Basketball

Iowa star Alvaro Folgueiras knocked down the biggest shot of the NCAA Tourney, sending home the defending champion, and number one seed Florida Gators -- and the 20-year-old is walking TMZ Sports through the insane moment!

Folgueiras and his Hawkeyes were down two points with just seconds remaining in their round of 32 game on Sunday ... before the Spanish player knocked down the biggest shot of his life, hitting a three with 4.5 seconds on the clock, and sending Florida back to Gainesville.

Babcock spoke with the 6'10" hooper just 24 hours later ... and he still can't believe what transpired in those final moments of the thrilling game.

The University of Iowa scored a massive upset over the defending National Champion Florida Gators in the Round of 32 Sunday night ... and one Hawkeye's hooper made sure to rub it in a little during the postgame handshake line, hitting the gator chomp!

Freshman forward Cooper Koch -- who scored 12 points in 28 minutes of play -- was captured on video hitting the reigning champs' celly while he was making his way through the handshake line -- and all the Gators players could do was watch as their season came to a heartbreaking end.

The Florida players weren't the only ones who were taunted ... Koch found some time to troll their fans who were courtside, too.

Steph Curry didn’t drop 30 … he watched the original No. 30 go up.

The NBA superstar had the night off Thursday -- but instead of resting up, he pulled up courtside in Charlotte to watch his dad, Dell Curry, get his jersey retired by the Hornets.

And yeah … full-circle doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Steph -- who has become a global icon in the same No. 30 -- sat front row as the man who wore it first in Charlotte saw his number rise into the rafters at Spectrum Center.

Dell, clearly overwhelmed in the moment, fought back tears as he addressed the crowd.

Draymond Green's wish isn't getting granted anytime soon -- relocating the Memphis Grizzlies to Nashville isn't on the Music City mayor's to-do list.

The Golden State Warriors star has been vocal about how he doesn't like playing in Memphis ... and recently, he went as far as to say he'd love it if the NBA relocated the Grizzlies 200 miles east.

"Do everybody a favor and move that team to Nashville," Green said on his podcast this week.

"There's no great hotels in Memphis. I love the people of Memphis. They are incredible. Shout out to the people of Memphis. I love them, but just from an NBA standpoint, man -- there's not a sauna or a hot tub in sight."

Byron Scott -- a three-time NBA champion with the Showtime Lakers and former NBA Coach of the Year -- wants back on the sidelines … and he’s got his eyes locked on Arizona State.

TMZ Sports caught up with the longtime NBA figure, who also had head coaching stints with the Nets, Hornets, Cavs and Lakers … and when the Sun Devils opening came up following Bobby Hurley’s exit, Scott didn’t hesitate.

“Oh, I have a ton of interest,” he said.

For Scott, this isn’t just another job -- it’s personal. He starred at Arizona State in the early ‘80s, and his connection to the program still runs deep.

South Florida coach Bryan Hodgson isn’t just chasing a March Madness upset -- he’s coaching for his dad.

Hodgson got emotional talking to TMZ Sports ahead of No. 11 USF’s first-round matchup with No. 6 Louisville … revealing his father, Larry, is battling dementia -- but is still doing well enough to understand what’s about to happen.

And what’s about to happen is huge.

Some guys let themselves go in retirement … but Blake Griffin clearly hasn’t!!!

The former NBA star hit the beach with his fiancée, Francesca Aiello, and let’s just say -- the dude is still in peak form. Griffin went shirtless for the outing, rocking a pair of green shorts and showing off his ripped, tanned physique as the couple strolled along the sand.

Francesca -- a swimwear designer who owns Frankies Bikinis -- was just as eye-catching … stunning in a patterned bikini while the two held hands and soaked up the sun, with their dog tagging along for the beach day.

Breathe a sigh of relief, WNBA fans -- there will be no lockout this season ... with players reaching a deal with league officials on a new collective bargaining agreement after months of negotiations.

Both sides sealed things early Wednesday morning with a champagne toast ... and according to Seattle Storm star and WNBPA president, Nneka Ogwumike, the agreement finally gives the ladies a "meaningful share of league revenue."

"It strengthens housing and retirement," Ogwumike told Front Office Sports, "and expands resources for family planning and parental leave. It redefines what it means to be a professional in this league."

Marcus Spears Jr. might be the No. 1 basketball recruit in the 2027 class -- and according to his dad, former NFL star Marcus Spears, the kid has already taken over the family court.

So much so that Dad has officially retired from playing the five-star prospect one-on-one.

“The one-on-one is over,” Spears told TMZ Sports over Super Bowl weekend. “If I play him one-on-one, I’m setting myself up for failure. I’m done with that.”

Swagu said the turning point came when his son was just 15 years old and already pushing the ESPN NFL analyst to the brink -- and the kid has only gotten better since.

The Big 12’s flashy court experiment didn’t even last the whole tournament.

Conference commissioner Brett Yormark announced late Thursday the league is ditching its much-hyped glass LED court for the rest of the tournament ... meaning the semifinals and championship of the Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament will be played on a traditional hardwood floor instead.

The abrupt switch came the same day Christian Anderson -- a star guard for Texas Tech who leads the conference in assists -- slipped multiple times on the court and left the Red Raiders’ quarterfinal game with an injury, putting the controversial playing surface in the spotlight.

Dwight Howard is officially walking away from basketball ... claiming while he still has gas left in the tank, the sport made the decision for him -- and now it's time for family.

The 40-year-old No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft released a lengthy statement on Thursday ... acknowledging that most folks might think he already handed in his retirement papers, but that wasn't the case.

DH12 -- who last played in the NBA in the 2021-22 season before taking his talents overseas -- is now going to put all his energy into his family and the community.

Bam Adebayo, fresh off one of the most impressive scoring performances in NBA history, had one very important order of business post-game ... praise his WNBA superstar GF A'ja Wilson, calling her his inspiration!

The Miami Heat big man put on a show at the Kaseya Center, posting the second-highest-scoring game in NBA history, surpassing Kobe Bryant, who famously scored 81 in 2006.

After the Heat's 150-129 win over the Wizards, Adebayo shared a special moment with his girlfriend, Wilson ... and even brought her along to his post-game presser, where he had some heartwarming words about his lady.

Dillon Brooks went to social media to let his fans know his focus is all on ball after his DUI arrest ... sharing footage from a workout to his Instagram page.

Brooks posted several clips Friday afternoon ... showing him putting up shots at the Phoenix Suns' practice facility with trainers by his side.

It's unclear when exactly the workout took place -- it could very well be from Friday ... which would mean he wasted no time getting back to normal after he was booked hours earlier.

Philadelphia 76ers hooper V.J. Edgecombe put it all on the line Sunday night ... 'cause at one point in the game, he dove head-first into the stands to keep a ball in play ... but he accidentally kicked a woman right in the kisser in the process.

It all went down as the 76ers were taking on the Boston Celtics in Beantown. As Edgecombe attempted to save the rock from going out of bounds, he launched into the fans sitting courtside, with his left foot catching a poor woman as he flew over her.

The 20-year-old was quick to check in on the lady, with cameras catching the two embracing before he made his way back to the floor. While the woman seemed to be taking it in stride, she did have a mark left on the right side from the shoe.

The USBL is going to bat for Jontay Porter -- telling TMZ Sports the league believes in “second chances” as it welcomes the banned ex-NBA big man.

Porter, who was banned for life from the NBA in 2024 following a gambling scandal that torpedoed his career, signed last week with the Seattle SuperHawks in the relaunched United States Basketball League.

While some leagues might shy away from the baggage, the USBL is leaning in.

Kysre Gondrezick might be sidelined with an injury, but it certainly hasn't slowed her down in the content department -- the pro hooper just dropped a super-hot selfie showing off her toned tummy and major underboob.

The former WNBA star shared her 'fit on Instagram ... featuring black pants and a 3/4-length sleeved shirt pulled up to expose her abs.

Of course, 28-year-old Gondrezick isn't shy about showing off her body -- she recently posed nude for Playboy, which was a big hit for the publication and her fans.