Basketball

Darryl Strawberry wants to personally help former NBA star Delonte West kick drugs ... 'cause the MLB legend knows firsthand how addiction can ruin lives.

The 58-year-old former NY Mets star famously battled alcohol and cocaine addiction -- but he's been sober for over a decade and now dedicates his life to helping others conquer drugs.

So, with 37-year-old West -- who was reportedly using drugs and living on the street -- entering rehab last week with the help of Mark Cuban, we called Strawberry to ask what advice he has for the hooper.

"Delonte West is just like anyone else that probably has some deep-rooted issues that have never been dealt with, ya know? Putting on a basketball uniform and being successful, that just covers up everything that happens to a person."

Strawberry continued ... "It reflects back to when he was probably young somewhere, some kinda trauma, abuse or something affected him and it can leave you crippled and paralyzed. So, no one signs up to be in that situation he is. I didn't sign up to be in that situation."

But, Darryl -- who now runs Strawberry Ministries with his wife, Tracy -- isn't just talking about West's struggles ... he actually wants to work with Delonte.

"I would love to help him."

Strawberry says he doesn't want to interfere with Delonte's current treatment program ... but after he completes rehab, Straw wants West to know he'll be around to help keep on the right back.

"My hopes and thoughts and prayers are with him. Here was a guy that was successful playing in the NBA, and here he is struggling. He's down and out."

"I just want him to know that people like me, that are in recovery, been for a long time, is praying for him and thinking about him," Darryl tells us.

"If there's anything I can ever do to encourage him and sit down and have a talk with him, I just hope he can reach out and do that."

Calling all (rich) Kobe Bryant fans, an incredibly unique collectible from the Mamba's historic 60-point farewell game is up for grabs ... but it'll cost a fortune!!

A large section of the Staples Center hardwood court -- where Kobe played his final NBA game -- is set to hit the auction block ... and the piece is truly 1-of-a-kind.

The floorboard features KB's original jersey number, 8 -- painted in white, outlined in Lakers purple -- signed by the L.A. legend before he walked off the court he dominated on for nearly 2 decades.

Remember, Kobe -- who was 38 years old at the time -- had one of the greatest final games in sports history ... dropping 60 points on the Utah Jazz during the April 13, 2016 contest.

Bryant started off slow, but was UNSTOPPABLE in the 2nd half ... leading his Lakers squad to a come-from-behind victory.

It was truly a jaw-dropping performance by the Hall of Famer ... and that's why the court section is expected to sell for a whopping $500,000!!

We're told the seller will donate 10 percent of the proceeds to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation -- a foundation named after Kobe and Gigi Bryant -- which promotes youth sports.

Online bidding starts September 4 at Heritage Auctions ... and a live auction will be held September 26.

Mamba would have turned 42-years-old on Sunday, and Monday (8/24) was dubbed Kobe Bryant day ... with everyone from James Harden, Anthony Davis and LeBron James celebrating the basketball legend's life.

"Just sell the damn team and shut up!"

That's U.S. Congressman Max Rose clapping back at NY Knicks owner James Dolan after the billionaire donated money to his political opponent ... after Rose called for Dolan to sell the team!!

It's a feud that escalated quickly right here on TMZ Sports -- and it's only getting nastier.

Rose -- a decorated war veteran and lifelong Knicks fan -- told us he's sick and tired of watching the Knicks suck ... and publicly called for Dolan to sell the damn team already!

Dolan -- who's banned fans from Madison Square Garden for urging him to sell -- clearly saw the clip and immediately began a campaign to support Rose's opponent, GOP Congressional candidate Nicole Malliotakis.

According to the NY Post, Dolan sent an email to friends bashing Rose and trying to rally support for Malliotakis.

"Max Rose thinks he can make our team and my ownership his political platform," Dolan said in the email obtained by The Post.

"I need to let him know that we will not stand for this. The best way to do this is to help his opponent. He is in a tight race for the US Congress in Staten Island. ... Please join me in helping Nicole defeat Max Rose for Congress."

So, we called up Rep. Rose ... and yeah, he had some thoughts!

"Well, we all know that Jim Dolan has the Midas Touch ... so I'm not exactly too concerned here. Look, I didn't make it political, he did! My message was simple: for the good of New York City to make the Knicks great again -- sell the damn team!"

"Think about what's been happening in the 21st century. On an aggregate basis, the Knicks have the worst record in the NBA and nonetheless, they have spent the most! What more signs do you need that this guy has been a world failure?"

"They've gone through over 10 coaches, a massive amount of executive staffs, trading players left and right. The only constant has been Jim Dolan. So, let's sell! This has been a tough year but in 2021, New York can turn the corner. Jim Dolan sell, we can say goodbye to Bill De Blasio and we can finally beat this pandemic."

There's more ... Rose also brings up Dolan's beef with NYK great Charles Oakley and warns Dolan, "I will not be silenced."

Bob Gibson -- one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history -- has died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

The St. Louis Cardinals legend passed away while in hospice care in Omaha, Nebraska ... according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Gibson had been in the cancer fight for more than a year.

During his 17 seasons in Major League Baseball, Gibson was THE MAN!!!

A 2-time World Series champ. 2-time World Series MVP. 2 Cy Young awards. NL MVP in 1968.

He made the All-Star team 9 times! He was a 9-time Gold Glove winner.

He logged 3,117 strikeouts! 251 wins!!

RIDICULOUS, RIGHT?!!

Of course, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981 -- first ballot.

The Cardinals retired his #45 back in 1975 and put him in the franchise Hall of Fame in 2014. There's also a statue of Gibson in front of Busch Stadium.

He was also a MONSTER on the basketball court!! In fact, he had a brief stint with the Harlem Globetrotters back in the day!

Imagine being at a restaurant ... and in walks Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, Richard Dent and Don King.

That's exactly what happened to a couple back in 1988, who commemorated the moment by getting all the legends to sign their menu ... and now it's up for auction!!!

Hindman Auctions tells TMZ Sports ... the power squad showed up at Lino’s Ristorante in Chicago to celebrate Dent's 28th birthday.

As it turns out, the night was pretty well documented in Tyson's ex-trainer Rory Holloway's memoir, who claims Tyson was LIVID with MJ at dinner over suspicions the Bulls legend had a fling with his then-separated wife Robin Givens.

The book claims Tyson was on the verge of fighting MJ ... but apparently cooler heads prevailed when it came to the restaurant manager asking the superstars to sign the menu for the couple in attendance.

Now, the couple is looking to part ways with the unique piece of history -- it's hitting the auction block via Hindman Auctions on Oct. 20 ... and we're told this thing could sell for thousands, if not 5 figures!!!

Kyrie Irving says he's never trusted his old teammates with hitting clutch baskets ... admitting he's always "felt like I was the best option" until he joined Kevin Durant in Brooklyn.

So ... LeBron, what's good?!?

The NBA superstar joined KD's "The Boardroom" podcast this week to discuss teaming up on the Nets ... and the dude pretty much shaded the hell out of King James in the process.

The question was -- 10 seconds left in a close game, who takes the final shot?? Kyrie said it goes to the hot hand ... and then dropped this:

"One thing I've always been comfortable with is I felt like I was the best option on every team I've played for down the stretch," Uncle Drew said.

"This is the first time in my career where I can be like ... 'that motherf**ker can make that shot, too!"

Now, Kyrie DID hit the dagger 3 pointer in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals to help the Cleveland Cavaliers win their first title in franchise history ... but LBJ has hit his fair share of clutch shots throughout his career.

It's no secret Kyrie demanded out of Cleveland and wanted do his thing away from LeBron ... but now it seems he didn't think the 4-time MVP was a killer in the clutch.

There's more ... Kyrie also talked about his new coach, Steve Nash ... saying he doesn't really see him as a "head coach" ... and thinks the team of KD, Nash, assistant Jacque Vaughn and himself as being head coaches by committee.

KD agreed ... saying "It's a collaborative effort."

No, Hassan Whiteside did NOT threaten to leave America and move to Hawaii in the wake of that insane debate Tuesday night ... insisting he was framed on social media.

After the Trump vs. Biden debate, someone posted a tweet that appeared to be from the 31-year-old NBA star's official account, saying "i can't do this for four more years f*** america bro im moving to Hawaii"

The quote went viral (because it's hilarious) -- and was even picked up by some pretty big websites.

But, Hassan -- the REAL Hassan -- went to Instagram on Wednesday to call BS on the whole thing.

"If you want some clout, ya ain't gotta make fake tweets about me! You ain't gotta make fake tweets," Hassan said.

So, fake news ... but glad he cleared it all up.

Well, THAT didn't take long.

Doc Rivers is back on an NBA bench just days after leaving the L.A. Clippers ... agreeing to become the next head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The longtime L.A. coach mutually parted ways with the Clips earlier this week ... after a disappointing exit from the playoffs.

Rivers addressed the exit in a statement, saying, "While I was able to accomplish most of my goals, I won't be able to see them all through. Though it was a disappointing ending to our season, you are right there and I know what this team is capable of accomplishing with your support."

Rivers made it clear he wasn't ready to hang up his tie just yet ... and while an official announcement has yet to be made, it's only a matter of time.

Rivers -- who has posted a 943-681 record as a head coach -- beat out huge names like Mike D'Antoni and Ty Lue for the gig ... and is taking on a team with a ton of talent.

The Sixers have been hoping to get back into the Finals for years ... and now they got a guy who has won it all.

LeBron James just copped at $36 MILLION Beverly Hills mansion -- and it's loaded with drama ... daytime drama.

The previous owner is soap opera royalty -- Lee Phillip Bell -- who co-created two of the most iconic soaps in history ... "The Bold and the Beautiful" and "The Young & The Restless."

Bell passed away earlier this year at the age of 91 and her estate put the 2.5-acre property up on the market to see if any rich people wanted it, asking $39 mil. The listing was held by Richard Hilton and Jeff Hyland of Hilton & Hyland.

Well, LeBron -- who already owns 2 massive properties in Brentwood -- swooped in and made the deal for a cool $36.75 mil, which closed on Wednesday according to The Real Deal.

Fun fact -- LeBron made roughly $37 million this season just from his NBA contract with the Los Angeles Lakers alone.

So, yeah ... he can afford it.

The place is insane ... the main home is 9,100 square feet. The property also comes with 2 guest homes.

It's got a screening room (LeBron's got a big movie deal with Warner Bros.) along with a swimming pool, tennis court, motor court, fountains and one of the sickest views in the entire city.

LeBron won't be able to move in just yet ... since he's still in the NBA bubble in Orlando to play the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

And, yeah, the house has plenty of space for a championship trophy ...

Congrats!

The top high school basketball rankings for the class of 2023 just dropped ... and there are a couple VERY familiar names on the list -- Dajuan Wagner Jr. and Bronny James!!!

It's no secret -- LeBron James' 15-year-old son has been gaining massive hype since arriving on the scene ... and the skills he showed off during his freshman year at Sierra Canyon in CA has him at #30 on 247 Sports' list.

Dajuan Wagner's son is the one sitting at the #1 spot ... with 6'3" guard D.J. balling out at Camden HS in Jersey and averaging 18.5 points per game last season.

BTW -- hoops runs DEEP in the Wagner blood -- Dajuan famously scored 100 points in a HS game, was a star at Memphis and went on to be the #6 overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft ... and Dajuan's father, Milt, played several seasons in the Association as well.

While nothing's official, there's already big talk of D.J. playing for his dad's old coach, John Calipari, at Kentucky in a few years.

Coming in at #2 is Internet phenom Mikey Williams out of Lake Norman in NC, whose highlights have gotten millions of views on YouTube.

Williams averaged just below 30 points, 6.7 rebounds and almost 5 assists per game last season.

The future of hoops is lookin' bright!!!

Some of the best basketball players to ever live will be present for Game 1 of the NBA Finals ... but, of course, they won't actually *be* there due to COVID-19.

Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and more headline the insane list of NBA legends slated to be virtual fans for the Lakers vs. Heat on Wednesday ... tuning in to the game from the comfort of anywhere other than the Orlando bubble.

The list is full of players who have hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy in the past -- including Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Isiah Thomas, James Worthy, Julius Erving, Manu Ginobili, Robert Parish and more.

Seriously, there's a LOT of rings in the bunch.

On top of the champs in the crowd, there will be 40 first-time poll workers identified by LeBron James' "More Than A Vote" campaign!!

It won't be as electric as years past ... but heck, at least we have ball!!

Scottie Pippen is channeling his inner McKayla Maroney -- saying he's just "not impressed" with the Chicago Bulls new head coach.

FYI, the Bulls just signed Billy Donovan to a brand new 4-year, $24 million contract last week in the hopes Billy can finally help turn the franchise back into winners.

Speaking of winners, Pippen -- who won 6 'chips with the Bulls -- weighed in on the move during an interview with Forbes and man, he's not happy.

"If you’re looking at it from a fan perspective, I’m not impressed with what they did," Pippen said.

"I don’t think that they have made any dramatic changes that are going to change who they are as a team. That’s just my personal opinion. I like Billy Donovan as a person but I don’t think he’s proved anything in the NBA that proves he’s worth investing in and bringing a team up that needs help like Chicago does."

Remember, Donovan coached OKC with 2 MVPs -- Kevin Durant until 2016 and Russell Westbrook until 2019 -- and still came up short from winning the title.

Donovan was 243–157 during his 5 seasons in OKC -- and made the playoffs every year ... though he only advanced out of the 1st round one time.

Pippen says he just doesn't think Donovan has that certain X-factor that will help change the culture in Chicago.

"[The Bulls are] a team that has been struggling for a long time. To me, I don’t see the value he brings to them. He’s going to be a coach but there are a lot of them out there. He didn’t do anything special in OKC that warranted him a second opportunity. That’s just my opinion."

Also worth noting, Pippen used to work for the Bulls as an advisor -- but got fired from his gig back in 2019.

After the move, Pippen took a shot at the Bulls. -- saying, "It's probably a good thing, right? ... I like to associate myself with winning."

Mark Cuban is personally helping Delonte West get back on his feet ... with the Dallas Mavericks owner picking up the ex-NBA star at a gas station in Texas.

As we previously reported, the former Cleveland Cavaliers guard has fallen on tough times in recent years ... and was most recently seen holding a sign on the street in Dallas last week.

Sources connected to West's family tell us that Cuban -- who had been trying to reach DW on the phone for days -- finally got in contact with Delonte ... who agreed to meet the Mavs owner on Monday in Dallas.

We're told Cuban took West to a local hotel ... while his family formulates a game plan.

Our sources tell us West's circle of fam and friends have been trying desperately to get Delonte to go to rehab ... and he now seems open to the idea.

We're even told Cuban has offered to help cover Delonte's cost for treatment.

FYI, West played for Cuban's Dallas Mavs from 2011-2012.

As we previously reported, the NBA, the NBA Players Association, Doc Rivers, Jameer Nelson and others have tried to get Delonte help in the past.

We've reached out to Cuban and the Mavs for comment ... so far, no word back.

The governor of California has signed a new "Kobe Bryant Law" -- which makes it a crime for first responders to take unauthorized pictures of a dead person at an accident scene.

The measure -- which takes effect on January 1st -- was triggered by the aftermath of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash ... when 8 local deputies were accused of taking or sharing death pics for unofficial business.

In fact, at least one deputy was accused of using a Kobe death photo to try and pick up a woman at a bar.

But, on Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill which will make it a misdemeanor for a first responder to take or share pics from an accident or crime scene for any purpose outside official law enforcement or genuine public interest.

Kobe's widow, Vanessa Bryant, has already filed a lawsuit against the L.A. County Sheriff's Office over the alleged accident photo scandal. She's suing for negligence, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Doc Rivers is officially OUT as Los Angeles Clippers head coach ... after a quick exit from the NBA Playoffs.

58-year-old Rivers has coached the Clips since 2013 ... and after adding Kawhi Leonard and Paul George this last off-season, L.A. Clippers were favorites to win an NBA title.

Despite having a 3-1 lead on the Denver Nuggets, the Clippers were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Shortly after they were bounced from the playoffs, there were reports of turmoil within the team ... with PG allegedly feuding with his teammates.

Rivers addressed losing his job on social media, writing ... "Thank you Clipper Nation for allowing me to be your coach and for all your support in helping making this a winning franchise. When I took this job, my goals were to make this a winning basketball program, a free agent destination, and bring a championship to this organization."

"While I was able to accomplish most of my goals, I won't be able to see them all through. Though it was a disappointing ending to our season, you are right there and I know what this team is capable of accomplishing with your support."

"Thank you to all the players, coaches and staff for helping us get here. Most importantly, thank you to the fans. We went through a lot, and I am grateful for my time here."

Of course, Rivers -- who is 943-681 as a head coach -- won a ring with the Boston Celtics in 2008.

From "quarantine and chill" to victory kisses -- Miami Heat star Tyler Herro and GF Katya Elise Henry are going strong in the NBA bubble ... celebrating his huge win with some smooches on the court!!

It's been one helluva pandemic for the 20-year-old baller -- remember, the dude pulled up from DEEP and started flirting with the model on social media back in March.

Things got serious in no time ... and now they're one of the hottest young couples in sports.

Speaking of hot, Herro is coming off his best series of the playoffs against the Boston Celtics ... earning a career-high 37 points in Game 4.

As for KEH, she's been cheering for him from inside the bubble since earlier this month ... and was present for the Heat's series-clinching win on Sunday.

Next up, LeBron James and the Lakers ... and we take it Henry will be cheering her man on in the NBA Finals.

Best rookie year EVER?!