Basketball

Dwight Howard is mourning the loss of his beloved dog, Sunday ... saying his companion was tragically killed in an alleged hit-and-run over the weekend.

The NBA center shared the sad news with his Instagram followers on Wednesday, posting several photos and videos of the good times with his Belgian Malinois.

Howard -- now playing in the BIG3 league after 18 NBA seasons -- said Sunday lost her life on June 18 in Suwanee, Georgia, after she was allegedly struck by a car that didn't stop.

Ace Bailey reportedly wanted NOTHING to do with the Utah Jazz prior to Wednesday night's draft ... so how did he feel about the organization taking him with the fifth pick??

Well, if you believe the former Rutgers star ... he's calling it a "blessing" nonetheless.

Bailey met with the media after he walked the stage at Barclays Center ... and all things considered, he appeared to be in great spirits.

V.J. Edgecombe couldn't hold back the tears after the Sixers drafted him with the third overall pick in the NBA Draft ... crying on live TV as he thanked his mom for all her sacrifices -- and it was super sweet!

The star Bahamian athlete walked up on the Barclays Center's stage on Wednesday and shook commish Adam Silver's hand after Philadelphia pulled the trigger on the 6'5" guard.

Edgecombe's mom started the waterworks ... as she witnessed her son's dreams come true -- a moment that deeply moved V.J. during his post-draft interview with Taylor Rooks.

It was the biggest night of Dylan Harper's life on Wednesday ... and the same can be said for his mom, Maria, who wound up being the most viral moment of the NBA Draft!!

The 19-year-old Rutgers star didn't have to wait long to have his name called at Barclays Center -- once Cooper Flagg went to the Dallas Mavericks, Harper was right behind as the San Antonio Spurs' No. 2 selection.

After Harper walked the stage, ESPN got a brief interview with most of his family ... and Maria -- who has two kids with ex-NBA player Ron Harper -- immediately took social media by storm.

It's been a foregone conclusion for months, but the Mavericks made it official tonight ... selecting Duke University star Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft!

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced Dallas' selection from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY ... shocking absolutely nobody, as nearly everyone viewed the 18-year-old as the consensus top pick.

And, as if going first isn't enough pressure by itself ... Flagg will be expected to fill the shoes of Luka Doncic, after the former Mavs superstar was traded to the Lakers for Anthony Davis in February.

The 2025 NBA Draft is here ... and this year's prospects made sure to arrive in style -- from diamonds to designer shades and shirtless looks!!

Let's start with Jeremiah Fears -- the former Oklahoma guard wore a maroon Gucci suit and iced-out "0" chain from AI the Jeweler of Labelle Jewelry in Totowa, NJ ... a centerpiece made of 30 carats of VS baguette diamonds.

Colorado State's Dominique Clifford had a colorful look ... going with a faded purple and pink blazer, while Georgetown's Thomas Sorber used the inside of his jacket to highlight his career moments.

Cooper Flagg is reaping the benefits of being the (super likely) No. 1 overall pick -- the former Duke star is BOSS' newest ambassador ... and is commemorating the deal by repping the brand at the NBA Draft!!

All eyes will be on Flagg at the Barclays Center on Wednesday ... with his name expected to be called when the Dallas Mavericks submit their selection in a matter of hours.

TMZ Sports has learned Flagg -- the National College Player of the Year -- chose to keep it slick and smooth with an Italian three-piece stretch wool suit by BOSS, along with a slim-fit shirt and Italian-made silk jacquard tie.

Alijah Arenas is speaking out publicly for the first time about his serious car crash ... claiming the accident was caused by the Tesla Cybertruck's steering wheel getting stuck.

Arenas -- who committed to USC in January -- spoke about the crash at a press conference on Tuesday ... saying he was leaving a shooting session at the DSTRKT gym in Chatsworth, California, when the luxury vehicle malfunctioned.

"The wheel wasn't moving as easy as it should, and me noticing the keypad wasn't on, it was kinda just like weirding me out," Arenas said.

The basketball from Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals is already up for grabs ... and anyone looking to own the piece of history better start saving up now!!

The game-used rock from Sunday's Thunder vs. Pacers showdown is set to go on the auction block this week with Sotheby's in New York.

It's a truly one-of-a-kind memorabilia item -- not only does it come from the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 2016, but it was also used in the deciding contest of the Thunder's first championship in franchise history.

Tensions were high between the Sparks and Sky on Tuesday ... as Rickea Jackson and Angel Reese got physical during an on-court scuffle.

It went down in the first quarter of the LA vs. Chicago game at Wintrust Arena ... when Sparks forward Jackson and Sky forward Rebecca Allen got tangled up under the rim while battling for the rebound.

It got a little too rough for Jackson's liking ... so she lunged at Allen, who immediately called her out for the thrust and got in her face -- and that's when Reese got involved.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took a page out of J.R. Smith's book at the OKC Thunder's championship parade on Tuesday ... stripping off his shirt during the route while introducing fans to the Larry O'Brien trophy!!

The celebration went down in downtown Oklahoma City ... with folks hitting the streets to celebrate after the Thunder's 103-91 victory over the Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

SGA -- who was named NBA Finals MVP -- was hyped to deliver the city's first-ever NBA championship ... and he apparently wasn't digging the 90-degree heat, 'cause he went topless before jumping off the team buses to personally celebrate with supporters.

Tyrese Haliburton underwent surgery on his torn Achilles tendon, which he suffered during game 7 of the NBA Finals ... and despite a smile from the hospital bed, the Indiana Pacers star didn't sugarcoat things, admitting "this s*** sucks."

The two-time All-Star shared a photo from a hospital along with a lengthy, emotional, and real statement ... a day after sustaining the serious injury in the deciding game.

"Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock," Haliburton wrote, "Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense."

Kevin Hart is pulling out all the stops to make sure WNBA All-Star Weekend rivals the NBA's -- with a full-blown music and comedy festival to induce pandemonium!!!

For the first-ever Fever Fest, Kevin's Hartbeat and Pacers Sports & Entertainment joined forces for the WNBA All-Star 2025 in Indianapolis on July 19.

Deon Cole will hold down the hosting duties while The Kid LAROI, G-Eazy, and BIA will command the live music performances and Cedric the Entertainer, Leslie Jones and Aida Rodriguez will provide the comedic relief!!!

The bad news has been confirmed -- Tyrese Haliburton did, in fact, tear his right Achilles tendon during Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday.

The official diagnosis came on Monday ... just a day after the Indiana Pacers star suffered the leg injury during the first quarter of the season finale against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Haliburton -- averaging 17.2 points in the playoffs -- was carried off the court ... and was seen using crutches and a wheelchair following the championship loss.

It turns out the Oklahoma City Thunder's toughest matchup of the NBA Finals wasn't the Indiana Pacers -- it was the champagne bottles waiting for them during their championship celebration!!

Footage from the locker room caught a bunch of players learning on the fly how to pop the bubbly for the traditional champagne showers -- and with their roster having an average age of just over 24 years old, it might've been the first time for a few of them!!

Isaiah Hartenstein credited Alex Caruso for helping show the team how to do it properly ... telling reporters it was like watching a YouTube tutorial.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champions ... for the first time in team history!!!

Thunder star and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way in a 103-91 victory for OKC, scoring 29 points in the decisive Game 7 ... played in front of a raucous sell-out crowd at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.

SGA was named Most Valuable Player of the Finals.