Basketball

LeBron James' team may have been eliminated this week, but he still has something to celebrate ... his son Bronny is now a graduate of Sierra Canyon School.

LeBron and his wife Savannah James, along with Bronny's grandma Gloria, were front and center on Thursday at the graduation ceremony.

As we reported, Bronny has tapped USC for his next move. The high school basketball star clearly has his sights set on following in his dad's very large footsteps -- as in joining the NBA.

The proud papa posted, "Continue to fly high,” with a crown emoji.

As for LeBron ... he seemed to leave the retirement option open but most people think he's just signaling to the Lakers .... get better players.

Lamar Odom is adding another assist to his stat line -- the ex-NBA star is stepping up to help a local rehab center that fell on hard times recently ... by raising money to keep it from closing its doors forever.

TMZ Sports is told ... Lamar's recent decision to acquire three California treatment centers has garnered the attention of several facilities in serious need of assistance after being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We're told Lamar met with the family-owned Wavelengths Recovery out of Huntington Beach back in April ... and he felt compelled to partner with the center to help keep its lights on for good.

To get the ball rolling, Lamar has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for food, payroll, renovations and more ... and plans to hold a silent auction, with all profits going toward Wavelengths.

As we previously reported, the 2-time NBA champion recently launched the Odom Wellness Treatment Centers to fight substance abuse ... a cause he has vowed to fight for following his near-fatal overdose in 2015.

Odom previously invested in facilities in San Diego, El Cajon and Lemon Grove ... and he's determined to help save as many lives as possible.

In fact, he even offered his services to "Jackass" star Bam Margera back in April ... although it's unclear if the two were able to connect.

Glen "Big Baby" Davis isn't ready to give up on first-year head coach Joe Mazzulla just yet ... telling TMZ Sports if the Celtics are able to come back and beat the Heat and advance to the NBA Finals, he deserves to keep his job.

We got Davis out at LAX just hours before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals tips off at the TD Garden in Boston ... and the NBA champ said Mazzulla's future with the team is contingent upon whether or not he can rally Boston from down 3-1 to beat Miami in the ECF.

"If you pull this off, you get to stay," Davis said. "If you don't, you're outta there buddy."

FYI -- no team has EVER been able to come back from trailing three games in NBA playoff history ... but after winning Game 4 on Tuesday, the Celtics are hanging on by a thread.

Davis also weighed in on why the Celtics have been inconsistent this season ... and he's pointing the finger at former head coach Ime Udoka, who was suspended by the team following an infidelity scandal last year.

"It f***ed the whole team up," Glen said. "They just had to go get another coach. It kind of f***ed 'em up a little bit."

Udoka, who was engaged to Nia Long, was suspended by the Celtics for the entire 2022-23 season ... even after the first-year head coach led the Cs to the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Although Udoka is no longer with the team, Davis still views the 2-seeded Cs as a good team ... but said Boston's dynamic duo of Jayston Tatum and Jaylen Brown needs to play better.

"Jayson Tatum. Jaylen Brown. They better get that s*** in order, got dammit -- at least a good fight," Davis said. "We can come back. I truly believe. Miami hasn't been good all year. They haven't been consistent. They're playing well right now. We just gotta get on the same level."

Nike might not be distancing itself from Ja Morant over his recent gun-flashing incident after all -- the shoe giant just released his latest signature sneaker on Thursday ... and it sold out in minutes.

The scheduled Ja 1 "Hunger" colorway drop was seemingly up in the air after Nike erased all his shoes off its site last week ... which led to speculation about whether the brand was potentially going to suspend the sale -- or even its relationship with the All-Star guard altogether -- due to his off-court issues.

Luckily for sneakerheads, the kicks still dropped on Nike's SNKRS app ... and quick-acting fans were able to purchase them for $110 before they sold out, as reports claim there was an incredibly small supply.

Despite all the controversy, the shoes were clearly a hot commodity ... with a ton of people going to Twitter to express their frustrations over missing out on the drop.

In fact, one fan tweeted a photo claiming their size was sold out within three seconds of launching on the app.

Of course, hopeful buyers can always go to reseller sites like GOAT and StockX ... but they'll end up paying a bit more than the retail price. Right now, the shoes are selling for around $200.

Nike has been radio silent following Ja's second video ... which is a stark contrast from the Swoosh's statement in support of its athlete following his initial incident in March.

Ja signed a multi-year deal with Nike in 2019 ... and was introduced as its first Gen Z signature athlete.

Houston Rockets star Jalen Green wants his fans to know he's no Ja Morant ... assuring his followers he didn't have a gun as he vibed out to NBA YoungBoy on Instagram Live on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old guard was riding in his car and listening to the rapper's "Bitch Let's Do It" as thousands of fans tuned in ... and given the eerie similarities to Ja's most recent gun-flashing video, plenty of users begged Green to not pull out a weapon.

"Don't flash no gun," one follower said ... as another added, "Don't pull a Ja and pull the gun out."

Jalen noticed the comments and laughed ... before putting all concern to rest by letting everyone know he wasn't strapped.

"Everybody's commenting, 'Don't pull no pistol out,'" Green told a passenger in the car. "They wildin', my n****, man."

"I don't got no gun."

The clip comes as Ja faces serious backlash for his second gun-related video in three months ... which has resulted in a suspension from all Grizzlies activities and an NBA investigation.

Hours before Green's live stream, Morant posted a cryptic message on his Instagram ... which had fans concerned over his well-being and led to cops making a welfare check on the All-Star.

Kyrie Irving sneakers could return to a store near you soon ... 'cause the NBA superstar just teased a new deal is on the horizon after his fallout with Nike.

The 8-time All-Star revealed it might not be long before fans can get their hands on some new Kyrie kicks ... discussing the matter during an Instagram Live session on Wednesday afternoon.

"I'm really excited," the 31-year-old said. "I will be signing my new shoe deal very, very soon. I'm 'bout to blow this stuff out the water. I'm so excited about it."

Is it SIA Collective? Musiq Soulchild did tell us he heard Kyrie was talking to the new shoe company last December ... but Irving mentioned no names during the stream.

Uncle Drew was with Nike dating back to 2011, but the Swoosh cut ties with the hoop star after his controversial tweet sharing an antisemitic film in 2022.

The point guard -- who last played for the Dallas Mavericks -- also said to be on the lookout for his free agency decision ... and urged fans not to listen to analysts, TV personalities, or sports influencers who claim they know his next move.

"I'm a free agent this summer, but I am in no rush to make a decision," Irving said.

"When they speak on my name and they're talking about potential teams that I'm going to, can y'all please, respectfully, I'm asking, please stop paying attention to that."

Of course, many speculate Irving could join his old teammate LeBron James in Los Angeles, especially after the guard was spotted sitting courtside at a recent Lakers playoff game.

Despite the rumors, Irving swore up and down no one knows what he's going to do -- just him.

Police tell TMZ Sports officers did a welfare check on Ja Morant following his cryptic social media posts on Wednesday ... and, thankfully, they discovered he is not in any danger.

A spokesperson for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office said cops went to the NBA star's home in Tennessee shortly after Morant shared the concerning messages on his Instagram page ... and they say he told them simply "that he is taking a break from social media."

"He is fine," the spokesperson added.

In Morant's posts, he shared pictures of him with his mom, dad, and daughter ... before writing a caption that said nothing more than "bye." The posts were deleted a short time later.

Of course, given the turmoil that's surrounded him since he was seen brandishing a gun on video for the second time in less than three months ... his fans expressed big worry for the 23-year-old basketball player.

Fortunately, though, seems everything is OK.

Morant has said very little publicly since the second gun video was posted ... releasing just one statement that read, in part, "My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself."

An NBA investigation into the clip remains ongoing.

Ja Morant has fans concerned over a cryptic note shared to his social media account on Wednesday ... after the Memphis Grizzlies star showed love for his family before simply saying, "bye."

The messages were quickly deleted from the All-Star's Instagram page just minutes ago ... but screenshots have been shared all over, which have sparked thoughts and prayers being sent from his supporters.

Ja posted four different Instagram stories ... with tributes to his mom, dad and daughter before sharing the farewell note.

It's unclear if the post is a goodbye to social media or something much more serious ... as there's speculation he could be on hard times following his second gun-flashing video in just a few months.

23-year-old Morant was suspended last weekend after the second video surfaced ... and the NBA is currently investigating the matter. There's belief he could be facing a lengthy punishment from the league.

Commissioner Adam Silver said he was "shocked" by Morant's actions ... and while the league's still looking into the video, he's "expecting the worst."

We've reached out to reps for Morant, as well as local authorities -- so far, no word back.

Derek Jeter's on full-time daddy duty, but that didn't stop him from catching some playoff basketball, pulling up to Game 4 of the Heat vs. Celtics series in Miami with his wife Hannah ... just 18 days after their son was born!

And, HJ looks amazing!

Cameras captured The Captain throughout the evening ... as he chatted with his wife as the Celtics looked to avoid the sweep at the hands of Jimmy Butler's Heat squad.

Of course, DJ and Hannah -- who got married in 2016 -- have been on cloud nine since announcing their son, Kaius Green Jeter, was born on May 5.

The couple now has 4 kids.

Derek and Hannah weren't the only celeb in the building ... PGA Champion Brooks Koepka, actor Jeremy Piven, and Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards were there, too.

Derek's former Yankees teammate, Alex Rodriguez, a minority owner with the T-Wolves, was also at the game.

What's interesting ... no NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit, but it has happened in baseball.

Ear muffs, Yankees fans.

Jeter and A-Rod starred on the infamous 2004 NYY team that blew a 3-0 lead to the Boston Red Sox, the first time in MLB history.

Carmelo Anthony says he's unbothered that he's retiring without an NBA championship on his resume ... 'cause, at the end of the day, he feels he's "won at life" by simply making it to the league!

The 38-year-old forward announced his retirement on Monday after 19 seasons in the NBA, and despite all his accomplishments, including becoming a 10x All-Star and scoring champ, he never won a ring.

Many sports fans and even some media refuse to label a player an all-time great if they haven't won a ring. For years, it's been said about guys like Patrick Ewing and Charles Barkley, because neither earned a chip.

Obviously, if you watched Chuck play, you know he's one of the best players to step foot on a basketball court.

Championships are also used to compare players ... like Michael Jordan (6 titles in 6 appearances) and LeBron James (4 titles in 10 appearances).

"I’m at peace," Melo said to Sports Illustrated after the announcement.

"That doesn’t bother me no more; that idea that you’re a loser if you don’t win a championship."

But, Melo -- who won an NCAA Championship with Syracuse 20 years ago -- said he's been a winner since the day he was selected as the third overall pick in the NBA Draft, making it out of Brooklyn.

“For me, I’ve won. I won back in 2003, the night I shook David Stern’s hand on that [draft] stage," Anthony said. "I made it out of Red Hook. I’ve won at life."

"The ring is the only thing I didn’t get. It would’ve been a great accomplishment, but I don’t regret it, because I feel like I did everything I could to get it."

Melo said he's now focused on his 16-year-old son, Kiyan, who received several offers to play college basketball ... including from Melo's alma mater, Cuse.

In fact, Melo admits Kiyan is the only reason why he signed with the Lakers for the 2021-22 season ... or he would've retired back then.

"I always told him, ’When you get to high school, I’m retiring.’ That was always our thing," Melo said.

"Then [as he started high school] the Lakers called, and he told me, ‘Dad, I’ll be O.K., you should go.’ Even with LeBron there, I wouldn’t have done it without Kiyan pushing me."

"So to be able to spend time with him in the gym, on his work ethic? With school? I can be a father to him every day. It’s perfect timing.”

Kris Jenner was sitting courtside Monday night, supporting Tristan Thompson -- and perhaps bringing the NBA vet some luck -- 'cause not only did TT get a decent amount of burn, but he also scored his first points in weeks!

Unfortunately for fans of the purple and gold, it wasn't enough to keep the brooms at bay ... and the Lakers were swept by the Nuggets.

Jenner showed up to Crypto.com Arena with bae Corey Gamble ... and the two sat front row, along the baseline for the pivotal game.

32-year-old Thompson ultimately played 10 minutes, making 2 of his 4 attempted field goals for 4 points and 1 rebound.

Before game 4, Tristan had only played 1 minute total in the first 3 games.

Jenner's presence is seemingly further proof everything is good on the Thompson-Kardashian-Jenner front. In fact, when Tristan was first signed by the organization, Corey not only attended a game but also partied with TT afterward.

Kim Kardashian has also been to multiple games ... although Tristan didn't play.

Kris wasn't the only celeb in the building last night ... the place was jam-packed with celebs.

Everyone from Vin Diesel, to Floyd Mayweather, Alex Rodriguez, Kyrie Irving and Edward Norton attended the game.

The Nuggets didn't just eliminate the Lakers from the postseason on Monday night -- they may have ended LeBron James' career too ... 'cause the L.A. superstar said after the Game 4 loss he's now seriously considering retirement.

A somber James met with reporters after Denver completed its sweep of the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals ... and after fielding questions for about a dozen minutes, 'Bron made it clear, he might not be back for the 2023-24 season.

"We'll see what happens going forward," James said to a throng of media members following the 113-111 defeat. "I don't know. I don't know. I got a lot to think about, to be honest. I got a lot to think about, to be honest."

While James is 38 years old, no one saw retirement coming this soon ... after all, he's still the Lakers' best player -- and in the series-clinching loss Monday night, he still dropped 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

But, James -- who just wrapped up his 20th year in the NBA -- did battle a foot injury for most of the season ... and L.A. doesn't much room to significantly improve its roster next season due to the team's current salary cap situation.

Plus, James' kids are going through some years of their lives that LeBron certainly wouldn't mind being home for more often than not.

"Just for me personally," he said, "going forward with the game of basketball, I got a lot to think about."

An argument between a parent and a referee at a youth basketball game over the weekend escalated into a wild brawl right on the court ... and the crazy scene was all captured on video.

The fight happened Saturday at the SportONE Parkview Fieldhouse in Fort Wayne, Ind. ... when, as you can see in the footage, a man left his seat in the stands to have a word with a ref in the middle of a game involving little kids.

The two appeared to exchange words for several moments -- before, suddenly, the man threw punches at the game official.

The ref then went for the takedown, shooting, and getting a double leg ... before dumping the parent to the floor.

The fighting didn't stop once they hit the hardwood ... the men continued to go at it, struggling for position. Thankfully, spectators jumped in to break it all up.

Witnesses told WANE 15 the parent was then escorted out of the venue ... and did not return. It's unclear what sparked the initial altercation.

We've reached out to the venue for comment, but so far, no word back.

Carmelo Anthony -- one of the greatest offensive talents in NBA history -- is retiring from professional basketball ... and while he's excited about his future, he's calling the decision a "bittersweet goodbye."

The 10x All-Star shared the news in an Instagram video on Monday ... as he reflected on his basketball career by showing highlights of him playing in high school, college and the pros.

Of course, Anthony played his high school ball at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, then starred for Syracuse University, where he won an NCAA title in 2003.

The Nuggets selected Melo with the third overall pick in the '03 draft, which featured LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, arguably one of the deepest draft classes ever.

Anthony spent eight seasons in Denver, and while he never won a chip with the Nuggets, he did lead Denver to the Western Conference Finals against the Lakers in 2009.

When he was in Denver, Melo's battles against LeBron, Wade and Kobe Bryant endeared him to NBA fans and cemented his legacy as one of the game's best iso scorers.

Carmelo spent the second half of his career in New York with the Knicks, and he won the 2012-13 scoring crown after averaging a league-high 28.7 points per game that season.

Melo, who was voted to the NBA's 75th Anniversary team, was a member of the 2008 U.S. Men's Olympic basketball team, AKA the "Redeem Team," that won a gold medal in Beijing.

Melo scored over 28,000 points in his career, playing for the Nuggets, Knicks, Blazers, Lakers, Thunder and Rockets, and he retires in the top 10 for most points scored all time.

Just because Ja Morant flashed guns on camera while listening to NBA Youngboy and rap music doesn't make it hip hop's fault ... so says Maino, who tells TMZ Sports the blame for Morant's woes is entirely on the Grizzlies superstar -- and no one else.

We got the "All the Above" rapper out in L.A. this week days after Morant was seen yet again on a social media live stream waving around a firearm ... and he told us straight up, Morant needs to get his act together quickly.

He said he was concerned about the people Morant has surrounded himself with ... telling us he's worried they're not advising the basketball player to make smart decisions -- and he suggested Ja bring others into his circle ASAP.

"He gotta have people around him that don't care what he got to say," Maino said.

As for those who believe rap is playing any role in all this ... Maino made it clear, that's just not an excuse he believes Morant can use.

"We know you like the music, you come from a culture, but homie, truth be told, you got way more opportunity than the average person," Maino said. "Don't throw the opportunity away trying to keep up with what's goin' on."

Maino tells us he's speaking from personal experience ... as the Brooklyn native spent time behind bars earlier in his life, before he turned things around.

"I'm the last person to try to condemn somebody for making mistakes because I've made many," he said. "Trust me!"

"He got age on his side," the 49-year-old added. "He got time on his side. I want to see him do way better than that."

Memphis has suspended Morant from team activities indefinitely over the latest video. NBA commissioner Adam Silver, meanwhile, said earlier this week he was disappointed while announcing the league has already commenced an investigation into it all.

Lots of Los Angelenos were disappointed Saturday night with the Lakers getting shellacked ... including a score of celebs who watched ... mostly on the hardwood of course!

Lakers vs. Nuggets Game 3 was a no-contest event, with the Lakers losing by a score of 119 to 108.  Among those who winced as they watched ... Adele, Jake Gyllenhaal, Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy, Robert Pattinson, Andy Garcia, Jimmy Iovine, Flea and Jennifer Hudson.

Jack Nicholson should get his own, separate call out, so here it is ... he was on hand with his son, Ray.

But wait, there's more ... Eddie Murphy was hobnobbing it with entertainment titan Jeffrey Katzenberg.