Basketball

Look out, NBA ... Zion Williamson officially has the Infinity Gauntlet!!!

The rookie phenom is ringing in his 20th birthday by channeling his favorite comic book supervillain, Thanos ... copping the Marvel-themed pendant -- with a minor twist.

Remember, Zion has gone on record saying his fav character is the bad guy from "Avengers: Endgame" ... and even said he wanted Thanos to BEAT Captain America and the gang at the end of the movie.

Spoiler alert -- Thanos didn't win ... he actually dies when Iron Man gets a hold of the gauntlet and snaps his fingers, thus killing himself in the process (RIP).

But, that didn't stop Williamson from staying loyal to his man ... with celeb jeweler ZoFrost gifting the young baller his own blinged-out gauntlet, which is fittingly holding a basketball.

The piece is incredibly detailed ... and even features all the Infinity Stones!!!

Of course, the Association is resuming its season at the end of the month ... and Zion's Pelicans are gearing up to make a last-minute playoff push.

The WNBA is clapping back at a team co-owner who is blasting the league for supporting Black Lives Matter ... in a war that's exploding fast.

The woman at the center of the controversy is Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Georgia) -- a co-owner of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream franchise.

Sen. Loeffler penned a letter to WNBA commish Cathy Engelbert strongly opposing the league's plans to display the words "Black Lives Matter" when the season resumes later this month.

She's also against the WNBA's plan to honor victims of police violence ... including Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland and Vanessa Guillen.

"I adamantly oppose the Black Lives Matter political movement, which has advocated for the defunding of police, called for the removal of Jesus from churches and the disruption of the nuclear family structure, harbored anti-Semitic views, and promoted violence and destruction across the country," Sen. Loeffler said in her letter.

"I believe it is totally misaligned with the values and goals of the WNBA and the Atlanta Dream, where we support tolerance and inclusion."

"The truth is, we need less -- not more politics in sports. In a time when polarizing politics is as divisive as ever, sports has the power to be a unifying antidote," she added.

WNBA commish Cathy Engelbert responded in a statement Tuesday -- clearly trying to distance the league from Loeffler.

"The WNBA is based on the principle of equal and fair treatment of all people and we, along with the teams and players, will continue to use our platforms to vigorously advocate for social justice," Englebert said.

"Sen. Kelly Loeffler has not served as a Governor of the Atlanta Dream since October 2019 and is no longer involved in the day-to-day business of the team."

Translation -- pound sand.

Dennis Rodman is ALMOST off the hook in his battery case stemming from an alleged 2019 slap attack at a Florida bar, TMZ Sports has learned.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... cops say Rodman was at the Buddha Sky Bar in Delray Beach on May 17, 2019 when he "unprovokedly turned around and smacked" 30-year-old Jeff Soulouque.

In fact, according to the police report, Rodman smacked Soulouque TWICE with an open hand. Yeesh.

He was initially charged with misdemeanor battery -- which carries a maximum sentence of a year in jail, 12 months probation and a $1,000 fine.

And, with Rodman's criminal history, the maximum penalties were very much in play.

But, now, great news for Rodman ... prosecutors have agreed to drop the case against the NBA legend on 3 conditions.

First -- Rodman must cover the $100 prosecution fee.

Second -- Rodman must pay $250 in restitution to Soulouque.

Third -- Rodman must stay out of trouble for the near future.

The first two conditions should be a cinch for The Worm. The 3rd might be a little tough.

Another Washington Wizards player has backed out of the NBA's restart in Orlando ... this time, All-Star guard Bradley Beal has officially opted out of the bubble due to a shoulder injury.

As we previously reported, Wizards breakout star Davis Bertans recently elected to sit out the remainder of the season to focus on free agency ... with an expected big payday on the horizon.

The team will have to move forward without the league's 2nd-leading scorer ... with Washington making the call to pull Beal from the restart later this month.

"This was a difficult decision and one that I did not take lightly as the leader of this team," Beal said in a statement. "I wanted to help my teammates compete for a playoff spot in Orlando, but also understand that this will be best for all of us in the long term."

The Wizards say Beal had been dealing with a nagging right rotator cuff injury all season ... and it only got worse during the hiatus.

Many believe the news puts the final nail in the coffin for Washington's chances at a playoff run. The team is currently 9th in the Eastern Conference -- 5.5 games behind the Orlando Magic -- with 8 games left to jump into postseason contention.

With Beal and Bertans out of the restart, the Wizards' next-leading scorer is 22-year-old Rui Hachimura ... who averages 13.4 points a game.

LET'S DO THE IMPOSSIBLE, RUI!!! WE BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!

Beal was originally intending to join the team in Orlando ... but will now stay home to focus on rehab.

Vanessa Bryant wished the happiest of birthdays to Pau Gasol on Monday ... penning an emotional note to Kobe's ex-teammate and good friend that'll bring a tear to your eye.

Vanessa shared adorable pics of the 7-foot NBA legend with her daughters ... writing, "Happy 40th birthday uncle Pau! We ❤️you. Love, The Bryant Girls."

The photos of Gasol with the Bryant sisters were heartwarming ... they showed off Pau sweetly hanging with Kobe's family.

Vanessa added in her birthday message to the former Lakers center, "I know Kobe would say, 'Happy 40th birthday Pablo! Love you, Hermano'. ❤️"

Of course, Kobe and Pau built a hell of a relationship after they joined forces in L.A. back in the 2007-08 season ... they won 2 championships together and became lifelong friends.

In fact, since Kobe and his daughter, Gigi, tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in January ... Pau's often been involved with Kobe's family in some way.

Pau sent Vanessa a "Gigi" cake on what would have been her 14th birthday back in May, and has dedicated several social media posts to the Mamba and the Mambacita.

In one of the messages, just hours after learning of Kobe's death ... Pau wrote, "I will be heartbroken for a long time, but I will forever be thankful for having had shared so much together."

Dwight Howard is officially IN for the NBA restart -- saying he will rejoin the Lakers in the bubble environment in Orlando ... and will donate the rest of his season's salary to charity.

"Yes, I will be joining my team in Orlando," Howard said Monday on "CNN Tonight."

"I have a contractual obligation to my teammates, to my fans, the Lakers, the organization and everyone -- but at the same time, I also have an obligation to my family and to my community."

Howard is reportedly set to make around $700,000 in contract money for the remainder of the 2019-20 season -- but says every penny will now be directed to Breathe Again, the social justice initiative he started back in 2015.

“I’m going to use my salary ... All the money, the paychecks I’ll be getting down in the bubble, to help push this ‘Breathe Again’ movement and just make sure people don’t forget about what’s going on in our society.”

Howard appeared on CNN from his home in the Atlanta-area -- where he's reportedly been taking care of his 6-year-old son ever since the child's mother passed away after suffering an epileptic seizure at her Calabasas home back in March.

There had been questions about whether Howard would play or sit out to focus on his family ... but now, those questions are answered.

Howard later explained "Breathe Again" -- saying his "plan of action" includes rolling out programs "to cultivate an environment so that the youth can breathe freely and be confident in every facet of their lives."

Ex-Penn State basketball player Rasir Bolton says he left the program due to racially insensitive comments made by head coach Pat Chambers ... including a reference to a "noose" around his neck.

Chambers is how apologizing -- saying it was never his intention to offend.

20-year-old Bolton says the incident went down in January 2019 ... days after Chambers was suspended 1 game for pushing another player during a timeout.

"A 'noose' around my neck is why I left Penn State," Bolton -- who transferred to Iowa State after his freshman season -- said in a statement on Twitter.

"Due to other interactions with Coach, I knew this was no slip of the tongue."

According to ESPN, Bolton claims Chambers' whole comment went as follows:

"I want to be a stress reliever for you. You can talk to me about anything. I need to get some of this pressure off you. I want to loosen the noose that’s around your neck."

Bolton says he reported the incident to his academic advisor and the athletic department ... only to hear back from the school 6 months later, after he decided to leave the program.

Chambers has owned up to the comment ... and has since apologized.

"I didn’t realize that word would hurt him, and I am truly, truly sorry for that," Chambers told ESPN.

Bolton says he went public to bring awareness to what players have to deal with ... and he wants change.

"I wasn't the first and I know I wasn't the last. Everyone's position to speak out isn't the same, so I am only speaking for myself. There is a serious need for change in the way players are protected and helped across the country when faced with these situations."

"Surface level resources are not good enough. In most cases, it is the Coach who is protected, while the player is left to deal with it or leave."

"BE the change you want to see."

Quarantine MVP Tyler Herro and his GF, Katya Elise Henry, are officially at the "thonged-out boat PDA" level of their relationship ... and we're here for it.

Remember, the 20-year-old Miami Heat rookie shot his shot with the 26-year-old model/fitness guru at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic ... and the dude hit nothin' but net.

The new couple is clearly still going strong months later ... with KEH posting a steamy PDA pic while out on a boat.

"All about my baby sh*t is craaazy," Henry captioned the Instagram post ... with Herro adding, "my baby ❤️."

Herro and Henry are the latest hot couple to hit the waters during the pandemic ... with Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey having a fried chicken date night ... and Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews recently adding some "PG-13" PDA.

Friendly reminder to always shoot your shot, ladies and gents!!

An ultra-rare signed LeBron James rookie card -- featuring a piece of his game-worn jersey -- just passed the $1 MILLION mark at auction ... and experts say the number could DOUBLE before it's over.

That's $2 MILLION. For a basketball card. For real.

The card is from the 2003-2004 Upper Deck Exquisite collection --  it's one of only 23 ever produced.

The quality of the card was graded "9.5" by Beckett (considered Gem Mint) and the autograph was a perfect "10."

The rarity of the card combined with the near-perfect grading makes the item a collector's dream -- and rich enthusiasts have already proven they're willing to spend big money to own it.

So far, the card has received 22 bids on the Goldin Auctions website -- with the current price at $1,020,000.

The bidding started at $150k -- but it racked up in days and with more than 2 weeks left in the auction, we're told a $2 million bid isn't out the question.

Even if it doesn't get another bid -- the $1 mil price would make the Bron card the most expensive modern-era card of all-time (surpassing a Mike Trout card that sold for $900K).

We're talking NBA, MLB, NFL, and any other sport out there.

And, get this ... Goldin Auctions also tells us a $1 mil gavel price would make the card the highest-selling LBJ piece ever.

But surely, there must be more expensive Michael Jordan items, right?

Nope ... Goldin says there ain't a card, shoe, or MJ jersey out there that's cracked the $1 mil barrier.

If you want in, there's time left ... the auction doesn't close till July 18.

The NBA's most popular video game is honoring Kobe Bryant in a BIG way ... making him a cover athlete for the 2021 edition of the game.

Officials at NBA 2K made the announcement Thursday ... revealing two pieces of art -- one for current-gen consoles and one for next-gen consoles -- for cover options for the 2K21 game.

In a statement released by the company ... they say they wanted to pay tribute to the Lakers legend for the legacy he left after he tragically passed in a helicopter crash back in January.

"Kobe Bryant holds a special place in the heart of every basketball fan," the statement said. "Someone who truly left everything on the court, where his achievements range from legendary to seemingly impossible."

The game with Kobe on the cover has been dubbed the "Mamba Forever Edition" ... and officials say the version will come with special features, including unique Kobe gear for virtual avatars.

"The Mamba Forever Edition celebrates Kobe's lifelong pursuit of victory and legacy and immortalizes him with two unique custom covers honoring the span of his career," officials added.

"For the current generation version of the game, Kobe is shown wearing #8 -- from his days as a bold and brash rookie. In the next-generation cover art, he is shown wearing #24, the number he played his final game in: his iconic 60-point performance."

There are two other cover options for the 2021 version of the game ... one features Trailblazers star Damian Lillard, while the other has Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson.

The game is scheduled to be released in September.

The NBA's reboot just got really real ... both LeBron James and Anthony Davis made their returns to Lakers practice Wednesday -- and they look GOOOOOOOOODDDDD!!!

The team announced their superstars' comebacks in a sick highlight video Wednesday night ... showing shirtless Bron getting after it in the weight room and getting buckets on the hardwood.

Davis' jumper looked wet as well ... and the Lakers captioned it all with a subtle, "And we back."

The vid is FINALLY a breath of fresh air for the NBA ... lately, it's been nothing but pessimism toward the restart as COVID-19 cases rise and players continue to question if there should even be a season.

Of course, the Lakers haven't been immune to it all ... Dwight Howard is still pondering whether or not to play -- while the team had to sign J.R. Smith to replace Avery Bradley, who opted out of the restart last week.

But, LeBron's maintained throughout this offseason that the league SHOULD play ... and as Clippers star Pat Beverley tweeted last month, "If @KingJames said he hooping. We all hooping."

The Lake Show is the prohibitive favorite heading into Orlando's bubble -- King James' squad had the best record in the West before teams suspended operations back in March.

And, after seeing the new clips ... you really ready to bet against LeBron in the return?!

Is Marv Albert opting out of the NBA restart in Orlando? YESSS!

The 79-year-old broadcasting legend says it's just too risky to travel to the Walt Disney World bubble environment in Orlando with the pandemic surging -- and therefore will NOT be a part of TNT's on-site coverage.

"I had second thoughts," Albert told the NY Post.

Albert told the Post he got a call from Turner Sports boss Jeff Zucker about the move -- and even joked about his own age.

"He said to me, 'Maybe this is something you should skip in my age bracket,'" Albert said while joking, "I’d like to point out to you that 79 is the new 78.”

The good news ... Albert WILL contribute to the NBA broadcasts from a remote location -- he just won't be doing the play-by-play from the sidelines.

Of course, this is all contingent on the season actually starting again -- but with the new wave of positive COVID tests sweeping through the league, commish Adam Silver admits there's a chance things could get shut down before the July 31 tip-off date.

J.R. Smith seems excited about his reunion with LeBron James -- he's already rockin' a Lakers hat around town!

Check out the pic of Smith hitting up Pinches Tacos on Tuesday -- Lakers hat, Black & Mild in his mouth, red bandana around his neck.

Of course, 34-year-old Smith was reportedly finalizing a deal earlier this week to join the Lakers for the remainder of the season ... now that Avery Bradley has opted out.

So, this pic leads us to believe it's probably a done deal. Now, the biggest hurdle -- will the season actually happen?

Several NBA players and staffers have tested positive for COVID-19 recently -- with commish Adam Silver acknowledging they might have to shut down the reboot if there's a larger outbreak.

But, for now, Smith seems content with his team, his food and his smoke.

Smith hasn't played an NBA game since Nov. 2018 -- back when he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers ... but he's been keeping himself in shape by beating up alleged vandals in the streets of L.A.

A former member of the Philadelphia 76ers' dance team claims she was the victim of bullying and racism during her time on the squad ... and now, the Sixers have launched an investigation.

Yahne Coleman -- a fashion model who used to perform with the Sixers Dancers -- revealed the disturbing allegations in a lengthy social media post Tuesday.

In the statement, Coleman claimed she was "racially profiled, bullied and threatened" not only by her dance teammates ... but by members of the dance team's coaching staff as well.

Coleman also attached a video with her post ... which she says shows a former teammate making inappropriate and racist remarks toward her, and even threatening her.

In the footage, the woman can be heard saying, "I will teach you how to use a tampon because your dirty-ass vagina probably smells like fish."

The woman in the video can also be heard saying, "I will find you in whatever home project you live in. I will slum it to the west side of Philly just to find your ass, beat the sh*t out of it, and then get you backlisted from whatever club you think you can get in.”

Coleman -- who reportedly left the dance team in 2015 -- claims similar bullying incidents happened to her regularly ... and she says when she reported it to officials in the 76ers' organization, "nothing was done."

The Sixers released a statement shortly after Coleman's post went up, and they say they're vowing to do a thorough investigation into the claims.

"Tonight, we were made aware of social media posts involving former dance team members that contained insensitive, offensive and unacceptable remarks, as well as allegations of bullying and racist behavior,” the team said.

"The videos, which were filmed in 2016, featured derogatory comments from a former dance team member who left the organization in 2013."

"Certainly if we had a lot of cases, we are going to stop. You cannot run from this virus."

That's NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledging his plan to continue the season in Orlando could hit a huge speed bump if players and staff continue to test positive for COVID.

Of course, several NBA players have tested positive for coronavirus recently ... including DeAndre Jordan, Jabari Parker, 3 members of the NO Pelicans, several members of the Denver Nuggets organization and more.

And, with concern growing, Silver addressed the issues Tuesday during an appearance on 'TIME 100 Talks' ... saying he's still "pretty confident" the season will happen, but nothing is certain.

"We and our players together with their union, look at the data on a daily basis. If there were something to change that was outside of the scope of what we are playing for, certainly, we would revisit our plans."

"We are testing daily," Silver continued ... "We haven't put a precise number on it, but if we were to see a large number of cases and see spread in our community, that would, of course, be a cause to stop as well."

Silver says the league has a team of medical and science experts to help guide them through the pandemic plan.

Still, Silver believes the bubble environment at Walt Disney World in Orlando will still be relatively safe.

"I am absolutely convinced that it will be safer on this campus than off this campus because there aren't many situations that I am aware of where there is mass testing of asymptomatic employees," Silver said.

"In some ways, this is maybe a model for how other industries can ultimately open. But, I am only going to say we will be responsible and watch what is happening, but the biggest indicator will be if we begin to see a spread in our community."

The NBA season is set to tip-off on July 31 -- but some teams are planning to begin travel to Orlando as early as July 7.