Los Angeles Lakers

Deion Sanders just received about the highest praise a coach could get ... courtesy of Shaq, who tells us Coach Prime reminds him of 11x NBA champion Phil Jackson during the epic rivalry game with Colorado State this weekend!

"When they were down 15, there was a camera that panned to Deion's face, and it reminded me of Phil Jackson. And I've always said, if the general doesn't panic, the troops don't panic," O'Neal told Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (full interview airs on Tuesday's show on FS1).

Of course, Sanders' squad was down double digits to Colorado State Saturday night ... when the Buffaloes stormed back late in the 4th quarter, ultimately winning 43-35 in double OT.

Deion's demeanor on the sideline brought back memories for Shaq.

"I know exactly what the [Colorado players] are going through because when you are standing in front of someone that has an impressive resume, and you're trying to get to the level he get to, everything you say is golden. I felt that way when Phil Jackson first came to the Lakers," the NBA legend explained.

"Before [Phil] got there, me and Kobe, we got swept all the time. But when he came there and stepped in the locker room and we saw he didn't panic, so it taught us not to panic. We know that this guy knows what he's talking about."

Coach Prime's team, which won a total of 1 game last season (1-11), is now 3-0 ... and they're ranked 19th in the country.

Given the job he's done so far, Shaq believes Sanders is the best coach in the sport.

"Deion right now is the best coach in college football. You heard it here first."

We also talked to O'Neal about The Event on October 7, Shaq's third annual fundraiser ... which has raised more than $6 MILLION for children in need in Atlanta and Las Vegas!

In addition to Diesel, The Event -- hosted by The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation -- will also feature performances by John Legend and Jennifer Hudson. Ray Romano will also be in the building for the Joel McHale-hosted event.

Tickets are now on sale!

LeBron James is giving his personal review of Diddy's new project ... and it's safe to say the rap mogul got the King's approval -- 'cause Bron actually took the time to learn the lyrics!!

Well ... some of them.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is infamous for his backseat jam sessions whenever new music drops ... and it was only a matter of time before he gave his two cents on the Bad Boy founder's latest effort -- "The Love Album: Off the Grid," which dropped last week.

Bron went through three of his favorite tracks -- "Pick Up," "It Belongs To You," and "Brought My Love" ... vibin' out as each tune blasted in his Maybach.

James even tried his best Jacquees-esque falsetto at one point ... singing along until a fast-cadenced part of the song seemed to catch him off-guard.

The four-time champ rolled with the punches, though ... pretending to crush each word. In reality, it was more like the time he tried to do karaoke to a 6lack song.

"Man O Man!!!!!!!," James captioned his vid ... calling the project "an ABSOLUTE FKN STONE COLD VIBE!!!!!"

Es probable que Lamar Odom vea subir mucho la factura del seguro de su carro, pues acaba de estrellar su Mercedes contra dos coches aparcados en un accidente en la madrugada.

Un representante de Lamar le dice a TMZ, que él estaba al volante cuando se metió en un accidente de carro alrededor de las 3 AM del lunes en una zona residencial cerca de su casa.

Nos dicen que Lamar estaba conduciendo a casa de un amigo en Northridge cuando se le cayó el teléfono dentro de su Mercedes, se agachó para recuperarlo, perdió el control y se estrelló contra un par de carros aparcados en la calle.

El representante de Lamar dice que su Mercedes blanco golpeó a otro coche blanco, que chocó contra otro coche aparcado delante de él.

Los airbags de Lamar se desplegaron, y por suerte él no resultó herido ni necesitó asistencia médica, aunque estaba un poco aturdido y su Mercedes; destrozado.

Se llamó a la policía de Los Ángeles, pero esta no realizó un informe policial después de atender la escena. Nos han dicho que los oficiales hablaron con Lamar y le preguntaron si había estado bebiendo, a lo que Lamar respondió que no y les dijo que se encuentra sobrio y que es dueño de centros de rehabilitación.

Los policías no realizaron ninguna prueba de alcoholemia.

Lamar luego le explicó a los policías cómo ocurrió el accidente. Los propietarios de los carros impactados salieron de sus casas y Lamar les dio la información de su seguro.

Afortunadamente, nos dicen que no había nadie dentro de los carros aparcados en el momento del accidente. Aunque el Mercedes de Lamar fue remolcado y su seguridad lo llevó a casa.

Lamar Odom is likely to see his car insurance bill go way up ... he crashed his Mercedes into two parked cars in an early morning accident.

A rep for Lamar tells TMZ ... Lamar was behind the wheel when he got into a car crash around 3 AM Monday in a residential area near his home.

We're told Lamar was driving home from a friend's place in Northridge when he dropped his phone inside his Mercedes, reached down to retrieve it, lost control and smashed into a pair of cars parked on the street.

Lamar's rep says his white Mercedes hit another white car, which bumped into another car parked in front of it.

Lamar's airbags deployed, and he wasn't injured and didn't need medical assistance ... though he was a little shaken up and his Mercedes is now mangled.

Cops were called but LAPD did not take a police report after responding to the scene. We're told officers spoke with Lamar, asking him if he had been drinking, to which Lamar said no and told cops about being sober and owning rehab facilities.

Cops did not perform a field sobriety test.

Lamar, we're told, then explained to LAPD how the accident happened ... and the owners of the impacted cars came out of their homes and Lamar gave them his insurance information.

Fortunately, we're told no one was inside the parked cars at the time of the crash ... though Lamar's Mercedes was towed and his security drove him home.

Fernando Tatis Jr. will evoke the Mamba Mentality when the Padres visit the L.A. Dodgers this week ... 'cause the MLB star copped some custom Jordans in honor of Kobe Bryant.

TMZ Sports has learned ... El Niño hit up Stadium Custom Kicks to get some special cleats for San Diego's upcoming series at Dodger Stadium ... requesting a tribute to the late Lakers legend.

Tatis -- who signed a $340 million deal with SD in 2021 -- is now the proud owner of a truly one-of-a-kind, purple and gold pair of Jordan 1s ... decked out in around 4,750 crystals.

The cleats also feature Bryant's two retired jersey numbers on the heel -- No. 8 and No. 24.

It's fitting for Tatis to rock the Kobe kicks in the series, which kicks off Monday night ... considering Bryant hit up several Dodger games during his time in Los Angeles. He also threw the first ceremonial pitch in 2000.

Tristan Thompson ha tomado el relevo como cuidador de su hermano menor, tras la repentina muerte de su madre, y ahora está tomando medidas para hacer oficial su tutela.

En documentos legales obtenidos por TMZ, Tristan le está pidiendo a la corte ser el tutor de Amari Thompson. Los documentos afirman que Tristan asumió las responsabilidades de cuidado de Amari, de 17 años, tras la muerte de su madre Andrea en enero.

Los documentos también afirman que el padre de Tristan y Amari, Trevor, ha estado ausente de la vida del hermano menor, lo que deja a Tristan como el miembro más cercano de la familia y capaz de proporcionar el cuidado que necesita.

Amari tiene varios diagnósticos médicos que le incapacitan para cuidar de sí mismo, y Tristan tendrá que ayudarle con su día a día, así como con sus citas médicas.

Es más, los documentos dicen que Amari va a recibir aproximadamente 103.475 dólares como resultado de la muerte de Andrea, y será Tristan quien protegerá esa herencia de pérdidas o daños.

Tristan Thompson has taken over as caregiver for his younger brother in the wake of his mom's death, and is now taking steps to make his guardianship official.

In legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Tristan's asking the court to become guardian of Amari Thompson. The documents state Tristan took over the responsibilities of care for 17-year-old Amari after their mother, Andrea, died in January.

The documents also state Tristan and Amari's dad, Trevor, has been absent from Amari's life -- leaving Tristan as his closest family member who is able to provide the care he needs.

Amari has several medical diagnoses that leave him unable to care for himself -- and Tristan will need to help him with his day-to-day as well as with his medical appointments.

What's more, the documents say Amari is set to receive approximately $103,475 as a result of Andrea's death ... and Tristan will protect that inheritance from loss or injury.

Expect to see Bronny James and Paige Bueckers in a fresh pair of Kobe Bryant kicks this season ... 'cause six bigtime NCAA hoops powerhouses were selected as "Mamba Programs" and will be wearing the NBA legend's Nike sneakers on the court this year!

Vanessa Bryant made the announcement via social media on Tuesday ... listing the universities that were picked as the first group to represent her husband's Nike brand.

"So excited to see their players wearing Kobe and Gigi’s NIKE shoes this upcoming season," Vanessa wrote in the caption.

No mid-majors here.

The selected schools were USC -- where LeBron James' son Bronny is playing -- as well as Kentucky, Oregon, Duke, LSU, and UCONN, the team Gigi supported.

"We are grateful for the amazing support of these prestigious universities (in no particular order) towards the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation - to further the legacies of Kobe and Gigi!" Bryant added.

Vanessa didn't disclose which Kobe's the teams will rock, but the Swoosh recently relaunched Bryant's line with the release of the Protro 8 "Halos" ... which hit the market on what would've been KB's 45th birthday (August 23).

Snoop Dogg is proclaiming Shaquille O'Neal to be the best NBA player to ever release hip hop music ... this, after getting wind of The Big Aristotle's latest rap collab!!!

As we told you last week, Shaq linked up with L.A.-based group Coyote for their single "3 Lokos" ... the first of a newfound partnership.

Shaq told the artists he wanted to bring "'90s energy" to the song ... which clearly struck a chord with Snoop to the point he crowned the big man with such a big honor!!!

Shaq's place in hip hop is indeed solidified ... having his 1993 debut album "Shaq Diesel" go platinum while earning respect from many established rappers at the time.

The NBA legend also brought 3 championships to Los Angeles with the Lakers in the early '00s ... undoubtedly an extra reason to get Snoop's top pick. 😉

NBA rappers have gotten a lot more competitive since Shaq's era and Damian Lillard, will likely have something to say about Snoop's taste ... he's long touted himself to be the best NBA player to ever clutch a mic.

He just dropped his new album with co-signs from Rick Ross and Lil Wayne and even performed during the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, where he also played.

Lamar Odom's keeping it in the family ... he hired his son and daughter to work for his substance abuse treatment company, and he treated them to a company getaway.

Sources close to Lamar tell TMZ ... he's focused on strengthening his bond with his kids, and that includes getting his son, LJ, and daughter, Destiny, jobs at Odom Recovery Group.

Lamar's son is a marketing consultant ... we're told he's basically been mirroring Lamar, learning the ins and outs of the company so he can be Lamar's backup when needed.

Meanwhile, Lamar's daughter is a client representative ... she's responsible for taking down patients' information and making sure they're all set up when they start their recovery journeys. We're told both kids even participated in a commercial for the company, which will air on Hulu in various locations.

In recognition of their hard work on the job, we're told Lamar took his newest employees on a little vacation in Orange County, spending a few nights at an oceanfront property in Newport Beach.

Not a bad work perk!!!

The job opportunities and company vacations are all part of Lamar's attempt to reconnect with his kids ... and we're also told they've all been living under the same roof since the end of May.

Lamar definitely needs the help at his company ... Odom Recovery Group keeps expanding, he's added 14 new rehab centers to his portfolio and it's all hands on deck at work, with his baby mama Liza also helping out on the job.

Jeanie Buss is usually rocking power suits in business meetings, but over the weekend -- she was decked out in all white on the beach ... this after getting married, TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us the Lakers owner got hitched to comedian Jay Mohr Sunday during a small, intimate ceremony in Malibu -- where about 20 close friends and family members in attendance ... and the bride and groom looking happy as can be.

As you can see in this photo, Jay was over the moon when Jeanie said "I do" ... sweeping her off her feet and holding his bride up with a gorgeous backdrop behind them. BTW, our sources say there weren't any famous people in attendance ... meaning no players.

That's reflected in the vibe here -- super casualchill, but Jeanie looks great in her gown -- which is quite traditional. It's a great ending for a couple who's been together for years now.

While she first went public with their relationship just in 2021 ... we know she and Jay had quietly started dating as early as 2017 -- this after she broke it off with one-time fiancé Phil Jackson in 2016. Since then, Jeanie and Jay have been inseparable -- and very in love.

They announced their engagement in December 2022 ... and now 9 months later, they're man and wife.

Shaquille O'Neal is back in the rap game!

The basketball legend linked up with an L.A.-based rap group for a new song and music video, and it slaps.

TMZ Sports talked to Coyote -- made up of rappers Ladies Love Guapo and Ricky Blanco -- and they tell us The Big Aristotle was a fan of their work going back some time, and they developed a relationship. The guys began talking about hopping on a track together

"[Shaq] was like as long as it's some hardcore stuff, I'm down. So we made a hardcore hip hop '90s-type song and we're like 'Bro, let's send it to Shaq,' and he got on it, did his thing, he spit like 32 bars. He went off!" Ladies Love Guapo told us.

The guys say O'Neal loved the beat and a few hours later, voila ... his verse was in their inbox.

"4 hours later he FaceTimes us and he shows us his verse and he went crazy! He's rapping better than 90% of rappers out there."

Shaquille even pulled up for the music video shoot in Los Angeles ... shot in the city where he delivered three championships.

"3 Lokos" is the first song Coyote ft. Diesel are releasing ... but it won't be their last.

In fact, Blanco says they already have a second song they've recorded with Shaq, and plan on dropping more music in the near future ... including rapping on a beat that O'Neal produced.

Bronny James is already back in the USC classroom just a month after going into cardiac arrest, according to head hoops coach Andy Enfield ... who's hoping his star freshman makes a return to the hardwood very soon!

Enfield met with reporters on Monday and provided an update on the star 18-year-old freshman hooper ... and it's positive news!

"The good thing is [Bronny's] doing extremely well and he's in class right now. And we all love him," Enfield said.

"I think everybody is hopeful that Bronny will return to the court. We just have to be patient and take it step by step."

Whether he returns to the court or not, Enfield made it clear James' well-being is most important, and they plan to take things slowly.

"Our goal is to support Bronny in any way we can academically, athletically, and be patient with how things develop in his return."

Of course, the James family made a major revelation on Friday, announcing Bronny's cardiac arrest resulted from an "anatomically and functionally significant Congenital Heart Defect."

It sounds scary ... but it's actually good news, according to doctors, who say the birth defect can be treated.

"We are confident in Bronny's full recovery and return to basketball in the near future," the James statement read.

Despite not playing basketball, we've seen Bronny out, living his life. In fact, he recently hit up a Dodgers game and Drake concert with LeBron.

James was a 4-star recruit coming out of Sierra Canyon in L.A. ... where he was regarded as one of the top 50 high school basketball players in the country.

Kobe Bryant's long-awaited statue finally has a release date -- the Lakers legend's wife, Vanessa, just announced the five-time champion's tribute will be unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena on a special date -- 2/8/24.

"As you know, Kobe played his entire 20-year NBA career as a Los Angeles Laker," Vanessa said in a video from the team facility.

"Since arriving in the city and joining the Lakers organization, he felt at home here playing in the City of Angels."

"On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I am so honored that right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as 'The House That Kobe Built,' we are going to unveil a statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever."

Feb. 2, 2024 is truly symbolic -- Kobe wore Nos. 8 and 24 during his Hall of Fame career ... and his daughter, Gigi, donned No. 2 throughout her time on the court.

There are rumblings Gigi may be honored in some capacity as well ... although renderings of the project have not been released.

Kobe will join fellow Lakers superstars like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and more ... who have gotten their own statues outside the venue in years past.

Kobe and Gigi tragically died in a helicopter crash in Jan. 2020 ... and fans have been wanting a permanent tribute outside the arena for years.

The tributes are pouring in on what would have been Kobe Bryant's 45th birthday ... with the late Lakers legend's wife, Vanessa, sharing an emotional post.

"Happy birthday, baby. I love you always & forever. ❤️ #82378," Vanessa said on Instagram alongside several pics of the couple together.

Bryant's former teammates like Caron Butler and Carlos Boozer showed love in the comments ... as well as Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, who said, "A timeless and inspiring love story ❤️❤️❤️❤️."

Bryant has been the center of countless social media posts on Wednesday ... as many have been sharing their favorite memories.

Kobe and Vanessa first met on a music video set back in 1999 ... and were married 19 years before the five-time champion's death in 2020. They had four kids together -- Natalia, Gianna, Bianka and Capri.

Drake paid homage to LeBron James on Monday night, but on Tuesday, he tipped his cap to another Laker legend -- Kobe Bryant -- and the impromptu tribute to the Mamba was pretty cool.

Drizzy was performing yet another show at Crypto.com Arena as part of his "It's All A Blur" tour -- his sixth stop in the City of Angels this month -- and when someone threw a black, Bryant Lakers jersey on stage ... he paused his show to remember the Hall of Famer.

The 36-year-old rapper picked up the No. 24 uni and told the sold-out crowd at the venue where Bryant played almost all of his home games for his entire NBA career, "I'mma hold this up 'cause we got to show love to Kobe one time."

"Ya'll make some noise for Kobe at this time," he added.

The fans in attendance roared for several moments ... before Drake continued on with his performance.

It's the second time in as many days that Drake has urged his crowd to support the Lakers -- at Monday's show in Crypto, he featured James and the L.A. star's son, Bronny, a couple times during the concert.

Tuesday's tribute, though, was perhaps the most fitting ... considering this week is a special one for Bryant and his family.