Basketball

The shoes Kobe Bryant wore for his VERY FIRST NBA game can now be yours -- if you got half a milli lying around -- 'cause the iconic kicks are hitting the auction block!

The Black Mamba arrived on the scene for the L.A. Lakers on November 3, 1996, against the Minnesota Timberwolves ... going scoreless in just 6 minutes of action off the bench.

Bryant rocked a custom pair of size 14 Adidas kicks as he stepped on the court for the first time ... which he ended up giving away to a diehard fan outside The Forum after the game.

A few years later, the fan was able to run into Kobe again -- and got the legend to quickly sign them outside the team's hotel!!!

Now, the fan is looking to part ways with the keepsakes ... putting them up for auction via Gotta Have Rock And Roll.

We're told these sneakers -- which also come with a ticket stub from the game -- are NOT gonna come cheap ... they have a minimum bid of $100k and could sell for up to $500k!!!

Of course, the 5-time champ went on to eventually score quite a bit in his career -- he's ranked 4th all-time with 33,643 points ... and became one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball.

Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is paying tribute to Kobe and Gianna Bryant ... by getting some incredible custom cleats -- and he's giving a pair to Vanessa!!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the 22-year-old star has been wanting to honor the late Lakers legend and Gigi on his feet for more than a year.

VG specifically wanted to cop the tribute cleats for the Blue Jays and Los Angeles Angels series ...  so he hit up New Jersey artist Michael Jordan for the job.

Jordan tells us he started the project back in June to make sure the All-Star Game MVP got 'em on time -- and the finished product is awesome!!!

The white and black Jordan cleats feature a detailed image of Gigi in her Mamba Academy gear and Kobe in his Lakers uniform.

It also has Gigi's jersey #2 and both Kob's #8 and #24 splattered on the whole sneaker -- as well as their nicknames Mamba and Mambacita.

The all purple pair showcases some father and daughter moments -- Kobe celebrating with Gigi after winning the 2009 Finals ... and the duo sitting courtside at a Lakers game in 2019.

It also has a quote from Beyonce's song "XO," "your love is bright as ever" ... the same song she sang at Bryant's memorial service at the Staples Center in February 2020.

We're told the free-handed artwork took a total of 60 hours ... and VG will give the purple pair to Vanessa Bryant after the series.

All the critics cracking jokes about the Lakers' free agent signings will have to eat their words -- so says NBA champ Matt Barnes ... who tells TMZ Sports L.A.'s older roster is actually a GOOD thing!!!

It's no secret -- the Lake Show didn't get any younger this off-season ... adding guys like Russell Westbrook (32), Dwight Howard (35), Carmelo Anthony (37), Trevor Ariza (36), Wayne Ellington (33) and more to join forces with LeBron James (36) and Anthony Davis (28).

Of course, those guys have all been around the block a few times ... with people (not us) comparing the team more to a retirement home than title contenders.

But, Barnes ain't in that group ... 'cause he tells us he's a fan of what the Purple and Gold have done so far.

"I like what they're doing, man," Barnes tells us. "I think you know, they’re saying the team is old, but they got a lot of experience, a lot of great players. So, I'm excited to see what happens.

Of course, Barnes makes it clear the guys have to stay healthy throughout the season ... but thinks everyone's on the same page and knows they have a long journey ahead.

"I just think older people work smarter, so they're going to understand how to work even when they need to do the work during the season and understand that it's a marathon, and I think they're going to be okay with it."

Cops are so livid over the way they say Jaxson Hayes fought them during his arrest last month ... they're now strongly urging NBA commissioner Adam Silver to take action against the Pelicans star.

It's all spelled out in a letter, obtained by TMZ Sports, written by the Los Angeles Police Protective League -- a police union representing 9,000 rank and file LAPD officers -- to Silver and New Orleans Pelicans owner Gayle Benson.

In the note -- which is four pages in length -- the police union says 6'11, 220-pound Hayes became combative on July 27 after they responded to a domestic disturbance call involving the hooper.

Law enforcement says Hayes refused orders, hurled the n-word at officers, and pushed one cop so hard into the wall, the basketball player injured the "much physically smaller" man.

We’ve obtained photos of the cop's alleged injuries ... and they appear to show the officer's elbow was swollen and bloody following the incident.

LAPPL went on to say in the letter that after a review of body camera footage from the night ... they strongly believe Hayes was out of line, and criminally assaulted an officer during the arrest.

"Mr. Silver," the officers said in the letter, "the actions of your player were unlawful, completely unacceptable and are as clear a prima facie case of violating several of the National Basketball Association policies as we have seen."

"We respectfully request that you immediately initiate a thorough investigation into Mr. Hayes' actions before, during and after the incident and to take appropriate corrective action to hold Mr. Hayes accountable."

They continued, "The video is clear. Your swift action in this incident is warranted."

The union also says in the letter Hayes' alleged use of the n-word was completely unacceptable ... saying it's on the same level as when NBA player Meyers Leonard used an anti-Semitic slur during a March video game stream.

"We ask you to investigate Mr. Hayes' use of the 'N-word' during the incident," cops said, "and based on the obvious evidence, hold him accountable for the blatant violation of the NBA's values of 'equality, tolerance, inclusion and respect.'"

LAPPL concluded the letter asking Silver and the NBA to "send an unequivocal message that assaulting police officers will never be tolerated by the NBA."

"Given the severity of this incident, we sincerely hope you take decisive action in this case."

As we previously reported, Hayes was arrested following the altercation with cops ... and was booked on a resisting arrest charge.

The 21-year-old has claimed cops used excessive force on his neck, causing him the inability to breathe at some points during the arrest.

LeBron James is back on the movie scene -- this time, it's behind the camera ... producing a new flick about Native American basketball!!

SpringHill Company -- LBJ and Maverick Carter's production business -- will be teaming up with director Sydney Freeland to make the sports drama for Netflix called 'Rez Ball.'

The movie is about the Chuska Warriors -- a Native American high school basketball team in New Mexico that has to step it up to win a championship after losing their star players, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

FYI, Rez Ball is actually short for Reservation Basketball ... which is a different form of hoops that is played by Native Americans in Arizona, New Mexico and other states.

No word on the casting but the filming will take place in NM and is scheduled to be released in 2022 or early 2023.

Freeland -- who is known for her 2014 film, "Drunktown's Finest" -- is stoked to work on this project ... saying, "basketball on the Rez is like high school football in West Texas."

"What we want to do is bring people into our world, to tell a story about the people and places we know, and what better way to do that than through a sports movie?"

"We are so excited with the team we’ve assembled and can’t wait to bring this to the screen.”

James just finished acting and co-producing 'Space Jam: A New Legacy' that blew up the box office, making $31.7 million opening weekend.

How's Steph Curry celebrating yet another massive contract extension with the Warriors??

Apparently by jettisoning to L.A. with his wife, Ayesha, to enjoy a fancy meal!!!

We got the NBA superstar out at TAO in Hollywood Wednesday night just one day after he agreed to a new $215 MILLION extension with Golden State ... and dude certainly looked happy!!

The 33-year-old was swagged out in a tight, buttoned-up polo, some black pants, fresh white kicks and a purple hat. He was also carrying bags of delicious goodies from one of the best restaurants in L.A.!

Ayesha, meanwhile, looked great as always ... and it's clear the couple is thrilled to have Steph's immediate basketball future all set up perfectly.

Of course, Tuesday's contract extension marks the SECOND time in Steph's career that he's inked a $200-plus million deal with the Warriors ... so, yeah, he's got PLENTY of reasons to celebrate.

NBA offseason is set to last a few more months, too ... so we fully expect to see the Currys keep on living it up for a while.

Health officials say the large crowd gatherings for Milwaukee Bucks' playoff games both in and near the NBA champion's arena this summer spurred a spike in COVID cases.

Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson made the announcement Tuesday ... saying findings have revealed more than 400 recent coronavirus cases in the state of Wisconsin could be linked back to large gatherings near Fiserv Forum in July.

"Anytime people gather I think it's important to recognize -- anytime there's a large gathering of people -- we're going to see the virus spread," Johnson said.

Johnson explained all of the new cases did not necessarily stem from one day of celebrating the basketball team -- but rather were a culmination of fans crowding closely together throughout the Bucks' playoff run.

"That [more than 400 cases] number is from the entire month of July," Johnson said. "So it's not linked directly to one day, the Final game -- it's through the entire course of the month of July."

Johnson said she and other officials expect the number of cases linked to Bucks crowds to continue to rise ... saying they're still collecting data that suggests more positive tests are coming.

TMZ Sports has obtained video showing the controversial arrest of New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes ... an incident LAPD is now investigating for possible use of excessive force.

The clip starts with 21-year-old Hayes -- the #8 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft -- tussling on the ground with 3 police officers who are attempting to control and cuff Jaxson. One of the cops presses his taser against the Pelican center's chest and shocks him.

Backup eventually arrives and the video shuts off as the man recording is approached by police.

Hayes was ultimately taken into custody around 3 AM before being treated at a local hospital for minor injuries sustained during the altercation. He was charged with resisting arrest ... and posted a $25K bond.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles PD Chief Michael Moore announced the department launched an investigation into the arrest after Hayes alleged force was applied to his neck -- causing him difficulty breathing.

It's important to note the video we obtained starts with Jaxson on the ground and the taser against his body. TMZ Sports did not edit the starting point of the video.

However, what happened before the video starts rolling is critical ... 'cause cops say Hayes is the one who started and escalated the physical confrontation.

Police claim when they arrived on the scene, Hayes attempted to enter the home -- despite their commands -- before he ultimately shoved an officer, injuring him.

"Body worn video captured Hayes repeatedly attempting to enter the
residence despite officers blocking his path and verbal commands for him to remain outside,'' police said in a statement.

"Officers requested a backup and they attempted to place Hayes' hands behind his back; however, Hayes broke free of the officers' grasp and pushed one of the officers into a wall.''

IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING!!!

Carmelo Anthony is teaming up with his bestie, LeBron James -- the 10-time All-Star just signed a 1-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers!!!

Of course, LBJ and Melo have been tight for 20 years ... but aside from Team USA action, the two never suited up for the same NBA team.

UNTIL NOW!!!

Melo's manager, Bay Frazier, made the news official on Tuesday ... but the official terms of the deal have not been announced just yet.

Anthony is 37 years old now, but the guy has proven he can still hoop -- averaging 13 points a game and playing a key role with the Portland Trail Blazers last season.

Anthony is one of the best players of his era -- he's made the All-NBA team 6 times, was the scoring champ in 2013 and is 10th in points in league history.

Kyrie Irving says he NEVER should've publicly bashed Nike over the "trash" Kyrie 8s ... saying he's working with the Swoosh to fix the problem ASAP.

Of course, Irving blasted the sneaker giant after pics of his next signature shoe leaked on social media ... saying he hated the way they looked and he had nothing to do with their creation.

Now, Irving's clearly had a change of heart ... admitting he should've handled the whole situation differently.

"When you're building something great, there sometimes comes a point when you need to recalibrate and refocus to ensure everyone involved is aligned. This is where the KAI11 brand and Nike are," Irving told Shams Charania.

"It was unfair to put the blame on Nike or any one person. With that being said, we are diligently working, restructuring, and reimagining things together to make sure we get it right."

It's unclear if anything will change on the Kyrie 8 ... or if this will delay the drop.

Syracuse women's basketball coach Quentin Hillsman has resigned amid an investigation into claims from former players about alleged inappropriate behavior ... from bullying and threats to forehead kisses.

Nine former players spoke with The Athletic about the alleged toxic culture on Monday ... telling the outlet Hillsman -- who's been the HC since 2006 -- would intimidate them using vulgar language.

"The way he threatened us, like we all knew he would never physically harm us, but he’d always be talking about beating our asses," one player said during the interview.

"Like, ‘I’ll f*** you guys up. I’ll f*** you up. It’s gonna be your ass if you f*** this up."

The claims continued ... players say Hillsman told each of them "I don’t give a f*** about you" in the locker room at halftime during the 2019-20 season ... before flipping over a table.

Some players recall alleged inappropriate behavior ... three claiming Hillsman gave them forehead kisses after discussing playing time ... and detailed another incident when he came up behind a player, wrapped his arms around her and placed his hand near her pelvic area.

In 2019, Hillsman also hired Ronnie Enoch, who was fired from his previous coaching job over sexual harassment accusations. He's also Hillsman's longtime friend.

Because of the alleged abuse, several players claim to have suffered from suicidal thoughts -- others sought therapy and were even prescribed antidepressants.

20 players have left the program since 2018 ... the highest transfer rate amongst Power 5 teams under one head coach.

On Monday, Hillman turned over his resignation papers.

"Coach Hillsman and I agreed that parting ways is in the best interest of the University, the program and our student-athletes," Syracuse Athletic Director John Wildhack said in a statement.

"We wish him and his family all the best. Interim leadership for the Women’s Basketball Program will be announced in the coming days."

"As previously announced, the University retained an external law firm to conduct a review of the program. That review is ongoing, and the Department of Athletics will address issues that are identified at the conclusion of the review."

Hillsman began his head coaching job at Syracuse in 2006 and is Cuse's winningest coach with a 319-169 record.

He led the women's team to four of the last five NCAA tournaments -- making it to the National Championship game in 2016.

LiAngelo Ball is getting another opportunity to make his NBA dream come true -- the middle Ball bro has joined LaMelo's Charlotte Hornets for the Summer League.

Of course, it's been a tough road for Gelo, who went undrafted in 2018 -- he was picked up as a practice player for the G-League's OKC Blue in late 2019 and signed to the squad in March 2020 ... but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented him from seeing the court.

Ball was given another shot during training camp with the Detroit Pistons in December 2020 ... and was cut prior to the first preseason game.

Now, Gelo has the chance to show what he's got -- with the Hornets announcing he'll be playing for them during Summer League play this offseason.

Ball has shown serious promise when on the court ... averaging 12.6 points in Lithuania.

What's interesting -- Gelo's older bro, Lonzo, is a free agent this summer ... and there are rumblings he could end up being teammates with Melo when it's all said and done.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver says he's smoothed things over with LeBron James about his hatred for the play-in tournament ... telling TMZ Sports he believes the Lakers superstar now "understands" the purpose for the extra games.

Remember, LeBron went OFF on the idea of the new tourney back in May ... saying, "Whoever came up with that s*** needs to be fired."

But, the Association went forward with the format for the 2022 season ... making things official earlier this week.

So, when we spoke with Commish out in NYC this week ... he told us he personally spoke with King James about the tourney -- and it sounds like things are allllll good.

"We talked about it," Silver told us. "I think at the end of the day, I understand. Especially if you went deep last year and you have that end, you have that many sort of games on your legs."

"You're not looking forward to more games. But, I think he understands the context of the league."

Silver says despite James' initial gripe, it was the NBA Players' Association that ended up voting in favor ... but he's totally down to collab on a common ground to make both sides as happy as possible.

"At the end of the day, the Players Association speaks for the players, and they've approved this format for next season," he added.

"So, I think we wanted to get one more season under our belt that wasn't a pandemic season, so we could really get a sense of how it works."

"But, I'm more open to tinkering with it if necessary."

Russell Westbrook couldn't have looked happier right after his big trade to the Lakers ... hitting an L.A. hot spot with Kevin Hart on Thursday -- smiling from ear-to-ear!!!

Of course, Brodie was the centerpiece of a MASSIVE deal between the Lake Show and Washington Wizards ... with Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and draft picks getting shipped out of town for the 2017 MVP.

Westbrook -- a SoCal native -- wasted no time celebrating his big homecoming ... rolling through The Nice Guy with his comedian friend just a few hours after the news broke.

Hart spoke with our camera guys Thursday night ... saying the move means "everything" for the Lakers.

While there are some folks wondering how the new Big 3 of Bron, Russ and Anthony Davis would mesh, the guys certainly seem to get along off the court.

Remember, James hosted Westbrook at his L.A. home for stogies a few years back ... and the L.A. Times reports the trio met up prior to the trade and agreed to put their egos aside.

LeBron certainly seems THRILLED with the trade ... posting a photoshopped pic of his new teammate in the Purple and Gold on Instagram.

LeBron James is getting another superstar on his squad ... and it ain't Lola Bunny -- Russell Westbrook has been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster deal!!!

The rumors had been swirling for weeks ... with many expecting the Lake Show to try and bring in another piece to help the King and co. return to the NBA Finals.

Now, it's become a reality -- with LA sending Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and a 2021 first-round pick to the Washington Wizards in exchange for the 2017 MVP, according to ESPN.

It's a HUGE move -- Brodie is a triple-double machine ... averaging 23 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists on his 13-season career.

It also allows Westbrook -- who is a Southern Cali native -- to return back to his roots and play for his hometown!!

LeBron has yet to address the trade ... but he's hosted Westbrook at his L.A. crib in the past, so we're sure he's all for bringing in another friend.

Now, the question is, does this new Big 3 dethrone the Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden as the most dangerous trio in the game right now???

The pick is in ... the Detroit Pistons have selected Oklahoma State superstar Cade Cunningham first overall in the NBA Draft!!

The decision was a total no-brainer -- Cunningham was Big 12 Player of the Year and an All-American with the Cowboys ... averaging 20 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists per game in his lone college season.

He was an absolute beast at the high school level as well ... winning national player of the year honors at Montverde Academy in Florida.

With all that success at the HS and college level, it was no surprise the guy was going #1.

Of course, draft night is also all about the #fashion -- and TMZ Sports got footage of the guys as they headed over to Barclays Center earlier Thursday night ... with everyone all decked out in some of the best draft day suits we've ever seen!!!

Florida State forward Scottie Barnes is going the LeBron/Zion route -- rocking an all-white look. Congo's Jonathan Kuminga sticks out with some awesome orange threads.

There are also some eye-popping looks ... but ya gotta give credit to the guys for trying new styles!!

Jalen Green pulled off a bedazzled pinstripe suit and makes it look easy ... while Jalen Suggs also had a similar attention-grabbing ensemble.

There was also a tribute to the late Black Mamba -- LSU's Cam Thomas honored his favorite player of all-time, Kobe Bryant, with a special design inside his blazer.