Basketball

Kanye West is doubling down on his support for Kyrie Irving ... sharing a pic of the NBA star as they both find themselves embroiled in controversy over pushing antisemitic rhetoric.

The Brooklyn Nets guard released a statement denouncing "all forms of hate and oppression" and vowed to make a $500k donation to fight for the cause on Wednesday ... after facing a ton of backlash for posting a link to a movie that is filled with hurtful beliefs toward the Jewish community.

While KI took responsibility for his actions ... but did not flat-out say "I'm sorry" or "I apologize."

Just six hours later, Ye went to his Twitter account and posted a black and white image of Kyrie to his 31.7 million followers ... seemingly backing the athlete for the second time in three days.

Ye previously backed Irving on Sunday ... posting a different black-and-white image of him and saying, "There's some real ones still here."

LeBron James is paying tribute to Takeoff in a big way ... changing his Instagram avatar to a photo of the late rapper -- something the Lakers superstar rarely does.

James' IG update happened Wednesday night just before the Lakers took on the New Orleans Pelicans in Los Angeles ... when he swapped out a pic of his family for a photo of Takeoff, who was tragically killed in front of a Houston bowling alley on Tuesday.

The pic shows a stoic Takeoff in a suit and tie ... wearing a pair of dark sunglasses.

The move is a very meaningful one for James -- whose IG profile photos almost always consists of pics of him or his family. Most recently, his two sons, Bronny and Bryce, held the honor.

37-year-old James previously used the gesture to honor Kobe Bryant following his tragic death in 2020.

Of course, the Migos and King James are fans of each other ... remember, the rap trio turned LBJ's famous "Taco Tuuuuuuesday" lingo into an actual song two years ago -- and Bron was hyped over it.

LeBron has yet to publicly comment on Takeoff's passing, though he did share a photo of the Migos rapper in one of his IG stories shortly after his death.

Takeoff was just 28 years old.

Joshua Primo was cut by the Spurs after a team psychologist claimed he exposed himself during therapy sessions ... but sources close to the 19-year-old hooper are adamant he did absolutely nothing wrong.

Primo, the 12th overall pick in the 2021 draft and one of the youngest hoopers in the league, was released by San Antonio on Friday ... after he was accused of "multiple alleged instances of him exposing himself to women," according to an ESPN report.

But, sources close to Primo are insistent he never intentionally exposed his privates ... and if anything was visible at any time, it was strictly a wardrobe malfunction resulting from laying down on a couch in basketball shorts.

It's been documented ... JP had a rough childhood, and we're told the psychologist was helping him work through some personal issues ... so he'd almost always go to her office in shorts before or after practice or games.

The accuser's attorney has identified his client as Dr. Hillary Cauthen ... a performance therapist with the organization.

Our sources say Primo was shocked by the allegations ... and many in his circle feel he's a young guy who's being taken advantage of by a medical professional twice his age.

Shortly after he was released, Primo released a statement addressing the shocking news.

"I know that you all are surprised by today’s announcement. I’ve been seeking help to deal with previous trauma I suffered and will now take this time to focus on my mental health treatment more fully."

The former Alabama star continued ... "I hope to be able to discuss these issues in the future so I can help others who have suffered in a similar way. I appreciate privacy at this time."

As for the Spurs, Gregg Popovich's squad hasn't addressed the allegations ... but did issue a statement after parting ways with Primo, saying, "It is our hope that, in the long run, this decision will serve the best interest of both the organization and Joshua."

Primo played in 50 games as a rookie last season ... averaging 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. He appeared in 4 games this season before being cut.

The accuser has hired Tony Buzbee -- the attorney who represented many of Deshaun Watson's accusers -- and the two are scheduled to hold a news conference Thursday in Texas where they're expected to expand on the allegations for the first time.

Primo has received a demand letter from the accuser's attorney, according to our sources, but a lawsuit has not been filed. Josh has not been charged with any crime.

Karl Malone is a big fan of Post Malone -- and the feeling's apparently mutual, 'cause the rap star rocked the Hall of Famer's Jazz jersey during a recent concert in Utah ... and the Mailman, who happened to be at the show, absolutely loved it!

The Jazz posted video of Karl, 59, at Post's concert at Vivint Arena in Utah ... showing the "Congratulations" rapper getting showered with cheers from the raucous audience. The camera then pans to KM ... who has clearly jazzed the rapper rocked his jersey.

Of course, Karl rocked the iconic #32 jersey throughout his legendary NBA career.

And get this ... after the concert, Karl and Post linked up backstage, where they played beer pong! No word who won.

The Jazz selected Karl in the first round of the 1985 NBA draft ... and he spent 18 seasons with the franchise, beating up on the league for nearly two decades with running mate, John Stockton.

Although Karl never won an NBA title (blame Michael Jordan), "The Mailman" is recognized as one of the best power forwards in league history.

Malone was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 twice --- for his career with the Jazz and as a member of the 1992 U.S. men's Olympic basketball team.

Former NBA star Amar'e Stoudemire -- who converted to Judaism in 2020 -- wants Kyrie Irving to own up to his actions and apologize for tweeting out a link to a movie filled with antisemitic rhetoric ... saying the Brooklyn Nets guard made a mistake.

STAT addressed the controversy surrounding Irving on ESPN’s "Get Up" Wednesday morning ... saying, "You have to give an apology because if you’re going to promote a documentary that has false allegations inside of it, and you may not understand that these allegations that’s inside the documentary are false, okay, you made a mistake, right? So apologize for it."

39-year-old Stoudemire says Kyrie created a problem by not expressing any regret over the situation ... and is giving the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver no choice but to look into it.

"I think something has to happen, intensive conversations with the commissioner about what he’s doing and what his plans are as a basketball player."

As for whether Kyrie should be suspended over the whole ordeal, Amar'e -- who previously served as an assistant for the Nets -- is on the fence.

"I mean, Kyrie’s a guy who’s trying to find himself," he added. "He’s always on this quest for learning and information. And if you’re not totally understanding what you’re learning and what you’re trying to promote, then just don’t promote it. Just learn quietly and try to figure it out."

"But once you start putting information out there that’s not true, then now it creates a problem."

Amar'e has gone after Irving in the past ... saying the guard's decision to not get the COVID-19 vaccine affected the team's chemistry.

Irving has been at the center of criticism for how he's handled the backlash ... with both Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal calling him an "idiot" on TNT's "Inside The NBA."

Nike -- Kyrie's biggest sponsor -- released a statement regarding the matter ... denouncing hate speech of any kind.

"At Nike, we believe there is no place for hate speech, and we condemn any form of antisemitism," the Swoosh said on Tuesday.

TMZ Sports spoke with Amar'e about antisemitism back in 2020 ... when the six-time All-Star told us he wanted to "bridge the gap" between Black and Jewish people after comments made by Nick Cannon and NFLer DeSean Jackson -- for which they apologized.

Charles Barkley says the NBA flubbed its handling of the most recent Kyrie Irving drama ... explaining Tuesday night he believes the league should've suspended the Nets star over his controversial tweet.

Barkley didn't mince words while talking about the situation on "Inside the NBA" -- calling Irving an "idiot" ... and blasting the Association for not dropping the hammer on the point guard.

"I think Adam [Silver] should have suspended him," Barkley said. "First of all, Adam is Jewish -- you can’t take my $40 million and insult my religion. You gonna insult me, you have the right, but I have the right to say, ‘You can’t take my $40 million and insult my religion.'"

"I think the NBA, they made a mistake."

Of course, Silver did not level punishment on Irving ... despite the basketball player tweeting out a link to "Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America," a movie packed with antisemitic rhetoric.

Irving never apologized for sharing it ... and, in fact, two days after sending the tweet, he got into a tiff with a reporter who had suggested he had been "promoting" the film on his platform.

Irving did, though, eventually take down the tweet. He also said in a separate tweet he is not antisemitic.

But, Barkley's co-host, Shaq, had issues with it all as well ... calling Irving an "idiot" too.

Meanwhile, during TNT's broadcast of the Nets vs. Bulls game ... Reggie Miller, who was commentating the game, said he was disappointed there was not a vocal outcry from players in the league over it all.

Several fans had a strong message for the Brooklyn Nets amid Kyrie Irving's backlash for posting about an antisemitic movie on social media -- donning yarmulkes and "fight antisemitism" shirts while sitting courtside at the game.

The group sat near the Indiana bench during the Pacers vs. Nets matchup in Brooklyn ... and Kyrie reportedly acknowledged them by making a thumbs-up gesture.

One of the fans claims Irving spoke to them during the contest ... saying he was "grateful for you guys," although they felt it was in a sarcastic tone, according to the New York Post.

The fan said the shirts were a message for the Nets ... adding the team should cut ties with Irving.

The move comes on the heels of Kyrie's decision to tweet out a link to "Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America," a movie that has been accused of being filled with stereotypes and tropes.

Kyrie defended the move ... saying he "meant no disrespect to anyone’s religious beliefs."

"The 'Anti-Semitic' label that is being pushed on me is not justified and does not reflect the reality or truth I live in everyday," he added. "I embrace and want to learn from all walks of life and religions."

Joe Tsai -- the owner of the Nets -- spoke out against Irving's post ... saying he was disappointed in the superstar's decision to share the project.

Tsai also said he wanted to meet with Irving to help him understand why his actions were hurtful.

Kanye West -- who is also facing his own backlash -- commented on Kyrie's actions ... calling him a "real one."

As for the game, the Nets won 116-109 ... with Irving earning 28 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

He did not speak with the media after the contest.

Lamar Odom has been reunited with his beloved Lakers championship rings -- the ex-NBA star says the man who bought the bling years ago made an incredible gesture and gifted them back to him.

42-year-old Odom famously pawned off the rings in 2016 to help pay medical bills after his near-fatal drug overdose at the Love Ranch brothel ... and they were eventually sold at an auction in 2020.

Lamar opened up about the 2009 and 2010 Finals keepsakes on the debut episode of his new "On The LO" podcast ... saying he was flat broke and in the darkest time of his life after his divorce from Khloe Kardashian ... and he regretted giving them up ever since.

But the story has a happy ending ... because Lamar says when he went to the Laker game on Oct. 20, he happened to run into the exact fan who bought the rings for $36,600 and $78,000 each.

Odom says the guy -- who regularly attended Laker games during his career -- explained Lamar should have them back ... because he's the one who earned them alongside Kobe Bryant.

But the two didn't even have to negotiate a deal -- the man gave them back to Lamar for free!!

Eric Bledsoe is off the hook in his domestic violence case ... TMZ Sports has learned the former NBA player won't face criminal charges despite his arrest last week.

The L.A. County District Attorney tells us ... the case has been declined "due to insufficient evidence."

Bledsoe had been accused of slapping his girlfriend during an incident in Lost Hills, Calif. on  Oct. 26. He was arrested, but bonded out a short time later.

Following the alleged altercation, the 32-year-old's GF posted a pic and video on her social media page ... calling the basketball player "a monster."

She later deleted the post ... and was seen commenting on Bledsoe's most recent Instagram photo Sunday night with the words, "My baby."

Bledsoe responded to the comment, writing "mine," with a heart emoji.

The Donda Academy basketball team continues to pay for Kanye West's actions -- the squad will no longer be playing in a tournament at Morehouse College due to his recent antics.

The Donda Doves were originally scheduled to play against The Skill Factory in Atlanta on Nov. 6 ... but given the controversy surrounding West, the host decided to pull the plug on the whole thing.

A spokesperson for Morehouse says the school "cannot condone, in perception or implication, the recent divisive and unproductive statements by Ye, formerly known as Kanye West."

Of course, Morehouse's decision isn't going to sit well with Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who has publicly advocated against Donda hoops players being affected due to Kanye's words.

Brown -- who parted ways with Donda Sports agency last week -- recently said that he will sponsor any event willing to host the team.

"This can’t negatively impact these student-athletes," Brown said. "We all must ensure they complete their senior yr both academically & athletically."

Although Donda's men's basketball team hasn't officially been scrapped ... it seems imminent since they have little to no games scheduled, and organized practices have been limited.

Horrifying moment during Bronny James' high school basketball game over the weekend ... LeBron James' eldest son was rushed off the court after fans in the arena feared someone had a gun.

Bronny's Sierra Canyon boys basketball team was taking on DeMatha as part of a big showcase event in D.C. on Saturday night ... when suddenly, near the end of the game, chaos broke out in the stands.

Several fans in attendance reportedly got into an altercation -- and, at one point, some thought a gun had been pulled.

When word of the potential weapon got down to those on the court, coaches and players -- including Bronny -- took off in panic.

Fortunately, cops tell TMZ Sports that when they got to the scene, they did a "thorough search" and "did not locate a firearm."

"There were no injuries," a police spokesperson added.

The two teams did not come out to finish the game "out of an abundance of caution," DeMatha head coach Mike G. Jones III tells us.

Bronny was clearly shaken up by it all ... saying in a statement on his social media page after the game, "high schoolers can't even hoop in peace now a days."

The two teams did not play on Sunday following the incident.

Floyd Mayweather made good on his promise on Sunday, hooking up two young fans with tickets to the L.A. Clippers game -- their first NBA game -- days after he blessed the kids with some cash and facetime at a nearby hotel.

Mayweather hooked the boys up with tix to the Clippers game Sunday afternoon -- for their game against the Pelicans -- after promising the kids tickets on Thursday ... after meeting them at the Ritz.

Unfortunately, the Clips lost 112-91. But, in addition to Paul George (14 points) and John Wall (8 points), the kids got to see Zion Williamson hoop. The young star dropped 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in just 31 minutes of action.

Mayweather also attended the game ... but not just the Clippers.

Never one to play favorites, Floyd also hit up the Lakers game with friends Jona Rechnitz and Jas Mathur.

Mayweather sat courtside for both games at the Crypto.com arena.

The 50-0 boxer, a staple at NBA games, posed for photos with some of the hoopers (and a super agent) ... including Zion, Michael Porter Jr., Deandre Jordan, Rich Paul, and Russell Westbrook.

Ex-NBA player Eric Bledsoe was in great spirits at the Clippers game on Sunday ... just days after he was arrested for allegedly slapping his girlfriend.

32-year-old Bledsoe -- who played for the Clips from 2010-13 and the 2021-22 season -- was smiling from ear to ear as he sat courtside at Crypto.com Arena to check out his old team against the New Orleans Pelicans.

It wasn't a great outing for the Clippers -- they lost 112-91.

TMZ Sports broke the story -- Bledsoe was arrested in Lost Hills, CA Wednesday night after his girlfriend called cops and claimed she was slapped.

The arrest came just hours after it was reported Bledsoe was set to sign with the Shanghai Sharks in the Chinese Basketball Association.

As we previously reported, the girlfriend posted about the altercation on Instagram ... calling Bledsoe a "monster."

The post was deleted shortly after.

It's unclear whether the arrest will have an impact on Bledsoe's future -- the Sharks have yet to comment on the situation.

Khloe Kardashian sure seems enraged at her ex, Tristan Thompson, but she's not letting it get in the way of co-parenting, because he was front and center at their Halloween shindig.

The Kardashians held a little get-together this weekend for the kids, and the ex-couple showed up on North West's TikTok compilation ... appearing in the same shot at one point, but not interacting much.

Khloe was in a full-body catsuit, while Tristan was shielded in an Iron Man mask. Their daughter, True, was dressed up as the Disney character Owlette ... and the newest addition to their family, the baby boy, was in a Tigger costume. True held her baby bro but his face wasn't visible.

Mama bear wrote ... "Owlette and Tigger aka True and Baby Brother. (Shhhhh…. But I can't wait for Halloween to be over)."

Nothing too crazy here ... it's just Khloe and Tristan co-parenting as they've done in the past. Of course, his most recent cheating scandal -- resulting in the birth of a baby with Maralee Nichols -- has led some to believe he's iced out of the picture. That's clearly not the case.

The Miz says the Cleveland Cavaliers are AWEEEEEESOME -- telling TMZ Sports he thinks his hometown team is going to make it all the way to the NBA Finals this season!!

We spoke with the WWE Superstar out at LAX this week about his Cleveland sports teams ... and while his Browns are struggling, he says there's hope with the Wine & Gold.

"We're going to the NBA Finals," Miz tells us. "They got a young squad, and they got some good superstars. They look better than the Lakers."

The Cavs have been playing well so far this season -- they already have more wins than the Browns -- and have been led by newly acquired star Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen ... even with Darius Garland missing games with an eye injury.

Miz is clearly a fan of the Cavs' blockbuster trade ... saying, "Spida is going to be amazing."

"He is the star," Miz adds. "And we welcomed him with open arms, 'cause we didn't think we could get another star. It's Cleveland. It's not like an L.A. or NY, or Miami market."

What's even more surprising -- Miz isn't exactly worried about whether LeBron James ever comes back home ... saying he believes the current Cavs squad can win it all without the King.

Yes, the Lakers are playing like crap right now, but there's one thing they should NOT do -- trade Russell Westbrook ... so says Ty Dolla $ign, who tells TMZ Sports he believes the Purple & Gold can still turn things around with the current squad.

Brodie has been getting a ton of criticism for his sluggish start to the 2022-23 campaign ... with many calling for the Lake Show to end the Russ experiment pronto.

Ty isn't in that group ... 'cause when he was leaving Dash Radio earlier this week, he told us he thinks people are going too hard on the former MVP.

"Don't do that," the crooner told us. "Some of us have ups and downs somedays. But there's definitely going to be the ups again. Shoutout to my brother, Russ, man."

Ty defends Russell's recent blunders ... saying, "Certain times we have f***ing bad shots."