Miami Heat

The best tennis player in the world is no match for Jimmy Butler -- the NBA superstar proved he's got serious skills on more courts than just the hardwood ... by scoring a point off Carlos Alcaraz during a U.S. Open charity event!!

The Miami Heat hooper was serving as an honorary ball boy for the Spanish star's contest against Frances Tiafoe at the Stars of the Open at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Wednesday ... when all of a sudden, he decided to step in and show off his tennis game.

Okay, so Butler might not be the next Federer ... but he certainly held his own as he rallied with the No. 1-ranked Alcaraz, who was obviously taking it easy on the six-time All-Star.

At one point, Butler asked Alcaraz to hit him with a fast serve so he could prove he could successfully return ... but didn't get his wish, as his opponent put in about 5% power on his attempt.

But, it was Jimmy Buckets who got the crowd roaring by the end of the point ... sneaking a shot past Alcaraz to come out on top!!

Udonis Haslem is going the Tom Brady route in retirement -- the former Miami Heat hooper just became the owner of his own sports team ... the World Jai-Alai League's Rebote Renegades.

The three-time NBA champ -- who officially walked away from his basketball after 20 seasons last month -- announced his investment in the popular sport on Monday ... saying, "New chapter means a new venture as a @jaialaileague team owner 🤝."

Of course, the wall ball sport is seeing a similar rise in popularity as pickleball ... with names like Ray Lewis, UFC star Jorge Masvidal and tennis star Genie Bouchard all investing in the league.

It's an organic move for Haslem, who says he grew up with the sport ... which is huge in Miami.

"Honored to be a part of a sport with deep-rooted history, especially right here in my city and to me personally through memories of my dad," he added.

Tyler Herro is spending some of his offseason giving back to the community ... sharing his knowledge with a bunch of kids at a basketball camp in Los Angeles -- and he brought Glen "Big Baby" Davis along for the fun!!

TMZ Sports has learned the Miami Heat guard and former NBA big man pulled up to the Yavneh Hebrew Academy last week ... and got an epic welcome as they spent time with the young hoopers.

The kids went completely crazy ... and we're told they got to do some basketball drills and get things signed by the NBA stars.

They also got some advice on how to become basketball players, just like Herro and Davis.

"We had to listen to our coaches, we had to listen to our teachers," Davis said. "We had to put in the time."

We're told Big Baby even offered his services to be the varsity team's basketball coach this upcoming season ... for free!!

Of course, Davis is an NBA champ and had nine successful seasons in the league. He even has some coaching experience ... leading the Charlotte Purple Jackets in The Basketball League.

Herro, on the other hand, won't have the time ... as the former Sixth Man of the Year is heading into his 5th season with the Heat after signing a 4-year extension for $130 million last season.

Rolling Loud Miami kicks off this weekend with plenty of side projects to accompany the main adventure, just like the youth basketball clinic the organizers slam-dunked Wednesday.

Festival founders Tariq Cherif and Matt Zingler, teamed up with the Miami Heat players Udonis Haslem & Haywood Highsmith and 50 kids from the Miami Gardens Life Skills & Summer Thrill camp ... as the official tip-off for the Rolling Loud Miami Week.

Udonis, being a Miami native and a 20-year vet of the Heat says the Rolling Loud clinic was especially personal for him, as he sees his former self in so many youth today.

Tariq assisted with both the DJing duty and skills training and we're told all the kids at the event had a blast.

Rolling Loud Miami Week will be booming with local community initiatives with familiar sponsors designed to inspire and inform the kids ... great time-fillers for their current school-free days.

On Thursday, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America will team with DGK Skateboards for a skate park clinic, that'll provide the 50 youth participants with skateboards and safety equipment to instill the basics.

Then on Friday, the Black Music Action Coalition will host a rally with NY Congressman Jamall Bowman and Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson to discuss the ongoing controversy of targeting rapper's lyrics.

Of course, the 3-day music fest will bring things home ... with Playboi Carti, Travis Scott and A$AP Rocky serving as the headliners this go around.

Damian Lillard is throwing in the towel in Portland -- the guy just requested a trade from his longtime team, the Trailblazers, and word is ... he wants to go southeast.

News broke Saturday that the PG asked Portland brass for a one-way ticket out of the franchise, and per NBA insider Shams Charania -- he's angling for a deal to be made with the Miami Heat specifically. Woj is reporting the Blazers will try to accommodate him.

Now, while Dame has apparently made his desired landing spot clear ... what remains to be seen is if he actually ends up going there. Woj is also reporting that other interested parties include the Clippers and 76ers ... that the Blazers will get as much as they can for DL.

In other words, if the Heat turn out to be a team that can't give them the most bang for their buck (draft picks/young players) ... they'll go elsewhere, and Dame could end up back in the west again, despite a reported interest in moving to the East Coast. Business 101.

Now, while a lot of Blazers fans are lamenting losing the bona fide face of the franchise -- who's been incredibly loyal to Portland for years now -- this is actually a move many anticipated in the wake of the team drafting Scoot Henderson recently ... an up-and-coming point guard who has a lot of potential and who the Blazers clearly want to replace Dame.

Many took that pick as a not-so-subtle message to Dame ... namely, it's time for you to go big dawg. For a minute, there was an unspoken game of chicken going on as to who'd blink first. As it turns out, Dame pulled the trigger and got the message -- time to move on.

Another element at play here that's made it difficult for the Blazers to sign other good players over the years is the fact that he signed a cash-rich supermax deal with the team a few years ago ... and while he's said he was dedicated to bringing them a championship, the reality is -- that was likely never going to happen with their salary cap issues.

Conor McGregor was met by a huge group of supporters in NYC as the UFC superstar left a swanky hotel with his fiancée and kids, thanking fans for sticking by his side ... as The Notorious continues to be investigated for rape in Florida.

"Thank you so much for the support, appreciate the support," 34-year-old McGregor responded when TMZ Sports asked what message he would send to his millions of fans.

Of course, McGregor is being investigated in Miami after a woman claimed the former UFC double champ sexually assaulted her after Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Heat and Nuggets at the Kaseya Center.

McGregor has adamantly denied the allegations and has not been arrested or charged ... and judging by the number of people outside The Penisula, a luxury hotel in Manhattan, Conor's fans clearly believe him.

Conor hasn't fought since UFC 264 in July 2021 -- when he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier -- and some have speculated he will never again step foot in the Octagon.

But, when we asked The Notorious what he had planned for the future, it certainly seems like Conor wants to fight again.

"Fighting. Looking to get a fight going."

McGregor is currently coaching opposite Michael Chandler on "The Ultimate Fighter" ... and is supposed to fight the lightweight contender after the show ends, though a date has not yet been announced.

Bronny James will honor his dad, LeBron James, during his freshman year on the USC Trojans hoops team this fall ... wearing jersey number 6, the same number as his pops.

The University of Southern California confirmed the jersey number news on Thursday, sharing a photo of Bronny in the cardinal and gold threads.

Remember, the former Sierra Canyon star wore 0 during his high school career, explaining it was a tribute to his favorite NBA player, and his dad's former teammate, Russell Westbrook.

Bronny also previously wore #23 in honor of his dad.

Of course, King James first wore #6 in Miami in 2012, before ultimately switching back to 23, and then returning to 6, which he now wears for the Lakers.

But, Bron isn't the first great player to rock the digit ... Julius Erving, Ben Wallace, and Bill Russell also wore the number. In fact, the NBA retired #6 leaguewide after Russell passed away last July, a way of honoring the 11-time champ.

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.

The woman who accused Conor McGregor of rape was seen on video with the UFC star at a club table just minutes after she says the sexual assault happened.

The footage, obtained by TMZ Sports, was shot at around 12:40 a.m. on June 10 inside the Kaseya Center in Miami ... roughly half an hour or so after the woman claims he attacked her inside of a bathroom following Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

In the clips, you can see McGregor and the woman appearing to exchange words while holding drinks ... before Conor eventually leaves the area.

According to the woman's attorney, Ariel Mitchell, the video shows her client and McGregor were "visibly awkwardly interacting with each other" -- something she alleges the two were not doing prior to their restroom encounter.

"My client has always stated that there would be video of before and after, and in those videos she emphasized that the difference in the interactions between them would be visibly noticeable," Mitchell said in a statement to TMZ Sports. "This again is another video that supports what my client has been saying and supports what she told the police since the inception of this incident."

McGregor's attorney, meanwhile, says the footage shows what he's been claiming all along ... that the allegations are false.

"While the claimant's story has changed yet again," Barbara R. Llanes said in a statement, "our account of the evening has never changed. This video only reinforces our position. We look forward to the swift conclusion of the investigation."

Previous video that we obtained showed McGregor and the woman had been interacting at the club throughout the evening. In one vid, he was seen flexing with her as music blared. In another, the 34-year-old was seen grabbing the woman by her hand and leading her into a bathroom.

The woman has claimed while inside of the restroom ... Conor kissed her without her consent, forced her to perform oral sex, and attempted to sodomize her.

McGregor has been adamant that the woman's claims are "no more than a shakedown."

TMZ Sports has obtained video that shows Conor McGregor taking his rape accuser by the hand and leading her into a bathroom ... where she says he sexually assaulted her.

The footage was shot inside the Kaseya Center in Miami at around midnight on June 10 ... just after the Nuggets had beaten the Heat in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 9.

In the video, you can see McGregor -- wearing a black tee -- leaving a restroom area to speak with a woman in a white shirt. After appearing to exchange words with the woman, Conor grabs her by her hand and makes a path for her to go with him inside of a bathroom.

A few seconds later -- the restroom door shuts, without anyone else appearing to go inside. The footage then ends.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... earlier this week the accuser's lawyer, Ariel Mitchell, sent a demand letter claiming NBA and Miami Heat security "physically forced" the accuser into the restroom, where McGregor proceeded to rape her while security refused to let her exit or allow her friend to come into the bathroom with her.

However, the video does not appear to show anyone forcing her into the restroom with Conor (he is instead leading her by the hand), but three men who seem like security guards do assemble in front of the door in a manner that would prevent anyone from entering or exiting.

According to Mitchell ... McGregor's accuser and the UFC star had been partying together at a club inside of the NBA arena just minutes before our video was taken.

At one point during their nightclub celebration, Mitchell tells us her client took a selfie video with Conor.

Mitchell says, though, their partying was halted when McGregor said he had to use the restroom -- but shortly after he got up, a man in a Denver Nuggets jersey walked up to her and told her, "Conor told me to come get you."

"My client was under the belief they were leaving and going to the Four Seasons Hotel, as Conor had previously asked her to join him at his hotel room," Mitchell said in a statement.

"The man with the braids then stopped at the door of the bathroom, when Conor grabbed my client (as seen in the video). My client believed they were leaving, but instead Conor took her into the restroom."

It's alleged McGregor then sexually assaulted the woman.

"My client remembers having no less than six drinks that night and has admitted the parts she recalls," Mitchell said. "My client did not even recall who led her into the restroom until seeing this video."

McGregor has denied the accusations against him ... with his reps saying in a statement on Thursday, "The allegations are false. Mr. McGregor will not be intimidated."

We reached out for further comment from McGregor regarding the new video, but have not heard back yet.

Cops, meanwhile, told TMZ Sports on Thursday ... they have been investigating the allegations since June 11 -- and a probe remains ongoing.

McGregor had been at the arena earlier in the night participating in some of the game's entertainment -- punching a mascot as part of a break-in-the-action skit.

New video shows McGregor was also partying in the venue's nightclub with other patrons at halftime of the game as well ... looking like he was having a great time with a drink in his hand.

Conor McGregor has been accused of raping a woman at Game 4 of the NBA Finals earlier this month ... but the UFC star says the allegations are not true.

According to demand letters, authored by attorney Ariel Mitchell, that were sent to McGregor, the NBA and the Miami Heat this week ... the incident happened just after the Nuggets had won, 108-95, on June 9 at the Kaseya Center in Florida.

McGregor played a big part in the entertainment at the game -- he sat in courtside seats  and even participated in a halftime skit where he punched a Heat mascot multiple times while promoting his Tidl Sport recovery spray.

But, according to the letters, obtained by TMZ Sports, at one point later on during the evening ... he "violently" sexually assaulted a woman inside of a men's bathroom.

In the letters, Mitchell claims that NBA and Heat security helped separate the woman from her friend ... and then forced her into a restroom that McGregor and his security guard were already inside of.

In the letters, Mitchell says "security refused to let [the woman] exit or allow anyone else, including her friend, inside the bathroom." The lawyer then claims McGregor emerged from inside of a handicap stall "and shoved his tongue in the victim's mouth and aggressively kissed her."

According to the letters, the woman was able to get McGregor off of her by telling him she had to urinate ... but then McGregor allegedly forced her to have oral sex with him.

McGregor, 34, is then accused of grabbing the woman and pinning her against the wall ... before attempting to sodomize her.

Mitchell says in the letters the woman was able to elbow McGregor repeatedly -- which gave her a window to escape. However, she allegedly fled in such a hurry, she left her purse -- which Mitchell says McGregor's security guards "held hostage" until she pleaded with them for its return.

According to the letters, the woman finally got away from it all ... and went on to report the assault to local authorities on Sunday morning. Mitchell tells us an officer then encouraged the woman to seek out an attorney.

In the letters, which were sent following the woman's meeting with cops, Mitchell said the woman is seeking settlements with the NBA, the Heat, and McGregor in lieu of litigation.

Reps for McGregor, however, said in a statement Thursday morning the "allegations are false."

"Mr. McGregor will not be intimidated," they added.

The Heat released a statement Thursday afternoon saying the org. is aware of the allegations and is "conducting a full investigation" into the matter. The NBA added in a statement of its own, "We are aware of the allegations and are working with the team to gather more information."

The UFC also addressed the alleged incident ... saying it, too, is aware of the claims and is working on getting more information.

"UFC will allow the legal process to play out before making any additional statements."

The Miami Heat may have lost the NBA Finals, but there's at least some good news for the organization -- Conor McGregor says Burnie the mascot is A-OK after getting his bell rung at the hands of the UFC superstar!

"The mascot is good. It was a skit, and all is well," the 34-year-old former champ said Tuesday in NYC.

"I spent a lot of time with him afterward, we talked it out, everything is great. It was all part of the show!"

Remember, McGregor participated in what was supposed to be a fun, friendly routine with Burnie during game 4 of the Finals in Miami on Friday, when things took a turn for the worse for the furry creature.

Conor was promoting his Tidl Sport recovery spray ... when Burnie -- wearing oversized boxing gloves -- squared up with McGregor.

That was all The Notorious needed to see ... and he smashed Burnie with one of his vicious patented left hooks. The mascot went down to the ground before McGregor hit him with a brutal ground-and-pound strike to the head.

Unfortunately, Conor hits hard, as the guy in the Burnie costume found out, resulting in a reported trip to the hospital.

But, by Conor's account, he escaped serious injury and is okay.

Conor McGregor punched the Miami Heat's mascot last night, and while it all seemed to be in good (planned) fun ... it actually ended up hurting the dude inside, per a new report.

According to The Athletic ... the man who was playing "Burnie" during Friday's game was sent to the ER after taking a couple of closed-fist dings to the dome ... courtesy of Conor, who was playing along in a clearly orchestrated sketch.

You see, the whole thing was designed to plug CMG's new pain relief spray -- TIDL Sport --which he actually used during the comedy bit. The mascot got socked, went down ... and then got socked again before being dragged away by staffers. Conor was spraying it on the way out.

Unfortunately ... while Conor might've thought Burnie was just hamming it up for the crowd -- the person wearing the costume was legitimately injured. The Athletic says the Burnie dude was treated at the hospital, and then released with pain medication ... and was OK.

So, no real harm or foul all things considered ... and it certainly doesn't sound like anyone in the league or with the Heat is mad at Conor. It's just one of those things -- a battle wound if you will.

The Miami Heat are on the ropes in the NBA Finals, but their celeb turnout is still top-seeded in the league ... right up there with legendary LA Lakers Showtime.

Lil Wayne, Conor McGregor, G-Eazy, Chris Tucker and J. Balvin filed into the primo seats at Miami's Kaseya Center.

McGregor actually got some playing time -- not in the game, which the Denver Nuggets won -- but he was part of the center court entertainment. The UFC legend squared off with the Heat mascot Burnie ... and earned a one-punch W.

Some other famous fans in the crowd included Odell Beckham Jr., Flo Rida, Forest Whitaker, Neymar, Ozuna and Paul Pogba.

If Nikola Jokic can finish off the Miami Heat this month, he'd have a serious case to be on the Mt. Rushmore of Denver sports athletes ... so says Terrell Davis.

The Broncos legend didn't specify where exactly the Nuggets big man would rank amongst the John Elways, Patrick Roys and Todd Heltons ... but he did say a championship would put Jokic right there with the city's all-time greats.

"He's up there already," Davis told TMZ Sports, "and this would only cement his place in the greatest athletes to come out of Denver."

Davis said this title would carry some more weight than others in Denver sports history ... as it'd be their first NBA one.

"When you bring a city its only championship, you're going to be held to a really, really high place there," the former running back said. "And, I think Jokic is on his way."

Of course, Davis would know a thing or two about the matter ... he said following his first Super Bowl win with the Broncos in 1998, it changed the way fans interacted with him around the city forever.

Davis promises to keep cheering on Jokic too -- despite his incident at the Nuggets vs. Heat Game 2 on Sunday night.

If you missed it, Davis found himself in the middle of a Heat celebration sandwich near the end of the tilt -- and his disappointed reaction was priceless.

But, Davis was a good sport when recapping it all with us ... and he said there's no chance it'll deter him from coming back to Ball Arena later this series.

Denver Broncos legend Terrell Davis looked like he wanted to disappear during the NBA Finals on Sunday ... finding himself sandwiched between two rowdy groups of Heat fans as his Nuggets lost Game 2 -- and his reaction was priceless!!

The Hall of Famer was at Ball Arena in hopes of witnessing Denver take a 2-0 lead in the series ... but unfortunately for him, Miami had a huge 4th quarter to steal the win on the road.

During the comeback, Heat fans were understandably excited when Jimmy Butler hit a corner three-pointer to put Miami up 95-89 with under seven minutes left ... and TD had a front-row seat for the celebration.

The broadcast showed a woman wearing a Jimmy Butler jersey lean over and give another Heat fan sitting nearby a high-five right in front of Terrell's face ... and judging by his expression, the former running back wasn't too thrilled about it.

Naturally, the clip went viral on social media ... with fans joking about the Denver legend's miserable body language.

Of course, Davis has had a lot to smile about this postseason ... as the Nuggets were previously undefeated at home before Sunday's loss.

The Heat secured the 111-108 win ... and TD's gotta be at least a little bit worried now.