NBA

The NBA has a new partner ... and it's none other than K-pop group LE SSERAFIM!!

Adam Silver's organization announced the big collaboration this week ... saying the quintet of musicians will headline the NBA's celeb and influencer operation in Asia.

The Association hopes the group's popularity will help expand its fanbase overseas ... similar to what it did when it enlisted BTS' Suga as an ambassador.

It seemed like a pretty "Smart" move -- especially considering Chaewon, Yunjin, Sakura, Kazuha and Eunchae are quite the hoop heads.

In fact, the group hit up a Laker game in customized jerseys back in November ... and briefly got to meet NBA legend Magic Johnson during their time at Crypto.com Arena.

The ladies also took a break from promoting their new project, "Easy," to tune in to the All-Star Game from a cellphone in February ... and recently posted a video of them showing off their choreography while decked out in numerous teams' merch.

With the collab, it's safe to say fans will see a lot more of LE SSERAFIM at games in the future ... and they can expect a ton of new content on socials.

The group made its debut in 2022 ... and has exploded in popularity ever since.

Bronny James has declared for the 2024 NBA Draft -- the USC freshman has officially thrown his name into consideration at the next level ... but it doesn't mean his college career is over for good.

The news broke just minutes ago -- LeBron James' 19-year-old son will go through the pro process ... working out and visiting teams leading up to the draft.

Don't expect the James gang to team up in the Association just yet -- Bronny released a statement on the decision ... saying he will maintain his college eligibility and enter the NCAA transfer protocol.

Diddy might be in hot water at the moment, but his daughters were in much calmer waters a world away this week -- enjoying their Spring Break with LeBron James' teenage son.

16-year-old Bryce James was featured in a video that's making the rounds online -- which shows him and a pal of his, Boogie Johnson, enjoying the ocean in Turks and Caicos ... and in the little dance compilation that got posted (and which has since been deleted), you can see Jessie and D'Lila Combs in the mix as well.

The girls and their matching bathing suits are unmistakable -- especially when you consider Bryce and the twins are quite close ... he and Boogie took them to homecoming last year. In fact, Boogie's got photos up with one of the twins on his social media page ... so yeah, it's a tight-knit friend group -- and it appears they're vacationing together right now.

Shannon Sharpe asked GloRilla the question everyone wants to know the answer to -- did her flirtatious shot at NBA superstar Damian Lillard actually work -- but the rapper dodged the query expertly ... and the whole interaction was hilarious.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer peppered the Memphis rapper about the message she sent to Lillard while the two were on Sharpe's "Club Shay Shay" show this week.

Initially, Shannon tried to get her to talk about her favorite NBA players ... before he pivoted the convo to her social media post where she said she "wanted" Lillard.

LeBron James is addressing the recent rumblings surrounding Bronny's college basketball future ... saying he has no idea where the reports are coming from, but he'll support the young hooper no matter what he decides to do.

Longtime sportswriter Dick Weiss reported Tuesday the 19-year-old USC Trojan planned to transfer to a new program following head coach Andy Enfield's departure for SMU.

Weiss later backtracked and admitted he couldn't confirm the story ... but that didn't stop Lakers reporters from inquiring about it following L.A.'s 128-111 win over the Toronto Raptors.

"I don't know where it came from, but at the end of the day, Bronny's his own man and he has some tough decisions to make," Bron told reporters. "And when he's ready to make those decisions, he'll let us all know."

"But as his family, we're going to support whatever he does."

There's a lot of speculation regarding Bronny -- he was once believed to be a 2024 NBA Draft prospect, but he averaged less than 5 points, 3 rebounds and just over 2 assists a game in his freshman campaign after recovering from his offseason cardiac arrest.

Some analysts think he would benefit from staying in school another year to develop his game for the next level ... but 39-year-old LeBron has long stated it is his dream to be in the Association alongside his eldest son.

Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik revealed he's been dealing with a serious health condition .... admitting he was in kidney failure after he was diagnosed with a disease that left only 14% of the organ's function.

The 49-year-old went into detail about the discovery on Monday ... explaining his wife, Gina, was concerned that he looked thinner and tired -- so she begged him to get a physical after missing the last eight annual exams.

Zanik -- who became the NBA team's GM in 2019 -- set up an appointment with the Jazz physician David Petron in September 2023 ... and was told he was in kidney failure.

The diagnosis is Polycystic Kidney Disease -- an inherited disorder where cysts develop on the kidneys causing them to work less -- and Dr. Petron said Zanik only had 14% of the kidney's use left.

Zanik will have to get a transplant -- something his father did 21 years ago ... and he found a match with his wife's best friend's husband. The procedure will happen on Tuesday.

"I'm a fixer by nature. My job with the Jazz, my role with my family -- I mean, I was a [player] agent for 15 years. I fixed a lot of s***. I'm the one who's supposed to help," Zanik said.

"I'm the one who's supposed to take care of everything. I really didn't know how to ask for help, but I had to get over it. I knew I had to get over it."

Zanik's children were also diagnosed with advanced forms of PKD ... and were told that Ava, Oskar, and Lucy would need transplants before they were 30 years old.

"We're going to do this together," Zanik said. "We're stronger together."

Russell Westbrook unloaded on a heckling fan during Sunday's game against the Charlotte Hornets ... with the LA Clippers star cussing the guy out -- and it was all captured on video.

The tense interaction went down prior to the second half of the Clips' 130-118 road win at the Spectrum Center ... when Russ addressed a spectator who, according to witnesses, had been mouthing off about him in the first two quarters.

The clip of the interaction shows Russ scolding the balloon hat-wearing Hornets supporter ... explaining his jeers went too far.

"I got kids, don't disrespect my name," Russ is heard saying during the exchange ... adding, "I don't give a f***" to whatever the spectator replied.

It appears a team staffer was right next to Russ throughout the convo ... probably to make sure things didn't escalate.

The 35-year-old vet has been vocal about the hate thrown his way during games -- especially the "Westbrick" nickname -- saying the effect the name-calling has had on his family goes far beyond the average trolling.

The NBA has also taken action against mouthy fans ... kicking people out on numerous occasions if the athletes on the hardwood complain.

The Kardashians are on board with Caitlyn Jenner and Lamar Odom teaming up for their new sports podcast -- despite reports suggesting they were blindsided, the fam actually gave it a thumbs-up ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Caitlyn tell TMZ ... the Olympian spoke with her former stepdaughter, Khloe Kardashian, after she was approached last year about a possible collab with Koko's ex-husband. We're told Khloe was very supportive of the endeavor, which pays tribute to the family's famous reality show with its title, "Keeping Up With Sports."

Khloe thought it was a great idea for Caitlyn and Lamar to cohost the show together, given they are both champions in their own right. Remember, Cait and LO were always close during the NBA star's marriage to the Good American founder, and afterward, they remained friendly.

Shaquille O'Neal blew into Nashville for a DJ gig Friday and ended up surrounded by cops ... but it's not what you might think.

A bunch of uniformed members of the Nashville Metro PD congregated around the NBA legend and posed for a pic with Shaq after he spun some records at Skydeck nearby.

Check out the video shot by popular downtown Nashville hot dog stand operator Frederick Barr. The smiles on the officers' faces tell the story.

Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett is breaking his silence on his little brother's death ... saying Nathan's passing is "a lot tougher" than any other loss he's experienced in his life.

The NBA player was emotional when he spoke about his late 19-year-old brother with reporters at Friday's practice ... his first time rejoining the Raptors since the family tragedy.

"I’ve had some people in my life, but this one hit a little harder for me," Barrett said.

"This one is definitely a little different, it’s a lot tougher, and I just think that you’ve gotta push forward every day, gotta be able to try to figure it out."

The Barrett family released a statement earlier this month ... saying Nathan was surrounded by family members and loved ones at the time of his death, although additional details have not been made public.

Nathan was also an athlete -- he followed in his brother's footsteps by playing basketball at Montverde Academy. However, he changed course and was pursuing a career as a pilot.

"If I know my brother, he would want me to be here, to be playing," Barrett added, "to try to continue to make the Barrett legacy grow."

Philadelphia 76ers hooper Kelly Oubre Jr. and his head coach, Nick Nurse, are gonna have to write out a check to the NBA -- the two were just fined $50,000 each for going ballistic on referees after their 108-107 loss to the Clippers on Wednesday.

The matchup ended in quite the controversy -- the Sixers forward drove to the basket to attempt a game-winning bucket ... and despite making contact with Paul George, a foul wasn't called.

Oubre and Nurse were irate over the no-call after the buzzer -- Oubre even flipped the bird at the officials ... and Sixers staffers had to step in to keep the two from going further.

Many believe Oubre also pointed at each official and called them a "bitch."

Tsunami Papi admitted after the game he knew a fine was coming … and he was right -- 'cause the league handed down the punishment for "verbally abusing and directing an obscene gesture" at the officials.

Nurse's fine was for "aggressively pursuing and verbally abusing game officials."

Oubre shared his regret over his actions ... saying, "I want to apologize for just losing my cool … I just ask for forgiveness. It wasn't cool, so I'll take whatever penalties come with that."

While the financial punishment is nothing to scoff at, ex-NBA player Lou Williams predicted KO would actually get a heftier fine … saying, "This is $25,000 per bitch, without a doubt."

NBA center Isaiah Hartenstein is opening up on how people react when they find out he's actually Black ... saying the experience is like something straight out of a "Key and Peele" sketch.

The 25-year-old hooper's teammates, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, got right to the point when they invited him on their "Roommates" podcast this week ... when the former asked Hartenstein straight-up, "Are you Black?"

The six-year vet broke it all down ... explaining his dad, Florian, is Black.

"You know how it's like lightskin? I'm brightskin," Hartenstein said. "I'm above lightskin."

The 7'0" big man went on to point out there's one big difference he notices after folks learn he's Black ... and he compared it to the famous skit from the Comedy Central show, when Jordan Peele's Barack Obama character bases his handshake approach on race.

"When they find out I'm Black, it changes," Hartenstein added. "The whole vibe changes -- it goes from, 'Hey Zay, how are you doing?' to 'Yo, Zay, what up, man? You good?'"

A hefty fine is surely coming Kelly Oubre Jr.'s way -- the Philadelphia 76ers hooper absolutely unloaded on referees over a blown call at the end of Wednesday's game ... appearing to call them a bunch of bitches.

The Sixers' 108-107 loss to the LA Clippers ended in controversy ... when KO drove the lane in hopes of getting the lead in the final seconds of the contest, but made contact with Paul George instead.

Oubre and Sixers coach Nick Nurse were both LIVID over the non-call after the buzzer ... yelling at officials and needing to be restrained.

The internet lipreaders seemed to figure out what Oubre said in the confrontation ... claiming Oubre pointed at Kevin Scott, Brandon Adair and JB DeRosa individually and said, "you're a bitch, you're a bitch, you're a bitch."

It didn't stop there -- some believe Oubre even started talking about their relatives ... also referring to them as bitches.

Some on the internet have felt the 28-year-old's frustration was perhaps warranted ... as Scott admitted after the game a foul should've been called on the play.

Despite being technically right, Oubre expressed remorse for his actions in the locker rooms ... saying, "I want to apologize for just losing my cool, because that's something I try to work on each and every day, and try to represent God in the best way I possibly can, and that wasn't it."

"So I just ask for forgiveness."

10:00 AM PT -- Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore are adamant they were not the reason for the failed deal, releasing a statement through their spokesperson on Thursday afternoon that read, "We have fulfilled our obligations, have all necessary funding and are fully committed to closing our purchase of the team as soon as the NBA completes its process."

"Glen Taylor's statement," the two continued, "is an unfortunate case of seller's remorse that is short sighted and disruptive to the team and the fans during a historic winning season."

Alex Rodriguez won't be the majority owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx after all ... the orgs' owner just announced the former MLB star's bid to buy the teams has fallen through.

Glen Taylor, the current honcho of the NBA and WNBA squads, announced the news in a statement on Thursday morning ... explaining Rodriguez and former Walmart CEO Marc Lore's effort to become new majority owners collapsed after the two missed a key deadline this week.

"Under terms of the purchase agreement," Taylor said in the statement, "the closing was required to occur within 90 days following the exercise notice issued by Lore and Rodriguez. That 90-day period expired on March 27, 2024."

"Under certain circumstances, the buyer could have been entitled to a limited extension. However, those circumstances did not occur."

Rodriguez and Lore had previously bought 40 percent of the teams in prior sales. The most recent agreement between the two and Taylor was set to give them an additional 40 percent of the franchises.

Taylor said despite the failed pact, he'll still work with Lore and Rodriguez to "ensure our teams have the necessary resources to compete at the highest levels on and off the court."

As for going forward, Taylor doesn't appear to have plans of re-entering into talks with the two about a purchase ... saying, "The Timberwolves and Lynx are no longer for sale."

The Wolves currently have one of the best teams in the NBA, holding a 50-22 record. The Lynx -- who've won four WNBA titles -- are slated to begin their season this summer.

Draymond Green issued a mea culpa for his actions on his "The Draymond Green Show" Thursday morning ... admitting, "I said what I said. I deserved to get kicked out at that point."

"It just can't happen," he added.

Draymond Green was ejected from yet another NBA game Wednesday night -- this time for screaming at a ref -- and Steph Curry was so upset that it happened again, he got visibly emotional on the floor.

The latest DG meltdown happened early in the first quarter of the Warriors' matchup with the Magic in Orlando ... after Green was furious with official Ray Acosta over some foul calls.

Green went up to the ref and began screaming in his face ... and, initially, Acosta appeared to be set to let it all slide with a technical call.

Ice Cube clearly thinks Caitlin Clark can succeed in the Big3 ... but one man who's convinced she can't is ex-NBA star Kenyon Martin, who said Wednesday she wouldn't be able to score a single point in the 3-on-3 league.

The Iowa Hawkeyes star received a $5 million offer to join Cube's hoops org. on Wednesday ... but when Martin was asked how he thinks she'd fare if she accepted the deal -- he made it clear, he thinks it'd be a mess.

"It's a step under prison ball," the former NBA player said of the Big3's action on Gilbert Arenas' "Gil's Arena Show." "Could you imagine her getting stuck down on Reggie Evans?"