Basketball

The star of "Juwanna Mann," Miguel A. Núñez Jr., tells TMZ Sports a sequel to the 2002 hit basketball movie is in the works ... and NBA superstar Draymond Green has been asking for a role in it!!!

Miguel talked all about the new project out at LAX earlier this week ... promising the movie is, in fact, actually happening.

He said while he can't give away specific details of the new plot, they've already got some great ideas in mind for it.

"It will be coming," Núñez Jr. insisted.

The first movie was a smash hit -- you'll recall, it features Miguel playing a character named Jamal Jeffries, a star basketball player who decides to dress up as a woman and play for a women's pro league after he's suspended from a men's team.

The flick was adored by hoops fans ... especially since it boasted guest appearances from a ton of NBA players including Muggsy Bogues, Vlade Divac, Dikembe Mutombo, and Rasheed Wallace.

Núñez Jr. said he wasn't sure who all would be in the new feature ... but he did tell us Green definitely wants in somehow.

"I talked to him," Núñez Jr. said of the Warriors star. "He wants to be in it as well!"

No word yet when it will all officially hit the silver screen ... but Núñez Jr. did at least give us one detail on the planned feature -- saying his Jeffries character would likely be in the reboot in some capacity.

Amid rumors of health issues that keep him confined to his home, Jack Nicholson made his joyous return to the public eye Friday night, attending an LA Lakers playoff game.

The 3-time Oscar-winning actor got a hero's welcome of sorts as he sat with his son, Ray, courtside to watch the Lakers trounce the Memphis Grizzles -- 125 to 85 -- at Crypto.Com Arena in LA.

Several celebs approached Jack to welcome him back to one of his favorite pastimes -- cheering on the Lakers live from the arena's floor.

"Curb your Enthusiasm" star Larry David came over to greet Jack before the start of the first-round playoff game.

Lakers legend LeBron James took some time out of his warm-up to chat with Jack and give him a hug.

Tee, the father of Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, posed for photos with Jack, who gave a thumbs-up to the lensman.

A journalist also got into the mix, telling Jack, "Welcome back."

It was the first time anyone had seen Jack at a Lakers game since Oct. 2021. Stories began to surface in the tabloids that Jack had become a recluse due to mounting health concerns.

But, there was no hint of Jack's rumored demise last night. He appeared to be in great spirits, sporting his customary black shades and flashing his famous Cheshire grin.

Kevin Durant is gonna "do it" for the rest of his life -- the NBA superstar just signed a contract with Nike that will keep him with the shoe giant until he takes his last breath.

The two sides announced the massive news on Friday ... saying they're both thrilled to be attached at the hip for decades to come.

"When I first signed with Nike, I couldn’t have dreamed of how far we’d go in this partnership," KD said, via Boardroom.

"We’ve done amazing work creatively and philanthropically. We’ve traveled the world together and built a business that will now last forever. I’m excited for the future and honored to be in rare company with this deal."

The 34-year-old NBA champion first teamed up with the Swoosh as a rookie in 2007 ... and has released 15 signature shoes over the course of his career.

KD's contract is super rare, but not unheard of -- the only other athletes to get the honor are Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

Not only will the brand continue to release KD shoes and merch, but it will also continue to help with his foundation and initiatives to expand the game of basketball to communities throughout the world.

The Celtics' closeout win over the Hawks on Thursday was apparently bittersweet for Jayson Tatum ... who admitted after the game he was kinda pissed it ultimately forced Janet Jackson to postpone one of her concerts.

Just after Boston took down Trae Young's squad in Game 6 of the Celts' playoff series with Atlanta, Tatum got on the courtside microphone ... and said he was sorry to Jackson.

If you're unfamiliar, because Boston didn't beat the Hawks in Game 5 ... the two teams had to return to State Farm Arena on the same night Jackson was supposed to perform as part of her "Together Again" tour. The decision was made to move her show to Friday night so the NBA playoff game could be played.

Tatum was clearly bothered by it all ... because after he helped the C's to a 128-120 win -- he told NBA on TNT, "I want to say an apology to the legend Janet Jackson."

"We were supposed to close out in Boston and she had to postpone her show. I hope she sees this. I apologize for that."

No word yet from Jackson on the matter ... but we're sure she appreciates the shoutout nonetheless.

As for where Tatum goes from here ... Boston's next series against the Sixers will begin on Monday -- leaving him plenty of time to potentially catch one of Jackson's three shows this weekend.

James Harden didn't exactly use at least one of his days off between NBA playoff series for relaxation ... TMZ Sports has learned the 76ers star was involved in a dispute with a man outside of a Las Vegas hotel and casino earlier this week.

According to video we obtained, Harden was at an entrance to the Flamingo on the Strip at around 1:25 AM on Monday -- just two days after Philadelphia won its opening-round playoff series over the Nets in Brooklyn -- when he got into an argument.

The footage shows the Sixers point guard yelled at the man ... before he tapped the guy's chest and smacked his face.

Our sources tell us the man in the video is a member of Harden's crew ... and after the exchange, the two went about their night as if nothing happened.

It's unclear what all kick-started the confrontation -- but witnesses told us once Harden noticed people were watching nearby ... the basketball player and the man he was quarreling with headed inside of the building together.

A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. spokesperson tells us officers were not called to the scene ... saying on Wednesday, "We have had no incidents involving James Harden reported to the LVMPD."

Lamar Odom is reaching out his hand to Bam Margera in the midst of all his substance abuse and legal problems, saying he's more than happy to help, free of charge, if the reality star allows it.

We caught up with the former NBA star in Manhattan Beach, CA and he offered some advice for the former "Jackass" star ... hours after Bam turned himself in to PA cops for allegedly assaulting his brother.

Lamar says, his first piece of advice is for Bam to lean into religion -- if it's something in his life -- to help him during his troubles. LO also personally invited BM to one of the 3 wellness centers he co-owns and operates, called Odom Wellness Treatment Centers, to address substance and drug abuse problems ... reminding us, he's been through it too.

As we reported, Bam surrendered Thursday to face charges in Pennsylvania for allegedly attacking his brother, Jess, last weekend. Cops say he threatened to put a bullet in Jess' head before going on the run. Bam denies that's how the story unfolded.

Regardless, he's been dealing with a ton of issues lately -- most of them seemingly tied to his addiction and mental health issues.

As we reported, the 2-time NBA champ acquired 3 rehab centers in Southern California and is now on a mission to help others in need. You'll recall, LO overdosed at a Nevada brothel in 2015 and suffered kidney failure, heart attacks, and several strokes ... but he's been able to turn his life around.

Lamar says he's welcoming Bam with open arms if, and only if, he wants the help. He left off with a simple message to BM ... "I love him and just stay strong."

Anthony Edwards' attorney is livid that prosecutors elected to hit the NBA superstar with assault charges this week ... saying the counts against his client are "baseless."

Harvey Steinberg, Edwards' rep, released a scathing statement on the matter on Thursday afternoon ... a day after the Timberwolves' guard was cited for tossing around a folding chair in the aftermath of Minnesota's loss to the Nuggets in Denver.

"With the game over," Steinberg said, "Anthony's exit from the court was partially obstructed by a chair, which he moved and set down three steps later."

"As video of the incident confirms, Anthony did not swing the chair at anyone and of course did not intend to hurt anyone."

The attorney added, "Anthony intends to vigorously defend against these baseless charges."

According to the Denver Police Dept., when Edwards picked up the chair and spun it in his arms, he struck two women with it. Cops say both suffered injuries.

WNBA superstar Brittney Griner was holding back tears as she met with media for the first time since her release from Russian prison ... giving a heartfelt interview as she reflected on her time behind bars.

The 32-year-old Phoenix Mercury center got behind the mic just minutes ago ... and her emotions got the best of her as she detailed her 10-month stay in a penal colony on drug-related charges.

Griner also acknowledged the massive crowd of reporters ... saying she hopes the league gets the same amount of coverage as her story did last year.

The WNBA champion said she would much rather go through the most grueling practices than ever go back to what she experienced in Russia -- and vowed to never play overseas again, unless it's for Team USA.

Griner also cracked several jokes as she responded to reporters ... referring to her teammate, Diana Taurasi, as a "walking fossil" and pointing out how she dunked on her wife when she first touched a basketball when she returned to the States.

As for her WNBA career, Griner said getting back on the court was never in question ... explaining she knows she can always bet on herself and her abilities.

"F*** Miami!!! F*** Miami!!!"

New York Knicks fans celebrated like they won the NBA Finals after their beloved team advanced to the second round of the playoffs on Wednesday ... and they made it clear how they felt about their next opponent as they partied in the streets.

The Knicks made it to the semifinals after beating Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers to complete their first-round series in five games ... and their loyal fan base let their emotions loose right near Madison Square Garden.

The whole bash was caught on video ... and you can see a ton of fans in orange and blue jumping up and down shortly after the final buzzer rang.

The hyped-up crowd chanted many things, including "F*** Miami" ... and even Trae Young, a longtime nemesis of the Knicks fandom, caught a few strays.

Fans even booed a Heat supporter, who happened to be in the crowd wearing a Jimmy Butler jersey ... and former Knicks president Phil Jackson also got thrown into the chants as folks reminisced over his bad tenure with the team.

People even treated the victory like Warped Tour ... as one fan jumped on top of Knicks fans and started crowd surfing.

The fans have every reason to celebrate -- it's the first time in 10 years the Knicks made it to the second round ... and there's a bit of history between NY and Miami going back to the '90s.

LeBron James tried to summon some "Ted Lasso" magic to give the Lakers a boost in their playoff game Wednesday night by rockin' some show-themed gear -- but even with the power of AFC Richmond on his side ... the King and his squad still fell short in Memphis.

The L.A. superstar sported a blue hoodie with Lasso's fictional soccer team's logo on it as he entered the FedExForum in Tennessee ... clearly hoping it would help draw some good vibes for his team in their closeout game with the Grizzlies.

As you probably know by now ... the Apple TV+ show is all about how Lasso, an American football coach played by Jason Sudeikis, inspires a ragtag soccer team in Europe to improbably win games against all odds.

While James' team wasn't exactly underdogs in the playoff contest with Ja Morant and the Grizz -- the message to L.A. was still loud and clear.

But, the pregame 'fit didn't bring much luck to the Lakers ... they were kicked around for most of the night -- and ended up losing, 116-99. To make matters worse for James, he didn't play his best, scoring just 15 points.

Of course, L.A. will still have two more opportunities to put the Grizzlies away -- Game 6 will go down on Friday ... and if a Game 7 is necessary, it'll happen on Sunday.

Dwyane Wade, dad to a transgender daughter, says he's no longer living in Florida despite being a legend in the state, thanks to what he believes are restrictive policies infringing on the rights of LGBTQ residents.

The 41-year-old Basketball Hall of Famer recently sat down with Rachel Nichols for her show 'Headliners' when he revealed he is no longer a resident of the Sunshine State.

"That's another reason why I don't live in [Florida]. A lot of people don't know that," D-Wade responded when Nichols asked what message he'd send to state legislators.

The 3x NBA champ continued ... "I have to make decisions for my family, not just personal, individual decisions."

Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, and many state-level lawmakers have passed controversial legislation, including the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, amongst other laws, and Wade flat out says his family wouldn't be comfortable.

"You know, obviously, the taxes is great. Having Wade County is great. But my family would not be accepted or feel comfortable there. And, so that's one of the reasons why I don't live there," Dwyane told Nichols.

Of course, Dwyane's 15-year-old daughter Zaya came out as transgender in 2020. She's since legally changed her name and gender. Wade has been very outspoken in his support of his daughter.

The Wades aren't alone in leaving the state. Despite an influx of people moving to places like Florida, Texas, and Tennessee in the last few years, many have already left those areas.

Wade ultimately played 15 seasons in Miami, delivering three NBA championships to South Florida. Now he's gone.

Anthony Edwards has been cited for assault, TMZ Sports has confirmed ... after the NBA superstar swung a chair in frustration following the Timberwolves' loss on Tuesday night.

The incident happened just after Minnesota dropped its playoff series to the Nuggets in Denver ... when Edwards was running off the floor, ticked off over the 112-109 defeat that sent the Wolves into their offseason.

Video shows as the 21-year-old was on his way into the locker room, he grabbed a folding chair and swung it around. He ultimately dropped it ... before he continued on his way to Minnesota's dressing area.

But according to the Denver Police Department, two women who were working the game at Ball Arena claim they were struck by the chair as Edwards spun it in his arms. Cops say they suffered injuries during the incident.

According to police documents, Edwards was cited for misdemeanor third-degree assault -- knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury.

If convicted, Edwards faces up to 18 months in jail and/or fines totaling $1,000.

He's due in court for a hearing on the matter in June.

The Wolves said in a statement Wednesday evening they were aware of the citation and "are in the process of gathering more information. We have no further comment at this moment."

Boston Celtics exec Heather Walker -- who had worked for the NBA org. for nearly two decades -- has tragically died after a battle with brain cancer, her friends and family announced Wednesday.

She was 52 years old.

In a statement that Walker's loved ones posted on her Move 4 Heather Facebook page, they wrote that Walker "isn't fighting anymore and can finally rest."

"She is with so many who have gone before her that I'm sure she was welcomed with open arms," they added.

Heather, who joined the Celtics org. in 2006 and later became the team's vice president of public relations, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma in 2021.

While she continued to work for the Celtics, she was a huge advocate for brain cancer research, and eventually started the Heather Walker Fund for Glioblastoma Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where she had been receiving treatment.

The Celtics called the news of her passing Wednesday devastating.

"We will miss her for her energy, the joy, and laughter that followed her everywhere she went," the team said in a statement, "and we are grateful for everything she provided her Celtics family and the countless people that she positively impacted along the way."

They added, "She will remain part of our fabric for as long as the Celtics go on."

Janet Jackson's schedule is wide open after her Atlanta concert got pushed back in favor of the Hawks' playoff game ... and Trae Young wants her to kill time by watching his team fight to stay alive against the Celtics!!

The legendary singer was slated to perform at the State Farm Arena as part of her "Together Again" tour on Thursday ... but the venue was accidentally double-booked along with Game 6 of the Hawks vs. Cs series, perhaps because many believed Boston would have handled business by now.

The final decision -- Jackson's concert was pushed back a day to Friday, and the Hawks will take on Jayson Tatum and the Celtics as planned on Thursday.

"All tickets for Thursday night's show will be honored for Friday night," Live Nation said of the Janet concert. "Refunds will be available at point of purchase for those who are unable to attend."

Young -- who forced Game 6 after an insane game-winning shot on Tuesday -- has little-to-no sympathy for the concert delay ... but the 24-year-old sees this as an opportunity for Ms. Jackson to come through.

"Sorry not sorry to this LEGEND," the 2-time All-Star tweeted. "Hope she can be at the game now!"

FYI, Thursday's game is a must-win for the Hawks if they want to keep their season alive and force a Game 7. The winner of the series will head to the semifinals against the Sixers.

President Biden was played by Vladimir Putin ... according to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul, who says the Russian president agreed to send Paul Whelan home with Brittney Griner but changed the deal during the exchange.

Despite reneging on the agreed-upon swap, McCaul says the U.S. went through with the trade, sending back notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, knowns as "the merchant of death."

"The deal was originally when the arms dealer from Russia was released that it was supposed to be Griner, the athlete, and Paul Whelan," Rep. McCaul revealed this week during an appearance on CNN.

The Congressman from Texas' 10th district continued ... "When they got to the point of the handoff, they call it, the Russians only showed up with one of the hostages, and that was Griner. And unfortunately, the Marine, Paul Whelan, was left behind."

Rep. McCaul believes the Russian president "played" JB's administration.

"Very tricky on Putin's part, and in my view, the Biden administration got played by releasing a very dangerous arms dealer for just one hostage, and not both."

Of course, 53-year-old Whelan, a retired U.S. Marine, has been locked up in Russia since December 2018. Shortly after his arrest, he was convicted on an espionage charge, and sentenced to 16 years in prison. The U.S. has always maintained the charges are BS.

As for the details of the negotiations, McCaul is likely in a position to know about the inner workings of the months-long, high-level discussions ... he chairs the powerful Foreign Affairs Committee. He also previously sat on the House Homeland Security Committee.

Shakur Stevenson says Ryan Garcia wasn't on "Tank" Davis' level Saturday night ... but he knows someone who is -- Shakur himself‍!

The 25-year-old undefeated boxer, one of the most talented fighters in the world, joined Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) where he broke down this weekend's megafight ... and previewed a potential scrap with Gervonta.

"I felt Tank looked sharp. He was real sharp. He boxed real good. I think Ryan was preschool. Ryan wasn't on that top level," the 20-0 fighter said.

"I ain't think Ryan was that good. I ain't taking no credit away from Tank. Tank did what he was supposed to do but Ryan wasn't that."

Where'd Garcia go wrong?

Shakur explained it like this ... "He ain't know his distance. He was looking for one left hook the whole entire fight. He threw a left hook three times in a row and got clipped. Anybody knows that when you're fighting Tank, you can't do something three times in a row because his brain is like a computer. He picks up on it."

Of course, Davis beat Garcia by 7th-round knockout ... delivering a crushing liver shot to Ryan's body, ending a fight years in the making.

We also talked to Shakur about the KO, and people criticizing Garcia for not getting up before the 10-count (Stevenson says the critique isn't fair).

After the fight, the chatter started ... the real fight to make, and the guy who poses a true threat to Tank, is Stevenson, who is coming off a TKO win in April.

The good news is Shakur says he really wants the fight ... and soon.

"I would love that fight. I think that's the biggest and best fight in the sport of boxing."

Stevenson believes Tank, like him, is an all-time fighter ... and he used a sports analogy to put the matchup into perspective.

"You got like a Michael Jordan that came around in his era. Then you got a LeBron that came around in his era but they wasn't in the same era so we never got to see them go against each other."

Stevenson summed up the future Stevenson vs. Garcia fight like this.

"With me and Tank, you got two special fighters that been special our whole careers and our whole lives. When it comes down to it, it's going to be the biggest and best fight in boxing."