Los Angeles Lakers

Shaquille O'Neal values education, and now the legendary big man is making college substantially more affordable ... as American students continue to fall deeper into debt.

O'Neal, along with 29-year-old business partner Tade Oyerinde, talked to TMZ Sports this week about their company, Campus, and its goal to revolutionize 2-year degrees.

Think of Campus, which Oyerinde, now the Chancellor, founded in 2022 ... as an affordable, online community college where students have an opportunity to earn an associate's degree.

Unlike the typical community college experience, Campus' professors come from some of the most prestigious universities, such as Princeton.

O'Neal, who attended LSU, is investing in Campus, joining other high-profile investors like OpenAI founder Sam Altman and billionaire Michael Bloomberg ... as the men throw their money and time behind the concept.

We asked Shaq why he decided to get involved.

"I like to invest in things that are gonna change people's lives, and this will definitely change a person's life. Everyone to be able to have access to world-class education is very important. When I first met Tade he told me 'DFD. I was like, 'What does that mean? Debt-free degrees,'" O'Neal told Babcock.

Of course, student loan debt is a huge problem ... with U.S. students/graduates owing lenders to the tune of $1.7 TRILLION. Campus says they want to stem the bleeding by providing affordable schooling.

Tuition at Campus clocks in at just over $7k for the year ... which pales in comparison to the average cost for a college education.

Atlanta Hawks fans let D'Angelo Russell know they're not down to trade Dejounte Murray for him ... chanting "We don't want you" at the Lakers guard during Tuesday's game!

The cold-blooded moment happened at the Lakers vs. Hawks game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta ... when Russell walked to the free-throw line after being fouled.

"We don't want you! We don't want you!" a chorus of fans in the upper bowl yelled ... a moment that was captured on video by reporter Dave McMenamin.

The chants stem from rumors the Lakers are shopping DLo ... and the guy they want in return is Murray, an All-Star guard, who agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension with the Hawks last July.

Russell -- who is in his second stint with LA -- is averaging 17.1 points and 6.1 assists this season.

Nonetheless, no trade has been agreed to ... so for now the Hawks fans get their wish. But, the Lakers have until the Feb. 8 deadline.

Hawks coach Quin Snyder refused to respond to the trade rumors ... telling reporters at pre-game, "I think I made it clear that I don’t comment on rumors and speculation. It’s not something I get involved with."

Heckling aside, Hawks fans left happy ... their team beat the Lakers, 138-122, thanks in part to an off game from Russell (he only scored 9 points on 3 of 11 shooting).

D'Angelo Russell's impromptu Lionel Messi impression just set him back a wad of dough -- the Lakers guard was just fined $15k for punting the rock into the stands after Saturday's double-overtime win over the Warriors.

The NBA just handed down the punishment on Monday ... with the league's executive VP Joe Dumars announcing the costly penalty.

The moment happened after the final buzzer of the second extra period ... when Stephen Curry heaved the ball three-quarters of the court in a last-ditch effort to win the game.

As the ball made its way back down to earth, Russell ran onto the hardwood to celebrate the 145-144 win ... kicking the rock into the first few rows of the arena in the process.

While it seemed like the 27-year-old was just trying to have some fun, the league decided it was a finable offense nonetheless.

Snoop Dogg is hoping to add a familiar foe to Laker Nation ... recruiting Clipper Darrell to the Purple and Gold just a little over one year after the LA super fan was KO'ed at a Clippers game.

The legendary rapper -- and big Lake Show fan -- minced no words while on Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson's "All The Smoke" podcast this week ... saying he straight up wants Clipper Darrell to switch allegiances after the guy was socked in the face by a security guard while attending a Clips game in 2022.

"Oh, man," Snoop said on the show. "Security disrespected him. Clipper Darrell, come on home, man. The Lakers would never do you like that. Come on home, man. Flip that s***, man."

Darrell, of course, is going to need a whole lot more selling than that to change all of his red and blue ... he's known as arguably the biggest Clippers fan in the world. In fact, he loves his team so much, he's painted his car to match his favorite squad!!

But, Snoop clearly thinks the punch-out he received after getting into a squabble with a Crypto.com Arena official in December '22 should be enough to make him come to L.A.'s other team.

"Flip it!" Snoop said.

Don't expect Darrell, though, to go running to the other side of town even if the "Drop It Like It's Hot" MC extended his own personal invite ... CD -- real name Darrell Bailey -- told us back in November that despite the punch and everything he's suffered since, he's still riding or dying with his squad.

Russell Westbrook's three-pointer in the Clippers' win over the Lakers was a shoo-in for highlight of the night honors ... 'cause the NBA star nailed the jumper with just one sneaker!!

The wild play went down in the final minute of the first quarter of the Battle of L.A. at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday ... when Brodie's Jordan Brand kick came loose during an offensive possession.

Westbrook tried to squeeze his shoe back on while keeping his dribble alive at the same time ... but once he started to get pressure from Lakers guard Jarred Vanderbilt, he decided to ditch it on the sideline.

Despite the wardrobe malfunction, the former MVP didn't give up on the chance to score -- pulling up from behind the arc and draining a beautiful trey.

It didn't stop there -- Westbrook rushed back on defense after the bucket ... and in the meantime, Clippers coach Ty Lue grabbed his shoe and put it on the scorer's table.

Once the next dead ball came around, Westbrook reunited with his right sneaker ... and the game went on without any other issues.

The three ball was one of many big plays for the Clippers -- Kawhi Leonard and James Harden led the way as the home team beat up on the LeBron James-less Lakers ... coming away with the 127-116 win.

LeBron James might be the King, but he thinks he's getting royally screwed over when it comes to officiating ... 'cause the Los Angeles Lakers superstar just unloaded on refs for not calling a foul after he suffered a bloody arm scratch during Sunday's game.

The play in question went down when LBJ drove to the basket in the third quarter of the Purple & Gold's 134-110 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers ... but instead of two points, he ended up with a few cuts on his right bicep at the hands of opponent Scoot Henderson.

James was patched up with an ointment and continued the game ... finishing with 28 points, five rebounds and five assists on the night.

Despite the solid outing and a team win, James is clearly still upset about how the sequence played out ... 'cause he had a message for the officials Monday afternoon.

"[Zebra] look right at me and said, 'I didn't see a foul!'" Bron said on Instagram. "Man what!"

"I give up man."

It's going to end up being a pricey post for the King -- the NBA has strict rules against publicly criticizing referees ... and a fine is likely on the horizon.

Jennifer Hudson y Common tienen un vínculo muy fuerte entre ellos. Ambos estuvieron tomados de la mano y muy pegados mientras veían un partido de los Lakers en la cancha.

La pareja se paseó de la mano en el Crypto Arena para el partido del miércoles contra los Mavericks de Dallas, dejándose caer en sus asientos para tener una experiencia en la primera fila y luciendo muy a la moda.

La cita de J-Hud y Common es una prueba de que siguen en serio como pareja. Ambos estuvieron sonriendo y conversando y Jennifer incluso le presentó a Common a otra pareja que estaba sentada a su lado.

LeBron James y los Lakers ganaron por 127 a 110, y Jennifer y Common salieron juntos antes del pitido final, mientras se despedían de algunas personas en su camino de salida.

Jennifer y Common han estado juntos desde hace un tiempo y esta salida significa que no están mostrando signos de desaceleración. Él ha dicho que podrían hacer un disco juntos eventualmente, pero tiene que suceder orgánicamente.

Jennifer Hudson and Common have a strong bond between them ... they were holding hands and joined at the hip sitting courtside at a Lakers game.

The couple strolled hand in hand into Crypto Arena for Wednesday's matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, plopping down in their seats for a front-row experience ... and looking pretty fashionable.

J-Hud and Common's date night is proof they're still going strong as a pair ... they were smiling and chatting, and Jennifer even introduced Common to another couple sitting beside her.

LeBron James and the Lakers won in a blowout, 127-110, and Jennifer and Common hit the exits together before the final buzzer ... saying goodbye to some folks on their way out.

Jennifer and Common have been together for a while now, and this outing means they're showing no signs of slowing down. He's said they might make a record together eventually, but it's got to happen organically.

LeBron James was fired up during his postgame interview on Wednesday ... but it had nothing to do with what the Lakers did on the court -- he was busy shouting at the TV as he watched Bronny play for USC!!

King James switched gears from NBA superstar to supportive dad just minutes after L.A. beat the Dallas Mavericks in a 127-110 victory at Crypto.com Arena ... multitasking by answering questions from reporters while giving analysis of the Trojans' matchup against Arizona at the same time.

LeBron -- who had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists for the Purple and Gold -- was super passionate as he kept his eyes on the screen ... interrupting a response to call on an unidentified player to "shoot it!!"

Bron apologized a few times for losing his train of thought ... but in all honesty, he did a great job bouncing between takes on both games.

The clip is hilarious -- James struggled to contain his emotions at some points ... even letting out a "God dammit" at one point.

James has made it clear in the past he wants to prioritize being there for Bronny throughout his own basketball career ... and proved that by running through the tunnel after his game to catch the rest of his eldest son's contest.

LeBron James puso en jaque a un aficionado demasiado entusiasta el lunes por la noche, empujando a un hombre que se abalanzó sobre la superestrella de la NBA mientras estaba sentado en el banquillo de los Lakers.

El extraño incidente tuvo lugar durante el partido entre los Lakers y los Oklahoma City Thunder en el Crypto.com Arena en el centro de Los Ángeles anoche, y fue capturado en video gracias a un seguidor de Lake Show que estaba filmando a la leyenda de la NBA de 39 años.

Bron se ocupaba de sus asuntos cuando de la nada un fan apareció y le agarró el brazo, mientras decía cosas sobre King James.

Como se puede ver, James fue sorprendido con la guardia baja, pero reaccionó rapidamente empujando al tipo.

Más o menos al mismo tiempo, la seguridad finalmente se dio cuenta de lo que estaba pasando y escoltaron al tipo fuera del lugar.

El partido continuó sin interrupciones y los Lakers acabaron ganando 112-105. LeBron terminó con 25 puntos, 7 rebotes, 6 asistencias y 1 empujón.

James no se refirió al incidente después del partido.

LeBron James checked an overzealous fans Monday night ... pushing a man who rushed the NBA superstar as he sat on the Lakers bench!

The bizarre incident went down during the Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder game at Crypto.com Arena in downtown L.A. last night ... and was all captured on video thanks to a Lake show supporter who happened to be filming the 39-year-old NBA legend.

Bron was minding his business when out of nowhere a random fan rolled up on the 6-foot-9 forward and grabbed his arm, as he appeared to say something to King James.

But, as you can see ... James was caught off guard by the random stranger touching him, and to be safe, LBJ shoved the guy off him.

At about the same time, security finally noticed what was happening, and they escorted the guy away.

The game ultimately went on without interruption, and the Lakers ended up winning 112-105. LeBron finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 push.

James didn't address the incident after the game.

Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber left their men at home on Monday ... and then proceeded to have a helluva girls' night out at the Lakers game!!

The A-list duo -- sans Justin Bieber and Bad Bunny -- sat in courtside seats with friends as LeBron James and Co. took on the Oklahoma City Thunder ... and it seems there wasn't one moment where they weren't enjoying themselves.

Cameras spotted Kendall sippin' from a custom cup with her 818 tequila logo on it ... and later, she and Hailey were seen jokingly flippin' off a fellow fan.

At one point, they were able to get their hands on a game ball too!

No word on why Justin and Bad Bunny couldn't make the game -- but, clearly, the girls didn't mind their absence.

Other celebs were at Crypto.com Arena taking in the action as well -- Dave Chappelle, Colin Jost and David Duchovny all had great chairs for the contest -- and, finally, L.A. was able to treat them to a W.

LeBron scored 25 points, while Anthony Davis logged 27, and the Lakers cruised to a 112-105 victory -- their first dub in nearly a week.

¡¡¡Kendall Jenner y Hailey Bieber dejaron a sus hombres en casa el lunes y luego procedieron a tener una noche de chicas en el partido de los Lakers!!!

El dúo de la lista A -sin Justin Bieber ni Bad Bunny- se sentó en primera fila junto a otros amigos, mientras LeBron James y compañía se enfrentaban a los Thunder de Oklahoma City y parece que no hubo momento en que no estuvieran disfrutando.

Las cámaras mostraron a Kendall bebiendo de un vaso personalizado con el logotipo de su marca de tequila 818 y más tarde, ella y Hailey fueron vistas bromeando con un fan.

¡En un momento dado, hasta pudieron tomar una pelota del juego también!

No se sabe por qué Justin y Bad Bunny no pudieron asistir al partido, pero claramente a las chicas no les importó su ausencia.

Otras celebridades que estuvieron en el Crypto.com Arena para ver la acción del equipo fueron Dave Chappelle, Colin Jost y David Duchovny, todos tenían grandes asientos para apreciar el juego y, finalmente, L.A. fue capaz de agasajarlos con una victoria.

LeBron anotó 25 puntos, mientras que Anthony Davis registró 27, y los Lakers pudieron ganar con 112-105, su primer triunfo en casi una semana.

Emma Stone couldn't contain her excitement during her beloved Suns' big win over the Lakers ... going right up to the Phoenix bench and dapping up Devin Booker and Bradley Beal!!

TMZ Sports has obtained video of the "Poor Things" actress making her way out of Crypto.com Arena in the closing minutes of her team's 127-109 road win on Thursday ... and as she walked by the players, she made sure to show some serious love.

In the clip, you can see Stone -- who grew up in Arizona -- go right up to Book and Co. and express her excitement over the dub. The TV broadcast caught a bit of the interaction, too ... which also included a wave to Grayson Allen.

Book and Beal certainly deserved the special moment with the A-lister ... as they had 31 and 37 points in the contest, respectively.

Stone -- who attended the game with PT director Yorgos Lanthimos and costar Ramy Youssef (in the blue beanie in the vid) -- was reppin' PHX throughout the night ... rocking a team hat as she enjoyed the action from her courtside seat.

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic's all-time rant on referees after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers just cost him a ton of dough -- the league announced it has fined him $25k for his comments.

As we previously reported, the first-year coach went scorched earth on officials over the free throw disparity in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's contest ... calling it "completely BS" the Lakers got 23 attempts, while his squad only got two in the 132-131 loss.

Considering it's against NBA rules to criticize officials in public, a financial punishment was pretty much a sure thing as soon as the comments came out of Rajakovic's mouth.

The punishment was made official on Thursday ... with Joe Dumars announcing the decision.

Many will say the rant was worth the $25k ... as it quickly went viral on social media, with some talking heads giving DR props for sticking up for his players.

Young Thug's YSL RICO trial continues to provide unintentional entertainment ... today's edition introduced an unlikely name into the mix -- LeBron James!!!

On Thursday, YSL co-founder Trontavious "Tick" Stephens took the stand yet again when he was quizzed about LBJ's potential ties to the YSL -- due to the fact the NBA's scoring leader occasionally doing the "wipe your nose" hand sign with teammates and calling them "slime" as a term of endearment.

Prosecutors argue the WYN gesture is code for offing a rival in the streets and "slime" is also a gang-related term and pressured Tick to cough up what he knew about LBJ and YSL ... which wasn't much.

Tick admitted he's seen LBJ pull off different handshakes with his team -- but his mind seemed to slip into the Twilight Zone on the other questions .. namely, he couldn't remember.

The case has been bridged on potentially having YT potentially having crimes in his rap lyrics and the court played his and Rich Homie Quan's 2014 hit "Lifestyle" for everyone to analyze.

We're not sure what streaming the party track accomplished ... Thug, Yak Gotti and others remained emotionless as the platinum smash blared in the courtroom but it looked like the attorneys were trying hard not to catch a vibe.