Basketball

You're looking at the most expensive basketball card ever sold -- and it ain't Michael Jordan or LeBron James.

It's an ultra-rare Luka Doncic rookie card -- a 1-of-1 that features the NBA Logoman patch from a game-worn Dallas Mavericks jersey PLUS a perfect signature with blue ink.

And, it just sold for $4.6 MILLION!!!!

Here's the deal ... the card was originally pulled from a box of 2018-2019 Panini National Treasures Basketball in May 2019 during a live pack break at the Layton Sports Cards shop in Altamonte Springs, FL.

The card was later sold to collector Bolillo Lajan San (unclear what he paid, but more than $400k) who had a feeling the card could explode in value.

Well, he was right because on Sunday night, Bolillo confirmed the sale of the card to high-end collector Nick Fiorella for $4.6 million.

Here are the specifics ... it's a 2018-19 National Treasures Luka Doncic rookie autograph with the "Logoman" patch, #127.

The sale is the 2nd highest purchase of a sports trading card EVER -- just behind a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card that recently sold for $5.2 million!

Clocking in at #3 is a 2009 Mike Trout Superfractor that sold for $3.9 mil.

Kobe Bryant’s childhood basketball hoop has sold for a King's ransom!

The hoop fetched $37,200 at Heritage Auctions, and it's truly prized memorabilia. It was attached to the garage at Kobe's childhood home in Pennsylvania ... it's the hoop Kobe used to help perfect his legendary jump shot.

As TMZ reported, the home sold recently for $810,000, but the seller wanted a premium for the backboard and the rim and the buyer wasn't interested. So, it was dismounted and the home seller just scored a sizable bounty.

Jeremy Lin is fed up with people acting like anti-Asian American racism doesn't exist -- saying he's personally experienced the hatred on the basketball court where he's been called names like "Coronavirus."

The former NBA star -- who currently plays for the Santa Cruz Warriors -- unloaded on social media about the rising numbers of hate incidents directed at Asians in America.

In New York and San Francisco, officials say hate crime incidents are up BIG versus previous years.

The NYPD reported 28 hate crimes against Asian Americans in 2020 ... up from 3 in 2019.

Data out of SF shows 9 hate crimes against Asians in 2020 ... up 33% from the 6 in 2019, according to the Washington Post.

Additionally, the Asian American advocacy group AAPI says it's received more than 2,500 reports of hate incidents in the U.S. directed at Asians since March 2020.

Enter Lin ... who's simply had enough.

"Something is changing in this generation of Asian Americans," 32-year-old Lin said Thursday in an emotionally-charged Facebook post.

"We are tired of being told that we don't experience racism, we are tired of being told to keep our heads down and not make trouble."

"We are tired of Asian American kids growing up and being asked where they're REALLY from, of having our eyes mocked, of being objectified as exotic or being told we're inherently unattractive."

"We are tired of the stereotypes in Hollywood affecting our psyche and limiting who we think we can be. We are tired of being invisible, of being mistaken for our colleague or told our struggles aren't as real."

Lin -- a Taiwanese-American -- says he's motivated to make a difference to make sure future generations are treated equally and respectfully in the U.S.

"I want better for my niece and nephew and future kids. I want better for the next generation of Asian American athletes than to have to work so hard to just be 'deceptively athletic.'"

Lin also noted he's been called names like "coronavirus" on the court -- and doesn't want anyone else to have to experience the same racism.

Renee Montgomery has gone from the WNBA court to the owner's box -- she's part of an ownership group that just bought the Atlanta Dream from Sen. Kelly Loeffler.

The exact financial terms of the deal are unclear -- but we're told the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors both unanimously approved the sale.

The move makes Montgomery -- who recently retired after 11 seasons -- the first former WNBA player to have an ownership stake in a WNBA team.

Montgomery's 3-person ownership group is comprised of 2 big wigs from the Northland real estate firm -- chairman Larry Gottesdiener and President and COO Suzanne Abair.

"My dream has come true," Montgomery said in a statement to TMZ Sports.

"Breaking barriers for minorities and women by being the first former WNBA player to have both a stake in ownership and a leadership role with the ownership team is an opportunity that I take very seriously. I invite you to join me as the Dream builds momentum in Atlanta!"

Montgomery played 2 seasons with the Atlanta Dream before opting out of the 2020 WNBA season to focus on social justice initiatives.

In fact, the 2-time WNBA champion was an outspoken supporter of the WNBA and its players for pushing Black Lives Matter messaging during games -- despite pushback from Sen. Loeffler.

Loeffler was loudly against the WNBA promoting the Black Lives Matter movement during the 2020 season -- claiming it "promoted violence and destruction across the country."

Montgomery publicly disagreed and questioned why Loeffler "wants to be involved with a brand that just doesn't align with her views."

Loeffler and her former Dream co-owner Mary Brock issued a statement on the deal -- saying, "10 years ago we stepped up to keep the Dream in Atlanta, as an important asset for a vibrant and diverse city."

"It was also important to us to help level the playing field for women’s professional sports. We are proud of what we accomplished and wish the team well in their next chapter."

"We will always value the hard work and dedication, and the memories, fans and friendships that sustained our commitment to the Atlanta Dream over the last decade."

Renee and her team have their work cut out for them -- the Dream was 7-15 in 2020 and didn't make the playoffs.

However, there are bright spots on the roster including rising stars like Chennedy Carter, who made the WNBA's All-Rookie Team after an impressive 2020 season.

Montgomery has been super busy off-the-court -- she recently teamed up with Marshawn Lynch as a co-owner of Team Beasts in the new Fan Controlled Football League.

Plus, she also co-hosts the "TMZ Sports" TV show, which airs nightly on FS1.

Congrats!!!

Vanessa Bryant just got the perfect assist from daughter Capri -- who gave a sneak peek of the new Kobe Bryant 6 Protro "All-Star" kicks ... weeks before they're set to drop.

"These shoes are about to be released next," Vanessa said on IG ... "They're Kobe's All Star drop."

The new sneakers are an updated "Protro" version of the Nike Zoom Kobe VI 'All-Star' shoes, which were originally released back in 2011.

Capri was rockin' mommy's size 7 -- just a little too big for the 1-year-old ... but she'll grow into 'em. Even [Uncle] Pau Gasol weighed in on the adorableness -- saying, "So Cute!"

The new Kobes will reportedly come with a $180 price tag and are set to drop on March 8 -- the day after the 2021 NBA All-Star game.

But, you can expect these shoes to sell out QUICKLY and then fetch monster prices on re-sale sites.

As we've reported, the demand for all things Kobe has exploded over the past year -- with collectors paying record prices for everything from autographs to jerseys to basketball cards ... even the car he used to drive around.

Luke Walton melted down on the court during a timeout Thursday night -- karate-chopping a clipboard straight to the ground -- and the whole temper tantrum was caught on video.

The Sacramento Kings coach was furious with his squad in the 4th quarter of their game with the NY Knicks ... and when an assistant tried to hand him a whiteboard, Walton lost it.

The dude reared back with his fist and fired straight down into the board ... causing it to break into pieces.

Walton then appeared to yell at his team ... before the Kings went on to lose 140-121.

Afterward, Luke said the temper tantrum was simply a release of frustration ... with the coach admitting he's straight-up tired of the Kings' recent poor play.

"Look, I'm frustrated. We all should be frustrated," Walton said ... "I was frustrated tonight and I believe in our team and I know when our group is playing well, we are much better than what we showed tonight."

Walton and the Kings have been in a serious slump ... losing 9 straight games and dropping their record to just 12-20 in the process.

Clearly, Walton is hoping for a turnaround ... could a clipboard freakout be the catalyst his team needs?

One day after reigniting the movement to change the NBA's logo to Kobe Bryant ... Kyrie Irving doubled down on the take, explaining, "Kobe Bryant. Logo. Yes. Needs to happen."

"I don't care what anybody says," Irving said Thursday night after the Brooklyn Nets' win over the Orlando Magic. "Black kings built the league."

"It's exactly what I meant and it's exactly where I stand."

Back in February 2020, just a few weeks after Kobe, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash -- there was a large movement to switch the NBA's Jerry West logo to one depicting Kobe.

A change.org petition earned over 3 MILLION signatures in support of the cause ... but the NBA never appeared to take the idea too seriously.

But, clearly, Irving has no intentions of stopping the push ... 'cause on Wednesday he brought the movement back on his social media page -- and on Thursday, he explained why he feels the move is necessary.

"As a native Black man and a native Black king, I think it's part of my responsibility to push our culture forward," Irving said, before adding, "I think he deserves it. I think his family deserves it."

"I think we deserve it as seeing greatness personified as Mamba. And anyone that's coming into the league should know that that's the example that was set."

Vanessa Bryant clearly agrees ... she's thrown her support behind the idea since it was first proposed -- even commenting on Irving's social media post this week, writing, "Love this."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants LeBron James to stay in his lane when it comes to politics ... saying the L.A. Lakers superstar (and other athletes) should stick to what they're good at, and leave politics to politicians.

The 39-year-old A.C. Milan striker criticized politically outspoken athletes in an interview with UEFA and Discovery+ Sweden ... calling it a "mistake" to get involved.

"I like (LeBron) a lot, and he is phenomenal at what he's doing, but I don't like when people have some kind of status, they go and do politics at the same time what they're doing. Do what you're good at," Zlatan said in the clip.

Of course, LBJ is one of the most socially and politically active athletes today -- he's gotten into public beefs with former President Donald Trump and has continuously used his platform to speak out against injustice and inequality in America.

Zlatan clearly thinks it's best he keeps his opinions to himself.

"Do the category you do," Ibrahimovic continued. "I play football because I'm the best at playing football. I don't do politics. If I would be a political politician, I would do politics."

"That is the big first mistake people do when they become famous and they become in a certain status. Stay out of it. Just do what you do best because it doesn't look good."

Of course, it's not the first time LeBron has been criticized for his involvement in politics -- remember, TV host Laura Ingraham famously told the 4-time champ to "shut up and dribble" after speaking out against Trump.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Malik Beasley has been suspended 12 games by the NBA ... after pleading guilty to a felony threats charge stemming from a scary incident last September where cops say he pointed a handgun at a group of people.

The league just handed down the stiff punishment, saying the 24-year-old hooper "has been suspended 12 games without pay for pleading guilty to a felony charge of threatening to commit a crime of violence for the purpose of terrorizing another person, in violation of the law of the State of Minnesota."

The incident was super bizarre.

Beasley's Plymouth, Minnesota home was featured on a list of impressive mansions for tourists to visit when in the area.

Prosecutors say the extra traffic in front of MB's house pissed him off ... and on September 26, 2020, Beasley had enough.

Officials say Malik grabbed his handgun and pointed it at a family who was in their car, checking out Malik's pad.

Beasley ultimately plead guilty to a felony threats charge and was sentenced to 120 days in jail.

The judge agreed to allow Beasley -- who's averaging almost 21 points a game this year -- to serve the time after the NBA season.

Malik addressed the suspension to Shams Charania, issuing the following statement to the NBA insider.

"I will take this time to reflect on my decisions. I apologize to all the great fans out there who have supported me during this difficult time and I promise I will come back very soon as a better person and player.”

Beasley will begin serving his suspension on Saturday, Feb. 27 when the Timberwolves visit the Washington Wizards.

Bronny James' sophomore basketball season is in jeopardy -- the 16-year-old high school superstar has reportedly gone under the knife to repair a torn meniscus.

LeBron James' son -- a 4-star recruit in the Class of 2023 -- first revealed the injury during a Twitch stream 3 weeks ago ... saying, "Bro, I tore my meniscus."

The Sierra Canyon H.S. guard recently had surgery to fix the issue, according to the Los Angeles Daily News ... and is expected to make a full recovery.

There's one major issue -- Bronny is at risk of missing some serious time and maybe even the entire season ... depending on when the state of California allows indoor sports to resume due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FYI -- recovery time for a torn meniscus is usually around 3 months, according to WebMD ... so depending on when the season starts, he could miss all of his sophomore campaign.

On the bright side, Bronny has already caught the eyes of Duke, Kentucky, Kansas and more ... and while missing the season would be a huge bummer, he's still LeBron James Jr.

Kyrie Irving is breathing new life into the movement to replace the NBA logo with an image of Kobe Bryant -- saying straight-up, "Gotta Happen."

"[I don't care] what anyone says," Irving posted on Wednesday alongside a mockup of a pretty awesome-looking Kobe logo designed by Tyson Beck.

"BLACK KINGS BUILT THE LEAGUE," Irvin added.

A bunch of Kyrie's famous friends immediately supported Irving's proposal in the comments section -- from Dez Bryant to Stephen Jackson ... even the official Bruce Lee IG account co-signed on the idea!

The "Kobe for NBA Logo" movement gained a bunch of momentum following Mamba's tragic death in January 2020 ... with huge and influential stars like Mark Cuban and Paul Pierce publicly throwing their support behind the move.

Even Justin Bieber pushed for the change. But, as time passed, the voices calling for change quieted down. Maybe Kyrie will get everyone talking again?!

As for Jerry West, the current NBA legend featured in the logo, he's previously said he's open for the league to switch it up.

In fact, Alan Siegel, who created the logo back in 1969 told Newsweek he'd be cool with a change as well.

"I'm really proud of the logo, it's been something that's been recognized around the world, but if the current players want to recognize someone that's made a difference, like Kobe, and if the commissioner wanted to do so, I would support it."

So, really ... everyone seems on board with a switch.

The league did implement some changes around the league to honor Kobe -- renaming the All-Star Game MVP trophy after him ... as well as changing the game's scoring format to include his #24.

But, will Kobe become the new logo?!

NBA superstar Russell Westbrook is following LeBron's lead ... opening a state-of-the-art school for underprivileged youth in his home city!!

The 32-year-old SoCal native has partnered with the L.A. Promise Fund to launch the "Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy" ... which will cater to students in South Los Angeles from grades 6 through 12.

Brodie announced the decision in a touching video on Wednesday ... while he was being interviewed by one of his future students!

"My plan is making sure you guys and the future kids coming in have access to all the resources you need to be successful," the former NBA MVP said.

The schools will focus on providing access to "high-quality athletic programs while balancing a strong education and leadership development," according to a statement from the Foundation.

Westbrook says he will be actively involved with the school -- and will serve as a board member to oversee the progress.

Of course, LeBron's "I Promise" School in Akron has been a huge success -- with student program's test scores exceeding expectations since it opened in 2018.

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game is in Atlanta -- so it's only fitting organizers booked the woman behind "Midnight Train to Georgia" to sing the national anthem!

The NBA announced the legendary Gladys Knight will do the honors of singing the Star-Spangled Banner at the State Farm Arena on March 7, as part of a tribute to HBCUs [historically black colleges and universities].

In fact, the NBA notes Knight graduated from Shaw University in North Carolina -- one of the oldest HBCUs in the country.

Knight has experience singing the anthem at high-profile events -- remember when she crushed it at the Super Bowl in 2019?!

As for the NBA All-Star Game, entertainment will also include an original rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” -- known as the Black National Anthem -- to be performed by the Clark Atlanta University Philharmonic Society Choir.

"The rendition will honor NAACP leader and Black national anthem songwriter James Weldon Johnson, who is also a Clark Atlanta alumnus," the NBA says.

The Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band and Florida A&M University Marching 100 will also perform during NBA All-Star player introductions.

And, there will also be a step show!!

"Throughout the game, members of the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities, a prestigious group of nine historically Black Greek letter organizations, will introduce Atlanta’s most reputable step teams from Spelman College and Morehouse College."

How cool is that?!

"Devin Booker is the most disrespected player in our league!!! Simple as that."

LeBron James is FURIOUS about Devin Booker's snub from the All-Star Game ... saying the Phoenix Suns star was more than deserving to make the team in 2021.

The Western Conference reserves were just announced Tuesday ... and while huge names like Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul and Zion Williamson were picked, 24-year-old Booker didn't make the cut.

Of course, Booker is averaging nearly 25 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists a game ... with the red-hot Suns sitting at 4th place in the conference standings with a 20-10 record so far this season.

Apparently, that wasn't enough for the NBA coaches ... who each voted for 7 reserves to rep their conference in the game.

King James fired off about the snub on Twitter ... and he wasn't the only one.

Blazers guard CJ McCollum also expressed his dissatisfaction with Book getting left out ... saying, Damn @DevinBook really didn’t make it ? That’s craxy . Bruh really cold too smh. Sick world"

LBJ also weighed in on Lillard not being named a starter for the ASG ... saying he's the second most disrespected player behind Booker.

Now, there's still hope Booker sneaks into the festivities and becomes a replacement for AD, who is dealing with a calf and Achilles injury.

Big news for Toronto Raptors guard Terence Davis ... prosecutors have dropped the domestic violence charges against him stemming from an Oct. 2020 incident.

As we previously reported ... 23-year-old Davis was arrested after officials say he repeatedly punched his ex-GF in the face during an argument at the Beekman Tower hotel in NY.

Davis' ex-GF also told police he smashed her phone when she refused to stop recording him during the alleged incident.

Cops were called to the scene and he was ultimately booked for misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor criminal mischief charges.

But now, prosecutors have dropped the case against Davis, as first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Davis is a pretty good player -- he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2020 which is impressive considering he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

LeBron James is making sure Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant live on forever in his household ... he just hung a tribute piece to the 2 fallen legends in his hallway.

The King revealed the artwork late Wednesday night ... saying he has plans to walk by the photo daily to remember the former rapper and ex-NBA superstar.

"Wit me every single day when walking my hallways," James said after posing for pics with the piece in his home. "Continues to live on! #LegendsNeverDie."

The artwork is pretty incredible ... it's a framed piece showing Nipsey and Kobe staring at each other with gold leaf crowns perched atop their heads.

James has spoken at length about what the two guys have meant to him ... and he even got a tattoo tribute for Kobe after the basketball legend passed away.

As for Nipsey, just days after the rapper was murdered in Los Angeles in March 2019, James said, "it's one of the most unfortunate events that's happened in American history."

Perhaps not coincidentally, James also revealed Wednesday that he's now mulling a music career.

In a late-night tweet, James said he does NOT want to rap ... but rather, he's looking to help produce an album in some way.

"My love for music is INSANE!!!" James said. "I think I’m going to do a album. Oh no I won’t be rapping or anything like that. I’m not crazy, I know what I’m great at, but I tell you one thing I do have. So many friends that can. Thinking out loud."