Basketball

Cliff Robinson, the longtime NBA player who also appeared on "Survivor" has died.

The cause of death was not revealed, but in 2017 Cliff suffered a brain hemorrhage. We don't know if that was a factor in his death.

Cliff played in the NBA for 18 seasons. He first joined the Portland Trailblazers back in 1989 where he stayed for 8 seasons. From there he went to Phoenix where he played for the Suns. He also played for the Detroit Pistons and the New Jersey Nets.

After retiring, Cliff was a competitor on season 28 of "Survivor" back in 2014. He finished in 14th place.

Cliff was a star during his college days at the University of Connecticut. The school broke the news, saying, 'The UConn Basketball family mourns the loss of a legendary player and person, Clifford Robinson. Our thoughts and prayers are with Cliff’s family at this difficult time. Rest in Peace, Cliff'

Cliff is survived by his wife, Heather Lufkins, and his son, Isaiah.

Ex-NBA player Royce White says his friend Draymond Green is just wrong to say NBA players should continue the playoffs ... explaining why the right move is for everyone to exit the bubble ASAP!!

White spelled out his case during an episode of TMZ Sports Roundtable featuring NFL player Brandon Marshall, and WNBA star Angel McCoughtry.

The video is awesome ... the group gets into a spirited conversation about how professional athletes should move forward after demonstrations from players in the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL and more.

In other words ... what's the next step?

Royce White -- a former 1st round NBA draft pick -- says he thinks the NBA needs to ditch the bubble and head back to their communities and get out there with the people.

It's exactly the opposite of what Draymond Green said earlier this week when he encouraged players to stay and use the NBA platform to effectively send their social justice messages to the masses.

"He's mistaken, he's off the path with that," White said about Draymond ... "This is not about awareness campaigns anymore. Report to the front lines. If you can't report to the front lines, then send aid."

White also had advice for LeBron James -- "Go to Akron Ohio. March with the people. Stay there until something really changes, and If they choose to be all the way violent, let your body be laying in the street when it's over."

As for McCoughtry ... she weighed in on everything from the WNBA's plan of action, to the rift between Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler and the players.

As we previously reported, Loeffler is strongly against the league support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Some players have called for Loeffler to sell the team ... claiming she has different values than the players she is profiting off of.

Angel -- who played 10 years for the Dream -- tells us why she does NOT believe Loeffler is a racist ... but could better educate herself on social justice issues.

Brandon Marshall -- one of the first NFL players to kneel with Colin Kaepernick back in 2016 -- told us why he still doesn't fully accept Roger Goodell's Mea Cupla about how the league treated the QB back in the day.

Marshall says he doesn't feel progress can truly be made until Kaepernick has a job in the NFL again.

Rev. Al Sharpton is fired up about the athletes speaking out against police brutality -- saying they're making a "tremendous" impact around the country.

Sharpton is clearly impressed with stars from the NBA, MLB, NFL, tennis and beyond risking their careers to speak out against the shooting of Jacob Blake and other incidents involving black victims.

"They [the athletes] understand that their careers may last 3, 4, 5 years, but they're gonna be black forever … and that's why they need to be a part of this movement."

Sharpton says the reason the athletes are on the front lines is because "they live in these communities."

"They know that they could be treated the same way. And, I think it's a tremendous thing [that they're taking action]."

Sharpton says he admires and respects the athletes like LeBron James and others .... adding, "They've helped the movement tremendously."

Congressman Al Green was also out at the 'Get Your Knee Off Our Necks' rally in D.C. ... and also heaped praise on the athletes who have taken a stand.

Great news for Isiah Thomas -- the NBA legend was reunited with his stolen NBA All-Star MVP trophy ... and he's thanking an auction house for making it happen.

Remember, Thomas was initially FURIOUS when he saw the trophy from the 1984 All-Star Game was up for sale on the Heritage Auctions website ... claiming it was stolen property.

Here's the backstory ... Thomas claims he loaned the MVP trophy to his old high school to display -- but some jerk snatched the item back from the campus in June 2020.

"This trophy was stolen from St. Joseph High School the night Mr. Pingatore my coach died," Thomas posted on Twitter ... "It belongs to me."

Heritage Auctions immediately pulled the item from auction and launched an investigation -- working with the Westchester Police Dept. to gather information.

The cops ultimately allowed H.A. to give the trophy back to Thomas -- and he's obviously thrilled.

"I am very happy that my 1984 NBA All-Star Game MVP Trophy has been returned to me, and I want to thank Heritage Auctions, the Westchester Police Department and St. Joseph High School for all of their hard work and professionalism throughout this process," Thomas said.

"This trophy is a special piece of memorabilia for me and my family, and it remains something that I am very proud of being awarded during my playing career."

As for Heritage Auctions, an official says "It came as a shock to discover the MVP trophy had been stolen from St. Joseph but we are pleased and proud to have been able to return the trophy to the man whose name is inscribed on the award."

The Milwaukee Bucks didn't just boycott for Jacob Blake -- they reached out to his family and sent an autographed jersey to lift their spirits.

"I'm from Chicago, but now I am truly a Milwaukee Bucks fan," Jacob's father, Jacob Blake Sr., said on CNN.

"They reached out to my son, sent him a jersey that was signed by the whole organization ... that made him smile."

Blake was shot in the back 7 times during an incident with the police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He's paralyzed from the waist down -- but his father says he's still handcuffed to his hospital bed.

With so much negativity still swirling around him, Jacob's father says he's committed to only bringing positivity to the bedside ... and credited the Bucks for helping him out.

"The thing that made him smile was the Milwaukee Bucks. That made him smile."

Jacob Sr. says he's a former athlete and what makes the gesture from the Bucks even more special is the fact they're currently in the playoffs,

"I understand the sacrifices those young men made, and I understand that it's playoff time and they're making these sacrifices."

The Kobe Bryant tributes continue to roll in for the newest edition of NBA 2K ... with the late Lakers legend receiving the mural treatment in the game's "neighborhood."

As we previously reported, the Black Mamba's presence will be heavy in NBA 2K21, which drops next week ... with a "Mamba Forever" edition featuring Bryant on two different covers for the current and next-gen consoles.

Fellow cover athlete Damian Lillard also teamed up with Snoop Dogg and Derrick Milano to make a song about Kobe for the game's soundtrack.

2K Sports revealed yet another tribute for Bryant in a new teaser Friday ... displaying a mural in his honor while showing off the game's new Neighborhood -- "2K Beach," a play off Venice Beach.

For those who aren't hip to the game, the Neighborhood is where players can go to play against other gamers, improve their avatar and participate in other events.

Of course, Bryant was a big part of 2K's success for years ... and was featured on the cover numerous times.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver is finally speaking out about the boycotts that rocked the league -- saying, "I understand the pain, anger and frustration that so many of us are feeling in this moment."

Silver issued a league-wide statement to players and staff explaining his thoughts on the outrage over the shooting of Jacob Blake ... and says he's working with players on ways the league can help players take meaningful action.

"First, let me say that I wholeheartedly support NBA and WNBA players and their commitment to shining a light on important issues of social justice," Silver said.

"While I don't walk in the same shoes as Black men and women, I can see the trauma and fear that racialized violence causes and how it continues the painful legacy of racial inequity that persists in our country."

Silver says he spoke with NBA players, coaches and team governors on Thursday -- with the hope of figuring out the next steps to "further our collective efforts and actions in support of social justice and racial equality."

"The discussion centered around how we can best collaborate to address a broad range of issues, including increasing access to voting, promoting civic engagement, and advocating for police and criminal justice reform."

Silver says the league will have a finalized plan, which will be made public, later today.

"I understand that some of you feel the league should be doing more. I hear you -- and please know that I am focused on ensuring that we as a league are effecting real change both within our organization and in communities across the country."

Silver says he wants to encourage players to continue to speak out and work with the league on making real change.

"We are always here to support you."

Lute Olson -- one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time -- has died, his family confirms. He was 85.

The University of Arizona legend passed away Thursday while in hospice care in Tucson.

Olson led the men's hoops program for U of A for 25 years -- from 1983 to 2008 ... bringing home a national championship in 1997.

That team featured future NBA stars like Mike Bibby and Jason Terry.

He was a 7-time PAC-10 Coach of the Year and brought 5 different teams to the Final Four.

And, get this ... starting in his 2nd year at Arizona, Olson's teams made the NCAA tourney in 23 straight seasons!!!

Olson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 -- while he was still coaching! He retired 6 years later.

His record at U of A is insane -- 589 wins and only 187 losses.

In the years after his retirement, Olson became a fixture at all Arizona home basketball games and often traveled to road games in California.

On April 12, 2018, The University of Arizona honored Olson with a statue outside the McKale Center on campus.

Some of the stars who played under Olson include ... Steve Kerr, Damon Stoudamire, Gilbert Arenas, Richard Jefferson, Luke Walton and Channing Frye.

He also coached Kenny Lofton -- who went on to become a big MLB star.

Olson is survived by his wife, children and several grandchildren.

There's still hope the NBA players and league execs can work out a plan to save the season ... with players compiling a list of "actionable items" they want the NBA to endorse in order to proceed.

A high-ranking NBA source tells us ... the feeling among several players is they will lose their biggest platform if they stop the season.

Of course, a stoppage won't affect the impact of superstars like LeBron James ... but we're told the majority of players see real value in being able to use the NBA platform to speak to the masses about social justice issues.

In fact, Draymond Green just posted about it -- saying, "The notion that athletes should just stop working but no one else in the world should stop is baffling to me."

"Why stop doing the very thing that offers you the biggest platform to speak for those that look like me/a lot of us?"

"To do that is to actually give up the platform to speak for them, because without us using our platforms which is afforded by the influence of the sport, it actually stops us from echoing what those in the back are saying."

So, the hope is both sides can reach a compromise -- with players coming together after a tense Wednesday night meeting in order to put together a list of demands for the league.

Obviously, the NBA wants to proceed -- there’s so much money at stake. And, from what we understand, the league execs and owners are meeting Thursday morning to figure out a way to work out a deal with the players.

As we previously reported, the Milwaukee Bucks were the first team to boycott on Wednesday when they refused to take the floor for Game 5 of their playoff series with the Orlando Magic.

Other teams followed suit ... until the league officially announced that all games would be rescheduled to a later date.

We're told the league had already planned for possible COVID-related postponements ... so they're not super worried about getting back on schedule.

But, word is ... play almost certainly will not resume Thursday -- everybody still needs some time.

Utah Jazz superstar Donovan Mitchell is going OFF on MLS team owner Dell Loy Hansen for comments he made about player protests ... demanding he sell the team if he doesn't approve.

Of course, several MLS games were postponed following the Jacob Blake shooting ... including Hansen-owned Real Salt Lake's match-up with LAFC.

Hansen appeared on a radio show Thursday morning to express his frustrations with the game being postponed ... comparing the feeling to being stabbed.

"It’s a moment of sadness," Hansen told X96’s Radio From Hell. "It’s like somebody stabbed you and you’re trying to figure out a way to pull the knife out and move forward. That’s what it feels like."

"The disrespect is profound to me personally."

Hansen also claimed the players do not care about local issues, the city or the organization ... and hinted at losing interest in improving the team.

"It’s taken a lot of wind out of my sails, what effort I want to put into recruiting players and building a great team," Hansen said. "It just seems that’s not a very good path to take."

Enter Mitchell -- who got wind of Hansen's comments and came up with a simple solution for his frustrations.

"WOW... if it’s taken 'the wind' out then sell the team... I stand with (Real Salt Lake) players,'" Mitchell tweeted.

Soccer star Jozy Altidore agrees with Spida ... and says he's even in the process of forming a group to buy the team.

"He needs to sell the team then," Jozy tweeted. "I’m involved in a group that’s ready to purchase it. Time for change."

It may not be under the best circumstances, but Damian Lillard is happy to be back with his 2-year-old boy after leaving the NBA bubble due to injury ... saying, "This is good for the soul."

The Trail Blazers superstar left Orlando on Thursday to seek treatment for a sprained knee he suffered against the Lakers earlier this week ... and it's unclear whether he will return.

It's a HUGE bummer to have Dame go down with injuries -- he was playing lights-out in the bubble and even beat LeBron James and the top-seeded Lakers in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs.

The 30-year-old appears to be in great spirits despite the bad news, saying, "Dislocated finger... Lateral knee sprain ... but this is good for the soul ... missed my baby boy ❤️."

The bubble has proven to be a challenge for players who are forced to be away from loved ones for months .... and Paul George recently spoke about the environment taking a toll on his mental health while going through a slump.

Dwyane Wade is making a statement without saying a word ... showing solidarity with his NBA friends and former teammates by debuting a Black Lives Matter-inspired hairstyle.

The sports world came to a screeching halt following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, WI ... with the NBA, WNBA, MLB and NFL postponing games and practices.

Wade -- who has been outspoken about social justice throughout his career -- revealed the bleach-blonde style with a black fist on Wednesday ... right after the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court in honor of Blake.

The future Hall of Famer has also been spreading his message with his wardrobe recently, sporting a "Shoot hoops, not people" shirt.

Barack Obama says he "commends" the NBA players who participated in Wednesday's "boycott" -- saying they're setting a great example for the rest of the country.

"I commend the players on the [Milwaukee Bucks] for standing up for what they believe in, coaches like [Doc Rivers], and the NBA and WNBA for setting an example," Obama said.

"It’s going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values."

The Milwaukee Bucks were the first team to refuse to take the court for their playoff game Wednesday -- saying they were still so upset over the shooting of Jacob Blake, they wanted to send a message to the rest of the country.

Other teams followed suit -- and the league eventually announced all of Wednesday's playoff games had been postponed.

Of course, Obama's message to the NBA and its players is much different than the message the current U.S. President has delivered to the league recently.

Donald Trump has repeatedly bashed NBA players and owners -- including LeBron James -- for the way it's dealing with the social justice issues in America.

Trump has said he will boycott the league if players continue to kneel for the national anthem -- something he considers to be disrespectful to the flag and the military.

Kenny Smith just walked off the set of "Inside the NBA" in a show of solidarity with the NBA players who are boycotting Wednesday's playoff games.

"As a black man, as a former player ... I think its best for me to support the players and just not be here tonight," Smith said.

Smith then unplugged his mic and walked off the set -- leaving co-hosts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Ernie Johnson to finish the show without him.

Before he left, Smith explained his decision this way ...

"Right now, my head is like ready to explode," Smith said about the aftermath of the Jacob Blake police shooting in Wisconsin.

Smith says he can't stop thinking about the incident and the surrounding issues -- whether it's in the car or in the broadcast studio -- and he felt a strong compulsion to take some sort of action.

After he walked off, Ernie Johnson said he respects Kenny's decision ... and they continued on with the show.

55-year-old Smith won 2 NBA titles during his 10 year career and has become a key member of the "Inside the NBA" team, the most popular basketball show on TV.

As we previously reported, the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court for Game 5 of their playoff series with the Orlando Magic. Other NBA teams followed suit.

The Milwaukee Bucks are boycotting their playoff game against the Orlando Magic Wednesday ... electing to not take the court in protest after the Jacob Blake shooting.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and his teammates did not participate in pre-game warm-ups before their scheduled Game 5 matchup in the NBA bubble ... staying put in the locker room.

Of course, Blake was shot in the back 7 times by a police officer during an incident in Kenosha on Sunday ... about 45 minutes from Milwaukee.

The news was just made official minutes ago -- with the team announcing they will not play on Wednesday at all.

Bucks player George Hill issued a short statement saying, "We’re tired of the killings and the injustice."

Bucks exec Alex Lasry has also weighed in ...

"Some things are bigger than basketball," Lasry said.

"The stand taken today by the players and org. shows that we’re fed up. Enough is enough. Change needs to happen."

"I’m incredibly proud of our guys and we stand 100% behind our players ready to assist and bring about real change."

Obviously, this will have huge ramifications -- the team is reportedly facing millions of dollars in fines for missing the game. But, they clearly feel the social justice statement is worth it.

ESPN's Bobby Marks says the fine could be as high as $5 million if the NBA chooses to enforce it.

Both the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics have also discussed boycotting their playoff game on Thursday.

Unclear if the Bucks' move will embolden them to stay off the court.

Of course, Bucks player Sterling Brown was victim of police brutality back in 2018 when he was tased by cops while outside of a Walgreens in Milwaukee while on a first date.

Cops had accused him of parking in a handicap space ... and things escalated from there.

Video showed officers taking Brown to the ground and tasing him -- despite the fact he never resisted or seemed to pose a threat.

Brown says he was offered a $400,000 settlement in exchange for his silence on the matter -- but he refused, saying, "I can't be quiet."

The police chief later issued an apology to Brown.

Paul George is speaking out about the challenges of being stuck in the NBA bubble ... saying he battled with anxiety and depression while going through a historic slump.

The L.A. Clippers superstar had been under-performing during the playoffs before erupting for a 35-point game against the Mavericks on Tuesday ... and spoke in detail about what it was like to struggle with the mental aspect of the game in Orlando.

"It was just a little bit of everything," George said after the huge Game 5 win. "I underestimated mental health, honestly. I had anxiety, a little bit of depression. Just being locked in here."

"I just wasn't there. I checked out."

FYI -- George was REALLY going through a tough time on the court ... becoming the first player since 1960 to shoot less than 25% in 3 straight games.

It got so bad, it was to the point where PG-13 was posting cryptic messages about haters on IG ... and was trending on social media.

The 30-year-old said it all changed for him after speaking with a team psychiatrist ... who helped him get in a good spot before the 154-111 win.

"My energy, my spirit was changed. That's all it needed. That's all I needed. I came here, I knew what my job was. Left it all on that court .... Ready to move forward."

The Bubble situation isn't exactly a cakewalk for some of the NBA players -- while the league has done a good job keeping players healthy and safe, many are having a tough time being away from their families and friends for so long.

Props to George for speaking out about his mental health issues -- it's not an easy thing for people to discuss, especially on a national platform ... and he deserves credit.