Los Angeles Lakers

A Lakers fan -- who clearly hates the Clippers -- drove the WRONG WAY down a 1-way street ... just so he could scream, "F*ck Kawhi," at Lakers player Jared Dudley.

It was super dangerous and unnecessary ... but also ... kinda funny.

Dudley was hanging in Beverly Hills Sunday after the Lakers beat the Clippers in a 112 to 103 showdown at Staples Center.

We were talkin' with Dudley about LeBron James' statements on coronavirus and how he wouldn't play if the NBA blocked fans from attending games ... when all of a sudden, the heckler appeared.

Fortunately, no one was hurt ... but it got a smile from Dudley and our photog.

Ric Flair is all about putting on a show ... but he knows this is an emotional time for the Lakers ... which is why the WWE legend tells TMZ Sports he had to think twice before giving his epic intro for the team Tuesday at Staples Center.

Flair got the entire L.A. crowd pumped before the Lakers took on Zion Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans ... welcoming "the greatest franchise in all of sports" ... and his favorite player, LeBron James.

It. Was. LIT.

Naitch tells us the team asked him to help lift everyone's spirits following a deeply emotional memorial service for Kobe Bryant at Staples Center ... but he was reluctant to accept.

"I felt a little bad that close to the memorial that was so overwhelming on Monday," Flair tells us.

"But, they asked me and I said 'are you guys sure?' and they said 'Yeah, please. The crowd needs to be pumped up a little bit.'"

It was a good thing he accepted ... because the crowd clearly loved the gesture.

Monday they were mourning. Tuesday they were trying to cash in.

Several people who attended the Kobe Bryant memorial at Staples Center are selling souvenir items from the event ... from ticket stubs to program booklets ... and the asking price is in the THOUSANDS of dollars.

We've already found a handful of listings on eBay from people selling their memorial pins, shirts and other items. Most of the listers claim they personally attended the event.

The average starting bid for the Kobe Memorial bundles are around $3,000 -- with a $5,000 "Buy It Now" price.

One seller listed an official Kobe shirt (size XL) from the memorial -- and after receiving 76 bids, it sold for $2,025!

Remember, most fans were only able to get tickets to the event by entering a random drawing. If they were selected, they had the option of buying tickets for either $24.02 or $224 each, with the money going to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.

Some fans flew from around the country to be at the event -- and they could be selling the giveaways to help offset the travel costs.

Other people feel it's BAD FORM to auction off items from a memorial event -- and those people have been very critical of the sellers.

One thing is for sure ... Kobe items are in huge demand right now -- from autographs to game-worn jerseys and even his 8th-grade yearbook. And, as long as there are people willing to shell out the cash, there will be no shortage of supply.

Kobe Bryant was purple and gold as a 13-year-old -- signing his middle school friend's yearbook with "How bout those Lakers" -- and now the book can be yours.

Iconic Auctions has the super-unique piece of memorabilia on the auction block ... and it's pretty amazing.

In 1992, Kobe -- who just returned to the U.S. from Italy -- attended Bala Cynwyd Middle School in Pennsylvania ... where he played on the basketball team.

Bryant arrived midway through the school year, so he didn't have a standard school photo. He only appeared in the boys' basketball team photo.

When yearbooks were issued, Kobe's buddy asked him to sign the autograph page ... and what Mamba wrote was pretty prophetic.

"In a few years you probably will be dunking on me. Not!! How bout those Lakers. Your friend Kobe Bryant #24"

Kobe was just 13 years old in 1992 ... and wasn't a member of the Los Angeles Lakers (or the NBA) until June 1996.

Of course, Bryant -- even back then -- wore (and signed) one of the numbers, #24, that would eventually hang forever in the rafters of Staples Center.

Iconic tells us they expect the yearbook to sell for over $20k ... when the auction closes this weekend.

Thousands of Kobe and Gianna Bryant mourners are just hours away from packing Staples Center for a ceremony celebrating the Mamba and Mambacita's lives ... and TMZ Sports will live stream all of it.

The event is expected to be incredibly moving and emotional. As we reported, the demand to attend the memorial was unprecedented.

THOUSANDS of people applied for tickets -- more than 88,000 just in the first 5 hours.

The Staples Center only holds 20,000 ... and many of those tickets had already been accounted for with Kobe's family, friends and the NBA community.

We're told officials wrestled with the idea of moving the event to the L.A. Coliseum -- which seats closer to 80,000 people -- before ultimately settling on Staples. After all, it's where Kobe played for 20 years and became a beloved figure in Los Angeles and around the world.

Tributes are popping up all over the city. Check out this mural in the Hollywood-area near The Grove.

We're told just like Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle's memorials -- which were also held at Staples -- streets around the building will be closed off for security and traffic control.

Law enforcement is urging fans without tickets to stay home and watch the broadcast on TV or online. The ceremony will NOT be broadcast on the screens outside Staples.

It's unclear who will speak at the memorial ... with dozens of people close to Kobe and Gigi wanting to take the mic to say kind words about the Lakers legend and his daughter.

We broke the story, Bryant and his daughter were 2 of 9 people who tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26.

Vanessa Bryant, who is expected to attend the event, said of the losses just days after the tragedy, "We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe -- the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna -- a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri."

The memorial stream will begin at 9:00 AM PT.

JaVale McGee's music career has reached Justin Bieber status ... 'cause the L.A. Lakers star helped write and produce a song on the Biebs' new album!!

Yes, you read that correctly -- the 7-foot tall NBA center is a big-time music producer in his free time ... and officially got credit for his role in making Bieber's song, "Available," on his new project, "Changes."

Of course, McGee has dabbled in music for years ... and has worked with old Lakers teammates like Lonzo Ball in the studio in the past.

But, this is the first time McGee -- going by the pseudonym, "Pierre" -- has worked with someone on JB's level.

McGee has said in the past he's using his platform as an NBA player to push his music career ... and it's clearly working. It's Justin freakin' Bieber we're talking about here.

Pierre spoke about the opportunity, saying "I was blessed to write and produce on the song 'Available'! 2020 is about elevation and growth and following your dreams and this has always been one of mine to be a producer!"

As for the album ... it's well on its way top of the R&B charts after dropping on Valentine's Day.

McGee already has 2 NBA titles -- is a Grammy next?!?

Rick Fox, like so many others, is having a hard time processing the loss of Kobe Bryant.

We got Rick at the NBA Crossover event in Chicago Saturday during NBA All-Star Weekend, and he's clearly still hurting. You'll recall his emotional words on TNT a week ago.

Rick makes it clear ... Kobe's death is a blow to so many in a very personal way, but there's also a global factor -- Kobe was a worldwide celebrity and on the precipice of starting a second chapter that could have been as awesome as his first.

Rick shared some memories of Kobe ... riding on the team bus with him as Kobe talked about his "otherworldly plans."

When our photog asks Rick what Kobe would have done over the next 20 or 30 years, you see him get visibly emotional.

Rick played for the Lakers between 1997 and 2004 and won 3 championships with the team. Kobe played from 1996 to 2016. The 2 were teammates for 8 years.

The plans for Kobe and Gigi Bryant's Staples Center memorial are getting locked down and details for the service will be unveiled Friday.

Sources familiar with the planning tell us event organizers are working closely with Kobe's family to finalize who will speak at the service, and which singers and entertainers will take part.

We're told tickets will be available to the general public, although there will be a number of invited guests who get tickets first, including family, friends, players, NBA officials and, we're told, season ticket holders.

We're told the seats that remain will be sold to the public at a price that reflects the memories of Kobe and Gigi. We're told one of the options being discussed was to sell the upper bowl seats at $24.02 -- 24 representing Kobe's number and 2 representing Gigi's. The net proceeds will go to a charity selected by the family. Whatever the price ends up being, our sources say it will reflect and honor Kobe and Gigi.

We don't know which charity will be the beneficiary, but the Mamba Sports Academy was recently renamed Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. As we reported ... Vanessa Bryant says the decision for the name change -- "Because there is no #24 without #2."

Our sources say there will be extra precautions taken in printing the tickets to make sure they can't be scalped.

The memorial is set to be televised live on multiple networks, and as we told you ... the streets around Staples will be closed for security and traffic control, so law enforcement is encouraging people who don't get tickets to stay home and watch it on TV.

Though the memorial is being held Feb. 24, Kobe and Gigi were buried in a private family service near the family’s Orange County home last week.

Days later, Vanessa opened up about losing both her husband and her 13-year-old daughter, saying ... "I can’t process both at the same time. It’s like I’m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me."

She added ... "It feels wrong. Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?! I’m so mad. She had so much life to live."

She concluded by saying ... "God I wish they were here and this nightmare would be over. Praying for all of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for all."

Odell Beckham is finally revealing the ink he got to honor Kobe Bryant after the Lakers legend's tragic death ... and it's pretty amazing.

You can see in a picture posted by the Browns superstar Friday ... the art on his rib cage -- done by tattoo artist Joaquin Ganga Lopez -- features a classic photo of Kobe chewing on his Lakers jersey.

Of course, it's an iconic image of the Mamba ... who was known to bite his uni during nearly every game -- and famously passed on the tick to his daughter, Gianna Bryant, before they were both killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26.

Odell went under the needle just days after the accident ... forever putting art on his body to remind him of how much Kobe meant to him.

"You taught us ALL so many valuable lessons Kobe," Odell said after the tragedy. "Your sacrifice and dedication to this game is somethin that every athlete can admire."

"You showed us that there is no substitute for hard work. You’ve been thru it, yet u always found a way to overcame it all. This one hurt beyond words."

Odell is one of many athletes and celebs who have gotten Kobe tats to honor the legend ... The Game famously got Bryant ink on his forehead this month while LeBron James and Anthony Davis got thigh tats.

Others, like Bryant's longtime friend, Olden Polynice, have turned to drawing to honor Kobe ... telling us art is helping him get through the grieving process.

The Game will pay homage to the late Kobe Bryant everywhere he goes from now on -- the rapper has revealed a new face tattoo in honor of the NBA legend.

Game added to his ink collection on Wednesday with a sideways 8 and Kobe's autograph above his right eyebrow ... which symbolizes "Kobe Forever."

Game -- who is still grappling with the loss of the L.A. icon -- has also planned a song to honor Bryant and has worn his jerseys during his current tour.

The Compton native is no stranger to face tattoos -- he had a butterfly on his left cheek before covering it with an L.A.-inspired piece. He also has a tear drop under his right eye.

Game hit up Dark Ink Gallery in Glasgow ... just hours before his show at O2 Academy.

NBA superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis put permanent art on their bodies in honor of Bryant ... with LBJ getting a snake with Kobe's numbers and "Mamba 4 Life" underneath it.

J.R. Smith, Shareef O'Neal and 2 Chainz have also commissioned Bryant memorials on their bodies.

This is the best video you'll see all day ... nearly 200 students from LeBron James' I Promise school network found out they were getting FREE college tuition, and the moment's awesome!!

The junior class from Bron's program was told they were going on a college visit to Kent State University in Northeast Ohio ... but when they arrived on campus, they got a whole lot more than a tour.

School officials revealed that all 193 kids would have all 4 years of their schooling paid for ... as well as, 1 free year of room and board.

Naturally, the kids freaked out!!

It's not something to take lightly ... tuition for in-state students is around $11K a year. 193 students attending for 4 years costs over $8 million.

While the school won't have to front all that money ... it's still a huge chunk of change.

It's not just a handout for the students ... they have to maintain a good standing with the school by attending class, getting good grades, and volunteering in the community.

The memorial for Kobe and Gigi Bryant will be attended by friends, family, NBA officials and players, season ticket holders and local politicians. The remaining seats will be ticketed and go to members of the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

As we reported, the memorial will be held at Staples Center on February 24, where seating capacity stands at around 20,000. Fact is ... hundreds of thousands of people would like to honor Kobe and Gigi, but there's no way all of them can be accommodated.

No word yet on how the public can get tickets, but law enforcement sources tell us ... if people can't get into Staples, they're not going to get close to the venue.

We're told just like the Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle memorials, the streets around Staples will be closed for security and traffic control. The memorial will not be broadcast on the screens outside Staples or L.A. Live.

Several law enforcement sources tell TMZ, they're encouraging people who don't get tickets to stay home and watch the memorial on TV. We're told it will be broadcast on multiple networks.

Kobe Bryant's youngest daughter is already learning to stand up on her own two feet -- and her mom, Vanessa, is right there capturing every adorable moment of it on camera.

7-month-old Capri Kobe is the star of Vanessa's most recent IG post, impressively attempting to get up from the floor with the help of her aunt -- Kobe's sister, Sharia Washington. It's so freakin' cute, honestly ... the joy both Vanessa and Capri share is a sight to behold.

VB captioned the video, "My Koko Bean. She looks just like my Gigi. ☀️💗auntie Ri-Ri. #7months." You hear Vanessa cheer the kid on as she gets up twice in a row from a seated position ... the baby loves the encouragement, giggling and eager to try it again.

As tragic as the loss of Kobe and Gigi must be on the Bryant family right now, it's great to see Vanessa in good spirits. She's been fairly open on social media thus far, capturing Gigi's jersey retirement as well as capturing the Lakers' tribute in Staples Center.

The Kobe and Gigi Bryant public memorial has been set for Monday, Feb. 24 at Staples Center -- with organizers expecting a MASSIVE turnout, and Vanessa Bryant just announced it.

The date (2/24) is significant -- #24 was Kobe's jersey number and #2 was the number his daughter, Gigi, wore. Worth noting, Vanessa's IG post announcing the event has 24 butterflies.

We're told the event will take place in the morning -- because the Clippers have a game against the Memphis Grizzlies later in the evening. Our sources say the Clippers had to sign off, because, technically, they have Staples rented for the whole day.

We're told owner Steve Ballmer, and head coach Doc Rivers gladly agreed because there's such solidarity and love for Kobe and his family. Plus, the significance of the 2/24 date was not lost on them.

The other issue will be crowd control around Staples. When Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle's memorials were held there ... all the surrounding streets were shut down to anyone who didn't have a ticket. You simply couldn't get near the arena. They haven't announced yet how it will work for Kobe and Gianna's memorial.

Event organizers had been discussing a venue for days -- going back and forth between Staples and The Coliseum over concerns about the size of the crowd.

Staples -- where Kobe played for most of his 20-year NBA career -- only holds about 20,000 people. The Coliseum in Downtown L.A. holds closer to 80,000.

As for the event itself, we're told several high-profile people will speak about Bryant -- but organizers are still nailing down the official list.

Kobe and Gigi passed away in a helicopter crash on Jan 26 in Calabasas, CA., along with 7 others.

The Lakers held a massive tribute for all of the victims before and during the Lakers' January 31 game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Not only was the arena filled with fans -- all wearing Kobe shirts -- but outside, hundreds of people packed the surrounding area to remember the Lakers legend.

An autographed box score sheet from the night Kobe Bryant scored 81 points has just hit the auction block -- and some of the proceeds will go to the families of the helicopter crash victims.

The rare document was personally signed by Bryant in blue ballpoint pen shortly after he dropped the incredible figure on the Toronto Raptors in that legendary 2006 performance.

You can see in the doc -- which, according to Goldin Auctions, was only given out to media members, players and staffers after the game -- Kobe was a flat-out BEAST during the Jan. 22 matchup.

Bryant took 46 shots and added 20 free throw attempts ... dropping 81 points with just 3 turnovers. What's even more incredible is only 2 other Lakers scored more than 10 points!

Of course, Bryant's squad won the game -- a sellout at Staples Center -- and Kobe said of it all afterward he couldn't have have imagined dropping that much "not even in my dreams."

We're told a portion of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to the MambaOnThree Fund -- a charity set up to help the families of the other passengers that died in the tragic helicopter crash that killed Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, on Jan. 26.