Basketball

An Indiana University cheerleader saved the day at an NCAA Tournament game Thursday night -- soaring high above a backboard to retrieve a basketball for players ... and the improbable rebound was EPIC.

The woman, Cassidy Cerny, jumped into action after a ball got stuck during the Hoosiers' opening-round game against St. Mary's.

At the beginning of the second half, a player missed a shot -- and as the ball rattled around the rim, it somehow got caught above the hoop and didn't come down.

Several players and a ref tried to get the thing to shake loose -- using a chair and a broomstick -- but nobody could knock out the ball.

That's when Cassidy sprang into action with Nathan Paris -- using a cheerleading stunt to get up to the top of the hoop. And, eventually, she got the ball down!!

Check out the footage of the fun moment, the crowd went absolutely nuts following her retrieval.

A short time later, she and Paris were interviewed about the heroic effort ... and she was cool as a cucumber about it all.

"That was nothing, really," she said.

Mark Cuban is adamant that a Mavericks exec did not sexually assault Donnie Nelson's nephew ... saying in a statement that the former Dallas GM's claims are a lie.

Cuban issued the strongly-worded response after 59-year-old Nelson made the allegations in a lawsuit filed in Dallas County.

In the suit, Nelson said his nephew was interested in getting a job in sports and entertainment -- and went to interview with Jason Lutin, Cuban's chief of staff with the Mavericks, about openings in the NBA team's org in 2020.

Nelson claims the two talked while out at lunch during a work trip in Chicago -- when Nelson says Lutin asked Nelson's nephew to go back to his hotel room to talk further.

In the docs, Nelson claims that's where Lutin sexually harassed and sexually assaulted his nephew.

Nelson says his nephew notified the Mavs of the incident ... but claims Cuban swept it all under the rug, insisting Cuban bought "his way out of the problem."

Nelson added that when he learned of the alleged incident months later and brought it up to Cuban and others in the org., Cuban and the Mavericks asked him to sign a confidentiality agreement and remain quiet about it all.

Nelson claimed Cuban wanted to silence him "so the Mavericks could hide from the public and the Mavericks' employees that the Mavericks were allowing a sexual predator to continue working for the Mavericks." He added that he believes he was eventually wrongly fired over it all.

In a statement to ESPN on Thursday, Cuban insisted none of Nelson's claims were true, saying, "Everything in that filing is a lie."

"We did multiple complete investigations and the only person that did not live up to the standards of the Dallas Mavericks was Mr. Nelson," Cuban said. "He was fired as a result. He was well aware of the investigation. He refused to fully participate. I will say it again, everything he said is a lie."

Lutin also denied the claims in a statement.

Cool moment between a Hall of Famer and a future one at the Milwaukee Bucks game Wednesday -- Brett Favre got to meet Giannis Antetokounmpo, and then The Greek Freak gave his jersey to the ex-QB's grandson!!

Favre was taking in his first-ever, in-person NBA action at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento -- when after the game ended, he headed to the locker room to thank the Bucks for the experience.

"First time I ever saw a pro game in person, believe it or not," Favre told the Milwaukee players, adding, "I enjoyed it."

The night, though, became even more special for Favre ... after his grandson went around and shook hands with some of the players.

At one point, the young Favre stopped at Antetokounmpo, who offered him his game-worn gear.

"Want this jersey?" Antetokounmpo said while taking the #34 off. "It's kinda sweaty. It's yours!"

Giannis also signed it ... and you can see the kid was all smiles -- and in total shock.

"I'm gonna hang this on the wall!" Favre's grandson said to Antetokounmpo.

BTW, the Bucks ended up beating the Kings, 135-126 -- with Giannis leading the team with 36 points and 10 rebounds.

Kanye West isn't letting his Instagram ban keep him down -- he appeared to be happy as ever at the Golden State Warriors game on Wednesday ... bringing his son, Saint, along for the fun.

Ye was all smiles courtside at the Chase Center as the Warriors took on the Boston Celtics ... posting up right next to Dubs co-owners Joseph Lacob and Peter Guber.

The "Eazy" artist was spotted chatting with Lacob throughout the game -- perhaps picking the guy's brain as he's openly talked about wanting to buy the Denver Broncos.

What's interesting -- Ye got in some serious quality time with 6-year-old Saint ... just days after he accused Kim of keeping him away from their kids. That's clearly not the case here ... as the dad-son duo wore matching all-black outfits at the event.

As we previously reported, Ye pissed off IG after his social attacks on Pete Davidson, Kim Kardashian, and Trevor Noah (to name a few) ... forcing the social media app to ban his account for 24 hours after violating hate speech, harassment and bullying policies.

It appears -- at least for a 48-minute NBA game -- Ye was able to hit the pause button on all the drama.

Karl-Anthony Towns wanted all the smoke Wednesday night ... savagely trolling Lakers guard Russell Westbrook over a horrible air ball he shot during the Lakers vs. Timberwolves game.

The funny exchange happened late in the fourth quarter of Minnesota's win over L.A. ... when Russ thought he lined up a corner three, but instead, came up with nothing but air.

Broadcast cameras caught Towns -- who was in perfect position to grab the "rebound" -- immediately making fun of the dude over the shot, looking to the sky as if to see what caused Russ to miss everything.

The Timberwolves broadcasters got a kick out of Karl's reaction ... with one saying, "KAT is looking where the wind is," before asking, "Did somebody open up a door?"

Wolves star Patrick Beverly then got in on the ribbing ... clowning the Lakers during Minnesota's blowout win.

Pat Bev appeared to mouth "trash" -- while making a gesture with his nose as if something stunk -- after intercepting a pass from Westbrook and starting a T-Wolves fast break.

A short time later, Pat was seen staring down LeBron James and flexing in his direction ... before going over to give the King a pat on the backside.

The Minnesota fans in the arena ate it up ... and Pat played to the crowd -- but Russ appeared to be furious over it all afterward.

When being interviewed by reporters after the loss, Russ said he won't pay any attention to Minnesota's trash talk because "Nobody over there's done anything in the league."

Beverly eventually responded on Twitter, saying, "Playoffs every year. 2 western conference finals with 2 different Teams individual stats or team stats? I thought it was a team sport??"

Kevin Durant wanted no part of exchanging playful banter with a courtside fan on Wednesday -- telling a man bluntly, "Shut the f*** up and sit down."

The interaction happened at some point during the Nets' game against the Mavericks at Barclays Center in Brooklyn ... when a fan urged Durant to score more points during a small break in play.

"Kevin!" the fan shouted while the NBA superstar was hunched over just feet away. "You've got to take this game over!"

Durant took about a millisecond to digest the comment -- before he unleashed a savage response.

"You've got to shut the f*** up and sit down," he said, not even taking his hands off his knees to deliver the chirp. "Sit your ass down."

Durant did ultimately try his best to take over -- scoring 23 points and logging 6 rebounds and 10 assists -- but the Nets ultimately fell to Dallas, 113-111.

After the game, a man shared video of the incident with KD on Twitter -- and Durant actually ended up responding to it -- poking fun at the fact that a fine from the NBA was no doubt heading his way.

U.S. congressman Colin Allred tells TMZ Sports Brittney Griner is "OK" in Russia ... though he added he can't say much more, hoping relative silence keeps the WNBA star from becoming a political pawn.

Griner has been detained in Russia since mid-February ... after she allegedly tried to go through airport security with hash oil in her suitcase.

Details surrounding her detainment have been fuzzy and few and far between ever since -- and Allred hinted to us out on Capitol Hill on Tuesday that has been by design.

The U.S. rep. -- who played football at Baylor just a few years before Griner starred on the basketball court there -- says they're hoping keeping things quiet about her status here in the States allows her to get a fair shake out in Russia.

"Right now, we want to see her treated normally," Allred said. "As anyone else would be and come home as soon as possible."

He added, "We have to make sure that she's treated as anyone else would be and she's not a symbol or a hostage or anything like that."

In one of the few public comments since her detainment, Griner's wife said earlier this month that she hasn't been able to communicate much with the basketball player and that it's all been devastating.

A college basketball cheerleader allegedly flipped off an opposing team and then stormed off the court ... after she says one of the players called her a "bitch" and told her to "shut the f*** up."

The bizarre scene all went down last Friday during St. Bonaventure's men's college basketball game against Saint Louis ... when Bonnies cheerleader Hannah Koning says Billikens starting guard Jordan Nesbitt talked trash to her.

Koning claimed in a tweet that Nesbitt "looked me dead in the eyes" and "told me to 'shut the f*** up b****.'"

In video filmed by the outlet Mid-Major Madness shortly after the alleged incident, Koning can be seen furiously walking away from the court while a woman, who appears to be Koning's coach, looked angry on the hardwood as well.

In the caption on the footage, the outlet claimed the cheerleader had thrown her middle fingers up to the Billikens bench just before the camera started rolling.

The outlet added, "Nesbitt had been chirping the Bonaventure cheerleaders all games, calling them disgusting names ... He came up at the end and said some more."

We've reached out to St. Louis for comment on the situation, but so far no word back yet.

Karl-Anthony Towns reached new heights during Monday's 60-point performance ... and the NBA star dedicated the special moment to his late mother.

The Timberwolves center went off against the San Antonio Spurs ... dropping 32 points in just in the 3rd quarter alone, while adding 17 rebounds in the 149-139 victory.

It was an emotional moment for KAT ... not just because of the accomplishment, but Monday also marked the 2-year anniversary of when his parents ended up in the hospital with COVID-19.

His mother, Jacqueline, died a month later (April 13, 2020) due to complications from the virus.

KAT reflected on the moment on Twitter ... saying, "Two years later, I walked into AT&T Center with the greatest guardian angel that I could ever ask for and dropped 60 against the winningest coach of all time."

FYI, Towns' 60 points is the most scored by a player in a single game this season ... and it's an all-time high for the Timberwolves franchise.

KAT continued ... "I say this to say, no matter what life throws at you, you can come out of it stronger. Tough times don't last, tough people do."

"Miss you Momma. This game ... my life ... is for you ♥🕊"

Towns' mom has been honored in many ways -- KAT has Jacqueline's name engraved in the headrests of his Maybach and commissioned special jewelry pieces ... and Kean University's basketball court is named after her.

"I've been trying to find good people for so long. I'm tired, bro."

That's former NBA hoops star Michael Beasley, the #2 overall pick in 2008 (behind D. Rose), opening up about how failed relationships in his life have made him insular and distrusting of people -- and it's had a negative impact on his mental health.

Beasley joined former NFL players Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor on "The Pivot Podcast" for a candid conversation where he fought through tears and dished on everything from his mother stealing from him to living an isolated life where he only plays basketball and sits home alone.

"I don't know no one that ain't stole from me," Beasley said. "Everybody except for my kids stole from me."

"Every step of the way, I asked for help."

The conversation took a turn ... in ways going from an interview to an intervention. Clark, Chowder and Taylor pleaded with Beasley, telling him isolating himself from the world because he's been mistreated in the past isn't the solution.

The men even offered help ... with Crowder, who lives near MB, telling the hooper he'd love to hang and chill while their kids play together.

"You have kids. I have kids. Come to my house. We can get bounce houses for the kids, we can sit back on the porch, drink a couple beers, drink some wine, hang out," Crowder pleaded.

You'll recall ... Beasley was heavily touted coming out of Kansas State, where he averaged over 26 points a game during his one and only season. The 6-foot-9 forward was selected right after Derrick Rose in the NBA Draft ... with the number 2 overall pick.

Beasley was often compared to Kevin Durant -- as both guys could basically get a bucket at will. But, their pro careers have gone in different directions. KD's one of the greatest hoopers ever ... meanwhile, Beasley's become an NBA journeyman.

He played 11 seasons in the NBA ... spending time with the Timberwolves, Knicks, Bucks, Rockets, Suns and Lakers.

But, he never really established himself as a premier superstar in the NBA, something many thought was a certainty.

This interview sheds light on some of the awful things Michael's lived through ... and gives a peek at the person, not just the player.

NBA baller Myles Turner ain't a fan of bricks ... but he's still clearly cool with building things -- 'cause he just put together a Titanic replica using 9,000 Legos!!!

The Indiana Pacers center took to Twitter to show off the impressive feat ... revealing the finished plastic boat in a smiling photo.

No word on how long it took Turner to accomplish the task -- but check out the size of the piece -- it's nearly as big as the 6-foot-11 basketball player!!

"9,000 Pieces And Many Cuss Words Later…" Turner said of the boat in his post.

Of course, the achievement shouldn't shock anybody -- Turner is an avid Lego builder who's put together some seriously impressive things over the years.

In a video of his favorites that he posted to social media on Tuesday, Turner showed off that he's built a Death Star, a Batwing, a Disney castle and much more over the years.

Want an autograph from not one, not two, but THREE G.O.A.T.s?!

A basketball card featuring signatures from three of the greatest basketball players ever -- Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant -- is up for sale ... and its current price is $160,000!!

TMZ Sports is told ... the unique '08 Upper Deck Radiance card features the John Hancock of 3 NBA legends in one place ... and is in great condition -- its centering has a grade of 9.5, corners have a 8.5 grade, and edges have a 9.0.

The card is pretty special -- Kobe, MJ, and Bron's images are featured on the front ... with their individual autographs in blue ink on see-through surface next to their respective photos.

The back of the card sports the Lakers, Bulls, and Cavs logos ... representing the three franchises the basketball icons were synonymous with during their storied careers.

PWCC Marketplace listed the card ... and exec. Jesse Craig tells us pieces of memorabilia like this are in high demand.

"Collectors are increasingly seeking out autographs from athletes considered to hold ‘immortal’ status in their sport," Craig says ... explaining all three athletes' autographs on one card is extremely difficult to find.

On top of that, there are only 5 copies of this exact card in existence ... so yeah, this thing is special.

PWCC tells us a card bearing the names of Bryant, MJ, and James sold for $322,260 back in October 2021, according to public sales data ... and considering the names involved, don't be surprised if this sells for even more.

"It’s an insanely scarce offering that exists, and we’re extremely excited that it is up for auction at PWCC."

There's only four days left in the auction ... before PWCC's extended bidding window begins on Saturday.

The Brooklyn Nets' bank account is a little lighter today ... the team was just hit with a $50K fine for breaking COVID-19 protocol and allowing Kyrie Irving in the Barclay's Center locker room.

The NBA announced the 5-figure fine Monday afternoon.

"The Brooklyn Nets organization has been fined $50,000 for violating local New York City law and league health and safety protocols during the team’s March 13th game against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center," the NBA said in a statement.

"The violation occurred when the Nets permitted Kyrie Irving, who was in attendance at the game, to enter the team’s locker room."

So, what'd the Nets do that was wrong?

Irving is allowed in the arena to watch games inside the arena, but not in a "workplace environment," which the league considers the locker room, according to  Woj, a league insider.

The rules go back to NYC's COVID-19 safety protocols ... which places restrictions on unvaccinated workers. Irving is not vaxxed.

The Nets beat the Knicks, 110-107.

Ayesha Curry poured her heart out for her NBA superstar husband on his special day ... sending Steph a super-romantic note on his birthday.

Steph turned the big 3-4 on Monday ... and Ayesha was there to congratulate her husband on another year of life.

"Happy birthday to the love of my life!," Ayesha said on Instagram. "You bring our family so much joy and happiness. We love you beyond measure. The year ahead is bright and I can’t wait to watch you grow and thrive even more."

"To my favorite person in the world, happy birthday @stephencurry30 ! 🥰🥰🥰."

Steph and Ayesha first met when they were in high school. After years of dating, Steph proposed to Ayesha ... and the two tied the knot in 2011. The power couple has been married for more than 10 years and now have three children together -- Riley Elizabeth, 9, Ryan Carson, 6, and Canon W. Jack, 3.

Of course, Steph's wife doesn't mess around when it comes to their union -- she recently denied rumors alleging they were in an open relationship ... saying the claims are "ridiculous" and calling it disrespectful to her marriage to make such an insinuation.

Ayesha is by far Steph's biggest cheerleader -- she was in the building at Madison Square Garden when Steph passed Ray Allen for the most 3-pointers made in NBA history.

It's clear their love is going stronger than ever!!

Magic Johnson says he's not tuning in to HBO's new show about the "Showtime" Lakers, but the NBA legend should definitely reconsider -- so says "Winning Time" actress Caitlin O'Connor, who tells TMZ Sports he'd love the series!!

As we previously reported, the 5-time champ told us he was NOT looking forward to Adam McKay's project starring John C. Reilly ... pretty much distancing himself from the entire thing.

But, O'Connor -- who plays legendary Laker fan Dyan Cannon in the series -- is hoping Magic changes his mind ... saying Quincy Isaiah's portrayal of the 3-time MVP is certainly worth a watch.

"I think Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson gives an amazing performance," O'Connor said outside Urth Caffe. "He has a smile that lights up a million rooms."

O'Connor even sends a personal message to the legend ... saying, "Magic Johnson, if you're watching this, you should watch 'Winning Time.' It's so funny, it's so fast-paced. Jerry Buss breaks the fourth wall. John C. Reilly does an amazing job on the show. I think that Magic is gonna love it, so I hope that he watches it."

As for her time on the show, O'Connor also says she hasn't met Dyan just yet ... but she'd LOVE to hit up a Laker game with her in the future.

O'Connor says she did a deep dive into everything about Dyan's life to prepare for the role ... and McKay worked tirelessly to make sure the show was done right.

In a rare public appearance, former NFL star Colin Kaepernick was spotted at the Lakers game Sunday night, choppin' it up with Dodgers star outfielder Mookie Betts.

During the broadcast of the Lakers-Suns game, cameras panned to Kaepernick, who was standing with Betts during a TV timeout ... which, of course, is worth noting 'cause Kap maintains a relatively low profile.

Seeing Betts and Kap together is interesting. Colin's known for kneeling and Mookie, at one point, said he'd never kneel because his father served in the Air Force. Betts later changed his position by kneeling before a Dodgers game in 2020, saying, "I wasn't educated. My fault."

Kap's attendance at the game comes on the heels of the 34-year-old releasing a video last week of him working out ... which clearly served to put NFL owners on notice that he's still interested and capable of playing QB in the NFL.

The last time Kaepernick took a snap under center in the NFL was in 2016 ... as quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. Kap's final season certainly wasn't his best, but the dual-threat QB contends he's been doing his part to stay in shape, and he's ready to play.

"For The past 5 years, I’ve been working out and staying ready in case an opportunity to play presented itself," Colin tweeted on Sunday. "I’m really grateful to my trainer, who I’ve been throwing to all this time."

"But man, do I miss throwing to professional route runners. Who’s working?? I will pull up."

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett stepped up and responded to Kap's request -- telling him that he would run routes for him. “Let’s do it bro! Me and my brother will come run routes for you!” Lockett wrote to Kap.