Basketball

Bill Russell's 1975 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ring -- earned after dominating the NBA for 13 seasons -- is on the auction block, and is expected to sell for upwards of $200K!!

TMZ Sports has learned the ring, which SCP Auctions describes as a "fine piece of jewelry," weighs 65 grams and is 14-karat gold with 1.625 carats of real diamonds.

The top of the huge, 12 3/4 sized ring resembles a basketball, and has the words "Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame" encircling the brown enamelwork.

On one side of the ring is "William F. Russell" ... with the year "1975," when he was inducted.

On the other side is the word "Player" -- which Russell embodied throughout his career -- which sits above an image of Dr. James Naismith, the man credited with inventing basketball.

The ring also comes with a letter describing its rich history and provenance ... signed by the GOAT himself.

Remember, Russell famously declined to attend his induction ceremony in '75 ... saying he refused to accept the honor 'cause he felt others before him should be inducted first.

Instead, Russell -- a 13-time champ (11 as a player, 2 as a player-coach) -- opted to receive his ring in 2019 at a private ceremony with his wife, Jeannine, and close friends.

The Celtics legend passed away in July at age 88 ... and was celebrated through the sports world for his contributions to the game of basketball both on and off the court.

The NBA has since listened to the pleas of Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, who -- in the aftermath of Russell's death -- advocated the league retire Bill's iconic No. 6.

Russell's No. 6 will be retired throughout the league, making him the first player ever to receive the honor ... fitting considering his legacy and impact.

The ring has already been bid on 5 times ... with a high bid of $43,923.

Blueface will not be stepping into the ring with Nick Young on Saturday -- the rapper has not yet been approved for a boxing license ... and now event promoter Austin McBroom is scrambling to find a replacement with only 3 days until fight night.

TMZ Sports is told the 25-year-old Thotiana rapper received a letter from the California State Athletic Commission on Tuesday informing him his application for a pro boxing license in the state would not be granted until he appeared before the organization in October.

Obviously, that means Blueface can't fight Swaggy P on Saturday's Social Gloves 2 card at Banc of California Stadium in L.A.

McBroom is headlining the event with rival and fellow YouTuber, AnEsonGib. Adrian Peterson and Le'Veon Bell are also fighting.

Of course, Blueface has made headlines lately for several violent altercations with his girlfriend Chrisean. It's unclear if those incidents played a role in the denial of a license.

It's not the first bout Blueface has been pulled from ... he was taken off the recent KSI card at the O2 Arena in London, where he was supposed to fight FaZe Temperrr.

Now, McBroom and his partners are working tirelessly to find a suitable opponent for the 6'7" former NBA star.

Story developing ...

The Las Vegas Aces locker room turned into a twerk fest on Tuesday ... with players droppin' low and shaking it to celebrate moving on to the WNBA Finals!!

Chelsea Gray and the Aces finished off Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm in an emotional 97-92 win to complete the series in four games ... and after punching their ticket to the last round of the playoffs, they celebrated with some epic moves.

Sydney Colson and Aisha Sheppard led the way as their teammates provided backup ... and thankfully, Kelsey Plum got the whole thing captured on her Instagram.

As for the game, Gray had a massive performance ... dropping 31 points and adding 10 assists. A'ja Wilson also had 23 points and 13 rebounds.

The Aces rightfully celebrated their huge win ... but not before paying their respects to Bird, who played her last game in the WNBA.

Vegas will be able to keep the party going for a bit ... as Game 5 between the Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun won't go down until Thursday night.

Sue Bird was visibly emotional last night as she played the final game of her legendary WNBA career ... breaking down in tears on the court as fans chanted, "Thank You, Sue!"

Bird was understandably overwhelmed with emotion ... sharing one last moment with her teammates and fans at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle following the Storm's playoff game loss against the Aces.

Sue spoke to reporters after the game ... saying she felt sad about how the season and [playoff] game went, adding that "overall it just feels kind of weird."

"I then think, as the emotions started to come to the surface, that's also what I know deep down in that, that was my last game. So it was a combination of those two things."

Bird -- a four-time champ and future Hall of Fame point guard -- announced in June she was retiring at the end of Seattle's season, capping off a remarkable 19-year career.

Since being selected with the #1 overall pick in 2002 from UCONN, Bird made 12 All-Star teams and holds the WNBA all-time record for assists.

41-year-old Bird admitted she'll miss the game that brought her so many great memories, and reflected on her legacy ... saying she hopes she's made everyone proud.

Steph Curry gave the legend her flowers in honor of her hanging up her sneakers for good in what was Bird's final send-off.

Sue finished with 8 points and 8 assists in 36 minutes of action -- and the Aces defeated the Storm, 97-92, to advance to the WNBA Finals.

LeBron James' son, Bronny, just added fuel to the speculation about where he'll play college ball -- posting pics in an Ohio State basketball uniform after visiting their campus.

Bronny shared several photos of him wearing OSU's basketball uni, jersey #3, with the word "Buckeyes" stitched across the chest.

"Buckeye nation? #notcommitted" ... Bronny captioned the post.

And, it was a family affair ... 'cause mom and dad came along to support Bronny. LeBron (and Savannah) even threw on an OSU hoops t-shirt

Bronny's post comes just three days after he attended the OSU football game with his dad on Saturday ... where the #2 Buckeyes defeated #5 Notre Dame, 21-10.

Their mere presence at the game was enough to get the Internet buzzin' ... fans immediately began saying Bronny to OSU was a done deal.

The 17-year-old basketball phenom is in his senior year at Sierra Canyon -- and several big-name programs have shown interest in signing The King's son.

Kevin Durant is demanding answers over his NBA 2K23 rating ... saying there's NO WAY he's a 96 overall in the game, and claiming he should be a 99.

KD voiced his displeasure to Ronnie Singh from 2K on Twitter ... saying, "Aye @Ronnie2K I’m gonna need an explanation on why I’m not a 99? This has become laughable."

Singh jokingly fired back at the Slim Reaper -- writing, "I am petitioning for us to remove MJ on the cover and replacing with you the real 99."

Of course, 2K ratings have always been a sensitive subject for NBA superstars ... especially when they feel they've been snubbed or slighted by the video game franchise.

Durant is coming off his best season in a Nets uniform -- the four-time scoring champ put up insane numbers when he was on the court, averaging 29.9 points per game in 55 contests.

But, KD's gaudy stats and marksmanship on the hardwood weren't enough to secure him to the top spot in the rankings -- which went to Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who got a 97.

Giannis and KD have been battling for Eastern Conference supremacy since Durant took his talents to BK -- with the Greek Freak getting the best of Kevin in the 2021 East semifinals.

Durant received a 96 rating alongside LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid -- but it's clear, in KD's mind, he should be at the top of 2K's list.

It looks like Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley might actually be able to put their heated rivalry to the side now that they're teammates ... because the two embraced at a Lakers press conference on Tuesday -- and they're both still alive!!

Of course, Pat Bev and Brodie have butted heads for nearly a decade ... with both players trading insults and questionable plays in games over the years.

Once Pat got traded to the Purple and Gold this offseason, a lot were wondering how/if the two would be able to coexist on the same team ... and so far, it looks like they'll be just fine -- either that, or it was all just a publicity stunt.

Westbrook and Beverley dapped each other up and shared a short hug at the latter's introductory presser on Tuesday ... and while it wasn't the warmest embrace, it's certainly a start.

Beverley also talked about playing alongside Westbrook during the presser ... saying he's excited to get to work.

Sorry, drama seekers ... Larsa Pippen is NOT hooking up with the son of her ex-husband's nemesis -- the 'Real Housewives' star and Marcus Jordan are strictly friends, TMZ Sports is told.

As we previously reported, Larsa and Michael Jordan's second oldest son were spotted dining together at Zuma in Miami on Sunday ... with witnesses telling us it looked like a double date with another couple.

Despite what some folks assumed by their public outing, we're told Larsa and Marcus are really just homies and aren't an item.

It would have been a big mess if it were true -- Larsa's ex, Scottie, pretty much hates his old partner in crime ... which dates back to their playing days on the Chicago Bulls and was reignited during the "Last Dance" documentary.

As for why LP and MJ were together, we're told they happen to have a similar social circle ... so it was just a good ole fashioned hangout.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez hit up the annual Malibu Chili Cook-Off Sunday, and try as they might ... they walked away empty-handed after a game of hoops.

The newly-blended fam were all the buzz at the shindig ... with twins Max and Emme in tow -- and they stopped at the hoops game. Ben's a sports nut, so you'd think he might score a basket or even 2, but he tried 4 times, fully suffering from empty net syndrome.

J Lo stepped in, and although she's a triple threat with singing, dancing and acting, she shot her shot 3 times and failed.

They're back from their second honeymoon, and getting back to "normal" life by going to a carnival in the sweltering L.A. heat ... 100 degrees plus in many areas, and Malibu was no exception.

The Cook-Off is a tradition in the Bu ... attracting Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Johnny Knoxville, Donald Faison, Jack Osbourne, Evan Ross, Lana Del Rey and Amanda Bynes.

The Kardashians represented with Psalm, Chicago and True ... looks like Khloe brought them and was hanging on the beach with the brood, including North.

Scottie Pippen's probably not going to like this -- his ex-wife is in Miami seemingly getting cozy with his old teammate's son ... and not just any teammate, it's Michael Jordan.

Larsa Pippen was spotted Sunday at Zuma -- a Japanese restaurant right in the heart of downtown -- with none other than Marcus Jordan ... and the two of them, we're told, appeared to be on a double date of some sort with another couple at their table.

TMZ has obtained photos of the pair sitting down next to each other during the lunch, and apparently leaving too -- with LP leading the way and Marcus following closely behind.

Eyewitnesses tell us they were there for about 45 minutes, and that there were no obvious signs of PDA between them. However, our sources say Larsa seemed to be trying to keep a low profile and got a little skittish when she realized folks had spotted her/were taking pics.

She's been in town this weekend with her girlfriends, hosting some sort of retail store reopening at the Aventura Mall ... which is well-documented on her social media.

What wasn't shown, though, was who else might've been in her orbit -- and now, it looks like we know ... Mike's 2nd oldest was tagging along. The age difference isn't as drastic as it usually is with Larsa's would-be SOs. She's 48, and MJ is 31 ... so 17 years give or take.

She's been living her best single life for a while now -- and has been rumored to have been romantically linked to a number of dudes in their 20s over the past few years or so ... including Ben Simmons, Harry Jowsey and more memorably, a married Malik Beasley.

Of course, she and Scottie are no longer together ... haven't been in ages, so no harm no foul. Still, though, this one's gotta sting a bit -- assuming she is, in fact, seeing Marcus.

As we've seen over the past year and change ... there's still a lot of hard feelings between Scottie and Michael dating back years to when they were on the Bulls together. And Marcus himself was obviously around back then during his father and Scottie's heyday in the NBA.

A couple of Stephanies from "90 Day Fiancé" don't seem like they're ready to settle down ... because their idea of a date night includes a strip club and a porn star!!!

Stephanie Matto and Stephanie Davison hit up Larry Flynt's Hustler Club Las Vegas for an intimate date, dining at a new rooftop restaurant and spending time in the VIP suite with XXX actress Alexis Monroe.

Matto is known for selling anything, from farts in jars to her boob sweat, so naturally, she found a way to make money at the strip club ... without getting onstage.

This time, Matto auctioned off the chance for someone to hang with her, SD and Alexis in the club's largest VIP suite ... and she says an NBA player dropped $100,000 for the honor.

Date auctions are becoming Matto's latest hustle ... remember, she auctioned off a virtual candlelight date earlier this summer, which Davison won with a $2,700 bid.

As you see, the Stephanies dressed to the nines ... wearing plunging satin dresses and high heels, and showing more skin than their porn star third wheel.

Donovan Mitchell's days in Utah are over -- the NBA star has been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a huge deal on Thursday.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted out the bombshell news just minutes ago -- the face of the Jazz franchise is officially on the move to northeast Ohio.

Mitchell -- who was drafted by the Nuggets out of Louisville -- spent all 5 of his seasons with the Jazz after being traded on draft night ... where he established himself as one of the game's best young stars.

The Cavs are sending Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji and three first-round picks to Utah ... and the rights to swap two other future picks in the deal.

The Knicks had been floated as a potential landing spot for Spida ... but their dreams were officially squashed after the Cavs -- who made the play-in tournament last year -- sealed the deal.

Utah appears to be in complete rebuild mode -- the team traded away Rudy Gobert, a 3-time Defensive Player of the Year, and now have shipped Donovan out of town as well.

It's been a long time coming, but Stephen Curry is FINALLY in the rafters at Davidson -- the NBA superstar had his jersey retired this week ... after officially receiving his degree from his alma mater!!

We know what you're thinking -- how on earth has this not happened yet?! As it turns out, Davidson has a strict rule against giving the honor to players who didn't finish their education.

With that being said, Curry -- who spent 3 seasons starring at Davidson -- put in the time to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Sociology ... and on Wednesday, he was inducted into the Davidson Athletics Hall of Fame!!

While at Davidson, Curry averaged over 24.7 points per game in his 3 seasons with the Wildcats ... including a staggering 28.6 points per game in his final year with the program.

Steph's wife, Ayesha, and their three kids were on campus to support him ... and his parents, Dell and Sonya, took the podium to share a few words about their son's latest achievement.

Steph was one semester short of graduating, so the 2-time MVP re-enrolled at the school for the spring semester, working closely with two professors to achieve his goal, per Davidson.

It was all about Steph on Wednesday ... because he was the only one walking at the commencement!!

Once Curry completed his final semester of coursework, it paved the way for Davidson to honor the three-point sniper by hanging his jersey in the rafters for good.

During his speech, Steph was overwhelmed with emotion ... calling his move to pursue education at Davidson the best decision he ever made.

Curry is fresh off winning his 4th NBA title in June after defeating the Celtics in the Finals ... so there's a lot to celebrate.

P.J. Washington just proposed to his girlfriend -- and everyone is congratulating the Charlotte Hornets hooper and his new fiancée -- even his ex, Brittany Renner.

Washington's fiancee, Alisah Chanel -- who's also pregnant -- broke the news on Wednesday via IG ... showin' off her massive diamond ring, and writing "Soooooo…..this happened this morning 😍."

"Issa fiancée 💍 WOW babe you did that 🐐 I LOVE YOU 💙"

In the comments, Washington gave his soon-to-be-wife a kissy emoji ... and right underneath his remark, was his ex-girlfriend, Renner.

"Congrats y'all!!!" Renner said.

It's pretty shocking given their history. Remember, 30-year-old Renner and 24-year-old Washington became an official couple back in 2020 -- his sophomore year with the Hornets -- and welcomed their first child in May 2021.

Soon after, things went south, big time. The former couple took shots at each other on social media. Renner, a fitness model, was also called out for allegedly having a baby with P.J. to secure some of his $12 million NBA contract.

That started the whole "#FreePJ" trend in Renner's IG comments ... though, she's always been adamant money wasn't her motivation.

In fact, Renner was recently on the Tonight's Conversation podcast ... where she claimed she only gets a few thousand bucks from P.J., not $200k like many people think.

"You can't rely on your child's father to provide for you," Renner said, "I never been about money. I provide for my child. I get $2,500 a month."

Good to see Brittney playing nice with P.J. and Alisah.

Leave it to LeBron James to get Jay-Z to come outta social media hibernation!

LBJ -- fresh from getting crunk at Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem's The Big Steppers Vancouver show -- soaked up MSNBC anchor Ari Melber's deep dive into Jay's highly touted verse from DJ Khaled's "God Did."

The news bit hacked into the failed drug policies of ex-Presidents Richard Nixon and Donald Trump ... while highlighting how Jay lyrically details several of America's hypocrisies.

The NBA living legend equally praised Hov and Ari's poetic delivery … prompting a response from the Roc Nation boss, who took it all in stride, stating his primary focus is to give the voiceless a voice.

On the track, Jay raps, "I left the dope game with my record clean, huh/I turned the cocaina into champagne/I cleaned up la madrina with the same soap/Me and Loro talk 'bout how we slang dope/Now the weed in stores, can you believe this, Ty?" … the last line is a nod to his cannabis company Monogram.

Jay's highly touted verse has helped DJ Khaled secure next week's Billboard 200 chart crown … but that doesn't mean the Roc Boy will be lighting up IG or TikTok anytime soon.

While speaking with Kevin Hart over the summer, Jay explained he's down with everyone using social media to their heart's content.

Former Charlotte Hornets power forward Montrezl Harrell has just cut a deal with prosecutors to close out his weed case ... his lawyer tells TMZ Sports.

Harrell -- who was charged with felony trafficking less than five pounds of marijuana after an incident on the road in May -- showed up in Kentucky court on Wednesday morning to make the plea deal official, according to his attorney, Drew Findling.

Findling says Harrell agreed to enter a guilty plea to a reduced charge of simple marijuana possession. In exchange, according to Findling, Harrell "received conditional discharge at the end of 12 months" -- meaning the conviction will be completely wiped from the basketball player's record if he stays out of trouble for the next year.

As we reported, Harrell was initially charged after cops say a car he was riding in on May 12 had three pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed bags inside of a backpack on the back seat.

Harrell was not arrested at the scene and was initially given a citation. He was then later formally charged. The 28-year-old had been facing up to five years behind bars in the case.

Findling said at the time his client "is a devoted family man and a committed professional basketball player and has never been a part of any form of marijuana trafficking or any other illegal activity."