Basketball

UFC superstar Yoel Romero has a big rematch with Robert Whittaker this weekend ... but there's a MUCH bigger opponent he's already got his sights on -- SHAQ!!

TMZ Sports started asking The Cuban Missile about meeting The Big Aristotle at an event in Miami back in May ... and that's when Y.R. revealed he wants to get in the Octagon with the 7'1" giant to give him the whoopin' of a lifetime.

FYI, Yoel is 6'0" and 185 lbs.

Yoel might be teasing about the fight ... but one thing he's NOT joking about is what the outcome would be if he DID end up fighting the NBA legend.

As for Whittaker at UFC 225 ... Romero says he's gonna get his revenge on the loss at 213 and hints he's gonna make sure the outcome is indisputable this time around.

As for Shaq ... dude can fight -- he's been in the ring with both Oscar De La Hoya and Sugar Shane Mosley and held his own!

Klay Thompson is shooting his shot as a designer ... launching a new line of custom backpacks and luggage bags ... and TMZ Sports has the pics!

The Golden State Warriors star hooked up with Prime Society to create the "Championship Collection" -- featuring backpacks, duffle bags, toiletry bags, mini backpacks, wallets, and a cardholder.

The best part ... the company came up with the name of the line as a "reference to the Finals Championship they are about to win!"

No word on what the pricing will be -- but the average Prime Society backpack is around $500.

The gear is first going up for sale at a Nice Kicks pop-up shop in the Bay Area ... some time after Game 4.

Tristan Thompson's Cavs ain't doin' so hot, going down 0-3 to the Warriors Wednesday night ... but his family?? That seems to be doing WAYYY better.

Khloe Kardashian continued to show her support for her baby's daddy by showing up to Game 3 despite TT being a bum off the court ... and kinda one on it too.

Remember, Khloe wasn't so sure about sticking by Tristan after the cheating scandal rocked her right as their baby was being born ... but, so far, she's been ride or die with him -- sportin' the CLE shirt and getting backstage access Wednesday night.

What did Lakers player Josh Hart tell his teammate, Lonzo Ball, when he caught him listening to his OWN rap music in the gym???

"TURN THAT SH*T OFF!"

It's actually pretty hilarious ... Hart could hear the ZO2 joint, "Gotta Get It," bumping from across the Lakers facility on Wednesday and decided to shame his pal on social media.

When the camera focused on Lonzo, he started dancing ... hard.

Allen Iverson is leaving Ice Cube's BIG3 league -- at least for now -- claiming he's got too much other stuff going on and no time to fulfill his duties as the coach of 3's Company.

"I have informed the @thebig3 that I will not coach this year and they support me in this decision," The Answer said on Wednesday.

"However, do know that this does not end my association or support of the league and I will attend games this season whenever able."

A.I. was suspended as a player/coach last season when he failed to show up to a game because he was on a gambling binge.

But, A.I. says there's no bad blood with the league ... and he's "forever grateful" for the opportunity.

"I wish the league the players, coaches and fans continued success this and every season that follows."

Kevin Garnett's younger sister is in serious trouble after cops say she tried to rob THREE check cashing stores in South Carolina ... while making bomb threats.

It all started on Monday ... cops say Ashley Danyelle Phelps tried to rob a Check Into Cash in Greenville -- and told employees she had a bomb. Someone pressed a panic button and Phelps fled without any loot.

The next day, cops say Phelps tried to hit another Check Into Cash store -- but failed so she went to an Advance America shop instead and once again told employees she had a bomb.

Police responded and 37-year-old Phelps was captured a short time later.

She was formally charged with 2 counts of armed robbery, 2 counts of making a bomb threat and 1 count of attempted armed robbery.

She's currently being held in Greenville County Detention Center after a judge denied her bond.

Ben Simmons was flying solo in Hollywood on Tuesday ... with no Kendall Jenner in sight after she was spotted making out with another dude in NYC.

Ben and Kendall had been pretty inseparable lately ... with dinners and bike rides all around town.

But, after Kendall sucked face with 18-year-old Anwar Hadid -- Gigi and Bella's little bro -- seems the Philadelphia 76ers superstar is ready to move on.

Ben hit up Catch in West Hollywood -- one of the hottest restaurants in town and a paparazzi hornet's nest ... where stars often go to be seen.

Seems he wanted to make a statement without having to say anything.

Meanwhile, there are now reports Ben's ex-girlfriend, Tinashe, is moving on too -- allegedly hanging out with Kendall Jenner's ex-BF, Blake Griffin.

LeBron James says the Cavs and the Warriors are united when it comes to Donald Trump -- "No matter who wins this series, no one wants the invite [to the White House]."

"It won't be Golden State or Cleveland going."

LeBron just faced the media and said he learned about Trump pulling the invite to the Philadelphia Eagles moments before he got to the podium ... but says, "It's typical of him and I'm not surprised."

"I think as long as he's in the office, the communication and things like that is gonna continue to happen. It's a lot of things that we believe in as Americans that we don't feel that he's for."

"It's a lot of people that believe that he's not for the people or doing things that are not right by the people."

After James finished his session, Steph Curry had a few words for the media -- "I agree with Bron."

LeBron has attacked Trump before -- calling POTUS a "bum" for criticizing Steph Curry when he didn't immediately accept an invite to 1600 Penn.

LeBron ain't gonna like this ... Isaiah Thomas is throwing ALL the shade at his former Cavs teammates ... trolling Cleveland for getting whooped in the NBA Finals.

IT was getting smoked by NBA legend Isiah Thomas (the other one) in a game called "Generation Gap" on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Monday night ... and the Lakers guard compared his poor play to his old team.

"I'm like the Cavs ... I'm going to get swept"

Ouch.

Of course, IT was traded from Boston to Cleveland in the blockbuster Kyrie Irving deal just to get shipped to L.A. at the February deadline ... and IT's been poking fun at his time in the Land ever since.

Conor McGregor's gonna LOVE this -- Forbes just named him the 4th highest-paid athlete over the last 12 months ... over guys like LeBron James, Neymar and Roger Federer.

So, how much cash has Conor raked in? Forbes is estimating he's made $99 mil -- most of the cash was from his fight with Floyd Mayweather. Conor was ranked #24 the previous year with $34 mil in earnings.

Speaking of Floyd ... he's #1 -- with an estimated $285 MIL!!! (He was ranked #16 the previous year with only $44 mil).

He's followed by a pair of soccer superstars ... Lionel Messi ($111 mil) and Cristiano Ronaldo ($108 mil).

Remember, Conor once told Ronaldo to his face that he was coming for him on the Forbes list ... to which Ronaldo responded, "I don't think so."

He still might get him one day ... but it's not today.

Others on the list include ... Steph Curry ($76.9), Matt Ryan ($67.3), Matthew Stafford ($59.5) and Kevin Durant ($57.3).

LeBron James has settled the Michael Jordan debate ... at least, in his own head ... because he just publicly deemed HIMSELF as the greatest basketball player of all time.

Here's the deal ... LeBron is on the cover of the new NBA 2K19 20th anniversary edition video game ... and was asked to personally select words that describe him to be included in the cover art.

He chose words like "King," "Strive for Greatness" and "Equality" ... and also, "G.O.A.T."

Interesting ... considering the never-ending debates between LBJ and MJ.

Also, the timing sucks ... since LeBron's Cavs are down 2-0 in the NBA Finals (remember, MJ has 6 rings, LBJ only has 3).

One more thing ... the players who have graced the past 2 covers (and 4 out of the last 5) of NBA 2K have left their teams and moved on.

If game really does recognize game ... bet the house on LiAngelo Ball getting drafted later this month ... 'cause a top NBA draft prospect says Lonzo's bro is "for sure" getting picked.

Collin Sexton -- the stud point guard from Alabama -- is widely viewed as one of the 10-or-so best players available in the NBA draft pool ... and when we caught up with him in West Hollywood, he says there isn't a doubt in his mind 'Gelo will be picked right along with him on June 21.

"He's a good player," Sexton told us. "He can shoot it. He can shoot it real good. He'll wind up at a team for sure."

FYI ... Collin isn't just bein' nice for the camera. He played against 'Gelo last year during the Ballislife All-American Game -- alongside future pros Trae Young and Mo Bamba -- and Ball went for a cool 13 points and three boards on his team.

If James Harden was bummed about not being in the NBA Finals ... he ain't showin' it -- 'cause he was TURNING UP with shirtless Travis Scott onstage Saturday night!!

Just five days after being bounced from the playoffs ... the Rockets PG turned to his ex-GF's sister's BF to get away from it all ... and he got away from it.

The Beard joined Kylie Jenner's baby daddy during the last few minutes of his Governors Ball set, rockin' out to "Beibs in the Trap" ... and the crowd loved it -- giving a "F*CK THE WARRIORS" chant afterward.

Remember, Scott's a huge Houston fan ... and was spotted at Harden's games against the Dubs late last month.

Forget the Warriors vs. Cavs debate (sure looks like the Dubs ended that on Sunday night, anyway) -- it's time for the real question ... the LeBron 15s or the Curry 5s?!

The two NBA Finals superstars rocked their signature shoes in Game 2 ... and while Steph Curry got the win in his -- does he beat the King in shoe game as well??

New photos show Milwaukee Bucks player Sterling Brown suffered bruising and cuts to his face when he was unnecessarily tased and roughed up during a January police altercation.

You've already seen the video of Brown being violently accosted and tased by a team of Milwaukee PD officers during a January 26 parking dispute outside of a Walgreens around 2 AM.

Now, the newly released pics -- taken right after the incident -- show the damage inflicted on Brown's face. You can also see what appears to be puncture wounds on his body from the taser. The pics were first obtained by WISN 12.

There's more ... new police video shows cops were immediately concerned about looking "racist" ... saying on camera, "Because he plays for the Bucks, and if he makes a complaint, it's going to be a f*cking media firestorm."

"And then any little f*cking thing that goes wrong [with the investigation into the arrest] is going to be, 'Ooooooh, the Milwaukee Police Department is all racist. Blah, blah, blah.'"

"And then we end up in civil court. And then the DA asks, was all that necessary?"

In fact, the possible backlash ended up being exactly what happened ... with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and the Bucks organization themselves blasting the cops' actions.

Remember V. Stiviano?

She's the one who recorded Donald Sterling's racist rant about Magic Johnson -- which led to the NBA forcing him to sell the Clippers.

Well ... she's BACK -- and this time, we're talking about Roseanne!

"Everyone's making such a big deal over every small little thing," V. told us outside of Craig's.

"No one has freedom of speech anymore! No one can say what they feel because if they do, they're gonna lose their job."

Stiviano explained why EVERYONE'S at least a little bit racist -- and she wants to live in a world where everyone expresses their bigotry, so we can all know who we're dealing with upfront.

Just one question ... what happened to the legendary face shield?