Bill Hancock after winning Event of the Year and by the Univ. of Arkansas' Jeff Long after winning AD of the Year.
• CFP's Hancock after taking the stage repeatedly expressed surprise and amazement in his heartfelt style over winning Event of the Year (THE DAILY).

The Maple Leafs today at Air Canada Centre will formally introduce their new coach, longtime Red Wings coach Mike Babcock. Yesterday, Babcock signed a deal worth $50M over eight years "after he was hotly pursued by a half dozen NHL teams the past few weeks." He "turned down a similar offer" from the Sabres. Babcock "will be given a say in personnel decisions with the Leafs as well as an out clause after five years" in what is reportedly a "heavily front-loaded" contract (GLOBE & MAIL, 5/21).

See more in THE DAILY.

Milwaukee County Exec Chris Abele and Bucks President Peter Feigin yesterday expressed "renewed confidence" that an arena financing deal "will be delivered to state legislators soon." In a "sign that negotiations are heating up, Feigin said he and Abele expected to spend the next five to seven days" in Madison, Wisc. Feigin: "I'm confident we will get to a solution. We are happy the Bucks are involved in that solution" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 5/21).

U.S. District Judge David Ezra today in San Antonio is scheduled to hear arguments over a "key question in the clash over Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson's family fortune." The issue at hand is whether a Bexar County probate judge who "temporarily removed Benson as trustee over a family trust" should decide the case. Another option is that Ezra now determine who "should have power over assets that include car dealerships and a bank" (NOLA.com, 5/20).

The Massachusetts state Senate has passed a measure "aimed at guaranteeing no tax dollars are spent hosting" a potential '24 Games in Boston "without approval of the Legislature first." The Senate yesterday approved the proposal "as an amendment to its version of the state budget." The amendment "also calls for at least one public hearing before allowing money to be spent on the Olympics" (AP, 5/21).

USA Wrestling tonight will host an exhibition match with the Cuban national team in Times Square to benefit Beat the Streets, a charity devoted to building wrestling in the inner city. It is the first time competing in N.Y. since '03 for the Cuban team, which is finding travel here far easier since President Obama moved to restore diplomatic relations last year. In a sign of the times, Cuban team official Rafael Soto at yesterday’s weigh-in said travel visas were approved "the very next day" after they agreed to wrestle.

The dual meet, which will include women’s teams and Greco-Roman matches, is followed by a gala fundraising event at a nearby theater. Among the participating athletes are Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs and medalists Clarissa Chun and Randi Miller.

LSU announced that it is "using incoming freshman basketball player Ben Simmons, the nation's No. 1 recruit, as part of its season ticket campaign" for '15-16. The "25 is Coming" promotion, "alluding to Simmons' chosen jersey number, gives fans who want to become season ticket holders a chance to lock in" their packages for the upcoming season. The "promotional blitz will include print, billboard, online and social media advertising" (NOLA.com, 5/20).

Broncos QB Peyton Manning was one of the 10 presenters for last night's Top Ten list on David Letterman's final night hosting the "Late Show." The list was “Top Ten Things I've Always Wanted To Say To Dave” read by “ten frequent ‘Late Show’ guests and good friends of ours” live on-stage. Letterman exclaimed as Manning finished speaking, “Peyton! Oh my God!” Letterman said to Paul Shaffer, “Did you notice me standing next to Peyton Manning? It’s like we’re twins.” Shaffer replied, “First of all, you towered over him”  (“Late Show,” CBS, 5/20).

Read last night's Top Ten list.

IndyCar announced that the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis “will return for a third year.” Next year’s race is scheduled for May 14 (INDYSTAR.com, 5/20).

Rosemont, Ill., trustees yesterday “approved contracts for the construction of a Budweiser Lounge expected to open at the Allstate Arena before the end of the summer.” The total construction cost will be $317,657 (SUNTIMES.com, 5/21).

The AAC women’s basketball tournament will “return to the Mohegan Sun next season.” The conference has played the last two tournaments at the casino (HARTFORD COURANT, 5/21).

Electronics brand Jaybird has signed U.S. volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings, who will endorse the brand’s headphone and wearable technology. Walsh Jennings also endorses lifestyle brands Oakley, Asics and Wilson (Jaybird).

The Braves last night "added the Hawks-Cavaliers game to their scoreboard in left field so fans could track" the NBA playoff game at Philips Arena (AP, 5/20).

“That is not a proposal. It may never be a proposal. But it is a great pivot point to have this discussion” – Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, backing off the freshman ineligibility plan that he brought up for debate in April (ESPN.com, 5/20).

“I don’t feel my job’s on the line. I’m confident in the integrity of our program and the direction we’re heading, and I know what we’ve done here in the time I’ve been here” – Illinois AD Mike Thomas, on allegations of abuse from both the school’s football and women’s basketball programs (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/21).

“At least for our original programming, it’s at least one of the primary shows. … It feels like fans from throughout the conference are tuning in to watch it” – Pac-12 Networks Coordinating Producer Michael Tolajian, on the strong ratings for “The Drive” series (OREGONLIVE.com, 5/20).

“I’d be lying if I said it wouldn’t have been great to play at Lambeau … but it is what it is. They have to get ready for the season” – Former NFLer Brett Favre, on the Packers passing on the chance to host his Legends Game this year (ESPN.com, 5/20).

“To me, it’s robbery. I know to the young I probably sound like an old fossil. But to me, it’s theft” – Former NBC Sports Chair Dick Ebersol, on the rise of live-streaming apps like Meerkat and Periscope (“Squawk Box,” CNBC, 5/21).

Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with four MLB game highlights, followed by Rangers-Lightning and Cavaliers-Hawks. Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with a UFC discussion, followed by Cavaliers-Hawks and Rangers-Lightning.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: Syracuse’s athletic department for unretiring the No. 44 for an incoming “special Syracuse player” to wear. Olbermann also blasted the Lightning, “who have banned high-end Stanley Cup Playoff ticket customers from wearing anything but Lightning gear and colors and restricted sales of the tickets to non-Floridians,” and the Cubs for having “another PR disaster” as some of the commemorative bricks the team had placed around Wrigley Field have turned up in an Illinois landfill.

The WALL STREET JOURNAL looks at why kids are abandoning baseball and notes MLB “is strong, but the casual young player is vanishing, threatening the sport’s future.”

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Flyers GM Ron Hextall is "indeed serious about changing how the Flyers do business." The franchise "has long needed a cleansing breeze."

Also:

• Talk of moving Preakness Stakes is last thing Baltimore needs following unrest.
• Kansas fans have “strong distaste” for resuming Border War with Missouri.
• The N.Y. Times’ Victor Mather offers behind-the-scenes access to NBA Draft lottery.
• Could cost-of-attendance stipend help or hurt Big Ten schools in terms of recruiting?
• Stats show that NFL's latest PAT rule change should be no big deal for kickers.
• Take a bike trip around Atlanta with Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff.

I'm glad college baseball teams are wearing ugly 80s-style uniforms. It's like a burden has been lifted off the shoulders of my generation.

— Jeff Bradley (@JerseyJBradley) May 21, 2015

.there's a real buzz about the @BMWPGA at Wentworth,the Pro-am was a huge success and some great celebs playing-good luck to all this week

— chubby chandler (@chubby6665) May 21, 2015

At $6.2M per year, Mike Babcock will face an income tax bill bigger than the pre-tax income of any other NHL coach. Whoa.

— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) May 20, 2015

Why could only Inglewood host SB LIV of the LA projects? Only that project could have a team play a season in 2018. Carson wouldn’t be ready

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 20, 2015

Football website runs critical piece on Xavi moving to Qatar due to human rights issues - surrounded by ad for Baku pic.twitter.com/0lihJ3ri4B

— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) May 21, 2015

Ravens coach John Harbaugh will deliver the keynote address at Stevenson Univ.'s commencement ceremony.

Columbia, S.C., Mayor Steve Benjamin and Hardball Capital Chair & CEO Jason Freier will announce which Minor League Baseball team is relocating to the city for the '16 season.

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Religion.”

“The ‘N’ in the I.N.R.I. written on the Christian cross refers to this place.”

Last night’s edition of CBS’ “Late Show” was the final broadcast for host David Letterman. President Obama and former Presidents Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush said in taped messages, “Our long national nightmare is over.” Letterman came on-stage to a thunderous and extended ovation from the studio audience. He said, “It’s beginning to look like I’m not going to get ‘The Tonight Show’” (“Late Show,” CBS, 5/20). 

Heat G Dwyane Wade appeared on NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers” last night where he and host Seth Meyers discussed fashion. Meyers said, “You're into fashion. You have a tie collaboration, a sock collaboration. Have you always been into fashion?” Wade said he “cared about it, but I didn't have (any) money” in college so “it's kind of hard to be into fashion with no money." Wade: "To be able to be a designer myself and to get into this field, to me it's pretty cool but it's something that kind of started as a young kid” (“Late Night With Seth Meyers,” NBC, 5/20).

The Top Ten list was “Top Ten Things I've Always Wanted To Say To Dave” read by “ten frequent ‘Late Show’ guests and good friends of ours” (“Late Show,” CBS, 5/20).

10) “Of all the talk shows, yours is most geographically convenient to my home” (Alec Baldwin).
9) “Did you know that you wear the same cologne as Muammar Qaddafi?” (Barbara Walters).
8) “Your extensive plastic surgery was a necessity and a mistake” (Steve Martin).
7) “I have no idea what I'll do when you go off the air...you know, I just thought of something -- I'll be fine” (Jerry Seinfeld).
6) “Honestly, Dave, I've always found you to be a bit of an over-actor” (Jim Carrey).
5) “I'm just glad your show is being given to another white guy” (Chris Rock).
4) “Thanks for letting me take part in another hugely disappointing series finale” (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).
3) “You are to comedy what I am to comedy” (Peyton Manning).
2) “Thanks for finally proving men can be funny” (Tina Fey).
1) “I'll never have the money I owe you” (Bill Murray).

“What is Nazareth?”

Last night marked the 7,000th episode of “Jeopardy” with the first round categories all pertaining to that milestone, including “Salute to 7,000,” “Debuting In 1984,” “Back Then No One Knew,” “Through The Years,” “Always In Fashion” and “New Twists On Jeopardy! Favorites.”