Basketball

LeBron James and the Lakers will honor Kobe Bryant while hoping to bring home the Larry O'Brien trophy on Friday ... with the team pulling out their "Black Mamba" jerseys for Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

The Kobe-inspired threads have been a good luck charm during the Lakers' quest for their 17th championship -- they're currently 4-0 this postseason while donning the black and gold.

While L.A. was initially planning to wear the BM jerseys for Games 2 and 7, Kobe's wife, Vanessa, revealed the Lakers will rep the legend while trying to close out the series.

"Mamba and Mambacita jerseys approved for game 5," Vanessa said on IG. "Let's go @lakers."

The Lakers -- who dedicated the season to Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, after their tragic deaths in January -- are currently up 3-1 on the Miami Heat ... and many believe they can close it out with a gentleman's sweep on Friday.

If L.A. is able to pull it off, it'll be an incredibly emotional moment for the franchise.

LeBron James laughed his ass off over the housefly that parked itself on Mike Pence's head Wednesday ... saying straight-up he believes it went down 'cause the vice president is "💩"

Bron was locked in on the Kamala Harris-Pence debate while his Lakers enjoyed an off day from the NBA Finals ... and when the L.A. superstar saw the bug land in the VP's hair, he didn't hold back.

"Ya'll know what flies favorite destination is right??!!" LBJ said. "Yup you guessed it."

LeBron added a bunch of crying face and poop emojis ... before finishing it all off with "FOH" -- an abbreviation "f*** outta here."

Of course, Bron has never been shy about his disdain from the current White House administration ... he's gone after Donald Trump on multiple occasions since DT took office in 2016.

Just 3 years ago, LeBron called #45 a "bum" over the president's comments on White House dis-invites for the then-NBA champs Golden State Warriors.

And, recently, he laughed off Trump's anti-NBA comments ... saying nobody in the basketball community would miss him as a fan.

The bubble life couldn't stop the Seattle Storm from getting their party on after winning the WNBA Finals ... with the players raging and boozing all night!!

Breanna Stewart and the gang easily handled the Las Vegas Aces in Game 3 to sweep their way to the team's 4th title Tuesday night ... and immediately got to boozin' and dancin'.

Natasha Howard documented the whole thing ... with the team downing shots and bubbly in a club-like atmosphere inside their bubble at IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL.

There was Chris Brown, Soulja Boy and Megan Thee Stallion blaring ... with Alysha Clark dropping it low while sippin' straight from the bottle!!

It may not have been the REAL kinda rager the ladies were hoping for ... but a title is a title and they partied like champs.

The funniest part is how QUICKLY Breanna wanted to party -- crashing Sue Bird's interview to demand she answer only one more question so they could go get lit.

Congrats to the champions!!

LeBron James is paying tribute to Kobe Bryant before Game 4 of the NBA Finals ... entering the arena with a shirt honoring Mamba's life.

Rockin' his Beats By Dre headphones and a BBZ mask (the letters represent the names of his kids Bronny, Bryce, Zhuri) ... Bron made his way to the court in the NBA bubble at Disney World in Orlando with an image of his friend across his chest.

Below Kobe's picture, read the words, "More Than Ever" and "With Love 1978 - 2020."

LeBron has often talked about Kobe's influence on his life and his career -- and it seems pretty obvious he's trying to channel KB's "Mamba Mentality" for an important Game 4 against the Miami Heat.

Following Kobe's tragic death back in January, LeBron and his Lakers teammate Anthony Davis got Kobe-inspired tattoos on their legs to pay tribute to the NBA legend.

The Lakers are currently leading the playoff series 2 to 1 ... but the Heat looked pretty solid during their Game 3 victory over L.A.

Incredible gesture by Houston Rockets superstar Russell Westbrook ... who showed his thanks to the NBA bubble housekeepers by leaving a fat, $8,000 tip!!!

Remember, most players were stuck in the same hotel room on the Disney World campus for MONTHS ... which means a LOT of stinky socks, clothes and shoes.

The 31-year-old gave mad respect to those doing the dirty work before the Rockets left the bubble ... gifting them the massive tip and leaving his room "virtually spotless," according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.

Brodie confirmed the act to Taylor Rooks, saying, "They took great care of us. Took the time & energy to do their job at a high level. That was the right thing."

The NBA players and coaches have reportedly been extremely kind to all Disney staffers with tips and other kind gestures throughout their time in the NBA bubble ... and this is just one of many instances.

The insults are flying between Mark Cuban and Ted Cruz (again!) -- complete with cuss words and personal attacks -- and it's all over the NBA Finals ratings.

This time, Cruz -- the republican senator from Texas -- kicked things off by tweeting out a headline from Sean Hannity's website that reads, "NBA Finals Game 3 'Least Watched in Recorded Ratings History.'"

The article says the NBA Finals ratings are down 45% from 2019.

Cruz added a comment ... "Not surprising. Personally speaking, this is the first time in years that I haven’t watched a single game in the NBA Finals. #GoWokeGoBroke."

Enter Cuban -- owner of the Dallas Mavericks -- who clapped right back.

"A US Senator with 3 @NBA teams in his state, employing thousands of people and he is rooting for their businesses to do poorly.  This is who you are @tedcruz. Every minute of your life, this is exactly who you are."

Think Cruz was going to let that lie? NO WAY!

"I love @HoustonRockets & have rooted for them my entire life. I happily cheer for the Spurs & Mavericks against any non-TX team.  But @mcuban the NBA is engaged in a concerted effort to (1) insult their fans & (2) turn every game into a left-wing political lecture. That’s dumb."

Cuban did not take kindly to that ... and shot back with an expletive.

"You are so full of sh*t. You haven't watched a game of the finals, how would you know what is being said or done? Since when is a desire to end racism an insult to anyone or political? And you don't think using #GetWokeGoBroke is a partisan insult?  Again, this is who you are."

The spat continued ... with Cruz criticizing Cuban over the NBA's relationship with China.

"I wish @mcuban loved his fans as much as he loves Chinese money."

Cuban again responded -- "Shame on me for putting American Civil Rights and Justice, creating jobs, growing our economy and healthcare reform over twitter proclamations."

Darryl Strawberry wants to personally help former NBA star Delonte West kick drugs ... 'cause the MLB legend knows firsthand how addiction can ruin lives.

The 58-year-old former NY Mets star famously battled alcohol and cocaine addiction -- but he's been sober for over a decade and now dedicates his life to helping others conquer drugs.

So, with 37-year-old West -- who was reportedly using drugs and living on the street -- entering rehab last week with the help of Mark Cuban, we called Strawberry to ask what advice he has for the hooper.

"Delonte West is just like anyone else that probably has some deep-rooted issues that have never been dealt with, ya know? Putting on a basketball uniform and being successful, that just covers up everything that happens to a person."

Strawberry continued ... "It reflects back to when he was probably young somewhere, some kinda trauma, abuse or something affected him and it can leave you crippled and paralyzed. So, no one signs up to be in that situation he is. I didn't sign up to be in that situation."

But, Darryl -- who now runs Strawberry Ministries with his wife, Tracy -- isn't just talking about West's struggles ... he actually wants to work with Delonte.

"I would love to help him."

Strawberry says he doesn't want to interfere with Delonte's current treatment program ... but after he completes rehab, Straw wants West to know he'll be around to help keep on the right back.

"My hopes and thoughts and prayers are with him. Here was a guy that was successful playing in the NBA, and here he is struggling. He's down and out."

"I just want him to know that people like me, that are in recovery, been for a long time, is praying for him and thinking about him," Darryl tells us.

"If there's anything I can ever do to encourage him and sit down and have a talk with him, I just hope he can reach out and do that."

Calling all (rich) Kobe Bryant fans, an incredibly unique collectible from the Mamba's historic 60-point farewell game is up for grabs ... but it'll cost a fortune!!

A large section of the Staples Center hardwood court -- where Kobe played his final NBA game -- is set to hit the auction block ... and the piece is truly 1-of-a-kind.

The floorboard features KB's original jersey number, 8 -- painted in white, outlined in Lakers purple -- signed by the L.A. legend before he walked off the court he dominated on for nearly 2 decades.

Remember, Kobe -- who was 38 years old at the time -- had one of the greatest final games in sports history ... dropping 60 points on the Utah Jazz during the April 13, 2016 contest.

Bryant started off slow, but was UNSTOPPABLE in the 2nd half ... leading his Lakers squad to a come-from-behind victory.

It was truly a jaw-dropping performance by the Hall of Famer ... and that's why the court section is expected to sell for a whopping $500,000!!

We're told the seller will donate 10 percent of the proceeds to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation -- a foundation named after Kobe and Gigi Bryant -- which promotes youth sports.

Online bidding starts September 4 at Heritage Auctions ... and a live auction will be held September 26.

Mamba would have turned 42-years-old on Sunday, and Monday (8/24) was dubbed Kobe Bryant day ... with everyone from James Harden, Anthony Davis and LeBron James celebrating the basketball legend's life.

"Just sell the damn team and shut up!"

That's U.S. Congressman Max Rose clapping back at NY Knicks owner James Dolan after the billionaire donated money to his political opponent ... after Rose called for Dolan to sell the team!!

It's a feud that escalated quickly right here on TMZ Sports -- and it's only getting nastier.

Rose -- a decorated war veteran and lifelong Knicks fan -- told us he's sick and tired of watching the Knicks suck ... and publicly called for Dolan to sell the damn team already!

Dolan -- who's banned fans from Madison Square Garden for urging him to sell -- clearly saw the clip and immediately began a campaign to support Rose's opponent, GOP Congressional candidate Nicole Malliotakis.

According to the NY Post, Dolan sent an email to friends bashing Rose and trying to rally support for Malliotakis.

"Max Rose thinks he can make our team and my ownership his political platform," Dolan said in the email obtained by The Post.

"I need to let him know that we will not stand for this. The best way to do this is to help his opponent. He is in a tight race for the US Congress in Staten Island. ... Please join me in helping Nicole defeat Max Rose for Congress."

So, we called up Rep. Rose ... and yeah, he had some thoughts!

"Well, we all know that Jim Dolan has the Midas Touch ... so I'm not exactly too concerned here. Look, I didn't make it political, he did! My message was simple: for the good of New York City to make the Knicks great again -- sell the damn team!"

"Think about what's been happening in the 21st century. On an aggregate basis, the Knicks have the worst record in the NBA and nonetheless, they have spent the most! What more signs do you need that this guy has been a world failure?"

"They've gone through over 10 coaches, a massive amount of executive staffs, trading players left and right. The only constant has been Jim Dolan. So, let's sell! This has been a tough year but in 2021, New York can turn the corner. Jim Dolan sell, we can say goodbye to Bill De Blasio and we can finally beat this pandemic."

There's more ... Rose also brings up Dolan's beef with NYK great Charles Oakley and warns Dolan, "I will not be silenced."

Bob Gibson -- one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history -- has died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

The St. Louis Cardinals legend passed away while in hospice care in Omaha, Nebraska ... according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Gibson had been in the cancer fight for more than a year.

During his 17 seasons in Major League Baseball, Gibson was THE MAN!!!

A 2-time World Series champ. 2-time World Series MVP. 2 Cy Young awards. NL MVP in 1968.

He made the All-Star team 9 times! He was a 9-time Gold Glove winner.

He logged 3,117 strikeouts! 251 wins!!

RIDICULOUS, RIGHT?!!

Of course, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981 -- first ballot.

The Cardinals retired his #45 back in 1975 and put him in the franchise Hall of Fame in 2014. There's also a statue of Gibson in front of Busch Stadium.

He was also a MONSTER on the basketball court!! In fact, he had a brief stint with the Harlem Globetrotters back in the day!

Imagine being at a restaurant ... and in walks Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, Richard Dent and Don King.

That's exactly what happened to a couple back in 1988, who commemorated the moment by getting all the legends to sign their menu ... and now it's up for auction!!!

Hindman Auctions tells TMZ Sports ... the power squad showed up at Lino’s Ristorante in Chicago to celebrate Dent's 28th birthday.

As it turns out, the night was pretty well documented in Tyson's ex-trainer Rory Holloway's memoir, who claims Tyson was LIVID with MJ at dinner over suspicions the Bulls legend had a fling with his then-separated wife Robin Givens.

The book claims Tyson was on the verge of fighting MJ ... but apparently cooler heads prevailed when it came to the restaurant manager asking the superstars to sign the menu for the couple in attendance.

Now, the couple is looking to part ways with the unique piece of history -- it's hitting the auction block via Hindman Auctions on Oct. 20 ... and we're told this thing could sell for thousands, if not 5 figures!!!

Kyrie Irving says he's never trusted his old teammates with hitting clutch baskets ... admitting he's always "felt like I was the best option" until he joined Kevin Durant in Brooklyn.

So ... LeBron, what's good?!?

The NBA superstar joined KD's "The Boardroom" podcast this week to discuss teaming up on the Nets ... and the dude pretty much shaded the hell out of King James in the process.

The question was -- 10 seconds left in a close game, who takes the final shot?? Kyrie said it goes to the hot hand ... and then dropped this:

"One thing I've always been comfortable with is I felt like I was the best option on every team I've played for down the stretch," Uncle Drew said.

"This is the first time in my career where I can be like ... 'that motherf**ker can make that shot, too!"

Now, Kyrie DID hit the dagger 3 pointer in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals to help the Cleveland Cavaliers win their first title in franchise history ... but LBJ has hit his fair share of clutch shots throughout his career.

It's no secret Kyrie demanded out of Cleveland and wanted do his thing away from LeBron ... but now it seems he didn't think the 4-time MVP was a killer in the clutch.

There's more ... Kyrie also talked about his new coach, Steve Nash ... saying he doesn't really see him as a "head coach" ... and thinks the team of KD, Nash, assistant Jacque Vaughn and himself as being head coaches by committee.

KD agreed ... saying "It's a collaborative effort."

No, Hassan Whiteside did NOT threaten to leave America and move to Hawaii in the wake of that insane debate Tuesday night ... insisting he was framed on social media.

After the Trump vs. Biden debate, someone posted a tweet that appeared to be from the 31-year-old NBA star's official account, saying "i can't do this for four more years f*** america bro im moving to Hawaii"

The quote went viral (because it's hilarious) -- and was even picked up by some pretty big websites.

But, Hassan -- the REAL Hassan -- went to Instagram on Wednesday to call BS on the whole thing.

"If you want some clout, ya ain't gotta make fake tweets about me! You ain't gotta make fake tweets," Hassan said.

So, fake news ... but glad he cleared it all up.

Well, THAT didn't take long.

Doc Rivers is back on an NBA bench just days after leaving the L.A. Clippers ... agreeing to become the next head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The longtime L.A. coach mutually parted ways with the Clips earlier this week ... after a disappointing exit from the playoffs.

Rivers addressed the exit in a statement, saying, "While I was able to accomplish most of my goals, I won't be able to see them all through. Though it was a disappointing ending to our season, you are right there and I know what this team is capable of accomplishing with your support."

Rivers made it clear he wasn't ready to hang up his tie just yet ... and while an official announcement has yet to be made, it's only a matter of time.

Rivers -- who has posted a 943-681 record as a head coach -- beat out huge names like Mike D'Antoni and Ty Lue for the gig ... and is taking on a team with a ton of talent.

The Sixers have been hoping to get back into the Finals for years ... and now they got a guy who has won it all.

LeBron James just copped at $36 MILLION Beverly Hills mansion -- and it's loaded with drama ... daytime drama.

The previous owner is soap opera royalty -- Lee Phillip Bell -- who co-created two of the most iconic soaps in history ... "The Bold and the Beautiful" and "The Young & The Restless."

Bell passed away earlier this year at the age of 91 and her estate put the 2.5-acre property up on the market to see if any rich people wanted it, asking $39 mil. The listing was held by Richard Hilton and Jeff Hyland of Hilton & Hyland.

Well, LeBron -- who already owns 2 massive properties in Brentwood -- swooped in and made the deal for a cool $36.75 mil, which closed on Wednesday according to The Real Deal.

Fun fact -- LeBron made roughly $37 million this season just from his NBA contract with the Los Angeles Lakers alone.

So, yeah ... he can afford it.

The place is insane ... the main home is 9,100 square feet. The property also comes with 2 guest homes.

It's got a screening room (LeBron's got a big movie deal with Warner Bros.) along with a swimming pool, tennis court, motor court, fountains and one of the sickest views in the entire city.

LeBron won't be able to move in just yet ... since he's still in the NBA bubble in Orlando to play the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

And, yeah, the house has plenty of space for a championship trophy ...

Congrats!

The top high school basketball rankings for the class of 2023 just dropped ... and there are a couple VERY familiar names on the list -- Dajuan Wagner Jr. and Bronny James!!!

It's no secret -- LeBron James' 15-year-old son has been gaining massive hype since arriving on the scene ... and the skills he showed off during his freshman year at Sierra Canyon in CA has him at #30 on 247 Sports' list.

Dajuan Wagner's son is the one sitting at the #1 spot ... with 6'3" guard D.J. balling out at Camden HS in Jersey and averaging 18.5 points per game last season.

BTW -- hoops runs DEEP in the Wagner blood -- Dajuan famously scored 100 points in a HS game, was a star at Memphis and went on to be the #6 overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft ... and Dajuan's father, Milt, played several seasons in the Association as well.

While nothing's official, there's already big talk of D.J. playing for his dad's old coach, John Calipari, at Kentucky in a few years.

Coming in at #2 is Internet phenom Mikey Williams out of Lake Norman in NC, whose highlights have gotten millions of views on YouTube.

Williams averaged just below 30 points, 6.7 rebounds and almost 5 assists per game last season.

The future of hoops is lookin' bright!!!