Basketball

Pour one out for this fan's beer -- 'cause one unlucky courtside spectator got leveled when a player dove for a loose ball on Wednesday ... and lost his drink in the process!!!

It all went down with 3 minutes left in the Georgia Tech vs. Wisconsin game ... when 6'4" guard Brad Davison tried like hell to keep the ball inbounds with the Badgers up 65-61.

In the effort, Davison ran right into a Tech fan in the front row ... sending the guy into the laps of fans next to him before hitting the deck.

To make matters worse, the guy was holding a brew at the time of impact ... which naturally went flying into his face and all over his clothes!

Unfortunately for Davison, his foot was already on the line ... so the whole thing was all for naught.

But, everyone involved appeared to be okay -- the fan even dapped up and hugged Davison before play resumed.

The Badgers went on to win, 70-66 ... so not only did the fan go home soaked, he also went home with a loss.

A high school basketball player wound up and sucker-punched his opponent twice during postgame handshakes this week ... and now cops are investigating.

Here's what we know -- Nevada H.S. was facing off against Carlisle H.S. in Iowa on Tuesday ... and when both teams lined up to say "good game" after Nevada's 72-47 win, #4 on Carlisle attacked #5 on Nevada.

Unclear what happened in the game, but it appears the players were going through the line without incident before the Carlisle guard threw punches to the opponent's stomach and head.

The player who was attacked then falls to the ground as other players and coaches step in to put a stop to the altercation ... with the Carlisle player getting wrestled to the ground.

We spoke with Nevada superintendent Dr. Steve Gray, who tells us the player is currently doing okay.

"It's a very unfortunate situation," he tells TMZ Sports. "I'm happy they deescalated it. I thought our coaches and staff handled it well and got everyone out of there without it worsening."

Carlisle PD tells us they are aware of the incident and an investigation is underway.

An officer was present during the game, but the player was not arrested.

The Carlisle superintendent tells us ... "This is without question an unfortunate incident that is not representative of the school culture that exists in Carlisle Community School District."

"I want to make it clear that this type of conduct is not tolerated at Carlisle CSD. The district will follow the student code of conduct policy and procedures throughout the investigation of this incident and implement appropriate consequences.

"All proper authorities have been notified of the incident including IHSAA."

LeBron James has been placed in the NBA's health and safety protocols and will miss tonight's game against the Sacramento Kings, the league announced Tuesday.

The news comes just hours before the Lakers are set to go up against the Kings.

It's unclear if 36-year-old James is COVID-19 positive, if he was a close contact or had a false positive.

Per the league's rules, if James is positive, he will be away from the team either for the next 10 days or until he submits at least two negative PCR tests before returning.

LeBron is fully vaccinated but has previously shied away from encouraging others to get the jab.

"We're talking about individuals' bodies," LeBron said back in September. "We're not talking about something that's political, or racism, or police brutality. Things of that nature. We're talking about people's bodies and well being."

"So, I don't feel like, for me personally, that I should get involved in what other people should do for their bodies and their livelihoods."

LBJ is averaging 25.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists for the 11-11 Lakers ... and previously missed several games this season due to an ab strain.

Enes Kanter will now be Enes Kanter Freedom -- the Boston Celtics player just announced he's legally changing his name as he's sworn in as a U.S. citizen.

The 29-year-old hooper is set to officially become an American after passing his citizenship test earlier this month ... a journey that's been more than half a decade in the making.

Enes will be adding "Freedom" to his name as he becomes an American ... moving Kanter to his middle name. He says the new last name will appear on his jersey starting Tuesday night.

Remember, Kanter told us back in 2019 he was considering taking an American name once he became a citizen ... and what's better than Freedom?!

"Dream came true," Kanter told CNN on Monday. "It's been 6 years that I've been trying to become an American citizen. finally, I can call somewhere home."

Kanter has been outspoken against the government in his home country of Turkey ... specifically president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who he's referred to as the "Hitler of our generation."

As a result, Kanter was labeled a terrorist in Turkey -- his passport was revoked and there was a warrant out for his arrest.

Now that he'll be an American, Kanter can start fresh.

"Today is probably the biggest day of my life."

He added ... "To me, America gave me everything. America gave me home, gave me family. My teammates became my brothers like my real family. This means so much to me."

Kanter has most recently criticized China's treatment of the Uyghur community ... calling on LeBron James and Nike to take a stand against the country's internment camps.

As for the name change, Kanter says "freedom is the greatest thing a human being can have. That's why I wanted to make that word a part of me and carry it everywhere I go."

An NBA fan was removed from his courtside seat on Sunday ... and it's all 'cause he allegedly hurled Kardashian heckles at Tristan Thompson.

For real.

Here's the deal ... during the fourth quarter of the Kings vs. Grizzlies game in Memphis, Thompson became visibly upset with a fan sitting courtside, and pointed the man out to refs and stadium staffers.

Video from the scene shows security spoke with the fan ... and then returned just seconds later to give the guy the boot from the arena.

Afterward, Grizzlies beat writer Drew Hill reported the commotion all stemmed from some Kardashian comments the man had aimed at Thompson, who has a child with Khloe Kardashian.

While Sacramento head coach Alvin Gentry did not confirm the report following the Kings' loss -- he did say the fan said "inappropriate things" to his players.

"They can say anything they want to me or they can boo and do everything they want with the players," Gentry said, "but there's no room for saying inappropriate things in a sporting event. That's not why you're there."

Of course, this is not the first time this month that an NBA player has had fans removed for heckling -- just last week, LeBron James kicked out two people sitting courtside over their verbal jabs.

Imagine having a wide-open layup ... and missing it.

That's the equivalent of what Jeremy Lin's Beijing Ducks teammate did on Chang Lin's big day this week ... winding up from point-blank range to beam the player with a birthday cake -- and he hilariously airballed it!!

The ex-NBA player shared it all on his Instagram this week ... showing the teammate getting the golden opportunity to throw a cake in Chang's face -- as part of a "tradition."

But the teammate completely missed the target ... and threw the dessert right into the window behind!!

Lin -- who rejoined the Beijing Ducks this past June -- roasted the player's hiccup ... saying, "My teammate w the biggest airball of the season lollll."

All in all, everybody was a good sport about it -- the team shared laughs after making sure to let one of their own have it ... joking and smiling as they point at the cake remains on the window.

Here's hoping the dude won't miss this badly on the basketball court anytime soon.

"Do I think he can win it? No. I know he can win it!"

That's LaVar Ball telling TMZ Sports he knows his son, LaMelo, can win NBA's MVP this season ... which would make him the youngest player to ever win the award.

The 20-year-old is already a star -- he won 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year, was selected All-Rookie First Team and became the youngest player in Hornets franchise history to have a 30-point game.

But, can LaMelo -- who's averaging nearly 20 points, 8 rebounds and almost 8 assists in his second season -- really win the trophy over guys like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo?!

LaVar says "yes" ... but there's something he's gotta do first.

"Here it is ... they're not gonna give Melo the MVP unless he makes it to the Finals," LaVar said at Cool Kicks L.A. "Then you gonna make MVP."

"You know why? The NBA -- what do you need? You need the next superstar, and you know who he is?! My boy! And, I got a bunch of 'em!"

FYI -- the current youngest MVP was Derrick Rose, who won it at 22 years for the Bulls.

The Hornets are currently in the middle of the Eastern Conference ... but it's still pretty early in the season, so who knows what'll happen.

Kanye West is clearly upset over his impending divorce with Kim Kardashian, but Friday night he had a ton of fans offering him comfort.

Kanye was swarmed at the Lakers game as he entered the Staples Center. He signed autographs and posed for selfies and seemed like he was in a great mood as fans mobbed him.

Ye sat courtside with a friend as he watched the Lakers fall to the Kings in a nail-biter. Kanye wore a black leather jacket with a matching hoodie and a cap. He chowed down on chicken strips and fries.

His mood seemed to change pretty dramatically ... hours before, he posted a photo of him and Kim kissing, in yet another effort to resuscitate their marriage.

Ye stopped by the L.A. Mission Wednesday and grabbed a mic ... telling the folks he was keeping faith that God would repair things between Kim and himself.

Kanye has pulled out all the stops to try and save his marriage ... even admitting to failures as a husband.

On Thanksgiving, Kanye posted a prayer, confessing to drinking too much, letting his ego and temper get the best of him and even to being a "self-righteous Christian," saying, "I was arrogant with my Jesus. Like I had just got me some Jesus at the Gucci store with a stimulus check."

He went on ...  "Good Lord, my wife did not like me wearing the red [MAGA] hat. Being a good wife, she just wanted to protect me and our family. I made me and our family a target by not aligning with Hollywood's political stance, and that was hard for our marriage."

LeBron James took it in the crotch Friday ... and it cost him $15k.

LeBron was in Indiana with the Lakers, and after making a pretty awesome shot, he grabbed his crotch. Now there's a backstory here. Two Indiana fans had just been ejected for grabbing their crotch -- presumably taunting LeBron and it apparently caught his eye. After making the next shot, LeBron returned the favor to the crowd by grabbing his crotch.

LeBron said after the game, "When obscene gestures and language come into it, can't be tolerated. There's a difference between cheering for your team and not wanting the other team to win, and things I would never say to a fan and they shouldn't say to me."

The Lakers won in overtime 124 to 116 ... nevertheless, it's been a rough November for one of the best players ever. As you know, LeBron was suspended a week ago after elbowing Detroit center Isaiah Stewart. After a bloodied Stewart went after LeBron, both players were booted from the game.

LeBron was also suspended for a game, which enraged him. He called "bulls***" on NBA officials who benched him, saying the elbow was unintentional. He said he merely "grazed" Stewart. BTW ... the "bulls***" comment didn't sit well with NBA officials ... they gave him a warning.

LeBron explained the contact with Stewart this way ... "His elbow got kinda high, got me off balance a little bit. His elbow lifted my arm. I basically tried to swim move down on his arm. When I went down on his arm, he got off balance, and the left side of my hand grazed his face ... definitely accidental."

Should the Miami Heat retire Udonis Haslem's jersey??

Dwayne Wade says it's a matter of when, not if -- telling TMZ Sports he knows his former teammate's jersey will hang from the rafters in Miami one day.

Haslem -- who was drafted by Miami in 2002 -- has spent his entire career with the org ... and is considered a Heat legend for the longevity he has with the team.

Of course, D-Wade and Haslem have a strong bond -- the two played together for the Heat franchise for a number of years ... winning 3 championships in that span.

UD postponed retiring this past offseason and signed on with the Heat for year 19 ... and even though the veteran doesn't see much playing time these days, his impact on the sideline and locker room is certainly felt by the players.

As for Wade -- who was in New York for the release of his new book "Dwyane" -- we asked him if he had any advice for players on the Phoenix Suns ... whose owner -- Robert Sarver -- has been embroiled in allegations of racism and misogyny.

"You know, I'm in ownership now," the Utah Jazz part-owner said. "I don't comment on other teams."

LeBron James seems furious he was booted from a game and then suspended, saying he never intended to bloody an opponent.

LeBron calls, "bulls***" on officials who took action against him, for elbowing Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart last Sunday.

The injury was gnarly, and Isaiah went after LeBron, sending both men back to the locker room. Officials called the elbow intentional.

LeBron begs to differ, calling the incident accidental ... adding he simply "grazed" Stewart's face.

LeBron said, "His elbow got kinda high, got me off balance a little bit. His elbow lifted my arm. I basically tried to swim move down on his arm. When I went down on his arm, he got off balance, and the left side of my hand grazed his face ... definitely accidental."

He said he could understand why he was booted from the game, but really kind of blamed Stewart, saying, "I thought it warranted an ejection because of what happened after that" -- referring to the fight, adding, "But a suspension, I didn't think it was warranted. But, the league made that call."

LaVar Ball says the Charlotte Hornets are screwing up the LiAngelo Ball situation ... telling TMZ Sports he's convinced the team is making a massive mistake by not pairing Gelo with his brother, LaMelo Ball, on its NBA roster.

"They don't understand what they got," the Big Baller said of the Hornets out in L.A. this week. "They need to let my boy go ahead and play."

"I dropped them a superstar in the G-League and they don't know what to do with him."

The Hornets actually signed Gelo back in October ... but waived him just a day later, and he's been on the team's G-League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, ever since.

Gelo has played decently with the Swarm -- he scored 22 points in the season opener earlier this month -- but the Hornets have still yet to pull him up to their roster.

LaVar clearly thinks that's a mistake ... saying the team needs to "bring him in" and "let him play with Melo."

LeBron James was ejected on Sunday, but it was his turn to do the booting on Wednesday ... with the Lakers superstar getting two courtside fans removed from the game during an overtime thriller.

The moment went down with 2 minutes left in OT against the Indiana Pacers ... right after Bron hit a three-pointer to put L.A. up 117-114.

It's unclear what set James off, but whatever it was triggered him to approach an official and point at a man and a woman sitting in the front row.

In the video, you can hear a fuming LeBron say "right f***ing here" and pointing directly at the fans.

Shortly after, they were being escorted out of the arena by security ... with the female fan getting one last jab in at Bron by making an animated crying gesture towards him.

Eventually, the game was resumed and the Lakers held on for the win, 124-116.

It's not the first time James has had fans removed -- last season, he had a "Courtside Karen" escorted out after being heckled in a game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Travis Scott is finally venturing out of his Houston home after the Astroworld tragedy ... flying to SoCal to golf with some A-list friends and spend the holiday weekend with family.

Travis hit the links this week with Michael Jordan, Mark Wahlberg, Kris Jenner's BF, Corey Gamble and actor Said Taghmaoui.

Witnesses spotted the famous group Tuesday on the course attached to the gated Palm Springs-area community where Kris has a home.

Travis still looked pretty somber in some shots taken while they were chilling off the course. The outing marks the first time the rapper's been seen out in public since 10 people were killed and hundreds injured during his Nov. 5 festival in Houston.

He had been laying low at his home in the Houston area for several weeks, devastated by what went down during the concert.

As we've reported ... Travis, Live Nation, Apple and several other organizers have been hit with multiple lawsuits since then. Most notably, one for $750 million and another for a whopping $2 billion.

His attorney, Ed McPherson, told us Travis was unaware of the scope of casualties during his performance ... and didn't learn of it until several hours after the show. Travis has vowed to pay all funeral expenses for the Astroworld victims.

Great sight for hoops fans last night -- legendary college broadcaster Dick Vitale made his return to the broadcast booth amid an ongoing cancer battle ... and the scene was emotional.

Vitale -- who battled melanoma earlier this year -- revealed back in October that he was battling another form of the disease ... and would be required to undergo six months of chemotherapy treatment.

Dickie V announced that he would continue to call games even during his treatment for lymphoma ... saying "That's my best medicine of all," and on Tuesday, he kept true to his promise.

Vitale was on hand last night to call the highly-touted matchup between #1 Gonzaga and #2 UCLA ... and naturally, it was a special moment.

In the video, you can see an emotional Dickie V fighting back tears as he was overwhelmed with emotion ... detailing how he felt during his first college game since his most recent diagnosis.

"It's great being here, Dave. I didn't want to cry," Vitale said. "I can't believe I'm sitting here. It's really a big thrill for me."

82-year-old Dickie V also said he never thought he'd be at courtside again following the diagnosis, but the support from ESPN, his family and the fans made his return possible.

"I want to thank all you people who sent me so many great messages. I want to thank, certainly, my family. All the fans."

It appears LeBron James found somewhere other than the team hotel to watch his Lakers play Tuesday -- 'cause the suspended superstar was spotted slinking away from the swanky NYC venue just before L.A.'s tip-off.

The NBA great -- who was banned one game for his role in a wild altercation with Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart on Sunday -- walked quickly and sported a hood over his head while he got into a van to try to find somewhere to catch the Lakers vs. Knicks matchup.

Unclear where the 36-year-old was headed ... but it's apparent the dude did not want to be seen by cameras.

Check out video of him leaving the Four Seasons, his oversized coat, hoodie and brisk walk show he wasn't in any mood to stop and talk.

Of course, Bron was not allowed at Madison Square Garden after the NBA barred him from the contest following his incident with Stewart.

You'll recall, LeBron kick-started a near-melee by hitting Stewart in the face ... and just 24 hours after the fracas, the NBA handed down its punishment to the Lakers player, suspending him for the first time in his 19-year career.

As for how the Lakers fared without the star -- they lost yet again, dropping their game to the Knicks, 106-100.