Basketball

Caitlin Clark's WNBA debut finally arrived on Tuesday, but it didn't go as planned ... she logged 10 turnovers -- and her Fever team lost by double digits.

The former Iowa superstar's W career officially kicked off in Connecticut ... as she and Indiana took on the Sun for their season opener -- and initially, things went well.

The arena was packed -- and she was cheered at player introductions ... despite it being an away game.

Not everybody in the WNBA is traveling in style just yet -- Angel Reese and her Chicago Sky teammates are still flying commercial to start the 2024 season ... as the league continues to smooth out its new charter flight program.

Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx were the first two teams to reap the benefits of the WNBA's private plane partnership with Delta ... traveling to Connecticut and Seattle respectively in the comfort of their own aircrafts.

But the remaining three teams with away games to kickstart the season weren't so lucky ... as the Sky and Atlanta Dream hopped aboard commercial jets for their games.

Shaquille O'Neal stands on business ... and good luck moving the 7'1" Big Fella!!

TMZ Sports caught up with the 4-time NBA champion this week -- days after his on-air exchange with this year's NBA MVP Nikola Jokic -- and Shaq ain't backing down even a little!!

"Let me say something to all the people that are not smart enough to comprehend what I say," O'Neal told Babcock. "Never said I didn't like Joker, never said anything bad about the Joker. Joker is the best big man in a long time. I just said that I thought Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should've gotten the MVP."

The man who could've potentially turned a hundred bucks into a whopping $1.7 MILLION on one bet is taking the guaranteed money and running ... cashing out of his viral championship-winner parlay at $80,900.

Wayne Shelton became internet famous over the past few weeks ... after it was revealed he was an Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Finals title away from becoming a millionaire thanks to a three-leg parlay he placed last year -- when he picked OKC, the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Chiefs to win their respective championships at +1143000 odds (with 50% boost).

Of course, the Rangers and Chiefs did their part ... leaving Shelton one leg away from a MASSIVE payday -- but with each Thunder win and loss in the 2024 playoffs, his cashout option fluctuated like crazy.

Rudy Gobert apparently didn't learn the first time around -- the Minnesota Timberwolves Defensive Player of the Year was fined AGAIN for making a money gesture toward officials during a game ... this time, getting hit with a $75k punishment.

Gobert was clearly upset with calls during the Wolves' Game 4 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday ... and an offensive foul late in the fourth quarter led the 31-year-old to throw up another money gesture -- implying the refs were influenced by sports betting.

The league announced the consequences on Tuesday ... saying Gobert was fined 75 racks for making an "inappropriate and unprofessional gesture that questions the league and its game officials."

Shaquille O'Neal let the candy out of the bag this week ... with the Big Fella (accidentally) revealing he's dropping a new gummie with "the biggest candy player in the world!"

With the NBA playoffs in full swing, Shaq was talking hoops with TMZ Sports on Monday when the Hall of Famer's hunger got the best of him, and he exposed a bag that read, "Shaq A Licious XL Gummies"

Are you coming out with candy, we asked?!

LeBron James put the wine in Wine and Gold on Monday ... hitting up the Cleveland Cavaliers' home playoff game against the Boston Celtics with an entire bottle of vino in hand.

The local hero hit up his old stomping grounds to catch the Game 4 matchup at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse ... and when Bron, Savannah and his agent, Rich Paul, made their way to their courtside seats, the folks in attendance showed their appreciation for the Cavs legend.

The team even gave James a special shoutout on the Humongotron ... with a brief montage of his Cavs career highlights, including Cleveland's thrilling 2016 NBA Finals win over the Golden State Warriors.

Magic Johnson claims he has no idea who the Lakers' next head coach will be ... but he definitely knows who it WON'T be -- Magic Johnson -- 'cause the Hall of Famer tells TMZ Sports those days are long gone.

The Purple and Gold are currently coach-less after parting ways with Darvin Ham following his second season at the helm ... and when we caught up with the legend last week, he didn't want to speculate on who could fill the seat he briefly held three decades back.

"I couldn't tell ya," Magic said when asked about the vacancy in Beverly Hills. "It's up to the Lakers and Jeanie [Buss] and Rob Pelinka. I hope they get a good one, though."

Khloe Kardashian is turning Tristan Thompson's latest NBA game into a family affair ... turning up to his game with a very special entourage -- including their kids.

The reality star and her 2 children with Tristan -- daughter True and son Tatum -- popped up at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Monday ... where the Cleveland Cavaliers are set to face against the Boston Celtics for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... this game is extra special as it's the first time True and Tatum are seeing Papa Bear play professionally. We're told True has been asking to go to a game ... and so Khloe wanted to make this a special outing for her.

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are on their way to Connecticut for the WNBA season opener, and the women are traveling in style -- ditching the commercial flights for a charter -- and they couldn't be more HYPED!

Of course, the WNBA announced last week that they were scrapping regular commercial flights, instead revealing the hoopers would now travel on a plane exclusively for the squad this upcoming season.

The Fever are set to open the season on Tuesday against the Sun ... and Erica Wheeler -- who signed with the Fever in 2023 -- couldn't help but show off the new mode of transportation on social media.

Watch out, Nike ... Kim Kardashian's SKIMS brand is continuing to make a splash in the sports world ... this time by partnering up with the WNBA, and tapping some of the league's best and most popular players, including Kelsey Plum and Candace Parker, to model the undies!

"I’m proud to launch this new WNBA campaign starring such an incredible cast of athletes," Kardashian said on Monday. "Championing women and women in sports is incredibly important to SKIMS."

Kardashian hired some of the best female hoopers for the campaign ... Plum, a 2x WNBA champ, retired WNBA legend Parker, and 6x WNBA All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith.

A huge step in the right direction for Bronny James' professional basketball ambitions -- the Los Angeles Lakers superstar's son has been medically cleared for the NBA following his July 2023 cardiac arrest.

The 19-year-old guard was recently checked out by the league's Fitness to Play Panel (which consists of three physicians) leading up to this week's pre-draft combine in Chicago, according to ESPN ... and was given the green light to be a full participant in workouts.

The outlet says Bronny will participate in the 5-on-5 scrimmages starting Tuesday ... which will give him the opportunity to show what he can do against fellow draft hopefuls.

Mac McClung's vert may be just a smidge less next dunk contest ... 'cause the high-flying hooper just got his whole arm tatted in NYC!

TMZ Sports has learned the 25-year-old guard hit up tattoo artist Michelle Santana out in SoHo after peeping some of her work on social media.

We're told McClung wanted an arm sleeve with sentimental meaning ... so the two got together at Bang Bang Tattoo and created a showpiece.

The New Orleans Pelicans were swept in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs ... but Master P knows the secret to getting the team on track, telling TMZ Sports he'd transform the team into a championship contender if he were on the coaching staff!

We caught up with the king of New Orleans and his hoops star son, Mercy Miller, at LAX recently and asked him about the Pels’ disappointing end to the season at the hands of the number one seed OKC Thunder.

While many fans have suggested the team move on from Zion Williamson, and some of the other key pieces, P says he’s optimistic about the future of NOLA hoops.

Matt Barnes says the Los Angeles Lakers' coaching vacancy is a tough gig, but thinks JJ Redick would be able to handle the pressure ... telling TMZ Sports the former sharp-shooter has a "great basketball mind."

The Purple and Gold are looking for their next head coach now that Darvin Ham is out after two years ... and they're in desperate search of someone who can get them back in perennial title contention.

Barnes told us at LAX this week he doesn't have a clear favorite to take over the clipboard in L.A. ... but when we asked about Redick's name being thrown around as a potential candidate, he was all about it.