Basketball

The NBA could be in serious trouble in 16 years ... 'cause Stephen Curry's 3-year-old son is already following in his papa's footsteps and showing off his incredible dribbling skills!!

Steph's wife, Ayesha, posted the clip on Tuesday ... with Canon mimicking Steph's iconic pregame ritual.

"Canon Jack out here stuntin like his daddy 😍😆 @stephencurry30" Ayesha said on Tuesday

Of course, Steph goes through a rigorous pregame warmup before every contest ... which has drawn fans to show up early to check out the spectacle.

Steph has previously talked about giving his son shooting advice but hilariously admitted the toddler isn't too fond of listening to the 3-time champion's help.

It should come as no surprise Canon's got natural talent -- after all, his dad, uncle and gramps all made it to the league.

A Klay Thompson impersonator has been BANNED for life from Warriors home games ... after he allegedly fooled arena personnel into believing he was the Golden State star, allowing him access to not just the building, but also the basketball court.

"Banned bc I walked past 5 layers of security guards (who willingly let me through security without asking for ID) & shot around on the court for 10 minutes," Dawson Gurley announced on social media.

And, Daws isn't kidding about the ban ... he posted a photo of a letter from a Warriors executive laying out his punishment.

"You deliberately deceived Chase Center building personnel by impersonating a GSW employee," the letter read, in part.

The disciplinary letter goes on to say Daws -- who isn't denying the allegation -- can't ever come back. They also threatened him with a trespassing charge.

For his part, Daws thinks the suspension is BS! He says he actually had a ticket for the game ... saying it isn't his fault security didn't stop him.

"I also spent 10K on tickets which they are not refunding. Why should I be banned because their security is incompetent?" Dawson asked his followers.

10 bands is obviously a lot of money to waste. But, the Klay impersonator says he doesn't have any regrets.

"Was it worth it to lose 10K on tickets and be banned for life? Absolutely. I was an NBA player for 10 minutes bro."

During those 10 minutes, Daws even had time to take a photo.

It's not the first time Gurley's received attention for impersonating the All-Star. He pranked fans during the 2018 NBA Finals, sitting courtside, dressed as Klay. That video has millions of views.

Side note: the real Klay Thompson had 21 points in Monday's game 5 win. The Warriors are one game away from winning an NBA title.

Jason McElwain -- the former basketball manager who went viral in 2006 after suiting up and scoring 20 points in a high school game -- broke nine ribs in a serious bicycle accident Monday afternoon ... but luckily, he was wearing a helmet, and is expected to make a full recovery.

According to USA Today, police in Greece, New York responded to a call of "a bicyclist who made contact with a motor vehicle."

The 34-year-old was transported to an area hospital ... where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

A spokeswoman for Strong Memorial Hospital confirmed Jason is listed in guarded condition at the facility ... meaning his status is extremely serious with an uncertain outcome.

Jason's brother, Josh, said he suffered 9 broken ribs, a broken scapula, and a punctured lung ... but he did not sustain injuries to his head or back, fortunately.

Josh said he's thankful Jason was wearing his helmet at the time of the accident ... fearing things could have been much worse for his brother.

Jason, who is autistic and now works as a motivational speaker, had one of the most memorable games ever as a senior at Greece Athena High School in 2006.

The teen scored 20 points in the team's final home game -- hitting 7 of 13 shots and channeling his inner Ray Allen, hitting 6 threes, earning him an ESPY award that year for best sports moment.

Jaxson Hayes will not spend another minute behind bars stemming from his July altercation with cops that led to his arrest -- the New Orleans Pelicans player was just sentenced to three years probation, 450 hours of community service and weekly domestic violence classes.

22-year-old Hayes pleaded no contest to resisting arrest and false imprisonment in February ... and was facing up to 364 days behind bars for both charges.

The timeframe is unclear on when Hayes must complete his community service ... but he will be allowed to complete it where he lives, instead of in Los Angeles.

Hayes will be able to take his domestic violence classes online over the next 52 weeks.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Hayes was arrested on July 28 after cops responded to a reported domestic incident at his then-girlfriend's house around 3 AM.

When officers showed up at the scene, cops say Hayes refused to let them inside ... which resulted in a scuffle.

One officer was injured ... and Hayes -- who was tased during the incident -- was heard on video telling cops he couldn't breathe, which led to an LAPD investigation into excessive use of force.

Hayes was taken to a nearby hospital to receive treatment for minor injuries ... and was released from custody later that day.

The upcoming celebrity boxing match between Blueface and former NBA star Nick Young isn't too chummy, and won't be very long -- the "Thotiana" rapper is vowing to put Nick to sleep early!

Make no mistake about it, Blueface has already won the July 30 bout in his mind, because he tells TMZ Hip Hop ... "The Famous Cryp is about to be even more famous ... Nick's going down in the 3rd!"

Earlier this week, TMZ Sports hashed out the details: the proud L.A. natives will both have home ring advantage inside Crypto.com Arena where they will be on the undercard for the Social Gloves event where YouTubers Austin McBroom and AnEsonGib are the main event.

Speaking of YouTubers, Blueface has a history of sizing up social media stars for a fight.

Remember, he bashed TikToker Kane Trujillo's face in (as well as a random ring-crasher) during a July 2021 bare-knuckle fight.

Ex-NFL star, and part-time rapper, Le'Veon Bell is also on the card for July 30, but he's still waiting for a challenger.

As for the fight for L.A.'s unofficial celeb belt (which isn't a thing, yet) ... the physical stats are in Swaggy's favor, but Blueface has him beat in-ring experience.

The Kid LAROI might have to lay off pick-up basketball games while he's touring ... especially after taking a fall so hard, it's painful just to watch.

The Aussie rapper made an appearance at the Culture Kings store in Melbourne, and part of the store was shut down Sunday ... so he and his crew could do some shopping. Things took a turn, though, when he and his entourage decided to play hoops on the store's indoor court.

It was close quarters, for sure, and at one point The Kid jumped pretty damn high for the ball, only to trip over one of his pals ... and come crashing down right on his tailbone! Immediately, you could see he was in pain.

While a lot of fans thought he'd have to cancel his concert scheduled for that night, TKL stuck to that old adage -- the show MUST go on -- and got onstage that night ... with The Wiggles no less!!!

He certainly didn't look any worse for wear as he went HAM performing his childhood heroes' classics like "Big Red Car" and "Fruit Salad."

The Kid had already postponed the Melbourne concert the week before, so he knew he had to put on a great show, regardless of how sore his back must have been.

Congressman Colin Allred tells TMZ Sports the U.S. is calling Brittney Griner "basically a political prisoner" now in Russia ... and says because of it, government officials have formally begun negotiations with the foreign country to bring the WNBA superstar home.

We spoke with the representative out on Capitol Hill on Tuesday afternoon -- just hours after it was announced that Griner's detention in Russia would be extended until at least July 2 -- and he confirmed to us they've officially entered into talks with Russian leaders to try to get Griner back on U.S. soil.

"We're actively negotiating to get her out," Allred said. "Basically, we've acknowledged and we understand now that she is being held as basically a political prisoner."

"In some ways, that’s helpful," Allred continued, "because now we can just have a discussion on, 'What is it going to take for you to allow us to bring her back home?'"

It appears it'll be an uphill battle to make the negotiations work, however ... according to Russian state media outlet TASS, a Russian diplomat said on Tuesday the country will not consider a detainee swap for Griner until her case wraps in the court system.

It's unclear when that date might be -- she's been in custody since mid-February as her case continues to plod on -- but Allred told us they're still doing everything they can to make it sooner rather than later.

As for how Griner is doing while in custody, Allred said, "she’s as good as she could be under the circumstances, and the circumstances are not great."

He did say she is able to receive some messages from loved ones through her attorney.

Tyler Herro wished the mother of his child, Katya Elise Henry, a happy 28th birthday with a sweet message ... calling her "the most beautiful girl in the world" amid rumors of a nasty breakup.

The Miami Heat star penned the letter on Tuesday by sharing photos of himself, the fitness model, and their 9-month-old daughter, Zya, on Instagram.

"Happy Birthday to the most beautiful girl in the world," Herro said in the caption.

"Words can’t describe how much I appreciate you. Aint no tellin where we’d be at without you."

Herro -- who started dating Henry after sliding in her DMs in 2020 -- says she's been holdin' it down since they've met and he looks forward to their future.

"You’ve been my rock holding it down for 2 years, I can’t wait to see what life has in store for us. Enjoy. Smile. More life to 28 biggggg babbyyyy."

This is a good sign that the couple is in good spirits -- even after many thought Henry broke up with Herro after posting quotes about cheating on her IG story.

She also removed all of Herro's photos from her page and unfollowed him on social media.

But, we just checked -- she's following him again.

Brittney Griner will remain in custody in Russia for at least another two and a half weeks ... the WNBA superstar's detention was just extended by a court until July 2.

The ruling was handed down on Tuesday, according to Russian state media outlet TASS, after investigators requested the extension.

The decision comes on the heels of U.S. State Department officials meeting with representatives from Brittney's current WNBA team, the Phoenix Mercury, to discuss ways to safely return the professional hooper to America.

Specific details of the meeting remain tight-lipped -- it's unclear who exactly attended or what was discussed -- but officials confirmed to the Associated Press the forum did indeed happen.

Blue Ivy spent the night out with her pops Jay-Z, and fans had to stop and do a double-take after looking way too much like Beyoncé.

The father-daughter duo was at the NBA Finals Monday night in San Fran, and fans couldn't help but compare her to her mom -- the 10-year-old is rocking a new curly-haired look that's definitely very familiar.

Blue's look feels similar to queen Bey in the mid-2000s, or as one fan reacted on social media ... "Beyonce really copy and pasted her looks on her." Not everyone sees the Beyonce comparisons, though ... some still see more of her dad than her mama.

Jay-Z even got the chance to embarrass her at the game in true dad fashion ... pulling her in for a hug while on camera, and she tried to break away as she whispered, "Dad, my hair."

BTW, last night's game 5 pulled Golden State ahead 3-2, and Jay and mini-Bey even got to chat it up with Steph Curry after the game.

Steph Curry beat the Celtics on the court on Monday night -- and then he got the victory against their fans off of it immediately afterward, rockin' a T-shirt that trolled the hell out of some heckling Boston supporters.

Just minutes after Curry and the Warriors beat the Cs at the Chase Center in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in San Francisco, the Golden State superstar showed up to his news conference with a tee that read, "Ayesha Curry CAN Cook."

It was a simple, grey-and-black article of clothing underneath a zip-up jacket ... but it was the perfect clap back to some trolling that Celtics fans did before Friday's Game 4 in Boston.

If you missed it, outside of a popular bar, fans wrote "Ayesha Curry Can't Cook" on a sign to troll Curry's wife, who's a chef.

Steph clearly believed otherwise -- and his own trolling message hit perfectly following Golden State's dominating 104-94 win.

The 34-year-old, though, let the shirt do his talking for him, because when a reporter asked him about it -- he said simply, "You've got to ask around the room and ask Twitter. Yeah, yeah. Absolutely."

NBA forward Montrezl Harrell has been charged with drug trafficking after cops say they found three pounds of weed in his car during a traffic stop in May ... and is now facing time behind bars.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the 28-year-old was pulled over by a Kentucky state trooper around 10 AM on May 12 for driving a 2020 Honda Pilot rental too close to the car in front of him ... and during the stop, cops claim they smelled marijuana.

The report says Harrell admitted to having weed on him and pulled a "small amount" from his sweatpants ... but when cops searched the vehicle, they claim to have found a backpack filled with three pounds of weed in vacuum-sealed bags.

Harrell's arraignment was scheduled for Monday morning.

Harrell -- who played college ball at the University of Louisville -- was charged with trafficking less than five pounds of marijuana ... a Class D felony for first-time offenders that could result in up to five years behind bars and a fine.

Russell Westbrook might be a Laker, but he'll always be welcome in Oklahoma City ... which is why the point guard just received a key to the city!!

The 33-year-old superstar -- who won the MVP award with the Thunder in the 2016-17 season -- was on hand at Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City for the honor.

"We are so grateful for all @russwest44 has done for our city through the years," Mayor David Holt said. "And we want him to know he’s welcome here anytime."

"To make sure Russ can always come back home to OKC, I gave him the Key to the City."

The Mayor also cut the ribbon for a new futsal/basketball court, which was funded by Russ and his Why Not? foundation.

"This new court at Capitol Hill HS in South OKC demonstrates Russ’s continued commitment to the kids of @okcps and the people of OKC," David said.

Aside from his on-court accomplishments, Russ is known to have an active role in charitable work through his foundation -- which helps inspire children to achieve their dreams -- including backpack and shoe drives ... as well as handing out meals on Thanksgiving.

Of course, Westbrook spent the majority of his NBA career in OKC ... where he helped the team reach the Finals in 2012, and became the franchise's all-time leading scorer.

As Brittney Griner remains in Russian custody, U.S. State Department officials met with the Phoenix Mercury (her current team) on Monday to discuss steps to safely return the WNBA superstar to America.

The meeting reportedly included officials from an office within the State Dept. that advocates for Americans who've been wrongfully detained ... as well as representatives from the Mercury.

The State Dept. confirmed the meeting took place, but did not name who was in attendance or specify what was discussed during the forum, according to the Associated Press.

Brittney, a 7-time All-Star and WNBA champion, has been in Russian custody since February when authorities claimed the hooper tried to smuggle hashish oil into the country.

In May, the State Dept. demanded Russia allows American officials to see Griner -- who could be facing up to 10 years in prison if ultimately convicted -- as she awaits her drug trial.

On Saturday, Penny Taylor -- a 13-year WNBA veteran -- used her Hall of Fame induction speech as an opportunity to put pressure on the Biden administration ... with hopes they'll expedite the release of Griner.

"BG is our family," Taylor said. "She's yours too. The entire global sport community needs to come together to insist that she be a priority."

Shaquille O'Neal just eviscerated a hoops fan for trying to discredit his success with the Lakers ... telling the guy to "enjoy my stats and STF up."

The whole interaction started after the Legion Hoops Twitter account posted Diesel's insane stat lines from the NBA Finals during the Lakers' 3-peat from 2000-2002 ... which was meant to praise the big man's dominance.

Naturally, one user had to provide his unwarranted take on the topic ... tweeting out, "Even with all of this Shaq doesn’t win those rings without Kobe."

The jab got Shaq's attention ... and pissed him off so much, he clapped back with a fierce response.

"No person can win without another star big dummy," he said over the weekend. "How many would Magic (Johnson) have without Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar)? How many would Kenny Smith have without Hakeem Olajuwon?"

"WTF u talking about I hate dumb ass people," the Hall of Famer added. "Enjoy my stats and stf up."

The heckler has yet to respond to Shaq directly, but has been forced to defend his take with those backing O'Neal up.

It looks like Iman Shumpert and Teyana Taylor are about to be officially done with the West Coast ... 'cause TMZ has learned, they sold their L.A. area house.

Property records show they accepted an offer for their house back in April, and real estate sources tell TMZ ...  they'll be closing next week, unloading it for $4 million.

Whoever scooped up the Studio City pad is getting all the bells and whistles ... including a pool, movie theater and even a waterfall. Oh, and there's a custom dog house, just in case they're any kinda dog-lover.

The master bedroom also comes with a massive walk-in closet and a meditation balcony that overlooks the serene yard.

The place is a real beaut, but we're told Teyana and Iman decided to sell it because they're spending most of their time on the East Coast these days.

And, from the looks of it ... they've been toying with the idea for a while.

The couple actually bought the home back in 2018 for a little under $3 mil, listed it for rent and tried to sell it 2 years later. They ended up taking it off the market, before relisting back in April.