Basketball

Laker Nation better prepare for the worst ... 'cause NBA super fan Jimmy Goldstein says L.A. has a snowball's chance in hell to beat the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs -- telling TMZ Sports it would be a complete shock if LeBron James and Co. won the series.

Goldstein holds the record for attending the most NBA games in the history of the league ... so naturally, he was present for the Lakers' play-in game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.

Jimmy G says he was thoroughly unimpressed with what he saw from the Purple and Gold in the overtime thriller ... adding it just goes to show they're really not poised to make a deep playoff run this season.

Goldstein points out the Wolves were without defensive stars Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels ... and it wasn't a good sign that the Lake Show needed extra time to put them away.

He also thinks L.A.'s hot run at the end of the regular season was more due to the fact that their opponents were tanking ... which would explain why they were able to put together some wins.

Long story short -- if you're a betting person, Jimmy thinks you'd be throwing money away to pick the Lakers to win it all.

The Grizzlies vs. Lakers matchup starts on Sunday ... and if Goldstein is right, it won't be a long series.

Even in Year 20, LeBron James is still the most popular player in the league -- the Lakers' superstar forward led the NBA in jersey sales for the second half of the regular season.

The NBA announced the news on Wednesday ... confirming basketball fans can't get enough of LeBron and are showing their support by buying his No. 6 Lakers jersey.

Steph Curry, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Dončić rounded out the top 5 ... with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Ja Morant, Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving making the list as well.

Additionally, the Los Angeles Lakers sold more merchandise than any other NBA team ... which isn't surprising, considering the franchise is a global brand and has won 17 championships.

The Warriors, Celtics, Suns, Bucks, Bulls, Knicks, 76ers, Mavericks and Nets also made the list.

Of course, James -- a four-time champion and MVP -- has been one of the faces of the league since he burst onto the NBA scene in 2003.

Dubbed "The Chosen One" before ever playing a game on an NBA court, James has lived up to the expectations ... and just became the league's all-time leading scorer, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar earlier this season.

Angel Reese > Shaquille O'Neal
Angel Reese > Joe Burrow
Angel Reese > "Pistol" Pete Maravich
Angel Reese > Justin Jefferson
Angel Reese > Y.A. Tittle
Angel Reese > Odell Beckham Jr.

"[Angel Reese's] probably the greatest athlete ever to come out of LSU Sports," Shaquille O'Neal said on "The Big Podcast with Shaq," doubling down, saying, "Did you hear what I just said? Male and female."

It's not surprising that Shaq is super high on Angel. The Big Fella had her back in a major way when people got on the newly crowned NCAA champ for taunting Caitlin Clark with John Cena's "You Can't See Me" gesture.

LSU is known for its marquis athletes, past and present. Legends. Hall of Famers.

In addition to the guys up top, Patrick Peterson, Andrew Whitworth, Alan Faneca, Kevin Mawae, Ja'Marr Chase, Jamal Adams, Alex Bregman, Todd Walker, Tyrann Mathieu, Lolo Jones, Bob Pettit and so many more went to LSU.

Shaq -- who starred for the Tigers from 1989-1992 -- said he puts Reese ahead of other notable LSU athlete alums, including himself ... because she won a national championship for the university.

"She delivered that package," Shaq said. "It's a lot of names you can throw around, men and women, but she's probably the greatest athlete."

FYI, Reese averaged 23 points, 15.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists this season.

"Some people are going to exclude it to women athletes," O'Neal said. "I'm not doing that. She's the greatest athlete to ever come out of LSU because she got it done. Joe Burrow got it done a couple of years ago, but she's way more athletic than he is."

Tristan Thompson's back in the NBA and back in the L.A. club scene with his brother-in-Kardashian/Jenner-dom, Corey Gamble -- they soaked up some nightlife after the Lakers took home a big fat W.

Kris Jenner's bae and Khloe Kardashian's baby daddy headed to Bird Streets Club in WeHo to celebrate Tristan's new team, the Lakers, defeating the Timberwolves to earn a spot in the NBA playoffs. They left together around 1 AM Wednesday ... in a chauffeur-driven Maybach. Nice!

Neither guy had much to say as they exited, but gotta figure they were in good spirits after the W. Shout out to Corey's stylist, 'cause dude was rocking an eye-popping Lakers gold silk leisure suit as he sat courtside.

Tristan didn't see any playing time during his first game back from retirement.

Obviously, playing in L.A. means Tristan's closer to Khloe, too ... and as we reported, the duo's been spending time together recently -- even hitting up a McDonald's drive-thru together.

BTW .. today is Tristan and Khloe's daughter True's birthday -- so, we're guessing he and Corey were hashing out gift ideas last night.

Tons of celebrities made sure they were in attendance for the Lakers' play-in game Tuesday night ... and they no doubt were glad they came -- 'cause L.A. won in an instant classic!!

Tennis legend John McEnroe had courtside seats for the playoff-clinching game with the Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena -- as did Michael B. Jordan, Jimmy Iovine and Corey Gamble.

All were treated to a helluva contest ... as L.A. and Minnesota went back and forth for about three hours -- before LeBron James' squad came out on top in overtime, 108-102.

It took a herculean effort from the Lakers superstar to get his team the victory -- the 38-year-old led all scorers with 30 points ... and was a huge reason L.A. came back from down 15 to secure its spot in the playoffs.

The win was massive for Bron's team ... if they had lost -- they would have had to play the winner of Wednesday's Oklahoma City vs. New Orleans matchup in what would have been a do-or-die game for the last spot in the playoffs.

Now, however, they're safely in ... and will play a series against the Memphis Grizzlies to try to continue their advance in the postseason.

Other celebs in attendance for the big L.A. win included Al Michaels -- who looked super chipper outside the arena before the game began.

Film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, singer Rosalia and comedian Sebastian Maniscalco were all there as well.

The Air Jordan 13s worn by Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA Finals sold for $2,238,000 ... the highest price ever paid at auction for a pair of sneakers!!

Sotheby's announced the historic sale of the iconic kicks on Tuesday ... rocked by MJ during the pivotal Game 2 matchup against the Utah Jazz. With the Bulls down 1-0 in the series, Jordan lived up to his clutch reputation, scoring 37 points with five rebounds and three assists in the pivotal game, evening the series at 1 game a piece.

Jordan sported the Bred -- shorthand for black and red -- AJs routinely throughout his career, but make no mistake, this pair is rare. They're the only complete set (left and right shoe) worn by Michael during a Finals game.

Sotheby's says MeiGray, the official authenticator of the NBA, used photo matching to verify the sneakers, originally gifted to a ball boy after the game, were the real deal.

The ball boy previously unloaded the shoes and was not the consignor.

The whopping sale price, despite it being shocking, wasn't necessarily a surprise. Experts predicted the kicks would bring in between $2 and $4 MILLION.

The record-setting sale comes just days after the movie "Air," starring Ben Affleck as Nike founder Phil Knight, and Matt Damon, portraying talent scout Sonny Vaccaro, hit theatres. The film tells the story of MJ's signing with the Swoosh.

Michael's original deal with Nike was worth around $2.5 million ... and 39 years later, a single pair of Jordan's sold for nearly the entire value of his OG deal.

It seems like everything is good between Kyle Anderson and Rudy Gobert ... 'cause the two Minnesota Timberwolves teammates "hashed it out" after their on-court altercation on Sunday.

Anderson -- who signed with the Wolves last July -- told reporters on Tuesday that he spoke with Gobert right after the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year punched him during a timeout in their matchup against the Pelicans.

"We definitely hashed it out," the 29-year-old said. "That happens all the time in sports."

"I feel like people are acting like they've never seen it before. We're grown men. We're able to put it behind us."

Anderson continued ... saying he doesn't want the incident to be blown out of proportion.

"We're teammates at the end of the day. I don't want it to be a Kyle vs. Rudy thing. That's never the case. I always got my teammates' back, and we moved on."

Despite them making peace, the 7'1" center received a crucial one-game suspension from the Wolves and will miss the play-in tournament game against the Lakers on Tuesday.

This is a big blow for Minnesota as Gobert is their star player ... and averages 13.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels is also out after fracturing his hand from punching the wall in Sunday's game.

Brittney Griner is ready to open up about her harrowing time spent in captivity inside a Russian penal colony.

The 32-year-old, 8x WNBA All-Star has inked a deal with publisher Alfred A. Knopf to write a still-untitled memoir which they say will take a deep dive into Griner's nearly one-year stay in a Moscow-area penal colony.

"For the first time Griner recounts the tumultuous events of 2022 that both reshaped her life and captured the world’s attention: Griner’s arrest at the Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow on February 17, followed by her detention, trial, and imprisonment in Russia," Knopf says about the book, slated to be released mid-next year.

Of course, Griner, arrested and charged for bringing vape cartridges into the country, was ultimately found guilty on the drug charge, and sentenced to 9 years behind bars. But, after months of negotiation, the U.S. agreed to a prisoner exchange, sending back notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout for BG's release.

Knopf, publisher behind Andre Agassi's bio, Open, says Griner will discuss everything from being arrested to going on trial "in vivid detail." She will also write about her "surreal time living in a foreign prison and the terrifying aspects of day-to-day life in a women’s penal colony."

“I arrived in Moscow to rejoin the UMMC Ekaterinburg basketball team and was immediately detained at the airport. That day was the beginning of an unfathomable period in my life which only now am I ready to share,” Griner says of the project.

Brittney continued ... “After an incredibly challenging 10 months in detainment, I am grateful to have been rescued and to be home. Readers will hear my story and understand why I’m so thankful for the outpouring of support from people across the world."

In addition to the memoir, which will mark the first time Griner has talked about her harrowing experience in-depth, there will be a companion children's book released in the future.

Things appear to be smooth sailing for Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan -- the couple couldn't get enough of each other while aboard a boat in Miami this week ... and we got the pics!!

Larsa and MJ were spotted cruising on a massive yacht and socializing with a handful of friends ... but made sure to get some private time during the outing -- which, naturally, involved a lot of PDA.

The couple cozied up on a sofa as they shared a few smooches and had a passionate chat ... proving their love for each other is still going strong after several months.

Pippen and Jordan have ramped up their relationship after deciding to go public late last year ... and seem to be damn near inseparable at this point.

In fact, the two can't stop raving about each other on social media ... with Larsa posting a tribute to Marcus on Monday, saying "To the moon and back."

The Cavinder twins' days on a college hardwood are over ... Haley and Hanna revealed Monday they're forgoing their fifth years of NCAA eligibility -- and will pursue "a new chapter" in their lives.

The two -- who have amassed millions of followers on their social media accounts since transferring to the Univ. of Miami this past offseason -- made the announcement in an emotional statement on Instagram.

They thanked their Canes teammates and the university -- particularly for the way they were accepted after they came in from Fresno State in 2022 -- but said simply they're looking forward to life after basketball.

The move is surprising -- considering the two had helped The U make it to the Elite 8 of the women's NCAA tournament this year ... and appeared to have a great shot of repeating the feat in 2024 if they came back for their last year of eligibility.

But, of course, the twins have all kinds of options now at their feet with basketball over.

The women are social media darlings -- making fun videos of them dancing and lip-synching that fans have loved. They're also budding fitness gurus.

And, they've been considered potential candidates to join the WWE, too.

Neither girl expounded on what is exactly next for them in their announcement Monday -- choosing only to say goodbye to the sport they've loved for nearly two decades.

Zia Cooke was brought to tears after the Los Angeles Sparks selected her with the 10th overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft on Monday night ... but get this, the moment got even more emotional for her -- 'cause she later got a shout-out from Magic Johnson!

The sweet scene all went down at Spring Studios New York in Manhattan after the former South Carolina point guard -- who averaged 15.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game last season -- walked on the stage following the Sparks' selection.

You can see in video of the draft's broadcast, she broke down in tears ... before saying, "It means the most."

"I put in a lot of work since I was 6 years old," she added while crying. "I put my life into this."

The Ohio native also spoke of her father ... saying he's been supportive since day one, always making sure her dreams would come true.

During the broadcast, Cooke's dad could also be seen watching his daughter give her emotional speech with pride.

"My dad, being here for me since I was a kid," Cooke said, "this is something I dreamed of and I'm finally here. It's crazy."

Cooke's father wasn't the only one supporting her at the draft ... her coach, Dawn Staley, was in the crowd showin' love -- and then L.A. legend Magic Johnson took to Twitter to praise her too!

"I’m excited that we are bringing a winner, dynamic guard that plays both ends of the court, and a player with a high basketball IQ to the @LASparks, South Carolina’s Zia Cooke!" Johnson tweeted.

"Welcome to LA @zia_cooke!"

There were other cool moments from the 2023 draft ... Aliyah Boston -- the No. 1 overall pick -- had reporters take photos of her with her cellphone, while Haley Jones, who was selected by the Atlanta Dream, went old school and brought out a camcorder to the draft.

Of course, the female athletes came in their best drip -- Seattle Storm first-round pick Jordan Horston pulled up in a full Louis Vuitton fit, while South Carolina's Breanna Beal, who dates NFL star Jaycee Horn, was vibrant with a hot pink, two-piece suit.

LSU star and NCAA champ Alexis Morris also turned heads ... looking flawless in an elegant black blazer and slacks.

Game recognizes game -- and that's why Kevin Durant spent his Monday night showing serious love for fellow Phoenix sports star Corbin Carroll ... by rocking the phenom's jersey at the Arizona Diamondbacks game!!

The Suns superstar was present for the D-Backs' 3-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Chase Field ... just a few days before his own team's big series against the L.A. Clippers.

Durant had one of the best seats in the house ... and he's seemingly embracing his new home after being traded from the Brooklyn Nets earlier this season -- donning Carroll's No. 7 jersey for the matchup.

Carroll -- a 22-year-old stud selected in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft -- seemed to appreciate Durant wearing his jersey to the game ... and acknowledged to reporters after the game that he saw KD and thought it was cool to see.

Carroll -- who grew up in Seattle -- said it was a full-circle moment for him ... as he grew up watching KD play for the SuperSonics before the franchise moved to Oklahoma City.

Durant has been fitting right in with his new surroundings -- the two-time NBA champ also met up with Phoenix Mercury superstar Brittney Griner in March.

The Suns are favored to win their first-round series against Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers ... but Russell Westbrook will look to exact revenge on his former OKC teammate.

Bradley Beal is finally opening up about the confrontation he had with a fan that's landed him in the crosshairs of a police investigation ... saying he believes the heckles over gambling bets have stepped over the line for him.

The NBA star didn't get into too many specifics about the March 21 altercation ... but he did speak generally about the incident during his season-ending interview with media members in Washington on Monday afternoon.

You'll recall, cops began investigating Beal after a fan inside a tunnel at the Amway Center in Orlando ripped the shooting guard over a lost wager following the Wizards' 122-112 loss to the Magic.

"You f***ed me [out of] $1,300," the fan screamed, "you f***!"

Beal then turned to the man and the rest of his group -- and knocked a hat off one of the guys' heads in response. The man later told police Beal had struck him in the head when he swatted the cap. Cops took a report for battery and began investigating.

Beal said Monday that while he understands the frustration of losing money -- he told reporters, "I go to casinos" -- he added that he doesn't want to be chirped over it all.

"I gamble, I understand that," he said. "But, I also understand it's probably a 99 percent chance I'm going to lose."

"I'm not sitting here about to get angry at the dealer or angry at everybody else."

Beal also said, "Nobody wants to lose money. I get it. If you keep it about sports, I'm all for it. But, I think it's when people start getting personal, talking about your family, talking about your character, your integrity towards the game. I think all of that, we can save it. We can really keep those comments to ourselves."

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be without their star center when they face off against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA's play-in tournament game on Tuesday ... 'cause the team just suspended Rudy Gobert one game for punching his teammate.

Gobert -- who swung at Kyle Anderson during a timeout in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans -- will rejoin his teammates for the remainder of the Wolves' play-in tournament run and beyond.

It's a big blow to Minnesota -- the Wolves gave up four first-round picks for the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 ... and will be tasked with trying to upset a hot Lakers team that has seemingly figured things out just in time for the postseason.

Gobert was sent home from Sunday's game ... and apologized for his actions shortly after.

"Emotions got the best of me today," Gobert said. "I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the organization and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that i truly love and respect as a teammate."

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Wolves believe Gobert's punch was not intended to hurt his teammate ... but considering he struck Anderson in the chest, they were left with no other choice.

The report also says the whole thing started after Anderson called Gobert a "bitch" repeatedly.

Rudy Gobert hit the showers early on Sunday ... the Timberwolves big man was sent home after throwing a punch at his teammate, Kyle Anderson, during Minnesota's game against the Pelicans.

Gobert threw the punch during a time-out late in the second quarter when the Wolves were down by 12. Minnesota officials announced after haltime Gobert would miss the remainder of the game against the Pelicans following the heated exchange.

Gobert and Anderson had been jawing back and forth at each other during a team huddle ... when Rudy stepped toward Kyle and punched him in the chest.

Anderson went after Gobert after the punch was thrown ... but his teammates held him back before the situation escalated.

It's unclear if Gobert will face any discipline ... but if the T-wolves or the NBA decide to reprimand the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, it could have huge implications for them in the play-in tournament.

If NBA players are tryna get their hands on some top-notch cannabis -- after the league announced they won't be penalized for marijuana use -- then they need to hit up Mike Tyson who tells TMZ Sports he's got the best product in the world!

The NBA announced this month that they're going to remove weed from their drug tests and allow players to use marijuana under a new labor agreement.

The boxing legend -- who also runs a cannabis business called Tyson 2.0 -- loves the idea and told us NBA players should hit him up and cop some of his product.

"I would prefer [NBA players] to use my product," the 56-year-old said on Wednesday. "My product is the best product in the world."

"I'm not tooting my own horn -- it just is. Look at the write-ups from people that have tried it."

Tyson even has a couple of recommendations, including his favorite weed that he smokes on his 'Hotboxin'' podcast regularly ... Sour Diesel!

"If you want to go down and do some indica, you do some OG Kush. If you wanna stay up and enjoy the world, you do the stuff I always smoke, Sour Diesel. It keeps me thinking."

Tyson knows his stuff when it comes to good cannabis ... his brand is in 12 countries, the Mike Bites ear-shaped cannabis-infused gummies are sellin' like crazy and he just opened up the first Coffeeshop TYSON 2.0 in Amsterdam with his friend and CEO Adam Wilks.

"It's a real full Tyson 2.0 experience," Wilks said about the new café.

"You can buy cannabis, baked goods, ear-shaped cookies, and brownies, you can buy pre-rolled joints ... all different Tyson 2.0 cannabis products that you can experience in-house at our café."

What about the NBA and Tyson 2.0 partnering up since the adjusted drug tests??? Well, Wilks tells us there are some "open discussions to be had."