Miami Heat

Michael Rapaport ain't happy with the punishment dished out to NBA player Meyers Leonard in the wake of his anti-Semitic slur ... suggesting he it would have been way worse if he used the n-word instead of the k-word.

Rapaport was one of Leonard's harshest critics after the Miami Heat center used the k-word to insult an opponent during a video game live stream session earlier this month ... calling him a "dumb f**k" and demanding a sincere video apology.

The NBA has since imposed a 1-week suspension on Leonard and fined him $50,000.

Meyers has apologized and vowed to work with leaders run the Jewish community to educate himself on why the word is so dangerous and offensive.

But, Rap says that's not good enough ... and he's comparing the situation to the announcer who hurled the n-word at a high school basketball team in Oklahoma.

"Why is that any worse than the Myers Leonard thing?" Rapaport told us.

"I'm not happy with [Leonard's] punishment, but I think if he had said a different word -- if it had been a white guy saying the n-word, he’d be cut."

Rap continued, "Every single athlete would have spoken out about it, every single actor -- white, black and in between -- would have spoken out about it and it would still be discussed a week later."

Merriam-Webster defines the word "coalesce" as a verb meaning "to grow together."

... and NBA superstar Jimmy Butler clearly could not care less.

The Miami Heat wing BODIED a reporter Sunday for bringing that big word to his post-game press conference ... saying the guy didn't need to flex his brainy vocabulary when asking a simple question about how the team has bonded over the past few weeks.

The hilarious scene all went down after Butler led the Heat to a win over the Orlando Magic ... when a media member tried to ask the 31-year-old about Miami's recent team success.

"Does it feel like you're coalescing, as much as the record shows, into something?" the reporter asked. "I mean, 10 of 11 [games] is pretty special."

The "coalescing" term threw Butler off guard immediately ... watch the clip, his reaction is priceless!

"Don't do that," Jimmy said to the reporter. "Come on, now. What the hell does that mean?!"

The reporter tried to explain his question ... before Jimmy said, "You said a big word. You confused me."

The media member explained further ... saying he simply meant "coming together, congealing, gelling."

And that's when JB told the guy, "You could have just said that" ... before ultimately answering the question.

The NBA has suspended Miami Heat player Meyers Leonard for ONE WEEK for hurling an anti-Semitic comment during a video game sesh ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Leonard was also fined $50,000.

For the record, Leonard will make more than $9 million in contract money this season.

There's more ... the NBA says Leonard will be required to participate in a cultural diversity program.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Leonard's comment was "inexcusable and hurtful and such an offensive term has no place in the NBA or in our society. "

Silver continued, "Yesterday, he spoke to representatives of the Anti-Defamation League to better understand the impact of his words and we accept that he is genuinely remorseful."

"We have further communicated to Meyers that derogatory comments like this will not be tolerated and that he will be expected to uphold the core values of our league -- equality, tolerance, inclusion and respect -- at all times moving forward."

Leonard's Miami Heat teammates and coaches spoke about the situation during a media session on Wednesday.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra said he's been in touch with Leonard -- who he considers a "good human being."

Spoelstra says Meyers "feels really bad" about using the anti-Semitic K-work during a video game streaming session and is getting a better understanding of why the word is hurtful and dangerous.

Miami Heat star Udonis Haslem also spoke out about Leonard's comment -- saying he has a bunch of Jewish friends and reached out to make sure they know hate speech is NOT tolerated within the Heat organization.

"I have a lot of Jewish friends and ya know, they call me Udonis Haslem-berg sometimes," he joked.

Jewish NFL star Julian Edelman says the anti-Semitic slur uttered by Meyers Leonard is the result of "casual ignorance" ... and he's offering to educate the NBA player on Jewish history so he doesn't make the same mistake twice.

Edelman says he's never met Leonard before -- but he's clearly caught up on the scandal surrounding the Miami Heat player, who used the anti-Semitic K-word to attack an opponent during a video game live stream this week.

Leonard later issued an apology -- claiming he was not aware of the hateful history of the word and vowed to educate himself about it.

"I'm sure you've been getting lots of criticism for what you said," Edelman said in an open letter to Leonard ... "Not trying to add to that, I just want to offer some perspective."

"I get the sense that you didn't use that word out of hate, more out of ignorance. Most likely, you weren't trying to hurt anyone or even profile Jews in your comment. That's what makes it so destructive."

Edelman continued, "When someone intends to be hateful, it's usually met with great resistance. Casual ignorance is harder to combat and has greater reach, especially when you command great influence."

"Hate is like a virus. Even accidentally, it can rapidly spread."

Edelman ended his letter with an offer to Leonard -- "I'm down in Miami fairly often. Let's do a Shabbat dinner with some friends I'll show you a fun time."

COVID-sniffing dogs are now a thing in America ... and the pups are getting their first whiff of action at an NBA game in Florida.

The Miami Heat debuted the virus-sniffing dogs at Wednesday's game at AmericanAirlines Arena, with our four-legged friends screening fans before they could be allowed inside the building.

As you can see, a trainer walks a dog down a line of socially-distanced fans under a big tent and the canine takes a big sniff before moving on to the next person. The dogs are taught to sit if they detect the virus, and the process looks quick and efficient.

The dogs are being used because the Heat are opening the arena up to fans for the first time this season, and it's just an added level of virus protocol in addition to a health questionnaire and mask mandate.

As we reported ... the dogs are being trained at nearby Florida International University, and Dr. DeEtta Mills, who is leading the program, told us how the canines could soon be deployed in airports across the country.

Miami Heat and Boston Celtics players took a knee during the national anthem prior to tip-off Wednesday ... with both teams releasing a powerful message following the Jacob Blake decision and unrest in D.C.

The Celtics reportedly held a players-only meeting during warmups ... presumably to figure out how to address the current status of the country and whether the game would take place.

The result -- a joint statement from both teams explaining their decision to play.

"2021 is a new year, but some things have not changed," the players said in a statement. "We play tonight’s game with a heavy heart after yesterday’s decision in Kenosha, and knowing that protesters in our nation's capital are treated differently by political leaders depending on what side of certain issues they are on."

"The drastic difference between the way protesters this past spring and summer were treated and the encouragement given to today’s protesters who acted illegally just shows how much work we have to do."

Of course, the players are referring to the Trump supporters who broke into the Capitol just hours ago ... breaking through barriers and jumping over walls to enter the building.

Miami center Meyers Leonard was the only Heat player to stand for the anthem (as he did throughout the 2020 season restart in Orlando) ... while every Celtics player elected to take a knee.

The statement continued ... "We have decided to play tonight’s game to try and bring joy into people's lives."

"But we must not forget the injustices in our society, and we will continue to use our voices and our platform to highlight these issues and do everything we can to work for a more equal and just America."

Duncan Robinson is known for his shooting, but the Miami Heat hooper came up with a huge assist this weekend ... by donating 10,000 meals to help those in need this holiday season.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the 26-year-old ex-Michigan star was in the giving spirit on Saturday ... so he teamed up with A-Sha Foods to help put meals on the table for the people of South Florida.

Robinson ended up hand-delivering his contribution on Saturday in Pembroke Park, FL ... rolling up his sleeves and personally helping dish out the packs of ramen noodles.

It's been a great 2020 for Robinson -- the dude had a breakout season and averaged 13 points per game after 3 points per game in his rookie campaign.

Robinson also played a huge role in the Heat's NBA Finals run in the bubble ... so yeah, there were plenty of reasons to be thankful this year.

Tyler Herro came up with the perfect way to get over his NBA Finals loss ... by heading off to a tropical destination only he and his stunning GF can go -- TURKS AND CAKE!!!!

The 20-year-old Miami Heat rookie had his coming out party during this year's playoffs ... and proved to be one of the best young hoopers in the game.

His shooting is just as good OFF the court -- linking up with fitness guru and model Katya Elise Henry earlier this year during quarantine.

Now, the young lovers are taking in some R&R following the Heat's 4-2 loss to the Lakers in the Finals .. hitting up Turks and Caicos for a romantic getaway ... and the views are 🔥🔥🔥!!!

"summertime fine , winter time cold too," Herro captioned a steamy pic on Instagram ... quoting his buddy/rapper Jack Harlow's song, "RAIN."

Remember, Herro starred in Harlow's new music video -- perfectly titled "Tyler Herro" -- last week ... so the dude's been living the rock star life so far this off-season.

As for Katya, she posted several sexy shots from aboard a boat and at the pool ... using her creative nickname for their baecation location to include some 🍰.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro's impressive rookie season ain't over yet -- 'cause the sharp-shooter is getting his very own rap song ... courtesy of Jack Harlow!!

The 20-year-old star has made headlines throughout his first year in the Association -- from insane highlights on the court to dating smoking hot model Katya Elise Henry.

On the heels of balling out in the NBA Finals, the former Kentucky Wildcat is getting something most athletes only dream of ... with the "I Wanna See Some Ass" MC announcing the track, "Tyler Herro," coming out Thursday.

The gesture is a pretty big deal -- Harlow is a die-hard Louisville Cardinals fan ... and Herro played at rival UK before becoming a 1st-rounder in the NBA.

But, the rivalry didn't stop Harlow from exchanging jerseys with Herro to promote the album ... and including the young hooper in the single art.

It's not the only connection Harlow has to the NBA this season -- remember, he accidentally snitched on Lou Williams when he snapped a selfie with the L.A. Clippers guard at Magic City in ATL.

Herro now joins NBAers like Kobe Bryant, Mo Bamba and Dennis Rodman ... who have gotten the song treatment in the past.

Best rookie year ever?! ... eh, close.

Rihanna isn't rocking with anyone who is NOT on the Lakers wagon ... but for those who are, she's got a tune for ya.

RiRi and her crew belted out "We Are the Champions" Sunday night to celebrate the Lakers bringing home their 17th NBA championship -- and while it might seem cliché for most people ... she makes it awesome.

Rihanna went with a classic yellow Kobe Bryant #24 jersey, and accessorized with purple and gold balloons for her Lake Show party. It's unclear where this bash went down, but looks like she was next to an RV.

She captioned her video, "if you ain’t on this time right now...bye. Lebron remains king 💪🏿 Lakers are the champs 💜💛 and Kobe is proud 🙏🏿 A.D thank you! #🏆 #Congratulations."

Meanwhile ... Dr. Dre -- a huge Lakers fan -- was hanging out with Rick Ross, a huge Heat fan. The Doc couldn't help himself but give The Boss a hard time after the Lakers wrapped up the series, 4 games to 2. Dre reminded Rick, "That's what it is! The Lake Show!"

Poor Rick, all he could do was sit there and take it. We don't know if these guys had money on the game, but if so ... they can both afford to pay up.

From "quarantine and chill" to victory kisses -- Miami Heat star Tyler Herro and GF Katya Elise Henry are going strong in the NBA bubble ... celebrating his huge win with some smooches on the court!!

It's been one helluva pandemic for the 20-year-old baller -- remember, the dude pulled up from DEEP and started flirting with the model on social media back in March.

Things got serious in no time ... and now they're one of the hottest young couples in sports.

Speaking of hot, Herro is coming off his best series of the playoffs against the Boston Celtics ... earning a career-high 37 points in Game 4.

As for KEH, she's been cheering for him from inside the bubble since earlier this month ... and was present for the Heat's series-clinching win on Sunday.

Next up, LeBron James and the Lakers ... and we take it Henry will be cheering her man on in the NBA Finals.

Best rookie year EVER?!

DJ Khaled went ballistic celebrating the Miami Heat's win over the Celtics on Sunday ... jumping and screaming like a mad man -- and the whole thing was caught on video!!!

The 44-year-old -- who's been a Heat fan for YEARS -- was catching the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals game in a living room somewhere ... when Miami pulled out the series win.

That's when Khaled went CRAZY ... grabbing his drink, woooooing like Ric Flair and hopping around like a little kid!!

Ya gotta watch the clip ... the dude is SUPER PUMPED for his favorite team -- and said of the victory afterward, "WE IN THE FINALS !!!!!!!!"

Khaled then gave an epic pump-up speech about his squad ... boasting about all their championships and saying straight-up the air conditioning in Miami's locker room "pours out greatness!!"

Of course, the celebration might be short-lived ... the Heat have a tough road ahead of it in the NBA Finals -- as LeBron James and Anthony Davis await.

Jimmy Butler says he refuses to let his family join him inside the NBA bubble in Orlando ... because it's a "business trip" and he doesn't want to be distracted!

FOR REAL!

The Miami Heat star explained himself to "NBA on TNT" sideline reporter Allie LaForce -- who passed it along to viewers Monday night while Butler was DROPPIN' 40 on the Milwaukee Bucks.

LaForce said while some players and coaches were excited to finally welcome wives girlfriends and children into the bubble -- people they haven't seen in person in months -- Jimmy was drawing a hard line.

"No offense to families but Jimmy Butler said, 'This is a business trip for me. I’m not messing around.'"

"Everyone wants to have their family, without a doubt. But we’ve been doing this for this long. What’s another couple of months?"

Jimmy concluded, "It is an individual decision and I respect that decision that my teammates make but for me, I’m here for business.”

WOW.

Butler has a baby daughter back home who's about to turn one in October ... but she'll have to chill out before Daddy can celebrate!

Meanwhile, Butler has definitely been handling business -- he played spectacularly Monday night ... and has led the Heat to the Conference Semifinals, where they're already up 1-0 on the mighty Bucks.

Of course, not everyone feels the same as Jimmy -- Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet brought his family into the Bubble this week ... and the reunion was ADORABLE!

The NBA has warned players to make sure their guests don't wild out at games -- no cussing, no storming the court, etc.

TMZ Sports obtained audio of the farewell speech LeBron James gave to the "Space Jam" cast and crew on his last day of shooting ... and it's emotional stuff.

The NBA superstar addressed the cast and crew in Summer 2019 (before the COVID pandemic) ... and explained why it was so important for him to take the role in the first place.

"I'm gonna be honest completely with you guys -- when I found out about the project, I was like it's 'Space Jam'! It’s a movie that I grew up watching. People in the movie that I idolize. I was like absolutely, I gotta do it. There’s no way I can turn down 'Space Jam'!"

Bron joked that he had second thoughts when he realized the production schedule was so demanding, but ultimately decided it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

"I’m just a small kid from Akron, Ohio -- a very small town outside of Cleveland. From a single-parent household, I’m the only child, my mother had absolutely nothing. She was walking around high school when she was 16 years old and she was pregnant with me as a high school sophomore. So, I’m really not supposed to be here."

"Growing up in the inner city, as an African-American kid, there’s no way you’re supposed to f*cking make it out. And, the fact that I’m who I am as an African-American adult now with 3 kids of my own, and I made it out of the situations that I was in. This sh*t is like extra credit for me man."

Bron proceeded to thank everyone involved with the movie -- saying, "Y'all say you appreciate me, but I’m sh*t without y'all."

As we previously reported, James invited some of his NBA pals and teammates to participate in the movie -- including  Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis.

Frightening moment during the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers game ... when forward Derrick Jones, Jr. had to be stretchered off the court following a hard collision.

Jones -- the 2020 Slam Dunk champion -- collided with Pacers player Goga Bitadze in the second half of Friday's matchup ... when the center set a pick that sent DJJ to the ground.

Reporters on the scene say Jones, Jr. was lying face-down on the court for several minutes before he was put on a stretcher with a neck brace.

Jones -- who grabbed his neck as soon as he started falling to the ground -- was chasing forward Doug McDermott as he collided with Bitadze's shoulder.

No word on Derrick's status ... but here's hoping he's okay.

L.A. Lakers guard Dion Waiters is coming clean about his infamous weed edible panic attack on the Heat team plane in 2019 ... admitting it really happened, but adamantly denying he had a seizure.

Remember, Waiters reportedly took a THC-infused edible and fell asleep on the team's flight from Phoenix to L.A. back in November ... and freaked out when he woke up.

Waiters required medical attention at a hospital once the plane landed in L.A. ... and had to miss the Heat's game against the Lakers later that night.

The 28-year-old expanded on what really went down on that flight in The Players' Tribune Monday ... saying, "It's on me."

"I own that. It was idiotic on my behalf — point-blank, period," Waiters says. "What’s crazy is, my whole life I been a leader. I’m not a follower. Pat (Riley) knows me. He knows I don’t do drugs."

Waiters points out his struggles with depression and anxiety ... and says he wasn't in a good place when the incident went down.

"But sometimes when you’re going through dark times, you can fall trap to things you’d never do in your right mind."

Waiters says the reports got blown way out of proportion ... and is denying he ever had a seizure.

"Ask the doctors. Ask my Heat teammates. They can speak on it. For that b.s. to come out, it ain’t right."

Waiters was suspended 10 games due to the incident ... and was later traded to the Grizzlies. He was released 3 days later and signed with the L.A. Lakers.