Basketball

Future NBA lottery pick Obi Toppin and his brother are taking each other to new heights during the COVID-19 pandemic ... by literally JUMPING over each other in an insane dunk session!!!

Of course, Obi was one of the best players in college basketball with the Dayton Flyers last season ... and younger bro, Jacob, will star at Kentucky after playing one season at Rhode Island.

The brothers proved they BOTH got incredible hops in a vid posted to IG on Friday ... doing one-handed windmill dunks while soaring over each other.

To put things into perspective -- Obi is 6'9" ... and Jacob is 6'8". So yeah, impressive as hell.

It's nice to see Jacob helping keep Obi -- this season's Wooden Award winner -- prepared for the Association ... with the NBA Draft set to go down in October.

Family over everything ... including the NBA.

Dallas Mavericks center Willie Cauley-Stein will NOT join his team in the Orlando bubble when the NBA season resumes ... and it's all because he's got a kid on the way.

The 26-year-old -- the 6th overall pick of the 2015 Draft -- has a baby due in July with his partner and clearly doesn't want to miss that experience, according to The Athletic.

Plus, Florida is experiencing a surge in positive COVID-19 tests ... so it also seems Willie doesn't want to put himself in harm's way while preparing to parent a newborn.

Cauley-Stein was only traded to the Mavs back in January -- and has just played in 13 games with Dallas.

The Mavs are the 7th ranked team in the Western Conference playoff standings -- which means they'll be included in the playoffs.

The regular season resumes on July 30 -- but Mavs players will report on July 8. If the Mavs make a run to the Finals, they would be in the bubble environment all the way until October.

Vince Carter is finally "officially" saying what we all knew was coming ... his 22-year run in the NBA is over,

"I'm officially finished playing basketball," 43-year-old Carter announced on the "Winging It" podcast.

"I'm officially done playing basketball professionally."

Carter says he's still open to playing celebrity basketball games and things like that -- but now, his focus will be on his golf game.

Of course, most people assumed Carter would be hanging it up after the NBA suspended the 2019-20 season back in March due to COVID-19.

The league is restarting the season in Orlando in a few weeks -- but only the top 22 teams were invited to participate ... and Carter's ATL Hawks didn't make the cut.

Carter said he had been discussing a formal retirement since his last game on March 11 ... but the fact his team was eliminated helped make up his mind.

"I felt that it was pretty much over."

Carter admits the end of his career didn't go exactly as planned -- calling it a "weird ending" -- but he's ready to move on after 22 seasons in the NBA.

"Retired Vince can go and golf now," Carter said.

"I joke about it but I think my love for golf and playing golf helped subside and put to the side the basketball part of it ... that's what made the transition easier."

Carter also points out, "I came into the league on a shortened season and I walk away fro the league on a shortened season."

Carter entered the league in 1998 -- a season that was shortened by the lockout, 2020 was shortened thanks to COVID.

But, Carter is grateful went out with a bang -- nailing his final NBA shot while playing the NY Knicks on March 11 ... a 3-pointer in overtime.

"Making my last shot helped the situation," Carter said ... "If I didn't make my last shot, it would have been a little different."

Cleveland Cavs superstar Kevin Love is continuing his quest to raise awareness for mental health ... by donating a half a MILLION dollars to his former school's psychology department.

31-year-old Love -- who was a star for the UCLA Bruins in 2007-2008 -- has been outspoken about his battles with depression since 2018 ... and has been fighting to end the stigma against mental health disorders.

Love announced the $500,000 to UCLA on Monday ... one day after receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs.

"I hope one day we are able to erase the stigma around anxiety and depression, and we can only do that by improving diagnosis and treatment, fostering public conversations about mental health and encouraging people to seek help when they need it," Love said via Tom Withers.

Love's contribution is receiving praise from the university ... with Michelle Craske, professor in psychology, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences adding, "When heroes like Kevin come forward and share their vulnerability, it shines a light on anxiety and depression, and that helps chip away at stigma."

"I want to thank Kevin for his leadership and his courage to share his personal story with the world. He has inspired and provided hope to many."

If the Washington Wizards are gonna make a long-shot run for the NBA playoffs, it'll be without one of their best players ... 'cause Davis Bertans has decided to skip the restart in Orlando.

The 27-year-old Latvian star is set to have a HUGE offseason in free agency ... and considering D.C. has a slim chance at making noise when the season picks back up, Adrian Wojnarowski reports Bertans will sit out the restart.

As of right now, the Wizards are sitting at 9th in the Eastern Conference ... 5.5 games behind the Orlando Magic with 8 games left to jump into playoff contention.

Bertans -- who is averaging 15 points with a 43% 3-point percentage -- will be one of the most sought-after free agents during the offseason ... and given his history of ACL injuries, the move makes sense.

The decision will be costly to Bertans' bank account though ... he'll miss out on $604,752 (about $75k a game) according to Bobby Marks.

Bertans is one of the first players to publicly decide to sit out the season restart ... and more will be expected before the June 24 deadline.

The L.A. Lakers 14k gold & diamond championship ring that Kobe Bryant gifted to his father just hit the auction block and it's expected to bring in a QUARTER-MIL!!

Here's the deal ... 20 years ago -- following Los Angeles' title-winning '99-'00 season -- Mamba bought 2 additional rings and gifted them to his parents, Pamela and Joe "Jellybean" Bryant.

The rings are IDENTICAL to the bling Kobe, Shaq, and the rest of the Lakers squad received.

We're talking real gold and 40 diamonds on each massive ring.

Goldin Auctions -- who recently sold Pamela's ring for $206k -- is now offering "Jellybean's" ring ... and GA tells us they expect it to sell for over $250,000.

FYI, Pamela and Joe sold the rings -- along with other memorabilia -- back in 2013 for a total of $280,000.

And, get this, there's more awesome Kobe swag for sale:

- Kobe Bryant worn and signed cast from when he broke his wrist during the preseason in 1999. Expected to bring in about $20k.

- A 1996-1997 Topps Chrome Refractors Kobe Bryant rookie card (a very rare card). Expected to go for around $75k.

- A Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant signed basketball. Expected to sell for $20k to $25k.

Ex-NBA star Shawn Marion says the LAST thing players should do is sit out the 2020 season ... saying sitting out will diminish their chances at making a bigger difference in the fight against racism.

Superstars like Kyrie Irving have expressed their uncertainty over restarting the season in the middle of the Black Lives Matter movement ... with the Nets star saying players' focus should be on fighting for social justice.

Ex-NBAer Stephen Jackson -- who was friends with George Floyd -- sided with Kyrie ... saying, "now ain't the time to be playing basketball, y'all."

But, the Matrix disagrees with the idea of sitting out ... saying the biggest platform to fight for social justice is on the NBA stage.

"In order for you to advocate and go out here and show what you're fighting for and the causes, you need to be on TV," Marion says.

"Social media is a great platform, but TV is a bigger platform because you can post whatever you post on TV, you can post to your social media platform."

"So, with the season resuming, it adds to that cause."

Matrix -- who acknowledges Uncle Drew has a valid point -- says players will be able to speak out in interviews and press conferences ... which brings a much bigger audience than a Twitter account.

But, as for sitting? -- "I don't agree with that."

"What is sitting out, boycotting, not playing the season -- what is that gonna accomplish really?"

"Dear Whore ... "

That's how it began -- a disgusting piece of hate mail some racist coward sent to Lakers owner Jeanie Buss -- and now she's calling him out publicly.

"After 60 years as a huge Lakers fan, I now say to hell with the overpaid n***** traitors and the NBA."

"Go to hell and join **** Kobe Bryant."

The letter was signed by a man named Joe.

Jeanie says she thought a lot about what to do with the letter after receiving it on Monday -- but ultimately decided to post it on social media "so that everyone can see the hate is real and living out there."

"This is happening in our world TODAY. It's real and it exists."

Buss also posted a message to Joe ...

"Did sending this letter make you feel better? Really all you did was waste your time, and energy and your postage stamp. (But thank you for including your return home address) Why don’t you look in the mirror and see your ugliness because I refuse to."

Jeanie says she's received similar letters over the years and always thought it was best to just ignore the haters -- "but not anymore."

"On this day, Juneteenth, I ask my white friends to join together, acknowledge the racism that exists in our country and around the world, and pledge to stop ignoring it. We all must do better."

Jeanie's post is already resonating with LeBron James -- who showed his support for Buss on Instagram.

Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter says his father has been released from custody in Turkey -- 7 years after he was "wrongfully" arrested.

For years, Enes has said officials in his home country have been going after his dad Mehmet Kanter because Enes has been publicly critical of the Turkish government -- particularly, president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Back in 2017, Enes explained ... "The police raided our home in Istanbul, something that is happening to many innocent families across Turkey just because they are members of Hizmet, inspired by Scholar, Fethullah Gulen."

"My father is arrested because of my outspoken criticism of the ruling party. He may get tortured for simply being my family member."

In fact, Enes has been a wanted man himself in Turkey -- the government accused him of being a member of an armed anti-government terrorist organization, which Enes has adamantly denied.

But, some good news ... Enes says his dad is now free.

"Wow! I could cry. Today I found out that 7 years after arresting my dad, taking him through a Kangaroo court and accusing him of being a criminal just because he is my dad.  MY DAD HAS BEEN RELEASED!"

Enes explained, "This is due to the pressure we have put on the Turkish regime."

"They no longer could keep him from his freedom because of the spotlight that we all put on this case!  However! He is just one person, there are still tens of thousands of people wrongfully in jail in Turkey.  I will not forget you, we will not forget you!"

The SEC wants Mississippi to change its state flag ASAP ... and if it refuses -- the conference's commish is threatening to pull all future titles games out of the state.

SEC honcho Greg Sankey made the announcement Thursday ... saying "it is past time" government officials pull the plug on a flag that features prominent ties to the Confederacy.

"Our students deserve an opportunity to learn and compete in environments that are inclusive and welcoming to all," Sankey said.

"In the event there is no change, there will be consideration of precluding Southeastern Conference championship events from being conducted in the State of Mississippi until the flag is changed."

Of course, Sankey's press on Mississippi lawmakers is just the latest in a long line of efforts from Americans to cut ties with its Confederacy past.

Cities all over the country have ripped down statues of Confederate leaders in the wake of George Floyd's death ... while NASCAR has permanently banned the Confederate flag from its race tracks.

For their part, SEC programs Mississippi State Univ. (NFL star Dak Prescott's alma mater) and Ole Miss are backing their conference's leader in the fight against the flag.

"Since 2015, our Student Association, Robert Holland Faculty Senate and university administration have been firmly on record in support of changing the state flag," Miss. St. President Mark E. Keenum said.

"I have reiterated that view to our state's leaders on multiple occasions, including during face-to-face discussions in recent days and hours."

Mark Cuban has changed his tune -- saying he no longer "expects" his Mavs players to stand for the national anthem ... and he's even considering kneeling with them.

"If [Dallas Mavericks players] were taking a knee and they were being respectful, I'd be proud of them," Cuban said Thursday on "Outside the Lines" ... "Hopefully I'd join them."

Remember, back in 2017 ... Cuban said while he respects people who speak out civilly, he "expects" his players to stand for the anthem with their hands over their hearts.

So, why the change of heart from the Mavs owner in 2020?

"Because I think we've learned a lot since 2017. I think we've evolved as a country," Cuban explained.

"And, this is really a unique point in time where we can grow as a society, we can grow as a country and become far more inclusive."

Current NBA rules state that players and coaches must stand for the national anthem … but Cuban thinks it's time for a change.

When the NBA season does resume next month, Cuban says he hopes league officials will NOT punish players for whatever demonstrations they have in mind.

"Hopefully, we'll allow players to do what's in their heart. Whether it's holding their arm up in the air, whether it's taking a knee, whatever it is, I don't think this is an issue of respect or disrespect to the flag or to the anthem or to our country."

"I think this is more a reflection of our players' commitment to this country and the fact that it's so important to them that they're willing to say what's in their heart and do what they think is right."

WNBA star Renee Montgomery will NOT be taking the court when the 2020 season returns in July ... saying she's going to use her time to fight for social justice instead.

Montgomery -- the 4th overall pick out of UConn in 2009 -- made the announcement on Twitter early Thursday ... deciding her services are needed elsewhere.

"After much thought, I’ve decided to opt out of the 2020 WNBA season," the Atlanta Dream guard said. "There’s work to be done off the court in so many areas in our community."

"Social justice reform isn’t going to happen overnight but I do feel that now is the time and Moments equal Momentum. Lets keep it going!"

Montgomery joins superstar Maya Moore, who temporarily left the game to help fight for justice for Jonathan Irons ... a 39-year-old man she believes is wrongfully convicted of burglary and assaulting a homeowner with a gun when he was 16.

Dream coach Nicki Collen released a statement supporting Montgomery's decision, saying, "While I am saddened Renee will not be in a Dream uniform this summer, I am incredibly proud of her passion for her foundation, her outreach in the community and her chance to impact the Black Lives Matter movement with her platform as a WNBA athlete."

Vanessa Bryant is rallying politicians to get behind the "Kobe and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act" ... a bill outlining safety measures she claims will "save many lives."

The KGBHSA was formally introduced by lawmakers on Thursday -- and would require choppers that carry 6 or more people to contain important safety equipment including a Terrain Awareness and Warning System, a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder.

Vanessa immediately threw her support behind the bill -- saying, "I strongly urge that the United States Congress pass a federal law that would improve the safety of helicopters operating in this country."

"I believe there is a chance that Kobe and Gianna would still be alive today if their helicopter had been equipped with the safety equipment required by this pending federal legislation."

She added, "I believe that these safety measures will save many lives."

"As passengers traveling on aircrafts we assume that proper safety measures are in order to prevent accidents from happening before we fly. It's unfortunate that this is not the case and aircraft companies must do their part to protect lives."

Kobe, Gianna and 7 other people died on January 26 when their helicopters crashed in Calabasas, CA.

As we previously reported, officials believe the pilot might've been disoriented by the thick fog in the area that day.

Vanessa is also pushing for the helicopter industry to "consider renaming the black box to Mamba 8 Box in honor of the 3 young Mamba team players, the 2 Mamba coaches and the 3 Mamba parents onboard, equaling 8."

Isaiah "J.R." Rider says UNLV's 'Hey Reb!' statue -- with ties to the Confederacy -- had to be removed ... telling TMZ Sports he's proud his alma mater "did the right thing."

Rider was an absolute beast at University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the early '90s... and was named an All-American in 1993. J.R. was the 5th overall pick in the NBA Draft.

We asked the former superstar hooper how he felt about UNLV yanking the popular giant bronze statue from the place it sat for years on campus.

"I'm proud. I think it's the right thing to do personally," Rider tells us, continuing ... "I think it was well done, on time, no need to delay, no need to think about it."

The former UNLV star kept it real when asked how he felt about the statue (and Runnin' Rebel mascot) when he was playing ball for the university ... saying he didn't know about all the baggage associated with the Rebel.

"Honestly, in school, I wasn't aware. I wasn't as conscious as I am now, as woke as I am now, as well-read as I am now."

But, Rider says after school he became educated on the issue ... and realized the name and statue were offensive.

"At the time at UNLV, no it didn't bother me at all. I was a 'Runnin' Rebel.' It didn't bother me at all but later in life, as I learned certain things, like the Redskins mascot, I started to have a problem with that for sure."

FYI, the "Rebel" was originally named after a Confederate general named Beauregard ... who ordered the Civil War's first gunshots, according to a Change.org petition demanding UNLV change the current mascot.

We also asked Rider what he'd say to UNLV fans who have lived-and-died with the "Runnin' Rebels" teams for years ... and are kinda bummed to see the school lose that identity.

"I would say to my people, my 'Runnin' Rebels' out there, that look, we're UNLV for life. When we talk, I always say UNLV. I never say 'Runnin' Rebel.' Not only because I don't really like it but I'm UNLV and we are UNLV for life and that doesn't change."

"We're UNLV Runnin', we're gonna drop the last part!"