Basketball

Amar'e Stoudemire says he's not ready to walk away from pro basketball -- telling TMZ Sports he's aiming to return to the NBA next season.

The 35-year-old big man hasn't played in the Association since May 2016 -- but, he kept himself busy playing overseas and now he's competing in Ice Cube's BIG3 league.

But, Stoudemire believes there's a solid market in the NBA for a veteran big man -- and he's ready to get back to work.

"I feel great," Stoudemire told us at CC Sabathia's charity softball game at Yankees Stadium ... "I feel like I'm in top shape."

If the NBA doesn't work out, Stoudemire says he'd considering playing in Israeli basketball league again ... but, it's clear his priority is the NBA.

Kyle Kuzma knows all about the rumors that he could get shipped out of L.A. -- but tells TMZ Sports he's not bothered by the trade talk ... and assures Lakers fans he wants to stay put.

The NBA star was leaving lunch at Via Alloro in Beverly Hills on Thursday where he told us he can't focus on front office stuff he can't control -- his only option is to work on getting better as a player.

We also talked about Stephen A. Smith's report that LeBron reached out to Kevin Durant about joining the Lakers together ... but Kuz said he ain't buyin' that one at all.

One thing he is excited about ... Zion Williamson -- the high school prodigy who's playing at Duke next year.

Zion Williamson did his best Michael Jordan impression Thursday ... throwing down a hammer dunk -- after taking off from the free throw line!!

It all went down at Zion's high school gym in Spartanburg, SC -- where he's put on a few dunk shows this summer.

The Duke commit took a running start from one side of the court ... planted his toes on the free throw stripe -- and stretched out like M.J. in Space Jam for the throwdown.

FYI ... it's 15 feet from where Z took off to where he landed ... and for good measure -- he put down a left-handed windmill to show it was no fluke.

Devin Booker ... DeAndre Ayton ... Josh Jackson ... Elfrid Payton -- that sounds like a team LeBron could get down with, right?!?!

"Zero percent chance," Suns vet Jared Dudley says ... "Bron's not coming to Phoenix."

Well, OK then ... where is he going??

"Cleveland or L.A."

We got Jared on Rodeo Dr. earlier this week ... and despite the Suns loading up on young talent the last year or two -- Jared says there's no way in hell LBJ comes to the desert.

"Zero percent chance. He's not coming to Phoenix."

Dudley says it's OK, though ... in fact, he guaranteed Phoenix will be back in the playoffs in no time.

La La Anthony says meeting with the family of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz (the boy dragged out of a corner store and murdered) was "super emotional" -- but now she wants justice.

As we previously reported, La La and Carmelo Anthony met with the 15-year-old boy's family to help console them after the senseless stabbing. La La was told Lesandro (aka Junior) was a huge Melo fan.

"I have a son and that story really touched me," La La tells TMZ Sports ... "I wanted to do something to make a difference."

So, what now? La La says the mission is simple -- "We want justice for Junior."

"I just want his family to have some kind of peace."

So far, cops have arrested 8 suspects in the slaying -- alleged gang members -- and Junior's mother has called for all of them to get life in prison.

While LeBron James decides where he's playing next season, he's been balling out in his own private mansion in Anguilla ... at a place that runs $75 GRAND a week!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the Cavs superstar (for now, at least) is living it up at the Anguilla Beach House at Meads Bay ... which is essentially a villa on steroids.

Not only is it a dope pad with 8 master bedrooms, it comes with a TON of bells and whistles ... like a full-time chef, butler, 44-ft infinity pool,home theater, a full food and beverage staff, and direct access to the beach.

It seems like the perfect place for LBJ to get some R&R before the Decision 3.0 ... hell, he might say screw the NBA and just stay here for the rest of his life.

A judge has dismissed the weapons charges against ex-NBA star Ben Gordon -- after Ben cut a fat 5-figure check to the man he allegedly robbed at knifepoint back in November.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... the former Chicago Bulls player was initially arrested for felony robbery after allegedly going to an L.A. apartment building, pulling a blade on the manager and demanding thousands of dollars in cash.

We're told the incident stemmed from a dispute over Ben's security deposit -- which is odd considering Gordon made $84 MILLION during his NBA career.

The charges were later reduced to 4 misdemeanors -- battery, brandishing a weapon, criminal threats and carrying a knife in plain view.

But now, we've learned ALL of the charges have been dismissed after Ben reached a "civil compromise" with the alleged victim.

Our sources say Gordon cut a $25,000 check and the manager decided to back off.

Ice Cube says now that his BIG3 basketball league has legalized CBD medication for pain management -- he truly believes other major sports leagues will follow suit.

The BIG3 made the announcement Tuesday ... saying players are now allowed to use the cannabis compound, cannabidiol (CBD), to treat pain and other medical issues.

"We always change the game," Cube told TMZ Sports in NYC ... "We ahead of the game."

As for plans to legalize THC -- the component of marijuana that gets you high -- Cube isn't ruling that out either somewhere down the line.

Klay Thompson was PISSED after his friend got fouled hard in a pickup game in China -- with the NBA star cussing out one of the players and nearly coming to blows.

What set Klay off was when Klay's pal drove to the hoop and an opposing player took out his legs in midair -- causing the guys to come crashing down HARD on the floor.

Klay's pal was rightfully furious -- and that's when Thompson stormed onto the court to get in the other dude's face.

"Come on, man. That's bullsh*t," Thompson says.

"If you want to fight him, then fight his ass -- don't undercut him. F*ckin' bullsh*t. That's bullsh*t, man. Bullsh*t. You don't do that bullsh*t."

"That's how you f*ckin' ruin somebody's career, god damnit. You don't do that. You don't do that sh*t."

Gabrielle Union looks UNREAL -- flaunting her insane physique during a beach trip to Ibiza with that guy she's married to ... and the photos are awesome!

The superstar actress and her man have been vacationing off the coast of Spain ... and the 45-year-old was turning heads all over the beach.

The trip looks super fun -- the Wades and some friends have been golfing, clubbing, eating, yachting and posing for selfies all over the city.

As for Dwyane Wade ... his outfit was cool. Funky shoes and a Euro-style onesie-lookin' thing.

Gabby looks better though ...

Another good sign for Lakers fans -- LeBron James' 13-year-old superstar son is very "likely" to enroll at Sierra Canyon School in L.A. ... but our sources say "it's not a done deal."

Sierra Canyon's basketball team is loaded with the DNA of NBA legends -- with the spawn of Scottie Pippen and Kenyon Martin playing side by side with Derek Fisher's nephew.

Earlier this month, ex-NBA star Gary Payton told BSO that Bronny is definitely heading to Sierra Canyon -- but our sources say nothing is official ... at least not yet.

As one source with knowledge of the situation put it ... all signs point to Bronny ending up at SC, and the school is holding a place for him when he makes his final decision.

Bronny is considered the best 13-year-old baller in the country -- he's currently going to school in Ohio.

As for Sierra Canyon ... it's a private school in the San Fernando Valley where the likes of Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Ireland Baldwin and Willow Smith once roamed the halls.

Klay Thompson took a break from celebrating his Warriors championship in China this week to get his ass whooped in Pop-A-Shot ... BY A BALLER-ASS LITTLE GIRL!!

The video is incredible ... a kid half of Klay's size hits shot after shot after shot -- while one of the NBA's greatest all-time shooters throws up bricks.

Unclear what the final score was ... but, at one point, it was 100 to 38.

Klay's college teammate at Wazzu appropriately captioned the video, "this girl is legend."

He's a living legend in Africa -- he was born there, he does a ton of charity work there ... but when it comes to the World Cup, Dikembe Mutombo says his #1 team is from ANOTHER continent.

"My #1 team is still Brazil," Mutombo told TMZ Sports on his way out of Catch in West Hollywood.

"If I have to pick a #2, I think I would go with Senegal & Nigeria. I got to cheer for my homeboys."

Mutombo was born in the Congo -- and has been a huge force in bringing his sport to Africa with "Basketball without Borders" and even built a hospital in Kinshasa through his foundation.

But, despite all that, he likes Brazil -- and says he's rooting for the boys in green and yellow to take home the trophy.

Victor Oladipo's got the key for LeBron James to beat the Golden State Warriors next year ... and it only requires one thing from the King -- join the Pacers!!

We got the Indiana star leaving TAO on Monday night -- fresh off winning Most Improved Player at the NBA Awards -- and he told us all his squad needs in order to win a ring is a little LBJ.

Then, he gave us his best pitch to the NBA's top player.

"If you want to win, come to Indy!!"

Remember ... LeBron's been the reason the Pacers haven't advanced in the Eastern Conference Playoffs two years in a row -- so the move kills two birds with one stone for Oladipo.

Joel Embiid says his next career goal is to win NBA MVP next season ... and he's already got a plan on how he'll celebrate!

The Philadelphia 76ers superstar was leaving Catch in L.A. after the NBA Awards -- hours after it was revealed Embiid will grace the cover of the upcoming NBA Live 19 video game.

What's interesting is ... the guy he's replacing is James Harden -- who just won NBA MVP after being the cover guy for NBA Live for the 2018 version of the game.

Chris Paul is going to bat for his teammate -- saying James Harden deserved to win MVP over LeBron James ... but now, he needs to add an NBA title to his resume.

"He's gonna get that too," CP3 told TMZ Sports on the way out of Catch ... "but he deserved the MVP."

There's an argument James got screwed at the NBA Award ceremony Monday night -- since he played in more games than Harden, scored more points than Harden, got more rebounds, more assists and took his team further with less talent around him.

But, Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni is also siding with Paul -- saying Harden was "without a doubt" the best player in the league and "has been ready to get [MVP] for the last 3 years."