Basketball

Draymond Green is speaking out on the rumors surrounding his teammate Andrew Wiggins ... saying it doesn't matter if it's true or not, the "nosy" and "disgusting" people need to mind their business.

Wiggins -- who was traded to the Golden State Warriors in 2020 -- stepped away from the team after their Feb. 13 game (right before the All-Star break) due to a personal matter.

The situation is really intense, according to an anonymous player, who told The Athletic, "What he’s dealing with is some real s***."

Rumors about Wiggins' absence have been circulating social media ... and Green, his teammate, has seen some of what's been said, and he's pissed.

"I'm not here to say whether it's true or false. I don't know -- not my business!!" Green said Tuesday on his podcast. "But point being, it's not yours either!!"

"Like y'all are so thirsty to know what's going on in someone's life that THAT becomes the thing?!"

The 4-time NBA champ continued to rip those spreading rumors without evidence -- calling them insane and disgusting for investigating Wiggins' personal life.

"That's insane!! That's nuts!! The fact that people are so nosy and so consumed on what someone else do in their life, not basketball, in their life that THAT is the story ... with no confirmation of nothing?! Sometimes people disgust me," the 33-year-old said.

"I don't think it matters for the world to ever know if it is [true] or isn't."

Wiggins has yet to respond to any of the gossip ... but his girlfriend, Mychal Johnson, recently tweeted, "Literally the farthest thing from the truth. It’s sad y’all even doing this."

Willis Reed will be honored by the NBA tonight ... with the Association holding a leaguewide moment of silence for the late Knicks legend, TMZ Sports has learned.

Our sources tell us there will be a pause to reflect on the Hall of Famer's passing prior to the tipoff of all six scheduled games Tuesday night.

Some of the games on tonight's slate include the Celtics vs. Kings and Cavaliers vs. Nets.

The Knicks don't play ... they're back in action on Wednesday, when they'll face the Heat.

Of course, Reed died at the age of 80 on Tuesday after battling health issues, including congestive heart failure.

Willis was a beloved figure, especially in New York, and news of his death rocked the league.

Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement addressing Reed's passing, calling him "the ultimate team player and consummate leader."

In fact, Silver said his first NBA memories were of watching Willis as a young boy.

"My earliest and fondest memories of NBA basketball are of watching Willis, who embodied the winning spirit that defined the New York Knicks’ championship teams in the early 1970s.  He played the game with remarkable passion and determination, and his inspiring comeback in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals remains one of the most iconic moments in all of sports," the statement read in part.

In addition to the moment of silence, it's all but guaranteed the Knicks will also honor their Captain.

Ja Morant is adamantly denying he has a drinking problem after the NBA concluded he was intoxicated when he flashed a gun on Instagram earlier this month ... telling reporters alcohol was NOT the reason he entered a counseling program.

Morant spoke publicly for the first time since rejoining the Grizzlies this week -- and the Memphis superstar was asked if alcohol played a role in his decision-making that ultimately led to his eight-game suspension.

"Never had an alcohol problem," Morant said. "I didn't go there for alcohol. I went there for counseling. To learn how to manage stress and cope with stress in a positive way, instead of ways how I tried to deal with it before that caused me to make mistakes."

"[The] only problem with me right now is just getting into a space mentally that I'm very comfortable in and I feel good at. That's why I made the decision to take time away and go to counseling. That helped me learn a lot of things."

Ja said he contemplated stepping away from the NBA before he was engulfed in drama ... admitting he was afraid to leave the team. But the two-time All-Star says he's glad he made the decision to address his mental health.

Morant -- who was on the bench for Memphis on Monday, but didn't play in the game against the Mavs -- said now that he's back around his teammates, he's focused on improving himself and working toward getting back out there on the court.

Police still have not cracked the case involving the 2018 killing of Richard Jefferson's father ... but now, they're hoping a big monetary reward can help change that.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Dept. Lt. Patricia Thomas said on Tuesday they're offering $20,000 to anyone who can assist them in solving the four-year-old case.

Thomas told reporters at a news conference she and investigators believe there are people still out there who saw the suspects that shot 65-year-old Richard Jefferson Sr. in Compton, CA back on Sept. 19, 2018.

She said investigators believe a car full of gang members fired on the former NBA player's father while he was talking with neighbors -- mistakenly thinking he was part of a rival gang.

Thomas urged anyone with info to call the homicide bureau at 323-890-5500.

Jefferson Sr.'s brother, Kenneth, also spoke at the news conference -- and pleaded for anyone with information to come forward as well.

Knicks legend Willis Reed, arguably the greatest player in the history of the organization, has died at the age of 80, the team confirmed on Tuesday.

No cause of death was reaveled ... but Reed had been ill, battling congestive heart failure, longtime NYC columnist Peter Vescey reported.

"The Knicks organization is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Captain, Willis Reed," the Knicks said in a statement. "As we mourn, we will always strive to uphold the standards he left behind -- the unmatched leadership, sacrifice and work ethic that personified him as a champion among champions."

"His is a legacy that will live forever. We ask everyone to please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time."

Simply put, Willis was one of the best hoopers to ever step foot on the hardwood.

Reed, a 6'10" center, was drafted by the Knicks with the tenth overall pick in the 1964 NBA Draft. Over his 10-season career, he averaged nearly 19 points and 13 rebounds. Willis was a 7x All-Star, 2x NBA Finals MVP and the 1970 NBA MVP.

Willis' most famous moment came during Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. The Knicks and Lakers were knotted at three games apiece, with the title on the line. Reed missed Game 6 with a severe thigh injury, and almost no one expected the big man to play in the deciding game.

But, to the amazement of thousands of fans at Madison Square Garden, Reed limped onto the court during warmups, prompting the crowd to erupt. Willis hit the first two shots for the Knicks, and it was the only time he scored in the game.

However, Reed's presence gave his Knicks teammates the lift they needed to down Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and Jerry West's Lakers squad, 113-99. It was the Knickerbockers' first title.

NYK then won another championship three years later in 1973.

After retiring from the NBA in '74, Reed was hired by the Knicks as head coach in '77. His coaching stint in NY didn't last very long. In 1981, Willis went back to college, where he coached Creighton. He then had stints as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings.

In 1988, Reed was again named an NBA head coach when he was hired as the New Jersey Nets' headman.

The Knicks' last title was in 1973 ... and the franchise recently celebrated the 50-year anniversary, welcoming back stars from the team like Walt Frazier. Sadly, Reed, because of health issues, wasn't able to make it to NYC for the event.

The Garden played a pretaped message from the legendary hooper ... and the crowd loved it.

NBA commish Adam Silver released a statement on the legend's passing ... saying, "Willis Reed was the ultimate team player and consummate leader."

"My earliest and fondest memories of NBA basketball are of watching Willis, who embodied the winning spirit that defined the New York Knicks' championship teams in the early 1970s. He played the game with remarkable passion and determination, and his inspiring comeback in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals remains one of the most iconic moments in all of sports."

"We send our deepest condolences to Willis' wife, Gail, his family and his many friends and fans."

He may now be gone ... but Reed's #19 will forever hang in the rafters of the World's Most Famous Arena.

Two star high school athletes from Illinois -- who were enjoying their spring break in Colorado -- were tragically killed in a horrific sledding accident over the weekend.

They were only 17 and 18 years old.

The Summit County Sheriff's Office said the crash happened at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Frisco at 8:35 PM on March 19 ... after Dylan Bazzell and Drew Fehr's sled launched off of a massive snowbank at the bottom of a half pipe.

"The two individuals came down hard on the hard ice below," police said, "causing blunt force trauma."

Emergency medical personnel raced to the scene to tend to the two teenagers ... but they were pronounced dead a short time later.

The school district in Illinois where the two attended high school said counselors would be available to help students cope with the loss.

"As we know, 'it takes a village' to raise a child," Prairie Central school district officials said in a statement. "And it will take all of us working together to comfort and support our children through this tragic event."

Bazzell and Fehr, both high school seniors, played for Prairie Central's basketball and football teams. Bazzell had just been named to the Associated Press All-State First Team earlier this month.

Fehr, meanwhile, was a football team captain who logged 1,439 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns this past season.

Police said the deaths are under investigation ... and are urging spring breakers and other thrill seekers "to always practice safe on snow activity habits and to be aware of the risks associated with these activities."

Kyrie Irving seemingly snubbed Dillon Brooks when he refused to take the Grizzlies' forward's jersey after their game, but the Mavs superstar says the awkward moment wasn't intentional, saying he'd "probably get [the jersey] next time."

It all went down Monday night after the Grizzlies defeated the Mavs, 112-108, at the FedEx Forum in Memphis. Dillon and Ky shared an embrace on the court following the game, but the encounter didn't exactly go as planned for the 27-year-old Brooks.

In the clip, you see Kyrie hand his jersey to Brooks, but when Brooks went to give his jersey to Irving, Kyrie appeared to be in no mood to receive it ... and kept the exchange at a handshake before walking away.

Social media started to talk after the game, and Kyrie was asked about the exchange.

"I saw that after the game," Irving said. "I'll probably get it next time. Probably next time. Not this time. I was really onto the next thing, thought process-wise."

Meanwhile, on the court, Brooks had his hands full trying to guard Kyrie -- who scored 28 points in 33 minutes. DB is clearly a fan of Irving's, showering the All-Star with praise postgame despite the (maybe?) shade from Kyrie, even comparing him to the Black Mamba.

“He’s just like Kobe [Bryant]," Brooks said. "He’s just like Jordan and those guys. He plays the game at a different place. He uses both hands, mid-range God. And that’s where I want to be at one day, be able to shoot the ball more.”

One thing Kyrie definitely did do after the game was share a moment with Ja Morant, who rejoined the Grizzlies on Monday following an 8-game suspension for showing a gun on Instagram.

Memphis currently sits in second place in the Western Conference. Dillon -- for the second time this month -- is facing an automatic one-game suspension due to his technical foul totals.

Reggie Wayne absolutely lost it after his alma mater, Miami, shocked Indiana in the women's NCAA tournament on Monday night ... cheering his face off while going crazy with his pals!!!

The Indianapolis Colts legend had courtside seats for the Hurricanes' stunning win over No. 1 seed Indiana at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall ... and when The U star Destiny Harden made the game-winning basket with just three seconds left on the clock, Wayne went crazy.

The ex-Hurricanes receiver -- who played for Miami from 1997 to 2000 -- filmed his reaction ... and it was priceless.

Rockin' his The U gear, which included some Nike Dunk Low Miami Hurricanes kicks, he screamed loudly with a huge smile on his face.

Of course, Wayne had every right to lose his mind ... as the No. 9 seeded Miami was a huge underdog in the game. The victory also marked the first time in school history that the women's basketball team would enter an NCAA tournament's Sweet 16.

FYI, the Miami men's team also beat Indiana in the guys' NCAA tournament over the weekend ... and Wayne made sure to gloat about on Monday night too.

"Well...." the former first-round draft pick wrote on his social media page, "Looks like another #Hurricane has hit the state of Indiana @caneswbb @canesfootball @caneshoops #TheU."

Shaquille O'Neal sparked concern after sharing a photo of himself in a hospital bed on Sunday ... but TMZ Sports has learned the NBA legend simply needed to fix a nagging injury, and he's now doing OK.

Our sources tell us the 51-year-old went under the knife over the weekend to have an issue with his hip corrected -- and everything went according to plan. We're told he's already on the mend.

In a caption Shaq posted along with the photo -- he tagged his "NBA on TNT" colleagues, Ernie Johnson and Candace Parker, saying even though he couldn't be at work, he was still tuning in to the show.

"Miss y’all," he wrote.

Parker, a two-time WNBA champ, responded, "Love ya big Fella ♥."

It's unclear when Shaq will return to his TV gig -- our sources say there's no set time frame -- but in discussing the upcoming procedure earlier this month on his podcast, "The Big Podcast With Shaq," he seemed to say he had April 16 in mind for when he could be active again.

He added on the pod that he was going to go on a diet to get "shredded" after the surgery ... and eventually reveal an 8-pack!!

Gonzaga star Drew Timme's gotta put some money in the swear jar after the Bulldogs defeated TCU to advance to the Sweet 16 on Sunday ... 'cause he dropped an F-bomb on live television right after the big win!!

Drew was pretty stoked after sealing the 84-81 victory ... and he got caught up in the moment during his postgame interview as he explained the pressure he and his teammates felt to win the game.

"Before they announced our starting lineup, it was like, 'in seven straight Sweet 16s,'" Timme said in the interview. "I'm like, 'We cannot be the team that f***s this one up."

No. 3-seed Gonzaga has made the Sweet 16 seven straight years dating back to 2015 ... but that streak was in jeopardy when No. 6-seed TCU was leading 38-33 at halftime.

The Bulldogs weren't done fighting ... and Drew played a pivotal role in 'Zaga's comeback, scoring 28 points and grabbing eight rebounds in 31 minutes of action.

During his postgame conference, Drew took aim at TCU fans for doubting Gonzaga -- saying he used their trash-talk as motivation.

"Throw lighter fluid on the fire if you wish," Timme told reporters. "I thought TCU was a highly educated school and they didn't sound so smart with their comments."

Of course, the 6-foot-10 forward is Gonzaga's best player ... he led the team in scoring this past season, averaging 21.1 points per game and registering 7.3 rebounds per contest.

Donald Trump is certainly not acting like a guy on the verge of being arrested ... He flew to Oklahoma Saturday night and enjoyed himself at a college sporting event.

The former President showed up at the BOK Center in Tulsa for the NCAA Wrestling Tournament -- hours after he announced that he would be arrested Tuesday by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg over the Stormy Daniels hush-money case.

Videos showed Trump smiling and waving at the crowd as he walked through the stadium with his entourage. Trump also shook hands with fans and took group photos with them. At one point, he raised his fist in the air -- apparently in defiance of his looming indictment.

Trump was invited to the tournament by Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), who was seen standing next to 45 and posing for pictures with him.

By early next week, Trump could be posing for a very different photo -- that of a mugshot. Bragg is reportedly getting ready to indict Trump for allegedly trying to buy Daniels' silence with a $130,000 payment over an alleged affair she claimed they had during the 2016 Presidential election. Trump has denied the affair.

In response to the rumored indictment, Trump blasted Bragg on his social media handle, "Truth Social," labeling the Manhattan DA's Office as "CORRUPT" and "HIGHLY POLITICAL." Trump also called for protests over his possible arrest.

Bragg officially declined to comment, but, according to Politico, he sent an internal memo to employees saying that he would not tolerate efforts to intimidate his office or "threaten the rule of law in New York."

Matt Barnes has a simple message for NBA players following Ja Morant's gun video controversy -- DON'T SNITCH ON YOURSELF -- telling TMZ Sports hoopers don't need to document their every move on social media.

Barnes expressed support for Morant while outside Dash Radio this week ... but he thinks his strip club gun video can be a cautionary tale for other guys in the league as they try to navigate their personal lives while being recognizable athletes.

"Don't tell on yourself and watch out for cameras," Barnes said. "The second you step out of your house you're being recorded these days. So just stay cognizant and be aware of your surroundings."

Morant found himself in hot water with the league after he brandished a gun on Instagram Live earlier this month ... which led to an eight-game ban.

Morant entered a counseling program shortly after apologizing for his actions ... and recently said he met with therapists, got reiki treatment and worked on anxiety breathing during his time away from the game.

Barnes told us he isn't ready to give up on Ja or his career, saying the guard is "one of my favorite players in the league" ... adding Morant "got a little ahead of himself with some stuff."

"That happens when you're young and the world [is] at the palm of your hand."

"I love Ja. I love what he brings to the table. I just want to send him love. Let him know we love him. We miss him and we need him back."

Jamal Murray needed both Nikola Jokic and a referee to keep him from going after a fan in the stands during Thursday night's game ... with the Denver Nuggets star losing his cool over disrespectful words being hurled his way.

The altercation was caught on video -- showing Murray on the court playing against the Pistons in Little Caesars Arena as multiple Pistons fans heckle him.

Murray heard the jabs loud and clear ... and once the whistle was blown to stop the play, the 6'4" guard began walking toward the guy with a few words of his own.

The referee immediately got in Murray's way and held him back ... while the guy in the crowd yelled, "you ain't gon' do s*** boy!!!"

Jokic -- who stands at 6'11" -- ran over to assist the ref ... and pulled Murray back to center court.

Arena security witnessed the exchange between Murray and the man ... and you can see in the video what seems to be police officers pointing at the guy in the stands.

As of now, it's unclear if the fan was removed from the arena or if he received any punishment.

BTW, the Pistons lost ... and currently have the worst record in the NBA. The Nuggets, however, are No. 4 in the league and lead the Western Conference.

Do better, people.

A hilarious moment went down during the NCAA tournament on Friday ... when Baylor men's basketball player Dale Bonner was checking into the game against UC Santa Barbara -- but his jersey was inside out!!

The wardrobe malfunction happened Friday at the Ball Arena in Denver ... where the Bears were playing the Gauchos in the first round of the tourney. Bonner was set to sub in for one of his teammates in the first half of the matchup -- but, unfortunately, his BAYLOR jersey looked more like ROLYAB.

Bonner initially didn't notice the mistake ... as referees had to delay the game to tell him that he was rocking his jersey on the wrong side.

Bonner quickly corrected himself and got the jersey on correctly ... as everyone on the court stood around and waited for him to get it together.

The commentators referenced the gaffe during the broadcast ... attributing the mishap to possible March Madness jitters.

The tourney is known for its wild moments ... but no one could've predicted this one.

Travis Scott's skills as a fashion innovator are coming under fire by Dennis Rodman ... who's accusing the superstar rapper of copying the look of his signature sneakers.

Dennis went after Travis at Got Sole's recent sneaker convention in Chicago as the NBA champ pointed out his high-top kicks originated the reverse Nike Swoosh logo before Travis' model hit the market.

The Worm's Nike Air Darwin shoe dropped in 1994, shortly before his days of playing with Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Travis and Jordan Brand connected for his popular mocha-colored AJ1 Retro High OG sneakers in 2019.

Dennis didn't seem to be a fan of Travis' shoe, and said he just wants his credit for putting out the design first.

Welp, Joe Biden isn't winning the White House's March Madness pool ... 'cause the president's pick for NCAA champion -- two-seed University of Arizona -- just lost to 15-seed Princeton in the most shocking upset of the young tourney!

The Ivy League team was near 15-point underdogs against Arizona ... but as the saying goes, that's why you play the game. The Tigers ultimately won 59-55. The Wildcats were up one at the half, but scored a paltry 24 points in the second half, and couldn't buy a bucket late in the game.

As for #46, he didn't just have AZ advancing past Princeton, he had the Pac-12 team going all the way to the Final Four, where he picked them to defeat one-seed Kansas.

In fairness to the prez, the Wildcats were a popular pick to advance far in the tourney ... and many had them winning the whole thing.

The Wildcats, who won the NCAA Championship in 1997, are now headed back to Tucson. The Tigers will now play seven-seed Missouri on Saturday ... where Princeton has opened as six-point underdogs.