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Listen up, future NBA rookies ... Dwyane Wade is offering some advice heading into Thursday night's draft -- telling TMZ Sports every guy who's about to head to the Association NEEDS to make their finances a priority.

Wade doled out the guidance in front of Dash Radio in Hollywood this week ... saying it's absolutely critical for rookies to be able to manage their money effectively.

In fact, the future Hall of Famer said it's the No. 1 thing he knows now that he wishes he had known way back when he was getting drafted into the NBA in 2003.

"Try to get you somebody in your life that really knows finances," the 41-year-old said. "Somebody who, hopefully, you can build a relationship with. Hopefully, you can build a trust with eventually."

Wade took his counsel a step further ... saying the guys should do everything they can to learn about their upcoming NBA checks on their own as well.

Of course, Wade is one of the best people rookies can hear the tips from ... he played in the league for 16 seasons -- and piled up nearly $200 MILLION in contracts alone.

DaBaby is frowning on the flying phone assault Bebe Rexha just suffered ... and yet found a way to turn the topic into a plug for his new song. We can't front, it was pretty damn clever.

TMZ Hip Hop chopped it up with the Diamond-selling rapper out in Bev Hills in the wake of Bebe’s comeback show following a fan hurling a phone, leaving her with stitches and a black eye.

DaBaby says it hurt his soul to hear about that kinda fan foul play.

He's no stranger to fan-on-artist violence himself ... he once had a shoe flung at him during Rolling Loud, but is now advocating for peace. Ya gotta see how he made a quick pivot from discussing onstage violence to his new 3-song EP “Call Da Fireman."

DaBaby suggests fans should never throw their phones, and instead offers a better alternative -- which is using them to push play on his project!!!

It's not exactly a cry for justice for Bebe, but it's a fact streaming music won’t leave anyone injured ... so, overall definitely a better option for phone usage.

On the justice tip, though, Nicolas Malvagna is facing felony assault charges. TMZ broke the story, his attorney says Malvagna never intended to harm Bebe when he threw his phone at her, and he was just hoping she'd use it to snap a selfie.

Ice Spice was noticeably absent from the XXL Freshman 2023 announcement on Wednesday -- a shocker, for sure, and a side effect of her immense popularity this year.

Sources connected to the situation tell TMZ Hip Hop ... Ice had to decline a spot on the annual magazine cover after she started getting blitzed with festival bookings, and feature requests … making it difficult to lock in for the Freshman requirements.

As we told you, Ice is literally the hottest rookie in rap at the moment … earning a billion Spotify streams in just half the year and recording Top 10 hits with Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, and Pinkpantheress.

She’s also secured a "Teen Vogue" cover and is scheduled for Wireless Fest in the UK, Broccoli City Fest in D.C, Blockfest in Finland, and Made in America in Philly -- all of the shows coming this summer!!!

And we’re told she won't be slacking on rehearsing ahead of each festival appearance.

Even without the "Munch" rapper, the 2023 XXL Freshman still sports budding talent, including Lola Brooke, Rob49, and GloRilla -- who snagged her first career interview with TMZ Hip Hop.

Killer Mike believes any new gun control laws in America will hurt Black people before any other group -- but the rapper's telling us a few other ways he thinks the spike in gun violence can be flattened.

Mike joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to discuss potential curfews for minors in Atlanta -- something he's all for as a measure to mitigate violence ... and, he says he had curfew when he was growing up in the area.

However, he remains firmly against the passage of new legislation as a means to reduce gun-related crime. Mike says he's a Second Amendment guy, first and foremost, but adds he has another problem with tighter gun laws.

He explains why he believes those laws would impact Black Americans "worst and first."

Mike tells us he'd rather see Black families armed, and better educated on the safer use and storage of weapons.

As you know, there have already been more than 300 mass shootings in the U.S. this year ... putting the nation on track for the deadliest year ever.

Mike thinks another solution is more funding for community facilities -- such as YMCAs -- to give kids safe havens to avoid trouble.

NFL wide receiver Mecole Hardman might have just taken the title for "best chain in the league" ... 'cause he's the proud new owner of an INSANE diamond chain complete with THREE jets!!

TMZ Sports is told -- the 25-year-old wideout wanted to commemorate his "Jet" nickname and recent signing with the New York Jets ... so he hit up Al The Jeweler of Labelle Jewelry in Totowa, NJ for a truly one-of-a-kind piece.

Al tells us the two brainstormed on the design ... which features detailed jets, and even a working cockpit that has a mini Mecole sitting inside it!!

The whole thing is made up of more than 100 carats of VVS diamonds and half a kilo of gold ... and it took two whole months to complete.

Al -- who's made unique pieces for the biggest names in football like Sauce Gardner and Stefon Diggs (just to name a few) -- tells us he's proud of all his work over the years, but admits Hardman's new piece might be one of his favorites.

Drake’s glowing review of Bun B’s Trill Burgers isn’t impressing Foodgod … all because he thinks Drake’s Canadian taste buds have no clue what a great beef patty is!!!

TMZ Hip Hop checked in with the culinary critic out in Beverly Hills on Tuesday and he wasn't 100% certain Canada even has a burger culture for Drake to know the difference.

We'd bet the house they do, but even if not, Drake is a world-class artist -- who's about to go on tour, again ... so his knowledge of food is probably stronger than most!!!

FG tells us he's too had Bun’s burgers at Coachella this year and thinks it's really good but says it's disqualified from the overall "Best Burger" category because it's a Smashburger.

That honor he says would go to JG Melon but FG does think Trill Burgers could be in the running for "best Smashburger."

There was also some skepticism over Mario Carbone's Ravioli Sorrentina scented candle … which pairs the scent of Drake's Carby musk with one of MC's fancy recipes.

FG says they missed a golden opportunity not making a candle from MC's more popular dish rigatoni -- but tells us his personal dream collab would be something with Offset. Chicken and waffles maybe? The Waffle House could potentially have some competition!!!

Willie McGinest has been sued yet again ... this time, a man is alleging the ex-NFL star and three other people beat the hell out of him during a dispute over weights at a gym two years ago.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, the altercation happened back on June 21, 2021 ... inside of a 24 Hour Fitness in Long Beach, Calif.

The plaintiff, Andrew Cortez, claims he was using the bench press ... when someone walked up and took one of his plates.

Cortez says he told the person he was not done with the weight ... but he claims McGinest, the former New England Patriots pass rusher, overheard the exchange and said "the f*** you mean?"

According to the lawsuit, McGinest then socked Cortez in the face with a closed fist.

Cortez alleges three other men then jumped in ... and, along with McGinest, proceeded to strike him in the head and back "30 to 40 times."

According to the suit, 24 Hour Fitness personnel eventually separated the parties -- though Cortez claims he was left bloodied and injured.

Cortez says he's been suffering from emotional distress since the attack ... and is still reeling from the wounds he sustained.

He's asking for unspecified damages in his suit.

Offset made the most of his time at Paris Fashion Week ... which he capped off by burning down the runway with a surprise performance!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained video of Offset blazing through the perfect song for modeling ... his Metro Boomin-produced classic hit "Ric Flair Drip," which he performed Tuesday during the Li-Ning Menswear Spring/Summer 2024 show.

The collection is designed by Oscar Wang and titled "My-Verse" ... which Offset ripped through his on the track.

Offset virtually managed to be in 2 places at once for the evening ... Pharrell also had his debut fashion show as Louis Vuitton's Men's Creative Director, and Offset was also among the many celebrity guests to support. He even dapped up Jay-Z at the event.

SlamBall is returning to your television screens this summer -- the resurrected sports league has agreed to a 2-year broadcasting partnership with ESPN, TMZ Sports has learned.

The exclusive deal will provide coverage for SlamBall's 2023 and 2024 seasons ... which will consist of 30 hours of action from opening night on July 21 through the playoffs and championship game on August 19.

The basketball/hockey/football hybrid games -- played at the Cox Pavilion in Vegas -- will air on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+.

SlamBall creator and CEO Mason Gordon tells us the deal is proof the sport is only getting more popular with time ... saying, "ESPN's multi-year commitment to SlamBall is further validation of the enormous appeal and growth potential of our sport."

"The level of interest in our hybrid team sport not just in the U.S., but across the world, has been beyond our expectations for the 2023 season. It’s clear that this is the best talent we have had in the sport’s history."

SlamBall's revival has a ton of fans excited -- after all, there was a massive campaign for years to bring it back.

SlamBall co-founder Mike Tollin says the fan feedback was impossible to ignore ... and he's happy to bring the sport back.

"Mason and I couldn’t help but respond to the #BringBackSlamBall clamor. Live sports dominate the airwaves these days and audiences are looking for the next big thing. It’s a thrill to collaborate with ESPN in bringing this ground-breaking sport back to the world."

TMZ Sports broke the story of SlamBall's return back in August ... and as expected, the response was overwhelmingly positive.

Gross moment at Pierce Brosnan's house ... police say a man urinated and defecated in his neighbor's yard ... then got on the actor's property and used the laundry room to wash up.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... L.A. County Sheriff's deputies rushed to Pierce's Malibu estate Monday afternoon after getting reports of a man on his and his neighbor's properties.

Deputies say the guy was seen using the neighbor's backyard as his own personal bathroom ... dropping a deuce and rocking a piss ... before rummaging around the garbage and then moving over to Pierce's place.

Cops say the man walked around Pierce's backyard before heading to the front ... and then he made his way inside a laundry room, apparently using the Brosnan's water to clean himself.

We're told the guy took off when cops rolled up, heading down toward the beach.

The guy didn't get far ... we're told a Sheriff's helicopter found the dude hiding in the rocks along the coast ... he was taken into custody and booked for burglary ... for stealing Pierce's water.

Cops say Pierce's wife, Keely, was home during all the commotion ... but it's unclear if the 'James Bond' star was there too.

Mod Sun is not looking for a second shot at love with Avril Lavigne now that she's single again, as he feels that ship has sailed for him ... but the feeling is mutual.

Sources close to Mod Sun tell TMZ … he's moved on from Avril and has no interest in getting back with her.

Remember ... Mod Sun and Avril got engaged last year, but she dumped him and went public with Tyga in March -- a move Mod called a full blindside -- but, as we first reported, that whirlwind romance has now run its course.

However, Avril certainly isn't looking for a reconciliation either, as a source close to the star tells us, "Avril has been extremely busy working on new music and is excited about the future.  She has no intention of looking back at things that didn’t work for her previously."

While Mod Sun was initially devastated by Avril calling off their engagement, our sources say he's now in a good place in his life and doesn't want to get back with her.

In fact, Mod Sun is on the European leg of his tour, where he's teasing some new songs inspired by his breakup with Avril.

We're told the rocker used his pain to create new music, and he refuses to let himself go down a road of hurt and lies again.

As for Avril ... TMZ broke the story, she and Tyga split after a few months together -- but our sources are adamant -- the two remain super close friends and both are working in the studio separately on new music.

Al Pacino's newborn son won't be pressured to follow in his famous father's footsteps ... the child's mother says the kid is free to pursue pretty much anything he wants.

We got Al's girlfriend, Noor Alfallah, Tuesday in Los Angeles and our photog asked if she's going to put their kid into acting.

Noor tells us her baby boy "can do anything he wants" ... so it sounds like he's going to have some say in his future, which is a good thing.

Al's much younger baby mama also told us she's excited for motherhood ... as we first reported, she recently gave birth to a boy they named Roman Pacino.

Of course, Al is 83 ... which means he will be 101 by the time Roman turns 18.

Trippie Redd is taking celeb yacht parties to the next level by combining 6-figure jewelry and a very unique delivery service ... all to help ring in his 24th birthday.

The red-haired rapper did it big recently, surrounding himself with plenty of friends, and water, as they celebrated his latest trip around the sun aboard a yacht -- but, in true Trippie fashion, he took things up a notch.

His guests watched a jet ski cruise toward the yacht, carrying a famous jeweler flaunting some new bling to float Trippie's boat!!!

Celebrity jeweler Alex Moss tells TMZ Hip Hop ... he and Trippie brainstormed together to design the new piece -- a layered spikey heart, which became 3 separate chains after it was all said and done.

After deciding on the style, Alex says he incorporated amethyst into the chain at Trippie's request and created the pendant with 14k white gold, VVS diamonds. While he was at it, he threw in some custom-cut mother of pearl to match the stones in the chain.

Trippie loved the finished product so much, he copped mini versions for his girlfriend, Skye Morales, and his younger sister ... with rubies and pink sapphires respectively coloring the center hearts on their pendants.

Alex tells us making the trip via jet ski to personally surprise Trippie with all the bling was a memorable experience, to say the least.

Bebe Rexha's alleged attacker wasn't trying to hurt her with his phone throw -- but rather, just attempting to get her to use his phone personally for some snapshot fun ... so says his attorney.

Todd A Spodek, a lawyer for Nicolas Malvagna, tells TMZ ... "As a fan, Mr. Malvagna's sole intention was to have Ms. Rexha take photos with his phone, and return it as a keepsake. It was never his intention to injure Ms. Rehxa."

Spodek says Nicolas deeply regrets his actions Sunday night ... and hopes Bebe has a speedy recovery.

Of course, this new explanation seems to contradict what the Manhattan D.A.'s Office claims a witness told them Malvagna said after the incident, allegedly claiming he just wanted to see if he could hit her, thinking it'd be funny.

We should note ... in the video, there's no indication whatsoever that Bebe was even aware of Nicolas in the crowd -- let alone his supposed desire to have her use his phone.

As we reported, BR was in the middle of performing when the phone was flung at her from the crowd, striking her in the face and sending her to the ground in serious pain.

Armie Hammer has settled his divorce with his estranged wife, just under 3 years after she first filed for divorce.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Armie and Elizabeth Chambers reached an agreement regarding their property and any child and spousal support issues between them.

The details aren't clear yet, but the agreement is typically presented to the judge, who then, routinely, signs off on it.

TMZ broke the story, Elizabeth filed the divorce petition back in 2020, with Armie filing his answer at around the same time.

In the OG docs, Elizabeth cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split and was seeking primary physical custody of their 2 kids -- 8-year-old Harper Grace and 6-year-old Ford. Armie was asking for joint legal and physical custody of the kids.

Boosie Badazz should be headed home shortly ... the judge set his bond at $50,000 in the federal gun case that got him nabbed by ATF agents in San Diego.

According to Boosie's lawyers, Meghan Blanco and Damon Alimouri ... the bond was set Tuesday during a hearing, but it was unclear if/when Boosie would be released from custody.

We're told prosecutors wanted to keep Boosie in custody until trial, but the judge ended up denying that request and setting the bond amount.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... the feds popped Boosie last week after they say the firearm found in his vehicle back in May, matched the one seen in his waistband on Instagram Live.