Basketball

The Indiana Fever reporter who was dragged for a bizarre conversation with Caitlin Clark on Wednesday is now apologizing for his actions ... admitting he crossed a line with his behavior.

Gregg Doyel, a journalist for the Indianapolis Star, issued the mea culpa just a few hours after he went viral for shooting a heart-hand gesture at Clark and following it up with some cringeworthy commentary during her introductory press conference.

Doyel first said in a post on his X page he was "sincerely" sorry for the "oafish" encounter. He then posted a column on the Star's website where he tried to explain his conduct.

An Indiana Fever reporter is being dragged for how he interacted with Caitlin Clark on Wednesday ... with many fans blasting the journalist for the way he shot a cringeworthy comment at the WNBA's newest star.

The encounter happened just minutes after Clark was introduced to Indiana media members for the first time since she was drafted by the Fever ... when Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel stepped up to the microphone to ask her a question about her new hometown.

At first, things seemed innocuous -- he politely introduced himself -- but then he paused, and sent a heart-hand gesture to the 22-year-old.

Beyoncé has now joined the long list of people giving Dawn Staley her flowers for her latest NCAA championship win -- sending a literal bouquet to the South Carolina head coach this week!

Staley showed off the gift from Queen B in an adorable Instagram video Wednesday ... beaming from ear-to-ear as she revealed in addition to the roses -- the "Irreplaceable" crooner also sent an "Always Been Country" tee too!

"This deserves a video thank you!" she said as she blared Bey's "Texas Hold 'Em" tune in the background. "Look at the flowers. Look at the merchandise! If you know, you know!"

The injury Zion Williamson suffered late in the Pelicans vs. Lakers Play-In game was very real, despite some fans suggesting the NBA star was fakin' it, 'cause the former #1 pick will now miss Friday's elimination game!

ICYMI ... the 23-year-old went off in Tuesday's game against LeBron James and the Lakers ... putting up 40 points and 11 rebounds. Hands down one of the finest games of his pro career.

Unfortunately, with the game tied at 95 all with 3 minutes left, Williamson hurt his left leg ... allowing the Lake Show to pull away late, sending the Pelicans to a one-game elimination with the Sacramento Kings on Friday.

Jontay Porter has just been banned from the NBA for LIFE ... after league officials say the Toronto Raptors player not only bet on his own team to lose, but also manipulated his play to tip the scales in his favor!

Adam Silver just announced the historic punishment on Wednesday ... explaining league investigators discovered that in March, Porter took part in a gambling scheme that ultimately called into question the integrity of the NBA's competition.

They claim the 24-year-old gave confidential information about his health to at least one known bettor. They say another bettor Porter knew then placed an $80K wager that Porter "would underperform" in the Raptors' March 20 tilt with the Sacramento Kings.

Caitlin Clark doesn't mind packed arenas, zone defenses or contested shots ... but she admitted Wednesday there is one thing that terrifies her -- "Saturday Night Live" cameras!!

The 22-year-old met with reporters in Indiana for the first time since the Fever picked her in Monday night's WNBA Draft ... and amid questions about her game and her future, someone just had to ask about her hilarious appearance on 'SNL' over the weekend.

Clark revealed that while she looked calm and cool on the outside -- she was anything but that on the inside ... saying, "I was terrified."

"I was so nervous," she said. "My heart was about to explode out of my chest."

Of course, Clark -- as she does so often on the hardwood -- came through in the clutch despite the nerves ... and delivered funny line after funny line in her four-minute cameo with Michael Che and Colin Jost on Weekend Update.

She roasted Che for making fun of women's sports ... and then made him read some jokes about himself that she said on the show that she "wrote."

Clark revealed Wednesday she didn't actually pen them herself -- "I'm not that funny," she quipped  -- but she was pleased nonetheless with how it all turned out.

"It was good," she said. "It was a good platform for women's sports. Everybody loved it."

The winner of the Number 10 Chicago Sky jersey sweepstakes has been confirmed ... Kamilla Cardoso will keep the number she wore in South Carolina while Angel Reese will switch to 5, calling it "new beginnings."

Remember, former Gamecocks center Cardoso and Reese -- who played forward at LSU -- both wore number 10 during their standout college basketball careers.

In fact, Reese even wore the number before stepping foot in Louisiana... rocking 5 at the Univ. of Maryland (2020-2022) and Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore. Cardoso, on the other hand, has worn different jersey numbers since high school.

So, when the Chicago Sky selected Cardoso and Reese at the WNBA Draft Monday night, we questioned who'd get 10.

The Chicago Sky posted the new rookie jerseys on their site on Tuesday ... and you can obviously see Cardoso's black and blue number 10 jersey.

Reese addressed the change to 5 ... and the 7th overall pick claims she's fine with the new number.

"New era, new beginnings," the 21-year-old said. "Go cop now!"

Despite the change, you can expect Reese's gear to sell like crazy. Remember, Fanatics told us Caitlin Clark's rookie jersey was the hottest seller for a rookie athlete ever, with a record number of fans copping Caitlin's merch.

Reese is also incredibly popular ... and her jersey is sure to be one of the most rocked in the country.

Speaking of the two superstar hoopers ... their teams, the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, will match up in a highly anticipated game on June 1.

Eyeballs all across the nation continue to flock toward Caitlin Clark ... Monday night's WNBA Draft -- which the former Iowa superstar headlined -- was just revealed to be the most-viewed in the history of the event!

ESPN announced Tuesday that 2.45 million people tuned in to watch the Indiana Fever take Clark with the No. 1 overall pick ... smashing the previous high of 601,000 watchers in 2004. The outlet added that at its peak, the draft's broadcast drew in a total of 3.09 million people.

According to the network, the selection ceremony -- which also featured stars like Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso -- was the most popular program on Monday night amongst people under the age of 35 years old.

Caitlin Clark has always been a baller, but even her own high school coach, Kristin Meyer, never saw this level of stardom coming, telling TMZ Sports, "I can't say that I honestly predicted this!"

Don't get it twisted, Meyer knew from the get-go Clark was special and would find success -- but No. 1 college women's basketball player ever simply didn't cross her mind when she had the point guard runnin' pick and rolls at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa.

"This level of success, and especially this level of fame that she's achieved," Meyer said, "it's just something I don't think anyone could have predicted."

Quavo's "Huncho Day" event is back in Atlanta for 2024 ... and TMZ Sports has learned the superstar rapper is expanding this year, adding both basketball and 7v7 football games in addition to his first-ever "Quavo Cares Social Impact Hub", a gun violence prevention that focuses on community safety.

For the past six years the 33-year-old rapper, along with apparel brand Legends, has given back to his city of ATL by throwing the annual shindig -- a celebrity football game -- at his alma mater, Berkmar High School.

But, this April 28th, Quavo (real name Quavious Marshall) is adding to the festivities ... the 7th annual "Huncho Day" will feature the Team Huncho Basketball and Team Huncho Elite 7v7 football games.

Football and basketball youth clinics, supported by the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Falcons, will also be there, along with a fun zone for kids.

He's also introducing a new initiative called the "Quavo Cares Social Impact Hub" ... and we're told it's "an experiential space for civic and community resource partners to provide and educate the Atlanta community on their service offerings, with a special focus on gun violence prevention."

The social impact hub -- which is powered by Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund -- has several partners, including the Hawks, Falcons, 100 Black Men, Be SMART, H.O.P.E. Hustlers, the Atlanta City Mayor's Office, and more.

We're told the gun violence prevention foundation stems from the death of fellow Migos rapper and Quavo's nephew, Takeoff, who was shot and killed in 2022.

An incredibly rare Michael Jordan Logoman card is about to be up for grabs ... and trust us, this is one collectors NEED to own!

The 2003-04 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Ultimate Logos Signature Michael Jordan Signed Game-Used Logoman Patch Card will go live on the Goldin website in just a couple of days ... and bids START at a quarter of a million dollars.

Yes, that's how rare this card is.

While Jordan, arguably the greatest hooper of all time, has been featured on a Logoman card in the past as a Washington Wizard, this is the first Chicago Bulls MJ Logoman.

That means the card, in addition to Michael's autograph, signed in blue ink, also contains a patch from an actual game-worn, Jordan Chicago Bulls jersey.

The autograph was rated a Gem Mint 10 by PSA, one of the top card authenticators in the country, meaning the signature is virtually perfect.

The Logoman card is also hand-numbered "1/1" -- this one card is all that exists.

In fact, the whereabouts of the very valuable cardboard were unknown for years ... until the card was submitted to PSA in 2022.

NBA star Blake Griffin is calling it a career after 14 seasons ... announcing his retirement in a heartfelt post on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old forward was the first overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft ... spending 7 1/2 seasons with the LA Clippers, where he made the All-Star team 6 times.

Griffin was a high-flying athlete throughout his time on the hardwood ... winning the league's dunk contest in 2011.

Caitlin Clark continues to break records -- the basketball superstar skyrocketed to the top of the merch charts after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft ... earning the top-selling jersey EVER for a draft pick.

The former Iowa Hawkeyes baller was the obvious choice for the Indiana Fever on Monday ... and considering her historic run in college, no one was surprised to hear her name called first.

Right after Clark's big moment, Fanatics -- the official online retailer for the WNBA -- was quick to offer preorders for her No. 22 jersey ... and they rapidly sold out.

Angel Reese's outfit wasn't the only thing shining at the WNBA Draft, so were her pearly whites ... the 7th overall pick rocked a sick white gold and VVS diamond grill!

The former LSU star was seen with the awesome piece of jewelry Monday night as she walked the WNBA's orange carpet at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York.

The 6'3" forward even shared a closeup of the bling on Instagram.

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and all the ballers expected to be taken in Monday night's WNBA Draft just walked across the orange carpet at the event in New York ... and each and every one of them wowed in glamourous 'fits.

Clark opted for a white skirt and silver tube top, which she capped off with an oversized, white button-down jacket. She completed the look with a pair of big shades and a huge smile.

Reese, meanwhile, donned an elegant, hooded silver gown ... which the WNBA liked so much, it captioned a video of the dress with heart-eye emojis.

Caitlin Clark is moving on from Iowa to Indiana ... the Fever just revealed they've taken the former Hawkeyes superstar with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft!!

The choice, of course, was a no-brainer ... Clark is considered by many to be the greatest women's college basketball player ever -- but still, Caitlin was fired up for the honor nonetheless.

The 22-year-old hooper walked across the stage in New York with a huge smile on her face ... before she embraced commissioner Cathy Engelbert and held up her new Fever jersey.

Indiana fans won't have to wait long to see her ball out in the new threads ... as preseason for the team begins in just a couple weeks -- on May 3.

Fans can obviously expect fireworks as soon as Clark hits the court ... because her four seasons at Iowa were some of the most memorable in the history of the sport.

She averaged 28.4 points per game ... as well as 7.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per contest. She totaled 3,951 points in all -- a number no other player has ever reached.

A ton of other ex-college superstars, meanwhile, are set to find their new WNBA homes in a matter of minutes too -- including LSU's Angel Reese and South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso.