Basketball

Ben McLemore has strong words for kneeling NFL players ... telling TMZ Sports they're not only disrespecting the nation -- but their message is getting lost in the controversy too!!

The Sacramento Kings guard opened up about the issue outside of Avenue in Hollywood ... saying he believes NFL players should follow the NBA's lead -- and stop kneeling during the anthem.

"You should always represent our nation," Ben says. "That's how I feel. I think you always should."

McLemore also says NBA players are fighting social injustice the right way ... and appears set to give a lengthy explanation on why -- but the dude gets yanked into his car by some friends!!

Not one ... not two ... but THREE championships is what it'll take for LeBron James to get a statue among the legends outside Staples Center, so says ex-L.A. star Devean George.

We got the former Laker out at LAX when we asked an interesting question ... what would it take for LBJ to be bronzed like Shaq, Magic, Kareem and Jerry West??

"I think one [championship], I think it would be no consideration," George says.

"Two, probably no consideration. Three, I think they might be like, 'Should we talk about it??'"

Insanely high standards right?! But, George might be on to something ... 'cause between the four players immortalized outside Staples -- THEY'VE GOT 14 LAKERS RINGS!!!

Kobe Bryant's career was so amazing he never has to pick up a basketball again ... but if he does, former NBA star Glen "Big Baby" Davis hopes it's with the Ice Cube's BIG3 basketball league.

Mamba's reps told TMZ Sports he had no plans to play in the BIG3, this after a league honcho said he had on a "credible source" that Kobe was considering it.

We got Baby (a BIG3 player) out in L.A. and asked him if he thinks Kobe made the wrong choice, and he clearly DOESN'T, saying Kobe has accomplished so much he doesn't need roundball anymore.

The Big Ballers ain't gonna like this ...

Ex-NBA star Al Harrington says the Lakers made a HUGE mistake in the 2017 NBA draft ... because he thinks they should've taken Jayson Tatum.

You know how it went ... the Lakers took Lonzo Ball with the #2 pick, while Tatum fell to the Boston Celtics at #3.

Thus far, it's been a win for the C's, as JT was a finalist for last year's Rookie of the Year award, and Lonzo had a solid but inconsistent season.

Harrington says he LOVES Tatum's game ... and thinks if you re-drafted the class today, he'd go #1.

"Yes, the Lakers made a horrible decision ... That kid is the goods."

Harrington says it's not just the game either, telling us he likes what Tatum has between the ears.

"That kid wants to be great, you know what I'm saying ... sky's the limit for son."

Straight from the Mamba's mouth ... Kobe Bryant says he's NEVER returning to pro basketball.

The NBA legend set the record straight in an interview with Rich Eisen ... saying "I will never come back to the game. Ever. I am here to show people that we can do much more than that."

Of course, Black Mamba already has an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball" ... and has a bunch of other projects geared towards connecting youth to sports.

"There's about a 0-percent chance I come back and play," Bryant says.

There were rumors Kobe could come back to the Lakers when LeBron James decided to move to L.A., and most recently about joining Ice Cube's BIG3 league when co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz said he was told by a source that Kobe was gonna play next season.

But, Kobe's rep chimed in on his hoops future to TMZ Sports ... saying "NOT True. 100% not happening."

Regardless, Cube told us on Wednesday he was still hopeful Bryant would take the BIG3 bait.

Andrew Jones just dunked all over cancer ... with the Texas baller finishing his chemotherapy treatment and ringing the bell Friday!!

Jones -- a superstar on Texas' men's hoops team -- was diagnosed with leukemia this past January and called the last eight months of recovery "crazy and stressful for me and my family."

But, Andrew just wrapped up his rounds of chemo ... and is back on the road to playing for UT again this season.

"With the grace of god we can see a better day," Jones said after ringing the bell. "I’ll like to say thanks to all the fans and supports #hookem."

Jones recently told the Austin American-Statesman he'll now head back to his dorm at UT next Wednesday ... taking yet another step toward normalcy.

BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz is NOT throwing in the towel on Kobe Bryant playing in his league next season -- telling TMZ Sports he trusts his source.

After Kobe's rep shot down Jeff's previous claim that he'd be suiting up for the 2019 season, we saw JK out in NYC ... and he made it clear he's not backing down.

"There's no mix-up. Someone who's a good source, who I'm not gonna reveal, says he's gonna play."

Jeff acknowledges Kobe's been telling people it's not true -- but Kwatinetz doesn't believe it's a hard pass ... at least not yet.

"Every year we have guys who say they're not gonna play who end up playing," Jeff said ... adding, "I don't know that he's not coming. I'll know in February. I think that's the truth."

Jeff also said he's spoken with Jason Terry -- who said he WILL play next season.

"I'm the source on that one because he told me himself."

As we previously reported, Molly Carter -- who runs Kobe, Inc. -- told TMZ Sports he's "100%" not playing in the BIG3. Vanessa Bryant also claimed Kobe is done playing basketball.

Lamar Odom got emotional while wishing happy 40th birthday to Kobe Bryant Thursday -- thanking his good friend for sticking with him through thick and thin ... even during his darkest hours.

Remember, Kobe was one of the first people who rushed to the hospital to meet with Lamar following his overdose at a Nevada brothel back in 2015.

In fact, Kobe bolted from a Lakers preseason game early right when he heard the news and was with Lamar hours after the incident.

Kobe continued to support Odom during and after his recovery -- and Odom hasn't taken his friendship for granted.

"There are no words in this world that can describe the mad love I have for you," Lamar wrote.

"I appreciate you Bean, you have been there for me in my most dark times until today and I hope till the end of times."

"We shined together in my most glorious times and those are like a tattoo in my heart . I can never repay you back for the unconditional love but I can tell you how much I appreciate you."

How'd Andre Drummond feel when he saw LeBron James playing in an L.A. pickup game this week with Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard?

"I was mad I was not there!"

Drummond's also out in L.A. getting some offseason workouts in -- mostly at UCLA, where Bron and company got it in on Tuesday ... so he stopped by the TMZ office to hang out.

The Detroit Pistons superstar says he LOVES playing pickup hoop with other NBA stars -- especially those guys -- and he gave us the lowdown about what happens in those games.

Shocker ... Drummond says Kevin Durant dominates, telling us he's easily the #1 pickup player alive.

"He's very fun to watch and play with ... I think he's very unguardable."

Drummond also tells us why Kawhi Leonard is an absolute freak of nature -- just look at the size of his hands!

There's more ... Drummond also just dropped his new album, "Fyi" -- and says it solidifies his spot as the "best artist in basketball."

Here's advice from an ex-NBA superstar on how to handle yourself in a booty club -- take whatever you've got in your wallet ... AND CHUCK IT AT STRIPPERS!!!

The sage wisdom is brought to you by former Celtics star Glen "Big Baby" Davis ... who we got at OHM Nightclub, where he was judging an open audition for V Live L.A.

After explaining to us what he looks for in great strippers ... he unveiled advice to all the normal folk who have no idea how to be a big baller around butts.

"You gotta thrown what you can, man," Glen says. "Throw what you can, that's my motto."

Ice Cube knows the chances of Kobe Bryant playing in the BIG3 next year are slim to none -- but ya can't score if you don't shoot!!

Cube's BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz got everyone's hopes up on Tuesday when he told the media that a "credible source" informed him Mamba was joining the 3-on-3 league in 2019.

Kobe's people quickly shot that down -- so, when we saw Cube in NYC early Wednesday morning, we asked him to clear everything up.

Cube told TMZ Sports he hadn't spoken to Kobe yet, but says when it comes to a basketball comeback, "I think he's done."

Still, he left the door open a crack ... and even pitched Kobe about why he should add BIG3 to his resume.

Kobe hasn't played pro basketball since he retired from the NBA at the end of the 2015-16 season -- and his wife, Vanessa Bryant, was adamant he ain't EVER coming back.

Shaquille O'Neal doesn't seem convinced, however, recently telling TMZ Sports his former Lakers teammate was coming back for one last hurrah with LeBron James.

Don't hold your breath ...

Only the finest for The King ...

LeBron James and his wife, Savannah, had a romantic date night in Bev Hills on Tuesday ... returning to one of his favorite restaurants in the city and TMZ Sports has the video.

The James' hit up Avra -- the same high-end Greek restaurant where Bron dined with Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Pacino last month.

No mixing with the normies for Bron and Vannah, they were ushered through the back by a security team into a waiting Maybach with a chauffeur.

We tried to talk Trump with the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, but he wasn't in the mood.

Earlier in the day, LeBron worked out at UCLA with some of his NBA superstar friends ... including Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Cedi Osman and Toronto Raptors assistant coach Phil Handy.

The photo fueled rumors that Bron could be recruiting KD and Kawhi to form a superteam in L.A. next year.

Kobe Bryant playing in the BIG3 next year is "100% not happening" ... so says the woman who runs Kobe's company.

Rumors started swirling Tuesday when BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz told reporters on a conference call that he heard from a "credible source" that "Kobe is going to be playing next year."

Of course, Ice Cube and several BIG3 players including Stephen Jackson and Allen Iverson have called for Kobe to join the league -- because it would be awesome -- but Bryant had always said he's retired from basketball.

In fact, when rumors swirled that Kobe was considering coming back to the Lakers for one last season with LeBron James, Vanessa Bryant was adamant he's DONE with hoop.

So, when Kwatinetz suggested Kobe was down for some 3-on-3, we reached out to Molly Carter -- the Chief Marketing Officer at Kobe Inc. -- who told us straight-up, "NOT True. 100% not happening."

Tom Brady and Jimmy Kimmel got Ice Cube's back in a big way -- helping the BIG3 co-founder smash another basketball league in a nasty legal war ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The BIG3 had been sued by Champions League -- which promoted itself as a 5-on-5 league comprised mainly of former NBA players and coaches, despite the fact they never played a single game.

CL claimed BIG3 broke agreement which would allow BIG3 players to compete in the other league. They sued BIG3 for $250 MILLION.

But, BIG3 called BS on Champions League from the start -- claiming in legal docs that the whole thing was a "fraud" led by a scam artist who was wrongfully touting celebrity backing from stars like Tom Brady and Jimmy Kimmel.

Well, BIG3 went to Tom -- who filed a declaration saying he NEVER was associated with or even heard of the Champions League. Jimmy Kimmel's lawyers went on the record echoing TB12.

Byron Scott was also pissed off at false claims he was the CEO of Champions League -- and sent a cease and desist to CL ordering them to stop spreading lies, according to legal docs.

As we previously reported, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe and Henry Bibby had also sued Champions League saying they were promised lucrative coaching contracts but never got paid what they were promised.

In the end, BIG3 -- repped by high-powered attorneys Mark Geragos and Ben Meiselas -- proved too much for Champions League ... and CL waved the white flag, dropping their suit entirely.

Brooklyn Nets star Kenneth Faried was arrested and charged for possessing more than 2 ounces of weed on Sunday ... and TMZ Sports has the mug shot.

The 28-year-old was arrested on the Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton, New York at 1:30 AM ... after the vehicle he was riding in was stopped at a sobriety checkpoint.

A rep for the Southampton Town Police Dept. tells us the officer at the scene noticed a "strong odor of marjuana was emanating from the inside of the vehicle."

Faried was booked for 4th degree unlawful possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor. He was transported to a nearby station for processing.

The other 2 people got tickets and were released at the scene.

Cops say Faried got the harsher charge because he was in possession of more than 2 ounces.

If convicted, Faried faces up to a year in jail ... for WEED.

The Nets released a statement to TMZ Sports, saying, “We are aware of the situation involving Kenneth Faried and are in the process of gathering more information at this time.”

The sun has set on Amar'e Stoudemire's time in this awesome Phoenix crash pad ... 'cause the ex-NBA superstar is parting ways with his home of 12 years ... and it sold for $800K!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Amar'e bought the 3 bed., 4 bath. crib back in 2006 when he was killing it for the Suns ... and decided to put it on the market with David Khalaj from Pro Sports Realty in August 2017.

The place is sick ... it's got a massive built-in aquarium in the living room, an outdoor pool and spa and a gourmet kitchen.