Boston Celtics

Charles Barkley believes there are "a bunch" of gay athletes throughout all pro sports ... but the reason they aren't open about their sexuality is that even in 2026, society remains largely homophobic.

The Chuckster shared his thoughts as the "Inside the NBA" crew remembered Jason Collins on Wednesday ... and while the 47-year-old coming out as the first active gay player in 2013 was a historic moment for the league, it's clear he feels there's more work to do.

As Kenny "The Jet" Smith said an announcement like that might not be as big of a deal in present day because of Collins' bravery -- Barkley disagreed.

Paul Pierce's baby mama Princess Santiago isn't hiding out after the former NBA All-Star's bombshell admission ... and she's got the child right by her side.

Santiago was spotted out in Beverly Hills on Tuesday for the first time since Pierce admitted to being the father. She was seen grabbing a bite at an outdoor restaurant ... calmly cradling her 2-month-old son King Rafael Santiago Pierce as the custody battle with Pierce plays out behind the scenes.

The vibe was low-key and all about mom duty. In the pics, she keeps things intimate, holding the baby close and even leaning in for a sweet kiss ... clearly locked in on her newborn despite the headlines swirling around her.

It’s no longer a question of “Who’s the baby daddy?” … because Paul Pierce is admitting he fathered Princess Santiago’s child.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, the NBA legend told the court he was the biological dad to 2-month-old King Rafael Santiago Pierce. He asked for joint legal and physical custody.

As we’ve previously reported, she’s asking for sole legal and physical custody -- plus a hefty $29,811 per month in child support, $100K in legal fees, and nearly $19K in pregnancy-related expenses. Santiago filed a paternity suit in California back in January.

She’s also made sure to highlight Pierce’s massive NBA earnings -- claiming he pulled in close to $200 million during his career -- as justification for the sizable monthly ask.

Jayson Tatum, less than a year after rupturing his Achilles, returned to the location of the worst moment in his pro career ... and while his Celtics lost to the Knicks, the superstar hooper left the historic arena on his two feet -- a win in itself.

Tatum's Celtics faced the Knicks on Thursday night, losing a tightly contested game, 112-106 ... but arguably, the bigger issue was getting Jayson through the game healthy, mentally, and physically.

"Absolutely," JT responded when asked if he was relieved to get the game behind him.

It was a big moment, a big hurdle for me. I was nervous and anxious to come back here," Tatum said.

Steph Curry's stroll to the tunnel at the Warriors vs. Celtics game got derailed ... when an overzealous fan crossed the line and yanked at the NBA superstar's arm -- a wild moment that was caught on video.

The shocking interaction went down at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts ... when the Warriors -- who played without Curry due to a knee injury -- faced the Celtics on Wednesday evening.

In the clip, Curry is making his way toward the locker rooms as fans gather with their phones and hands out, hoping for a quick interaction with the four-time NBA champion ... but the first one to reach him ruined it for everyone.

You can see the fan's hand grab Curry's left arm, yanking him back ... and from his stunned expression, Steph was completely caught off guard, even seeming to mouth the word "Whoa" before he kept it moving.

Former NBA big man Glen “Big Baby” Davis is officially out of the slammer.

The ex-Boston Celtics forward -- who won a championship alongside Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen -- was released from prison Thursday after serving time for his role in a massive fraud scheme involving the NBA’s health care benefits program.

"They tried to hold me down," Davis said in a viral X video post-release. "You know what I’m saying? But I’m back, man. I’m back, baby."

Jayson Tatum is back -- the Boston Celtics announced their superstar will make his season debut on Friday, almost a year after he tore his Achilles in the playoffs.

The Cs shared the news on X page ... with an injury update listing Tatum as available for Friday night's game against the Dallas Mavericks at the TD Garden.

They followed up the announcement with a throwback photo of Tatum celebrating on the court with his teammate, Payton Pritchard.

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.

Rajon Rondo's wife knows how to throw her man a birthday party ... luxury venue, gourmet dining, and A-list entertainers -- including STRIPPERS!

Rondo's wife, Latoia, who is currently pregnant, hosted the retired NBA star's 40th birthday bash over the weekend and shared clips from the lavish party on her Instagram.

One video showed a bunch of strippers dancing in a club-like setting, including one woman twerking on a guest ... in a room raining dollar bills, which covered the entire floor.

The exotic dancers even lined up on the balcony, giving all the party guests a full view of their assets.

Beverly Hills issued a public apology to Jaylen Brown after shutting down his All-Star event last week over "inaccurate information," ... but the Celtics star isn't accepting it, and is considering legal action.

The city released a statement addressing the incident on Thursday, days after not allowing Brown's All-Star event at an 18,000-square-foot estate on Trousale Place, where he was hosting a guest panel on the future of the culture.

Police initially cited missing permits as the reason for shutting down the event, but an internal review determined the City's "prior public communication contained inaccurate information."

Jaylen Brown says Beverly Hills screwed up -- and he’s not staying quiet about it.

Beverly Hills police shut down his All-Star Weekend panel event on Saturday night, and the Celtics star isn't holding back ... going scorched earth on the city following Sunday's All-Star Game festivities.

“Beverly Hills is so trash," Brown posted to X. "I’m offended had a great panel about the future of culture with great guest people worked hard for this how dare yall.”

He then tagged the city's police department ... saying "300k down the drain."

It wasn't the first time Brown -- who started for runner-up Team USA Stripes in the All-Star Game -- went in on Bev Hills this weekend ... after organizers suggested he applied for a permit, was denied, and moved forward anyway.

He says that version is flat-out wrong.

Here's hoping Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu has a good dental plan ... 'cause the big man took an elbow to the face Wednesday night during the team's clash with the Celtics, leading to his teeth getting knocked out!

It all went down during the fourth quarter of the Hawks' 117-106 win over the Celts. As Jaylen Brown attempted to keep the ball away from Okongwu, his elbow connected with the right side of his face, drawing a flagrant foul.

When he stepped to the free-throw line ... you saw the full extent of the damage to his money maker.

Ella Mai is finally opening up about her son with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum ... revealing in a new interview this week she feels the little man has both mommy and daddy's talents!!

The "Little Things" singer jumped on the British radio station KISSXTRA to discuss her upcoming album "Do You Still Love Me?" ... but the host also snuck in questions about her motherhood journey.

Mai lit up when she spoke about her son ... saying he's put his musical skills on display -- so who knows, maybe he's the next Troy Bolton?!

Longtime NBA guard Isaiah Thomas is ready to suit up for a team right now ... telling TMZ Sports his body feels good, and he's staying in game shape -- and he says there are a few squads showing interest in bringing him on board.

The last full-season deal he inked was a one-year contract with the Wizards in 2019 ... and despite dealing with serious injuries, he averaged 17.5 points a game over the course of his career -- most notably with the Boston Celtics.

36-year-old Thomas is not looking to move on from the game just yet ... 'cause when we caught up with him at LAX, he said he's got "at least" one more season in him.

Jaylen Brown's prayers have been answered -- hair companies are lining up to work with the Boston Celtics superstar ... just a few days after he was apparently caught painting his hairline.

Dr. Christine Shaver of Bernstein Medical tells TMZ Sports she saw Brown's Twitch stream earlier this week ... when he faced the music and admitted it might be time to get some help.

Brown went as far as to say he was considering a hair transplant in Turkey ... but Dr. Shaver said she'd be delighted to keep him right here in the States -- especially since she's Bostonian and a die-hard Celtics fan.