Basketball

Rich Paul is finally addressing the NCAA's new agent criteria that's been dubbed the "Rich Paul Rule" ... saying the new requirements have NO impact on his business ... but could prevent people from following in his footsteps.

The NBA super agent published an op-ed in The Athletic on Monday ... breaking down the new policy (which requires a bachelor's degree to rep players testing their NBA waters without losing eligibility) and explaining how it hurts anyone trying to be the next Rich Paul.

"NCAA executives are once again preventing young people from less prestigious backgrounds, and often people of color, from working in the system they continue to control."

"In this case, the people being locked out are kids who aspire to be an agent and work in the NBA and do not have the resources, opportunity, or desire to get a four-year degree."

Paul DOES agree with 2 of the 3 requirements ... saying he supports requiring 3 years of experience and a written test in order to represent players testing the market.

"However, requiring a four-year degree accomplishes only one thing — systematically excluding those who come from a world where college is unrealistic."

Paul suggests the NCAA work with aspiring agents with a one-year program or mentorship, instead of rejecting them completely.

"The barriers to entry for the next Rich Paul are already high enough."

Lamar Odom says he's at peace with getting booted from the BIG3 ... telling TMZ Sports he wishes Ice Cube and the league nothing but the best.

The ex-NBA superstar previously said he was "extremely disappointed" and embarrassed to find out through an Instagram post that he was deactivated for being out of shape last month.

"Only after I heard from the media, I was then told that the big boys cutting checks decided that they had to deactivate me with no real specific explanation," Odom said at the time.

But, Odom tells us the whole thing was a case of "miscommunication" ... and he's ready to move on to other pro opportunities.

"It's over. I wish them well, all the success and blessings to Ice Cube and anybody that has anything to do with the BIG3 ... and I hope [my former team] the Enemies win."

Odom reaffirms he's looking to play in the Philippines ... and has already started the process of reaching out to potential teams.

We also spoke to Odom and his new GF Sabrina Parr about rumors their relationship is fake ... and you gotta hear their response.

Damian Lillard isn't forgetting about his day job in the NBA, because championships are still his focus ... but says he'd definitely be stoked to win a Grammy for his 3rd album.

Dame just dropped his 3rd album, "Big D.O.L.L.A." and the early reviews are good ... so good that some people are saying the NBA star has a shot at rap superstardom.

So, when we talked to Dame we had to know how far he wants to take this rap thing ... and if he cares about the accolades that come along with it .... like a Grammy.

"I don't care about it maybe to the level I care about being the MVP or winning a championship."

So, there you have it Trail Blazers fans ... you can breathe, Dame isn't going anywhere. He did point out though, that he thinks he has a chance to do something no other hooper has, and that intrigues him.

"I care about in the sense that how many NBA All-Stars or max contract players can say, 'I legitimately won a Grammy.'"

None that we can see ... but if we're being real, none have been as good as Dame. The man's gotten props from some huge names in hip-hop, and is widely regarded as the best pure rapper the league has ever produced.

Question is now ... how does he get to the Grammys?

Some people are BIG MAD about the NBA 2K20 player ratings ... but the face of the mega-popular game series says the haters are WRONG!!!

TMZ Sports spoke with Ronnie Singh -- AKA Ronnie 2K -- about players like Jayson Tatum and others (as well as their fans) being upset with their ratings ... and he insists they hit 'em right on the money.

"It's such a cool point of contention," Ronnie says. "Everybody's worried about their ratings. It's very cool that the NBA players care so much."

Tatum recently talked about his 85 rating, calling it "disrespectful" ... and other fans are saying LeBron James shouldn't be the highest rated player (tied with Kawhi Leonard at 97).

NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is fitting right in at his new home ... telling TMZ Sports he loves Oklahoma ... and he's already linkin' up with his new teammate, Chris Paul!!!

Of course, 21-year-old SGA was shipped off to OKC in the blockbuster trade that paired Paul George with Kawhi Leonard in L.A. last month ... but the 2nd year pro seems excited for his fresh start, to say the least.

We asked how Oklahoma's been treating him so far, and he said "beautiful!!"

There have been rumblings that CP3 wouldn't ever play a minute for OKC after he was traded from Houston in exchange for Russell Westbrook .... but that hasn't stopped the superstar from taking SGA under his wing and shelling out some solid advice.

Ex-Michigan State basketball star Mateen Cleaves says he DID have sex with the woman accusing him of rape ... but he's adamant the encounter was 100% consensual.

The 41-year-old -- who was the 14th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft -- appeared in court in Flint, Michigan for opening statements in his trial ... where he is facing multiple felony charges.

As we previously reported, the accuser claims Cleaves took her to a motel in 2015 and held her there against her will. She claims Cleaves forced himself on her and raped her.

The woman told officials she managed to escape from the motel room and got help from someone nearby.

But, during Thursday's hearing, Mateen's attorney told the 14 people in the jury box that the woman is distorting the truth ... claiming her decision to have sex was "of her own free will."

The attorney suggested she had regretted her decision after the fact -- but told the jury, "Regret is not rape."

"By the time the truth comes out, the truth will set my client free," the attorney said according to DetroitNews.com ... "The truth will be there; the truth will be self-evident."

Prosecutors are painting a different picture ... acknowledging the woman voluntarily went to the motel with Cleaves following a golf tournament where they had met hours before ... but claim she made it VERY clear she did not want to have sex.

Carmelo Anthony wanted to play for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup ... but team organizers REJECTED the NBA superstar out of fear he could be a "distraction."

Yeah ... Jerry Colangelo seriously said that about the 3-time gold medalist and all-time leading scorer in Team USA history.

The Team USA hoops managing director says Melo expressed interest in playing in the upcoming international tourney (set to begin later this month) but Jerry says he wanted the team to go in a different direction.

“I love Carmelo,” Colangelo told Sports Illustrated. “He made a great contribution. He was a very good international player."

"But for where we are and what we’re doing, that conceivably could have been a distraction. I understand why the request was made. He’s trying to reestablish himself. I think that has to be done in the [NBA].”

It's a questionable decision to turn Melo away ... considering the biggest names on the USA roster -- from Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Love to James Harden and Dame Lillard -- have opted to sit this one out.

USA will be repped by young stars like Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum and De'Aaron Fox ...as well as Celtics superstar Kemba Walker who tells us he will NOT be dropping out.

Imagine if Draymond Green, Boogie Cousins, John Wall and other NBA stars rolled up on your pickup game and asked to play ...

That's EXACTLY what happened in the Bahamas on Wednesday -- when a group of young ballers got one helluva surprise ... and the whole thing was captured on video.

Cousins was the first guy to walk over ... and despite the fact he was in flip-flops, he grabbed the ball and challenged some of the men to a 1-on-1.

Draymond -- sporting a fanny pack -- followed suit ... along with fellow NBAers Wall and Eric Bledsoe.

Wall is currently nursing a ruptured Achilles tendon he injured back in January -- we should mention that we never see him actually competing in the footage from the Bahamas.

We're told the guys stuck around for about 30 to 45 minutes and couldn't have been nicer to everyone.

Unclear why the group is in the Bahamas -- but word in Nassau is someone is getting married.

These guys have all been friends for years -- with Boogie, Bledsoe and Wall playing college ball together at Kentucky before making it to the NBA.

Good news for Anthony Davis ... Devean George says you have his FULL PERMISSION to shine in his old #3 Lakers jersey!

"I am not half the player AD is! He can take my number! He can have #3. He can have whatever number he wants," George told TMZ Sports.

Obviously, George is MORE THAN OKAY with the move -- and seems happy the Lakers' newest superstar will be rockin' his old number when he takes the floor with LeBron James this season.

Of course, George had a pretty solid career with the Lakers back in the day -- winning 3 NBA championships during his 7-season run in L.A. from 1999 to 2006.

George couldn't be more humble about the situation -- saying he was a scrappy role player back in the day ... and Davis is obviously a superstar.

DG is clearly still a Lakers fan -- and told us why he thinks AD and LeBron could be the most dangerous duo in the NBA.

Kevin Durant wants to make it crystal clear his old team deserves ZERO blame for his NBA Finals injury ... saying the Warriors didn't mishandle his calf injury and no one forced him to play.

KD is finally addressing the ruptured Achilles he suffered during game 5 against the Toronto Raptors ... saying Golden State didn't pressure him to come back early from a calf strain he sustained earlier in the playoffs.

“Hell, no. How can you blame [the Warriors]? Hell, no,” Durant told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

"Nobody never said a word to me during rehab as I was coming back ... Right when the series started, I targeted Game 5."

"Hell, nah. It just happened. It’s basketball. Sh*t happens. Nobody was responsible for it. It was just the game. We just need to move on from that sh*t because I’m going to be back playing.”

There ya go, critics ... straight from KD's mouth.

Durant also addressed the claims that Raps fans were applauding his injury ... saying he was in a daze and didn't hear anything, but added, "It will probably be the last time they will be in the Finals."

Of course ... the 30-year-old is slowly recovering from the injury ... and TMZ Sports even spotted him walking without crutches last week.

As for his decision to leave the Dubs for Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets ... KD's reason is very simple.

LeBron James is taking shots at the NCAA's new agent certification criteria ... claiming the organization is directly attacking his partner, Rich Paul, but "nothing will stop this movement."

The NCAA sent out a memo to NBPA certified agents on Monday ... saying any players looking to test the NBA Draft waters must be repped by an NCAA approved agent -- if they want to keep the door open to return to college.

The criteria to become an approved agent ... a bachelor's degree, certification from the players' association for at least 3 years, and pass an in-person exam at NCAA headquarters.

These guidelines will preclude Paul -- who reps Bron, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons and other huge names -- from repping this group of college players ... 'cause he doesn't have a bachelors degree.

In a memo sent by the NCAA to agents, obtained by the Athletic, the NCAA's reasoning behind the rules is to "protect collegiate eligibility of their athlete clients."

LeBron -- who dubbed the new criteria the "Rich Paul Rule" -- doesn't see it that way ... tweeting "Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop! They BIG MAD and Scared. Nothing will stop this movement and culture over here. Sorry! Not sorry.."

As for Paul's roster of superstar clients ... the new rule will have no effect on their representation.

Steve Kerr says he's legitimately fearful a shooter could walk into Warriors practice and start "spraying" him and the team ... after the latest massacres in Dayton and El Paso.

"I think about it all the time," the Golden State head coach said this week. "Somebody could walk in the door in the gym right now and start spraying us with an AR-15."

"They could," he added. "It might happen because we’re all vulnerable."

Kerr -- in a sit-down interview with the Bay Area News Group on Monday -- candidly revealed his concerns after at least 31 more people died in mass shootings over the weekend in Texas and Ohio.

The head coach says all of the violence has made him feel he's not safe anywhere ... including in an NBA gym.

"We’re all vulnerable," he said, "whether we go to a concert, a church, the mall or go to the movie theater or a school."

The 53-year-old says there's only one way to fix the issue ... saying American citizens need to "demand change from the gutless leadership that continues to allow this to happen."

Steve adds the country's leaders need to reevaluate the second amendment, saying, "The only thing that second amendment is doing is leading to mass murder right now. This is all just insanity."

Kerr does believe there's momentum building among America's citizens to force a change ... and he's ready to see the day where gun ownership is more heavily regulated.

Metta World Peace says people don't want to see him in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame ... despite the fact that he, and other NBA greats agree that he TOTALLY deserves it.

MWP sat down with Van Lathan on 'The Red Pill Podcast' when Lathan asked if the former Defensive Player Of The Year felt he deserves to be in the Hall.

"Off my defense, definitely."

Metta, who made the NBA all-defensive team 4 times and was an All-American in college, said it's not just him who believe he's one of the best ever ... some of the best ever believe it too.

"When you get Reggie Miller saying, 'He's the best defender ever.' You get Kobe saying, 'He's the best defender ever on the wing.' Michael Jordan [praised me] early on in my career, it's documented."

Despite all that love, Metta says people don't want him enshrined ... and he knows why.

"A lot of people don't wanna see me in that Hall of Fame. I never really was afraid to speak my mind. I never submitted to being that corporate person. I never gave a f*ck. So, It's gonna be hard to get in."

Peace last played in the NBA in 2017 -- so he's eligible for enshrinement in 2020 ... which will be here before you know it.

The G.O.A.T. is on a boat -- Michael Jordan is competing in a massive fishing tournament this week ... and he's doing it in style, on his "Catch 23" yacht!!!

Our solid fishing sources (yeah, we've got those) tell TMZ Sports ... His Airness took his talents to Ocean City, Maryland for the White Marlin Open where he's facing off against some of the best anglers in the WORLD!!!

FYI -- this event is huge and there's more than $6 MILLION in prize money at stake. The competitors are fishing for everything from white marlin to blue marlin along with tuna, wahoo, dolphin (usually mahi-mahi) and shark.

The 56-year-old NBA legend hasn't had much luck so far -- the official stats show his boat has yet to reel in anything.

As for the Catch 23 yacht -- it's 80-feet long and decked out in MJs famous elephant print from his Air Jordan 3 sneakers.

There's still time though -- the tourney goes through Friday ... and if we know anything about this guy, it's that he always comes through in the clutch.

It's that time of year ... Magic Johnson's annual MEGAYACHT ITALIAN VACATION -- and this year, he's on the most expensive yacht yet!!!

Magic -- along with LL Cool J, Rodney and Holly Robinson Peete and others -- are sailing off the Amalfi Coast on a yacht called the Aquila ... a 281-foot ship that costs $950k per week to rent!!!

The ship is INSANE ... it's like a floating mansion/hotel all in one -- with a crazy gym, dining room area, movie theater, hot tub, massive outdoor deck, 2 massage rooms and its own NIGHTCLUB!!!

The ship officially fits 12 guests and has a crew of 28!!!

Usually, Magic's Italian vacations last around 6 weeks ... so if ya do the math, we're talking $6 MILLION!!!!!

And, of course, Magic usually hosts a rotating group of super famous and wealthy friends including Samuel L. Jackson and Steve Harvey ... so keep your eyes out for them.

Back in 2017, Magic and the rest of the Johnsons sailed on a ship called the Siren, which runs about $700,000 per week -- chump change for Magic.

What's funny about this story ... Magic quit his job with the Lakers this year (which reportedly paid $10 mil per year) and he's STILL balling out like a boss!!! Bigger than ever!!!

Al Harrington is now the part owner of an Australian pro basketball team -- and he's hoping to recruit major high school talent to skip college and play for him ... because he PAYS!!!

39-year-old Harrington, along with Josh Childress and Zach Randolph, have all purchased ownership stakes in the South East Melbourne Phoenix of Australia's NBL, the top pro league Down Under.

So, when we saw the former NBA star leaving Craig's on Monday night, we had to ask him why he decided to make the move.

"I always wanted to own a basketball team, brother ... I'm living my dream."

He then joked, "Sucks that I gotta go all the way to Australia to do it though!"

Then, Al got serious and raved about the league ... telling TMZ Sports he thinks it should be a better pipeline to the NBA than the current NCAA system.

In fact, when we asked Al how he planned to recruit some of the top prep players in the country to go to Australia instead of schools like Duke, Kentucky, Arizona, etc ... he had a compelling argument.

"Go to college for free ... or make $20,000 to $40,000 a month playing for me."

Sounds good to us!

Some major stars are already skipping college to play ball in Australia -- including LaMelo Ball and R.J. Hampton.

The question remains ... will the move help their NBA Draft stock and really make them more prepared for the Association?