Basketball

Ever seen a dude jump so high during a dunk that he injured his face on the rim???

Well, now ya have ... 'cause NBA draft prospect Jericho Sims did just that Tuesday night -- and video of the scene is absolutely WILD!!!

Sims was warming up to try to put on a show for scouts at this week's Klutch Sports Pro Day ... when he elevated so high for a dunk, his eye came down and scraped the rim.

Check out the footage, the 22-year-old former Texas Longhorns star was a legit FOOT above the goal before his head came crashing down on the iron ... and he had to wipe away at his face afterward to try to stop the pain.

Don't worry ... Sims ended up being just fine -- and he went on to prove to NBA execs throughout the evening his hops are seriously no joke.

In fact, NBA superstar Ja Morant was so impressed with the guy ... he even tweeted a shocked reaction to the throwdown!!!

The 6-foot-10, 245-pound forward -- who averaged 9.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a senior in 2021 -- was not initially thought to be a potential first-round pick later this month ... but he's shown so much athleticism in pre-draft workouts, pundits are now rethinking that idea.

Forget watching the Tokyo Olympics at a bar -- Scottie Pippen is offering fans a WAY cooler watch party option ... his own Chicago home!!!

TMZ Sports has learned the former NBA star is renting out his pad for 3 one-night stays in August to a max of four people to have Olympics watch parties -- and the spot is amazing!

We're told Scottie's home features an indoor basketball court AND an outdoor one ... and also has an arcade and a SWEET pool.

Pippen's place also promises a stacked kitchen ... filled with fresh fruit, veggies and Scottie's favorite pregame and game-time meals (AKA steak and potatoes).

Oh, and the place even comes with a whole movie theater to catch all of the Olympic events!

We're told Pippen's hookin' up his guests with theater footage of the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics as well ... with exclusive access to his Olympic memorabilia.

Of course, the Hall of Famer won't be there for the stays -- but we're told Scottie will give a virtual welcome check-in ... and his spot comes with staff available on-call too.

The coolest part of the experience? It only costs $92 per night via the special Airbnb offer -- a tip of the cap to the 1992 year that Scottie won his gold medal.

Byron Scott says Kevin Durant and Team USA's weekend loss to Nigeria was the biggest upset in the history of USA hoops ... and breezing through the Olympic tourney is no longer a foregone conclusion.

TMZ Sports talked to the former star player and coach ... only minutes after Nigeria downed the U.S., 90-87 in a tune-up (exhibition) game for the Olympics.

"I wouldn’t say one of the biggest, that’s probably the biggest upset," Scott says.

But, why is it such a shocker??

Consider this ... when USA and Nigeria faced off less than a decade ago at the London Olympics, America dominated Nigeria on the court -- winning by 83 points.

83 POINTS (that squad had Kobe Bryant & LeBron James, FWIW).

Despite still having a pretty stacked roster complete with KD, Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal and Dame Lillard ... Nigeria's squad -- with 7 active NBA players -- clearly weren't intimated.

Team USA recently came together and only had a few practices ... meanwhile Nigeria has been practicing for weeks.

And, that's why Scott says things have changed ... and gold is no longer a guarantee.

"It’s not a given. It’s not a given by the USA anymore. Basketball in this world has caught up to the U.S. of A. And it’s going to be that much tougher for them to win the gold this year, no doubt about that."

But, Byron still has faith ... we asked if he still sees gold in Team USA's future.

Wanna have the same Olympic gold medal as Michael Jordan?!

A player from the Team USA hoops squad in 1984 is parting ways with their memento ... and it can be yours if you have a huge chunk of change lying around!!

This medal is from the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, when Team USA -- coached by college legend Bob Knight -- dominated with Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Sam Perkins and Wayman Tisdale!!

FYI, Jordan -- who led Team USA with 17.1 points per game -- was drafted by the Chicago Bulls one month before the '84 Olympics started ... and had yet to play in an NBA game!!

The team whooped 8 teams before receiving their medals and now one of them will be up for sale ... and it's expected to go for over $70k!!

The medal will be on the market with RR Auction ... and it still has all the fine details --- "XXIII Olympiad, Los Angeles 1984" inscribed on the front and "Basketball, Men" on the side plus the image of the Coliseum.

And, there's more priceless Olympics memorabilia in this upcoming auction:

A silver and bronze medal from the 1896 Olympics in Athens -- the first international games held in modern history -- will also be up for grabs.

The silver is expected to fetch over $75k ... and $40k for the bronze.

There's also a 1994 Winter Olympics torch that favors a 'sheath knife' with a handle representing Norway, where the games were held --- estimated to sell for over $30k!!

Drake's been doing more than just wining and dining his new boo, Johanna Leia, at Dodger Stadium ... he's also been mentoring her basketball prodigy son for months.

Sources close to the pair tell us they first met months ago through high school basketball -- Johanna's son, Amari Bailey, is a top prospect -- and the relationship grew from there. We're told Drake and Amari hit it off, and Drake's offered the kid advice on finances, fame and life, in general.

Amari is headed to UCLA in 2022, and our sources say Drake's given him pointers on how to handle all the attention and pressure that comes with being a star player. We're told they've spent some one-on-one time, and all 3 have hung out at Drake's home.

Our sources say prior to Drake, Johanna was with NBA'er Alfonzo McKinnie -- who helped Amari build his skills on the court -- so it looks like he's more than ready for the next level.

As we reported, ABC7's chopper spotted Drake and Johanna as they had Dodger Stadium to themselves for a date night, complete with a table on the first baseline. A Dodgers source told us the whole thing was a thank you for a sizeable donation Drake made to the team's charitable foundation.

Turns out Lamar Odom ain't a one-and-done fighter ... 'cause the ex-NBA star is stepping back in the squared circle.

Celebrity Boxing founder Damon Feldman tells TMZ Sports the 41-year-old ex-Laker signed a new contract on Friday ... and will be fighting on October 10.

Of course, 6'10" Odom beat the brakes off Aaron Carter last month ... stopping the childhood pop sensation in the 2nd round.

Feldman tells us they're still looking for Lamar's opponent ... and are hoping a big celeb will step up and accept the challenge.

Odom previously told us boxing has been therapeutic for him ... helping him get back in tip-top shape following his near-death experience at The Bunny Ranch in Nevada.

LO isn't the only star fighting on the 10th... we're told former boxing stars Riddick Bowe (no opponent yet) and Paulie Malignaggi (he's fighting social media star Corey B) are also on the card.

Bowe was a huge deal back in the day ... earning the undisputed heavyweight title in 1992.

The guy who allegedly broke into a Lamborghini dealership and jacked NBA guard Terrence Ross' expensive whip has been arrested and charged ... and turns out, cops say the suspect is a 16-year-old kid.

As we previously reported, Ross' Lambo Urus -- a fancy SUV that starts at $220k -- was stolen from the Fields Motorcars of Florida dealership last month ... and the car ended up wrecked in Maitland, about 10 miles outside Orlando.

TMZ Sports has learned ... a male teen was charged with Burglary of a Structure and 3rd Degree Grand Theft after a month-long investigation ... with officials saying they identified the suspect via key witnesses and security footage.

Cops say the suspect crashed a gray Dodge Dart into the dealership around 1 AM to get Ross' key fob, hopped in his whip and drove off. Officials say the Dart was later reported stolen and found at a nearby business.

According to the police, Ross' Lambo was spotted cruising through Orange County around 3 AM ... and just a few hours later, cops received the call that Ross' SUV had crashed into a building in Maitland.

Remember, Ross was devastated to hear the news ... posting a video explaining what he had heard about the incident.

But, the good news?? Ross is rich (he's reportedly made more than $67 million in his career) ... but the hooper can still rest easy knowing cops got the person they believe is responsible for swiping the car.

We see London, we see France ... we see SHAQ'S UNDERPANTS!!!

Shaquille O'Neal is out to prove the quarantine look is still in style ... with the NBA legend going business up top, nothing on the bottom for a live TV segment!!

Of course, we've all been there at some point in the pandemic ... but the Hall of Famer had no problem showing off his skivvies while on air for NBA TV Thursday night.

The Big Aristotle had just finished his final segment of the 2021 season after the Suns beat the Bucks in Game 2 of the NBA Finals ... and decided to celebrate by hopping up and dancing like crazy!!

The 7'1", 330-lb. big man even pulled a Petey Pablo by taking his blazer off, twistin' it around his hand and spinnin' it like a helicopter.

O'Neal even started doing jumping jacks ... later admitting it made him "tired as hell."

The moment is hilarious ... and even his fellow "Inside the NBA" analyst pal, Kenny "The Jet" Smith, had to get in on the party -- although it appears he was fully clothed.

Hey, Shaq and Kenny deserve the break -- as Smith points out, it was basically 2 NBA seasons back to back, thanks to the pandemic.

Lil Baby and NBA star James Harden have been stopped by police in Paris ... with a report claiming the rapper was arrested for weed.

Harden and several other men were swarmed by cops during an apparent search on the popular Avenue Montaigne. In one video circulating on social media, the Brooklyn Nets superstar can be heard saying he doesn't understand what's going on as cops begin to search him.

One photo shows an officer holding what appears to be a vaping device ... unclear who it belongs to or whether is contained the alleged marijuana.

Baby was seated in the back of a police van and appeared to be handcuffed ... local reports say he was among 3 people arrested for some sort of marijuana-related charge. The report said the vehicle the men were traveling in was pulled over and officers could smell marijuana. There were allegedly 20 grams of weed discovered.

We reached out to the Paris Police Dept. who would only tell us the incident was currently an active investigation.

Lil Baby and Harden are in the French city for Paris Fashion Week.

Ex-NBA superstar Dwyane Wade is paying his respects to the victims of the devastating Surfside condo building collapse on Thursday ... getting emotional and meeting with those participating in search and recovery efforts.

The Miami Heat legend visited the memorial fence set up to honor the 60 victims of the collapse ... leaving a touching message of support for those grieving.

"Sending prayer, love, strength and healing ..." Wade etched on the memorial ... adding his autograph and "Miami Heat" underneath.

The future Hall of Famer -- who's beloved in South Florida -- was moved by the visit ... putting his hand to his face as he's overcome with emotion.

Wade also gave an inspiring speech to the South Florida Urban Search and Rescue team on Thursday ... thanking them for their service and stepping up to help after the incident.

Of course, there have been several Miami pro athletes showing support following the tragedy -- from Heat guard Tyler Herro to Dolphins players Jaylen Waddle and Jerome Baker and more joining the effort to help those affected over the past few weeks.

Steph Curry stared death in the eye once again -- with the NBA superstar finally getting his sparring rematch against Canelo Alvarez ... and shock, shock -- it ended in a big, fat L!!

Remember, Curry first faced off against the boxing champ a year ago -- when he playfully squared up with Alvarez at the celeb American Century Championship tournament in Lake Tahoe.

33-year-old Curry narrowly escaped catastrophe in their initial encounter, and the dude never got over it ... 'cause when he peeped Canelo at the Edgewood Tahoe resort on Wednesday, it was ON!!

The 2 tangoed for about 10 seconds, with Curry throwing a quick jab before getting caught with the 30-year-old's fast counter ... and just like that, rematch OVER!!!

"I tried the champ Canelo again," Curry said afterward. "It didn't go well again!"

But, Chef Curry had a few takeaways to go home with this time around ... saying, "Footwork was solid though just saying. #stayinmyweightclass."

Curry was definitely moving compared to last year's match where he looked stiff and didn't throw any punches .. so, definitely an improvement.

Let's see if a Curry-Alvarez trilogy happens next year .. 'cause third times a charm, right?

Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Julius "Dr. J" Erving are 3 of the greatest hoopers ever ... and now a super-rare basketball card produced 40 years ago is on the auction block ... and could rake in over $500k!!

The 1980-1981 Topps Scoring Leader card features the Celtics, 76ers, and Lakers stars in-game action ... and is currently on the block at SCP Auctions.

The card itself is incredibly valuable ... but it's the pristine condition that makes this particular version worth the price of a nice house.

The card graders at PSA scored the cardboard a perfect 10 -- mint condition -- making it 1 of only 24 copies known to exist, according to SCP.

The auction kicked off a few weeks ago ... with a starting bid price of $150,000. There have already been 7 bids placed ... with the high bid coming in at $354k!!

The auction doesn't end until Friday ... and you can bet the price will jump significantly before the clock runs out.

Too rich for your blood?? SCP also has a Michael Jordan game-worn Chicago Bulls jersey from his rookie season in 1984.

That's expected to sell for $150k ... which feels like a bargain.

Kobe Bryant's legacy will live on at the Tokyo Olympics ... with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum honoring the late NBA Hall of Famer by wearing #10 for Team USA.

Of course, Kobe is one of the greatest players to suit up for the Red, White and Blue ... winning gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Games.

Tatum -- who Bryant mentored in the years prior to his tragic death -- is set to wear the same digits as his idol as the United States prepares to win its 4th-straight Olympics this month ... a tribute he holds close to his heart.

"With this being the first Olympics since we lost him, it holds that much more value," Tatum told the AP. "It’s not something I take lightly."

As it turns out, #10 is Tatum's favorite number ... and it all had to do with his obsession with being like the Black Mamba.

"I remember that first team when I was hoping, wishing, that I got #10," Tatum said. "Kobe, everyone knows that was my favorite player. I was 15 years old and got to wear the number of my favorite player. It just felt like I had some level of connection with him."

Rachel Nichols has been AXED from covering the NBA Finals ... with the ESPN reporter losing her sideline gig following her controversial comments regarding Maria Taylor.

Nichols sparked outrage after leaked audio from 2020 went public over the weekend ... when she claimed the decision to have Taylor host Finals coverage was due to ESPN "feeling pressure" about adding more diversity among on-air talent.

In the audio -- which was leaked by an ESPN employee to the New York Times -- Nichols is heard saying, "If you need to give [Taylor] more things to do because you are feeling pressure about your crappy longtime record on diversity -- which, by the way, I know personally from the female side of it -- like, go for it."

"Just find it somewhere else. You are not going to find it from me or taking my thing away."

While Nichols apologized for her comments and praised Taylor on Monday, ESPN has decided to keep her on the bench for the 2021 Finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns.

The network announced rising star Malika Andrews -- who's been an NBA insider since 2018 -- will take over the mic starting Tuesday night ... saying, "We believe this is the best decision for all concerned in order to keep the focus on the NBA Finals."

It's unclear if the move is permanent, but ESPN says Nichols will continue to host "The Jump."

It's that time of year -- when Magic Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson and LL Cool J team up to remind us how insanely rich they are ... by cruising on a yacht that costs MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK!!!!

Of course, the group of buds gets together every year to celebrate all their accomplishments ... making their way through the Italian waters on expensive ass boats.

The Lakers legend returned to the incredible 281-foot Aquila for this year's bash ... which as we previously reported, is as baller as it gets.

The boat comes with a gym, jacuzzi, movie theater, spa, it's own nightclub ... and reportedly a whopping $1.1 MILLION price tag per WEEK (even higher than its previous rate of $950k a week in 2019).

Rodney and Holly Robinson Peete are also along for the ride ... but there's no sign of usual attendee Steve Harvey yet.

LL has been documenting the whole trip -- showing off incredible views of Capri, Porto Cervo and more -- and the gang has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon.