Basketball

JWoww is the proud new benefactor of a safe space for people with disabilities at the Barclays Center in NYC -- a room for folks with sensory sensitivities ... all inspired by her kid.

The 'Jersey Shore' star broke down what exactly a sensory room is with us on "TMZ Live," and why she thinks it's going to help countless people with special needs in the arena for various events  ... and why she also hopes it's a trend that catches on nationwide.

Basically, it's a designated section of a facility -- like the one she just helped bestow on Barclays -- where people who might need to calm down from all the commotion on the main floor can decompress ... with a variety of activities, all of which engage the senses.

This is something folks with autism often struggle with, and a sensory room -- as JWoww explains -- can provide relief to a variety of individuals with an array of disabilities, like Down's Syndrome, PTSD ... or other afflictions that might require some type of quick stimulus therapy.

Her own son, Greyson Mathews, is the inspiration behind Barclays' new room -- which is now up and running. She's got a sweet story about her own journey with her son ... and hopes this is the start of a new norm at other public venues.

LeBron James seems to agree with Jay-Z -- that no one can stand on the same stage with him for a 'Verzuz' -- and maybe, just maybe, he feels the same way about himself on a basketball court.

LBJ was definitely feeling good Sunday night ... rapping along, line-by-line, to Jay's "Imaginary Player" while in the middle of what looks like a pretty swanky evening with his wife, Savannah, and friends.

What's interesting is ... the video plays like a public service announcement to all the haters dissing the Lakers for their sub-par season -- they're only 16-18 right now. Check the look on LeBron's face as he drops lines like, "Y'all rapping ass n***as, y'all funny to me ... Selling records, being you, but still you wanna be me."

As we previously reported ... Jay-Z recently shot down any hopes he would do a "Verzuz" battle, boasting there's no one on his level in hip-hop who even deserves to stand on a stage with him.

It's no secret LeBron's a big fan of Jigga -- so, you'd expect him to ride with Mr. Carter, but it's also clear certain Jay tracks are really speaking to the Lakers superstar right now.

BTW, LeBron's biz partner, Maverick Carter, joined in later, rapping with him to "Hova Song." Remember, Maverick was kicking it with Jay-Z, Adele and her BF, Rich Paul ... who, of course, is LBJ's agent.

Magic Johnson says he won't be tuning in when HBO's "Showtime" Lakers series comes out ... telling TMZ Sports he's "not looking forward to it."

"Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty" -- starring John C. Reilly, Sally Field and Jason Segel -- is a highly-anticipated new drama series that covers the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers.

While most people are excited to watch the show, Magic ain't one of them ... saying he's working on his own project.

"No, we got different shows coming out," Magic tells us. "I got one, then you got Jeanie Buss got one on Showtime coming out."

"Those are the ones I'm looking forward to."

Of course, Magic helped lead the "Showtime" Lakers to 5 NBA championships in the '80s ... alongside fellow NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy.

Johnson's Lakers have been celebrated over time ... for the impact they had on the league and for the up-tempo, fast-paced style of play they cultivated.

But Magic seems very adamant he's not thrilled about the release of the HBO project ... saying, "I'm not looking forward to it. I'm going to leave it at that."

Lakers co-owner Jesse Buss just got a whole lot richer -- and LeBron James just got a new neighbor -- 'cause the youngest of the six Buss siblings just sold his L.A. mansion next to LBJ's for $10.7 million.

Buss put the home on the market in October after buying it in 2018 ... and TMZ Sports has learned it just sold this week.

Buss got darn-near asking price for it -- he originally listed it through Jennifer Beron of Compass for $11 million -- and it's easy to see why.

In addition to being near LeBron's famous L.A. pad, the mansion has over 6,500 square feet and features 6 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, a home theater, a yoga room, and an infinity pool which offers great views of the city and canyons.

There's more -- the crib also comes with a chef's kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances, a full gym, an illuminated bar, and a temperature-controlled wine cellar.

LeBron James is playing his hand on COVID, or at least it seems this way ... suggesting we've gotten a little crazy with panic over contracting the virus.

LeBron posted a meme called "Spider-Man Pointing at Spider-Man" ... featuring 3 Spidies -- one representing COVID, another representing the flu and the third repping the common cold.

When you break it down ... it seems LeBron is shading the NBA for protocols that have sidelined a bunch of players -- even some who have tested negative -- and canceled a number of games.

The Lakers have benched head coach Frank Vogel, along with Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, Avery Bradley, Malik Monk and Austin Reaves ... all because of its COVID rules. There's a big game set for this weekend -- Lakers vs. Nets -- but Kevin Durant is out because of COVID protocols.

You'll recall ... LeBron played his cards close to the vest for a fairly long time before finally acknowledging back in September he was vaccinated, but he made it clear -- he wouldn't pressure other players to get jabbed, saying, "That's not my job."

Vanessa and Natalia Bryant have ventured into the world of advertising, and gotta say --  they are one effective duo.

Vanessa and her 18-year-old daughter fronted a new Lancome commercial, and for a bunch of reasons, it's super effective. First of all, they look great -- a prerequisite for hawking makeup.

Second, the way it's shot it fees really authentic ... a mother talking to her daughter about makeup and reminiscing about her oldest daughter growing up. At one point, Vanessa confesses she was in tears when she watched Natalia come down the stairs, all dressed up for homecoming.

And finally, they vibe really well on cam -- especially because of the way it's shot. It feels like a real conversation ... like viewers are just flies on a wall, and that's the mark of a successful ad.

Kenny "The Jet" Smith says the NBA should do their best to keep playing through the spike in COVID-19 cases ... but tells TMZ Sports if fan safety becomes an issue, ya gotta consider pausing the season.

We asked the former Rocket great if the league should follow the NHL's lead and pause their season ... and he says if the outbreaks are only affecting the players, the show must go on.

"No," Smith said at LAX. "I mean, the thought process should always be for the society, for the fans. It's not for the players. So meaning, we're just a part of society."

The NBA champ adds that although the money these games bring in is important, it ain't everything ... and if spectators are getting sick as a result of being close to each other, then the league needs to reconsider postponing the season.

"So, if society needs to shut down because of proximity, because you're in arenas, yes. But just because of players, no."

"It's the lives that matter," Smith says. "So, if the games itself are causing people to get COVID, then you have to think about pausing."

There's more -- we also asked the "Inside The NBA" analyst if it was a bad look that LeBron James walked into the arena with a cigar in his hand ... and he told us that he was in disbelief.

"You can't lose when you walk in with a cigar," Smith said. "And if we lost to them with a cigar, I'd be upset."

"It shows that he's not thinking about us," he added.

Kenny points out Celtics legend Red Auerbach would spark a stogie on the bench after wins .. joking maybe that's what LeBron was planning to do.

Chill out Laker Nation -- Dwight Howard says everything's gonna be good by the time NBA playoffs come around ... telling TMZ Sports, "it's not about how you start, it's how you finish!"

The Lakers have been struggling so far this season ... which has shocked a lot of fans, considering they have LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and a solid (yet aging) roster.

But, Howard says the season is still young, so they haven't shown their full potential just yet.

"We good, man. It's early," the Lakers center told us at his OxeFit after-party at the Soho Warehouse, "We gonna be ready by the time the playoffs start. That's when we start dominating."

"Don't worry, Lakers fans! When it's time to dominate, the Lakers gon' be there!"

The 36-year-old also wants fans to remember this is an entirely different squad compared to last year ... and that it will take some time for everyone to get on the same page.

"This is a brand new team than it was in 2020. All of us are really trying to learn how to play together and get our games going."

"It's not about how you start, it's how you finish!"

As they say, patience is a virtue -- the Lakers aren't in terrible shape and still have a few months to turn things around ... that is, as long as COVID doesn't halt the season like it did with the NHL.

Howard -- who just got out of COVID protocol -- hopes that doesn't happen ... saying "I'm not worried about it. But, anything can happen. Everything is about safety right now."

"I think if you got your immune system right, then you'd be good to go. I'm not really concerned about it."

Austin Rivers had two fans removed from their seats on Wednesday ... after he claims the "punks" and "clowns" would not stop heckling him about his family.

The Nuggets guard snapped in the fourth quarter of Denver's loss to the Thunder in Oklahoma City, grabbing a ref after he made a 3-pointer and telling him to eject two fans from their seats immediately.

In video of the play, you can see Rivers was irate -- pointing out the fans who appeared to yell about his dad, Doc Rivers, in the middle of his shooting stroke.

After the game, Austin explained the situation ... saying every time he ran down the court, the two talked trash about Doc -- and even began mentioning his sister, Callie Rivers, who's married to Steph Curry's brother, Seth Curry.

"I don't mind it most nights," a clearly ticked-off Austin said. "But, it was constant. Every time down the floor, they were saying something about my dad. Somebody said something about my sister. That's when I was like, 'OK. I've had enough.'"

Austin continued, "You could say I suck, that's fair game. But, you talk about my family? Like, what are we doing here?"

"Imagine me showing up to where they work and I'm just talkin' s*** about their family the whole time while they're trying to work. I don't know. It's just weird, man. Bunch of punks."

Of course, this is far from the first time an NBA player has done the same this season ... both Tristan Thompson and LeBron James had fans ejected from games earlier this year for heckling, too.

If Kanye West is upset about Pete Davidson hanging out with Kim in L.A. this week, he certainly isn't showing it on his face ... Ye was all smiles while he watched his Donda Academy team hoop from the best seat in the house.

Ye sat courtside next to his buddy French Montana and chatted with O.T. Genasis Wednesday night during the Donda Doves Homecoming matchup in Whittier, CA. While he was seated for most of the contest, at one point, Ye got up and chatted with some of the team's players.

As for his attire, Kanye certainly didn't wear a team jersey ... sporting the look we've become accustomed to seeing him rock over the last few weeks -- boots, black hoodie, gloves, sunglasses and a baseball hat. Fans were also instructed to wear all black, and obliged.

Kanye advertised the game on his Instagram a few hours before tipoff, and resale tickets ranged anywhere from $25 to $500 ... aka, not your regular high school game prices.

Kanye started his Donda Academy earlier this year, recruiting basketball prospects to the program which mostly centers around hoops -- usually with multiple practices per day -- and online learning for academics.

Kanye and French go way back ... remember, French used to date Khloe Kardashian, and O.T. Genasis has a child with Khloe's bff Malika Haqq.

Jimmy Goldstein -- the rich businessman who allegedly goes to more than 100 NBA games a season -- says the league needs to close up shop ASAP ... telling TMZ Sports the fans shouldn't be forced to watch crappy basketball.

The Association is currently dealing with a massive COVID-19 outbreak as players test positive left and right ... forcing teams to pick up free agents or G League players in order to compete.

While Adam Silver recently announced the NBA will not follow the NHL's lead and suspend the season, Goldstein says the best thing to do is shut it down.

"Regardless of what the NHL did, the NBA should close down as soon as possible," Goldstein said at Dwight Howard's OxeFit after-party at the SoHo Warehouse.

"Most of these players (who test positive) are healthy. If the NBA wants to let them play, that's another story. But if they forbid them from playing, I feel cheated as a fan, going to the games and watching G League players play instead of the stars."

Goldstein points out there's a huge game between the Lakers and Nets on Christmas Day ... and the majority of Brooklyn's star players will not be taking the court.

"It's time to recognize the fans are not getting a fair deal."

A Phoenix Suns player almost wiped out JoJo Siwa while she was sitting courtside at the Lakers game Tuesday ... but somehow, the influencer avoided catastrophe.

The near-collision all went down early in L.A.'s contest with Phoenix at Staples Center Crytpo.com Arena ... when Jae Crowder went flying into the stands to try to save a loose ball.

You can see in the footage of the play, as Jae dove head-first to nab the basketball -- his 6-foot-6, 235-pound body nearly went crashing into Siwa!!!

Fortunately, JoJo was able to duck out of the way -- and Crowder rolled over her seat without causing any injuries.

Siwa clearly loved the experience ... she was all smiles as Crowder picked himself up off the floor -- and she even tweeted her experience went "quite well!"

The night ended up being an overall bummer for Siwa, though -- 'cause her Lakers ended up losing badly to the Suns.

Luka Doncic may be a Dallas Maverick, but he's clearly never forgotten where he's come from -- 'cause he just sent a bunch of gifts to kids at a hospital in his Slovenian hometown.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the NBA All-Star just directed a special delivery to the Children's Hospital of the University Medical Center Ljubljana -- surprising almost 200 kids with all kinds of goodies to brighten up their holidays.

The shipment was filled with toys -- like LEGOS and dollhouses -- as well as headphones, Jordan sportswear, and gift cards.

We're told Luka also sent each kid an autographed photo and a sweet note from the NBA star ... plus he recorded a video message that everyone got to watch from their hospital bed.

"These children are going through so much," Luka said in a statement. "I just hope this gives them a little bit of happiness during these difficult times."

"I hope they feel better soon, so they can get back to doing what they love. I'm thinking of them and I wish the children and their families a happy New Year in 2022."

Of course, this isn't the first time Doncic has given back to his Slovenian roots ... in 2020, he launched a program with Slovenian athletes Jaka Bijol and Robert Kristan to help the country's healthcare system during the pandemic.

The 22-year-old has also donated to the city of Dallas during the pandemic -- gifting 100 pairs of Jordans to healthcare workers at UT's Southwestern Medical Center.

Doncic also partnered up with Mark Cuban, Dwight Powell and the Mavs' Foundation to donate $500k to the same medical center and Parkland Hospital.

Danielle Bush -- a dancer for the Utah Jazz -- got the surprise of a lifetime during Monday night's game ... when she got an epic marriage proposal during her on-court routine!

The amazing and romantic moment went down at the Hornets vs. Jazz game, when the Utah dancers were performing during a break.

In the video, you can see Danielle and the rest of the team were hitting synchronized moves, when suddenly, the routine changed and Danielle had no idea what was happening.

A few seconds later, though, her boyfriend popped out with a ring ... and asked her to marry him!

Danielle said "yes" as Bruno Mars' "Marry You" played over the speakers ... and it was all super sweet.

The dancers provided background moves while the whole thing went down ... making the whole thing all the more magical.

Amazing moment -- congrats!!

Amari Bailey might be son of the year -- 'cause the high school hoops star just copped his mom a brand new Porsche for the holidays!!

The Sierra Canyon combo guard revealed the amazing gift on Monday ... saying, "This year I wanted to kick off the holiday season a lil different and got my mom a car."

"Thank you for all of the sacrifices to even make this dream of mine come true. I love you ❤️. Thought I’d beat you to getting the whip for you tho."

His mama, Johanna Leia -- who you might also recognize as Drake's one-time girlfriend -- was left speechless ... posting a heartwarming thank you note to her 17-year-old son.

The whip appears to be a 2022 Porsche Cayenne ... which comes with a starting price tag of nearly $70,000.

So, how does a high school kid pay for that?? We're guessing he took advantage of the NCAA's new NIL rules.

"I wasn’t gonna post anything because I’m an extremely private person. However, I am still shocked by what this truly represents," Leia said on IG.

"Amari, this truly speaks to your heart, your mind, your work ethic, and all of our long hours in the gym, and long talks in the car. All I’ve ever wanted is to see a smile on your face and no holes in your heart."

The sacrifice has paid off so far ... Bailey is one of the top high school basketball players out of the 2022 class and the 5-star recruit signed with the UCLA Bruins in November.

"My dream is to see you live yours and to help you in any way that I can," Leia said.

"But truly this is unbelievable that at 17 this is how you choose to say thank you and make me smile. Keep living your life Pooks."

Amari is also helping out two single mothers in Chicago this holiday season ... saying, "It feels good to know that I’ve worked hard enough to give back to my community."

Dennis Rodman's a member of the new mile high club -- the one composed of people who allegedly refuse to wear a face mask on commercial flights -- and cops were waiting for him when he landed.

Rodman flew from L.A. to Ft. Lauderdale Monday morning, and was allegedly told several times to put his mask back on by JetBlue staffers. Law enforcement sources tell us Rodman would first oblige, but then pull the mask down, citing he was having trouble breathing.

That's a big no-no -- especially since there's still a federal mask mandate in effect which all airports and airlines have to abide by. Not to mention ... Omicron's on the rise.

Deputies from the Broward Co. Sheriff's Office spoke to Rodman upon landing, we're told he was cooperative and, in the end, they cut him loose, letting him leave on his own without citing him.

An eyewitness on the flight says Rodman was in first-class ... and was asked 4 different times to keep his face covering over his mouth and nose. We're told he constantly lowered it to his chin, and wouldn't immediately put it back on when asked.