Basketball Wives

A secret underground society of trained spies is responsible for feeding intel to Vanessa Bryant that eventually led to her filing for divorce from hubby Kobe Bryant -- not the CIA or FBI ... but the basketball wives of the NBA.

Our sources says Kobe's teammates were blabbing to their women about the superstar's exploits ... and those women in turn gave Vanessa the heads up. We're told talk of Kobe's exploits lately increased in frequency.

According to our sources, the players often swear their wives to secrecy before dishing on their fellow ballers ... but that secrecy is rarely kept. We're told the women all share information about other guys around the league ... in part to ensure word will get back to them if their man ever steps out.

As TMZ first reported, Vanessa filed divorce papers on Friday, after Vanessa learned of what she says is an act of infidelity that became the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

"Basketball Wives" star Tami Roman is being sued by her ex-manager ... who claims he helped make Tami rich and famous -- but she refuses to pay him for a job well done.

Jerry Silverhardt filed the lawsuit Monday in L.A. County Superior Court -- claiming he was instrumental in securing Tami's "Basketball Wives" gig ... but instead of being grateful, she fired his ass.

Jerry claims Tami paid him for Season Two -- but then left him out to dry after she ended their relationship in February ... refusing to pay for work she did on the recently completed Season 3.

According to Jerry, Tami's oral contract with him is crystal clear ... she owes him 10% no matter what on all "Wives" paychecks for seasons 3 through 6 -- and she better pay up, stat.

The producers of "Basketball Wives" are upping the drama level big time for season 4 -- adding two new cast members ... one of which was arrested earlier this year for allegedly trying to stab her husband!

Sources close to the show tell TMZ ... Kenya Bell (right) will be joining the show this coming season. We're told during filming so far ... Kenya has already assumed the role of villain and gotten into a few fights with the girls.

Bell is a former Miss Michigan USA who was arrested for allegedly trying to stab her husband, Charlie Bell, with a box cutter.

The other new cast member, we're told, is Kesha Ni’cole Nichols. She was set to marry Richard Jefferson back in 2009, but he bailed on the $2 million wedding the night ... telling her via email.

Evelyn Lozada was all set to leave "Basketball Wives" and not return for the show's fourth season -- until the show offered her a deal she just couldn't turn down ... which, TMZ has learned, includes her own spin-off show.

As TMZ previously reported, Evelyn had made up her mind that she was done with the show for good after VH1 posted a blog insinuating she cheated on her husband, NFL star Chad Ochocinco.

Once Evelyn let producers know she was out, that's when we're told they really made a push to keep her.

According to our sources, her new arrangement with the show has her shooting about half as often (but with a raise) and that she can work around her daughter's school schedule. We're also told Evelyn has made it clear ... she will not miss any of Chad's games.

But according to our sources, the final carrot that sealed the deal ... was that VH1 promised to spin off Evelyn and Chad into their own show. We're told that show would document the months leading up to their wedding ... but so far no deal to shoot the wedding has been made.

"Basketball Wives L.A." star Draya Michele is telling friends she NEVER, EVER filmed herself having sex with Chris Brown ... and now she wants to sue someone's ass over reports that such a tape exists.

Draya and Brown dated for roughly nine months back in 2010 ... but we're told the reality star is adamant that they never filmed their sexual exploits ... not once.

Now, sources close to Draya tell us ... she's already contacted lawyers, hoping to take action against whoever is responsible for spreading the "false information."

Tanya Williams, the estranged wife of incarcerated former NBA star Jayson Williams, will not be back for season 2 of "Basketball Wives: LA" ... in fact, she wasn't even invited to the reunion show!

Sources close to the production tell TMZ ... Tanya never fit in with the rest of the girls, who often didn't know what to talk to Tanya about.

Tanya filmed enough material for the entire season ... but we're told producers decided to phase her out after the first few episodes and did not invite her to partake in the reunion episode, which airs next week.

Williams tells us producers informed her manager they did not want to "move forward" with the relationship. She says the split is amicable, telling us, "I wish everyone involved continued success with the show."

The NBA offseason from hell just got worse for Los Angeles Lakers player Matt Barnes ... who just announced that he's officially broken up with his "Basketball Wives" baby mama Gloria Govan.

Barnes -- who has 2 children with Govan -- just released a statement saying, "We have reached the difficult decision of ending our relationship and will be going our separate ways at this time."

He adds, "We will work together to raise our sons and wish each other only the best."

Barnes and Govan have had some issues in the past -- including the time Matt was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence back in 2010 ... but prosecutors didn't press charges due to a lack of evidence.

We've heard it all before -- but this time Evelyn Lozada says NO AMOUNT of money can bring her back for season 4 of VH1's "Basketball Wives."

Sources close to Evelyn tell TMZ -- Lozada made up her mind yesterday, after VH1 posted a blog implying Evelyn may have cheated on Chad Ochocinco with his former teammate Terrell Owens.

We're told Evelyn is furious -- claiming the rumor is simply UNTRUE -- and she feels betrayed by the network. VH1 has since pulled the blog -- but Lozada has already decided enough is enough ... and she's told producers she won't be returning.

Season four of the VH1 show "Basketball Wives" will have one less catfighter when shooting starts next month -- cast member Meeka Claxton is getting the boot.

According to sources involved with production ... Meeka has not been invited back -- and we're told she hasn't even heard from producers since the reunion show was taped a few months back.

We're told the final straw for producers came when Meeka filed a lawsuit against fellow cast member Tami Roman. Tami made it clear -- if Meeka came back to the show, she would not.

Gilbert Arenas' ex-fiancee is free to talk smack and get in as many catfights as she wants on "Basketball Wives LA" -- thanks to a federal court decision today.

A judge ruled against the NBA star's request to block Laura Govan from appearing on the show and mentioning his name.

The judge said Gilbert's claim that details of his family life should not be aired on the reality show -- is undercut by the fact he has "tens of thousands of Twitter users who follow [him] as he tweets about a variety of mundane occurrences."

"Basketball Wives" star Evelyn Lozada decided she's finally ready to move past her topless photo scandal ... and has dropped her lawsuit against the woman she suspects of leaking the racy pics.

TMZ broke the story ... Lozada sued a wannabe castmember named Vanessa Davis back in 2010 -- claiming Davis was bitter when producers decided not to bring her on the show ... and retaliated by hacking into Lozada's email, stealing nude pics of Evelyn ... and leaking them online.

Sources connected to the case tell us ... Evelyn's lawyers searched high and low for Davis to serve her with the lawsuit -- but couldn't track her down. We're told Evelyn got sick of wasting time, energy and money ... and ultimately decided to drop the case altogether.

Miami Heat star Chris Bosh adamantly denies sabotaging his baby mama's career on "Basketball Wives," TMZ has learned -- months after she accused him of turning the show's producers against her.

As we previously reported, Bosh's ex Allison Mathis claims she had brokered a $250,000 deal with "BW" producers to appear on the show -- but Bosh threatened to sue if that happened, so the producers caved ... and axed Allison after she had already taped two episodes.

But Bosh claims it's all BS -- firing back with his own legal docs in Orange County, Florida ... insisting it's not his fault producers decided to cut Allison from the show.

According to Bosh, whatever he may or may not have said to producers ... his intention was never to ruin Allison's career -- he was merely "acting to protect his own economic or financial interests."

As a result, Bosh insists he shouldn't have to pay Allison squat for the entire ordeal -- and wants a judge to trash her lawsuit.

Royce Reed from "Basketball Wives" suffered a seizure during a charity softball game yesterday, but was not transported to a hospital ... sources close to her tell TMZ.

We're told Reed took part in the Duffy's Hope Celebrity Softball Game in Wilmington, DE where she played in the game and signed autographs for fans. According to our sources, Reed pulled a hamstring muscle at one point and when she went to go sit down ... she passed out.

When she came to, our sources say Reed said she had no idea she suffered a seizure and told people it was the first time she had such an experience. Paramedics were called, but Reed said she was feeling fine and did not need to be transported to a hospital.

Reed told friends she felt a combination of exhaustion, stress, the heat and her diet caused the episode.

We're told Reed is feeling fine today, but plans to visit a doctor when she returns home to Florida.

Tami Roman is throwing an ultimatum at the producers of "Basketball Wives" -- either Meeka Claxton does NOT come back next season ... or she walks.

Tami -- who used to be married to NBA star Kenny Anderson -- tells TMZ ... the straw that broke the reality star's back came when Meeka sued her over a fight that went down in Italy last month.

Tami says she knows "things got out of hand" with Meeka ... and she's "embarrassed" that things got violent ... but she was willing to let bygones be bygones ... until Meeka decided to sue.

Now Tami tells us, "I will NOT work with someone who is suing me, when they know what this situation is all about. I want to be clear, if she returns in any way, form or fashion I do not plan on participating."

TMZ broke the story ... Meeka and Tami had been at odds with each other for a long time -- and according to sources close to the show, Tami tried to settle the score once and for all last month ... with a fist fight.

According to the lawsuit, filed yesterday in New York, Tami "assaulted, battered, beat, threatened, menaced, attacked, jumped on, pushed to the ground, thrashed, punched, and shoved" Meeka ... causing serious injury.

Meeka wants Tami to cough up unspecified damages, claiming the incident cost her a day of filming -- and put her through an emotional and physical hell.

Sources connected to the show tell us ... "Dancing" producers love the idea of having Evelyn on the show -- especially since she's engaged to Chad who was a previous contestant.

We're told the show is even hoping to involve Mr. Ochocinco ... since he's now an expert in the ways of the ballroom.

So far ... no comment from the show.