Basketball

Sophie Cunningham isn't feeling Angel Reese's comments on her team's shaky season ... saying the star Chicago Sky player was wrong for the public remarks, insisting that talk should remain in the locker room!

The Indiana Fever guard discussed Reese on her "Show Me Something Podcast" this week, days after the Sky suspended Angel for one game for "detrimental" comments to the team.

The controversial remarks came from Reese's recent interview with the Chicago Tribune, where she expressed frustration with the team's performance and roster.

Shawn Kemp spent his last night before beginning home detention enjoying the sights and sounds of a Lil Wayne concert.

TMZ Sports has learned the former NBA superstar -- who was just ordered to 30 days of electronic home monitoring for firing a gun during a 2023 parking lot dispute -- hit Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Wednesday to get down at "The Carter VI" tour.

He didn't seem like a guy too concerned about the sentence he was getting set to serve -- as video we obtained showed him vibing to Weezy's tunes.

Angel Reese just got punished again -- one day after the WNBA suspended her for picking up her eighth technical foul of the season, the Chicago Sky have now disciplined her for "statements detrimental to the team."

Chicago made the announcement ahead of its showdown with the Indiana Fever on Friday -- which happens to be the matchup Reese will serve her one-game ban given by the W -- saying she will sit out the first half of Sunday's contest against the Las Vegas Aces.

"We are committed to accountability so our players can stay focused on playing basketball," the statement read.

Steve Ballmer is adamantly denying the L.A. Clippers had a role in Kawhi Leonard's massive endorsement deal with Aspiration ... claiming the contract came months after the NBA superstar already agreed to an extension with the team.

The billionaire owner opened up on the recent bombshell report on ESPN on Thursday ... kicking things off by saying the Clippers have always abided by the league's salary cap circumvention rules, as it's "the right thing to do."

Ballmer then went into detail on his relationship with the now-bankrupt company ... saying the team was approached regarding a potential sponsorship deal, and he felt it was a "match made in heaven" based on its emphasis on carbon neutrality.

The Chicago Sky will be without Angel Reese for their showdown against the Indiana Fever Friday night -- the second-year player was officially suspended after picking up her eighth technical foul of the season.

The punishment was announced by the WNBA on Thursday ... with the league pointing out whenever a player or coach receives their eighth technical foul during the regular season, they are automatically handed a one-game ban.

Reese picked up her league-leading tech during the Sky's matchup against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday. It happened after the 23-year-old hit Aaliyah Edwards in the head as they were fighting for a rebound.

Angel Reese is issuing a mea culpa to her Chicago Sky teammates after she seemingly knocked the Chicago Sky players and the front office in a recent interview about the team's losing season, explaining her remarks were taken out of context.

The two-time WNBA All-Star attempted to clear things up after Wednesday's game against the Connecticut Sun, responding to a reporter who asked whether she was truly upset with the organization, who currently have a dreadful 10-30 record this season.

This question stems from a recent Chicago Tribune interview where Reese said she "might have to move in a different direction and do what's best for me" after expressing frustrations with the team's play.

"I don't think I'm frustrated. I'm probably frustrated with myself right now," Reese said on Wednesday.

New year, new team, new endeavor for NBA hooper Jalen Green ... 'cause the Phoenix Suns guard is now an underwear model -- starring in a new campaign for Calvin Klein!!

The 23-year-old showed off the brand's Fall 2025 look in a commercial shoot ... which showed him walking around the city before ending up at a rooftop basketball court.

Considering this is CK we're talking about, it wasn't long before Green ditched his clothes and worked on his jumper in a pair of grey boxers.

Baron Davis is turning to one of his former NBA teammates to help him win a Mirrorball Trophy this year -- telling TMZ Sports he's getting dancing advice from none other than Iman Shumpert!

Just hours after it was revealed the former Golden State Warriors point guard would be on the newest season of "Dancing With The Stars" ... he told us he's already picking Shumpert's brain on how to two-step through the competition.

Shumpert, of course, won Season 30 of the show -- and Davis said Wednesday the guys have already FaceTimed to talk strategy. He added that "some note-taking" sessions are on the way as well.

5:20 PM PT -- The Los Angeles Clippers released a lengthy statement Wednesday evening addressing the allegations ... saying the idea Ballmer invested in Aspiration to "funnel money to Kawhi Leonard is absurd."

"Steve invested because Aspiration co-founders presented themselves as committed to doing right by their customers while protecting the environment."

The statement goes on to say that neither the team nor Steve had "any knowledge of improper activity by Aspiration" -- which was a team sponsor from the 2021 to the 2023 seasons before defaulting on their contract -- "or its co-founder until after the government initiated its investigation."

"There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team. Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of Kawhi’s independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say otherwise is flat-out wrong."

It closes with L.A. saying they "welcome" the league's investigation into Aspiration ... and will continue "to cooperate with law enforcement in its investigation into Aspiration's blatantly fraudulent activity."

12:53 PM PT -- The NBA just announced it is launching an investigation into the claims made in Pablo Torre's report.

Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers are under fire, accused of circumventing the NBA's salary cap with a huge, no-show endorsement deal ... but the team is firing back, calling BS on the allegations!

In the report from Pablo Torre -- who drew the ire of Jordon Hudson earlier this year -- Leonard is accused of signing a $28 million deal with a now bankrupt company, Aspiration, that was at least partially funded by the billionaire owner of the Clips, Steve Ballmer ... as a way around salary cap restrictions.

If true, that's obviously a huge no-no as far as NBA rules go.

Despite the lucrative deal, Torre says he was unable to find any instance where Kawhi worked with the tree planting company.

George Raveling -- a beloved college basketball coach and Nike executive who played a pivotal role in signing Michael Jordan to the brand -- has passed away. He was 88.

His family released a statement on Tuesday via social media ... saying Raveling was surrounded by family when he transitioned peacefully following a courageous battle with cancer.

"There are no words to fully capture what George meant to his family, friends, colleagues, former players, and assistants -- and to the world," his family said.

Zach Edey got a tongue lashing from a cop after he was busted for speeding earlier this year ... as newly released police video shows an officer chastised him for allegedly going over 100 MPH on a roadway.

The traffic stop took place on May 1 in Tippecanoe County, Indiana ... after Edey was accused of doing 101 in a 55.

Indiana State Police body cam footage shows almost immediately, the basketball player was berated by the cop for his lead foot.

Caitlin Clark has reached yet another major milestone in her young basketball career -- the WNBA superstar was announced as Nike's newest signature athlete ... but her logo reveal that came with the news is getting mixed reviews.

Clark -- whose 2025 WNBA season has been marred with injuries -- shared the update with her followers Monday ... posting a teaser that featured a truck carrying her logo through the countryside.

"Tune in," she wrote. "Logo collection coming soon. Signature product dropping in 2026."

Malik Beasley's had quite the experience in the NBA, as he's gone from playing in some of the highest-profile basketball games to dealing with legal probes into his behavior off-court.

The professional hoops star made a name for himself for bringing serious talent to several teams in the league, as well as for his 2020 arrest and subsequent gambling probe.

We're going to check out how the shooting guard carved out a space for himself in the league -- and had to deal with some troubling matters in between games.

Beasley received several offers to play college ball when he was in high school, according to Sports Illustrated, and he eventually signed on to join Florida State's team.

The athlete only spent a single season with the Seminoles before he was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 2016, and he remained with the organization for four years.

Beasley bounced around from team to team after he left the Nuggets, and he joined the rosters of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks, among others.

The professional basketball player eventually ended up with the Detroit Pistons, signing with the organization in July 2024.

Beasley found himself in hot water back in 2020, when he was arrested after authorities said he'd pointed a gun at a family who'd stopped their vehicle in front of his house in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Officials later found marijuana and a stolen gun at his residence after obtaining a warrant to search the athlete's property.

Beasley eventually pleaded guilty to one felony count of threats of violence, and he claimed he "was not in my right mind" when the incident occurred and wanted to "humbly apologize for my actions."

He was sentenced to 120 days in prison, and he was ultimately released in August 2021 after serving just 78 days.

Beasley became the subject of an investigation into allegations of gambling, which were related to both NBA games and prop bets, in June 2025, according to ESPN.

A gambling industry source spoke to the outlet and claimed heavy betting activity centered on the athlete's statistics by at least one major U.S.-based sportsbook, beginning in January 2024.

However, Beasley's attorneys Steve Haney and Mike Schachter stated they were able to clear the athlete of wrongdoing after having extensive contact with the Eastern District of New York regarding the gambling probe.

Kevin O'Leary's latest investment didn't come from a "Shark Tank" episode -- Mr. Wonderful and his buddies just coughed up a whopping $12.932 MILLION for the most expensive sports card in the world -- which features patches and autographs from Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant!!

The businessman revealed himself as one of the buyers in the historic purchase on CNBC on Monday ... saying he, Matt Allen and Paul Warshaw dug deep into their couch cushions to buy the super rare memorabilia.

O'Leary defended the move ... comparing the item to a work of art, as the value will only increase in time.

It's been over five years since Kobe Bryant died, but we're certain his fans still have plenty of fond memories of the Los Angeles Lakers star from over the years.

We caught up with the basketball legend on several occasions over the years, and you gotta imagine he eventually got used to all the cameras and flashing lights, because the guy really knew how to keep his cool in public.

Shaquille O'Neal just agreed to a boxing match with a famous bodyguard ... and his son tells TMZ Sports even though the legend might be a bit old for this kinda thing, he'll support him nonetheless!!

We spoke with Myles at LAX this week ... fresh off Shaq's response to Will Smith's former security guy Charlie Mack, who challenged him to a celebrity boxing match.

Myles, a DJ, was caught off guard by Shaq's acceptance ... especially since his dad is 53 years old. So, we asked if he was concerned ... and his answer was exactly what you'd expect.