Basketball

Michael Jordan is being criticized after what should’ve been a champagne-soaked celebration at the Daytona 500 … but instead of talking trophies, many on social media are dissecting a viral video involving MJ and Tyler Reddick's young son.

Jordan's 23XI Racing team won the season's biggest race, and while the confetti was falling, cameras captured a brief interaction between the NBA legend and Beau Reddick, son of the winning driver.

In the viral clip, MJ appears to playfully grab or tap the child during the chaotic celebration ... repeatedly pinching his lower back and brushing his leg.

Chris Paul -- a 12-time NBA All-Star and future Hall of Famer -- is officially retiring, bringing an end to an era!

Paul announced his decision on Friday, just shortly after the Toronto Raptors released him following a three-team trade with the Clippers last week.

"This is it," Paul started. "After over 21 years, I'm stepping away from basketball."

"While this chapter of being an 'NBA player' is done, the game of basketball will forever be engrained in the NBA of my life. I've been in the NBA for more than half of my life, spanning three decades. It's crazy even saying that!!!"

Nikola Topić -- the Oklahoma City Thunder first-round draft pick in 2024 -- made his NBA debut four months after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer ... receiving a standing ovation from the crowd!

The powerful moment all went down with under two minutes left in the first quarter of Thursday's contest. Topić was set to inbound the ball when the Paycom Center erupted in cheers for the 20-year-old after his long-awaited return to the court.

Topic tapped his heart in a gesture towards the crowd before inbounding the ball and getting the action back underway. In 12 minutes of action, he scored two points with one assist and one rebound.

Klay Thompson just celebrated his 36th trip around the sun -- and the hooper says it was the greatest one yet -- thanks to his girlfriend, Megan Thee Stallion!

"Best birthday ever thanks to my baby. I’m still on cloud East 99," the 4x NBA champ wrote on social media.

Thompson also shared a bunch of photos from the celebration, showing the Dallas Mavericks guard cheesin' with Meg and friends in the pics.

Klay also posted video on stage with the legends, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, as they performed some of their hits.

The chaotic brawl that went down during the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets game has resulted in hefty suspensions for several players ... including Isaiah Stewart, who was handed a seven-game ban.

James Jones, the NBA's Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations, announced the penalty on Wednesday ... days after players threw hands during a fight in the matchup at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Stewart -- the Pistons forward who left the bench area to fight in the on-court brawl -- was hit with the most severe punishment, with Jones noting it was "based in part of his repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts."

Nearly two weeks after Lakers forward Jaxson Hayes shoved Washington Wizards mascot G-Wiz during pregame introductions ... TMZ Sports has learned that the person behind the mask has lawyered up -- and has selected the attorney that represented Sofia Jamora in her domestic violence lawsuit against Hayes.

Waukeen McCoy told us that he is now representing the person Hayes decked when the Lakers were in town for a showdown with Washington on January 30.

"We will give them the opportunity to resolve the matter before taking legal action," McCoy said. "But legal action is anticipated."

Monday night's showdown between the Hornets and Pistons descended into chaos after a wild brawl broke out on the hardwood ... resulting it multiple players being ejected, after coaches and officials were finally able to restore peace!

It all went down with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter after Hornets forward Moussa Diabate was fouled by Jalen Duren. The two then went chest-to-chest ... before Duren put his hand in Diabate's face and shoved him away.

Diabate then lunged at the Pistons' third-year veteran, taking a swing at him as players and coaches tried to restrain him. He eventually broke free and tried to put hands on Duren, but was pushed back toward the baseline.

Collin Sexton's latest rival wasn't wearing a jersey -- it was bolted to the backboard.

The freshly traded Chicago Bulls guard went viral after a heated free-throw sequence during Monday’s matchup with the Brooklyn Nets ... when Sexton missed his first shot from the stripe, locked eyes with the hoop like it personally betrayed him, then knocked down the second attempt.

That’s when things got spicy.

The attorney who represented Jaxson Hayes' ex-girlfriend in a domestic violence lawsuit against the Lakers' big man is ripping the NBA after it handed down a suspension for shoving a mascot ... telling TMZ Sports he feels the league doesn't have its priorities in order.

Hayes was hit with a one-game ban for his run-in with the Washington Wizards' mascot on Jan. 30 ... and Waukeen McCoy is scratching his head at the Association's swift action.

"They gave him a one-game suspension, that's ridiculous," McCoy said.

Jaxson Hayes found himself in a bizarre beef with a giant bird -- and the NBA just ruled in the mascot’s favor.

The league announced Wednesday that Hayes has been suspended one game without pay for shoving the Wizards’ costumed character, G-Wiz, in pregame introductions before the Lakers’ 142-111 win on Jan. 30 in D.C.

Video of the bizarre moment shows Hayes decking the mascot to the floor while the character was exiting the court -- a move the league clearly didn’t find funny.

G-Wiz wasn’t injured in the scuffle, according to a report by The Athletic ... but the NBA still ruled the behavior crossed the line and slapped Hayes with the punishment anyway.

Noah Vonleh's war with his former sports agency appears to be over -- and the ex-NBA lottery pick didn't get the W.

Pensack Sports scored the final bucket in a multi-year fight with the 30-year-old hooper over agent fees tied to his overseas basketball contracts.

The agency first hauled Vonleh into arbitration in 2023 ... claiming he stiffed them on commissions from deals he signed while playing in China.

A year and two days after Anthony Davis was sent to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic in one of the most shocking trades in NBA history ... the Brow is on the move again -- getting dealt to the Washington Wizards in another deal.

According to Shams Charania, Davis is among the three players being sent to D.C. -- with D'Angelo Russell, Dante Exum and Jaden Hardy also being thrown in the move. In exchange, the Wizards are sending Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley, two first-round picks and three second-rounders to Dallas.

Davis played his last game for the Mavericks last month, putting up 21 points in 35 minutes in a 116-114 loss to the Utah Jazz. He ended up playing 29 games for the Mavs ... averaging 20.2 points, 3.3 assists, and 10.8 rebounds.

Draymond Green is staring down trade rumors head-on ... and instead of throwing punches, he's throwing gratitude.

The four-time NBA champ got brutally honest after the Warriors' 113-94 loss on Tuesday to the 76ers when asked about speculation he could be moved before Thursday's trade deadline.

"I've been here for 13-and-a-half years," Green said. "That's longer than probably 98% of NBA players have been in one place. I don’t know if it ends ... but what a f***ing run it’s been. I'll take the fine for it. What a f***ing run it’s been."

Derek Fisher isn’t predicting a Ja Morant trade before next week’s deadline ... but if it happens, he says buckle up.

TMZ Sports caught up with the five-time NBA champion at LAX recently and asked him about the possibility of the Memphis Grizzlies trading their dynamic star.

Fisher weighed in on the rumors ... admitting there’s no obvious landing spot if Morant is moved -- but stressed that being traded is something even the game’s greats have had to endure.

The NBA has suspended Philadelphia 76ers power forward Paul George for 25 games for violating the league's anti-drug program, the NBA announced Saturday.

His suspension begins immediately and will bench him for Saturday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

George said the situation is a big mix-up in a statement to ESPN, but is taking full responsibility for the error. He explained ... "Over the past few years, I’ve discussed the importance of mental health, and in the course of recently seeking treatment for an issue of my own, I made the mistake of taking an improper medication."

Cleveland went full feels during LeBron James' return on Wednesday ... and "Inside the NBA" immediately turned it into a comedy sketch.

During an in-game timeout in the Cavs' 129-99 win over the Lakers, the team's arena host Ahmaad Crump and mascot Moondog put on pink tutus, rolled out a hot pink exercise ball and launched into a slow, dramatic dance set to Adele’s "Hello."

Emotional vocals, moody pacing ... and balancing a giant workout ball front and center.

The grace, the pageantry -- the instant fuel for mockery. It immediately went viral on social media.