NBA

Lamar Odom was RIGHT when he said he can still ball in the NBA ... so says his longtime friend Cuttino Mobley.

Mobley -- who played college ball with Odom at the University of Rhode Island -- says he was hanging out with Lamar earlier this week ... and says he's convinced L.O. still has what it takes.

As we previously reported, Odom says he's determined to get back in the league -- despite the fact he suffered severe health issues and almost died from a drug overdose just 6 months ago.

But Mobley doesn't just think Odom could contribute to an NBA team -- he thinks it'll truly help Lamar in his recovery.

Question is ... will an NBA team actually take a chance on the guy?

2 huge stars ... 1 arena ... both are booked on the same day -- and now everyone wants to know who's gonna get bumped in Cleveland, Justin Bieber or LeBron James??!?!

Some people think the Utah Jazz laid down and LET Kobe Bryant drop 60 on 'em Wednesday night a la the Washington Generals ... but Marlon Wayans says BS -- they're just that bad.

In fact, Marlon told us ... the Jazz team name would be more accurate if they dropped the J.

Sorry, Lakers ... the Zen Master is NOT returning to L.A. -- this according to Phil Jackson's fiancee Jeanie Buss.

The rumors have been swirling for months ... with several NBA insiders hinting that Jackson may have a secret exit strategy in place to leave his gig as president of the Knicks and return to Laker Land.

But Jeanie (co-owner and president of the Lakers) says it's 100% BS -- telling TMZ Sports, "Don't listen to that ... Phil is in New York. He signed a 5 year deal."

As for rumors that Kobe Bryant may join the Lakers front office -- Jeanie says, "Kobe can do whatever he wants."

Lamar Odom says he's NOT done playing basketball -- and vows to play again because "I still got it."

36-year-old Odom spoke with ET after the Lakers game Wednesday night ... and said the next step in his recovery from his brothel overdose in getting back on the court.

He's dead serious.

If he somehow pulls it off, it would be one of the most miraculous recoveries EVER -- considering Odom suffered multiple strokes and organ damage after the October incident.

Odom was also asked if he's "okay" with Khloe Kardashian moving forward with the divorce -- and he made it clear, he's got some serious issues with it.

Kobe Bryant got a send-off worthy of a great Hollywood finale -- with Staples Center packed full of celebrities ... the usual suspects and many more.

Jack Nicholson, Leo DiCaprio, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg were on hand -- but so were Jay Z, Lamar Odom and Kanye West.

After the tears come the turn up ... 'cause directly following Kobe's last shot, we're told there are plans for a sick post-game party inside Staples Center -- but there's serious doubt if Kobe will actually show up.

It's going down at Hyde lounge right near the private suites inside the arena -- and multiple sources connected to the party tell us the guest list is strictly A-list.

We're told the list contains names like Shaq, Snoop, Lamar Odom, Anthony Anderson, Zendaya, Derek Fisher (hide your girlfriends, fellas) and more.

Word is Snoop may even DJ the party.

The only huge A-List celebrity on the fence is Kobe himself ... who we're told might not stay long -- or attend at all -- potentially opting for a swift exit back home after the game.

Kobe Bryant IS NOT under attack from Smush Parker ... it's an IMPOSTOR posing as the former Laker who's VERBALLY DESTROYING Mamba on Twitter ... Smush tells TMZ Sports.

Social media went crazy after @SmushParker -- an account thought to be SP's -- attacked KB hours before his final game ... saying, among other things, "F*** OUTTA HERE KOBE"

FYI -- Bryant and Parker have beefed for years ... with Kobe famously saying, "Smush Parker was the worst. He shouldn't have been in the NBA."

In other words, people weren't shocked -- just really entertained -- when Parker dissed Kobe.

Here's the twist ... we reached out to Smush, and he's adamant the account is NOT his ... telling us, "Its definitely not mines. I would love to have that account deactivated.”

So, all's peachy with Kobe? Eh, maybe not ... we asked Smush to reflect on the Mamba's career.

You didn't think Tracy McGrady was just gonna let Robert Horry slide, did you??

The NBA legend fired back at Horry Tuesday night ... after Big Shot Bob clowned Tracy on ESPN's "The Jump" when he told T-Mac he couldn't borrow a championship ring because "you gotta earn it."

"Did he burn me?" McGrady told TMZ Sports ... "Listen man, it was a joke."

"I can understand how people take things but I'll say this ... anybody can be a champion, everybody can't be a Hall of Famer."

... and boom goes the dynamite.

BTW -- we also asked Tracy about Kobe's last game ... and asked him -- if you could only get tickets to one game, which would it be ... Kobe's finale or the Warriors going for 73??

Julius Erving's fro is widely regarded as one of the greatest hairdos of all time ... so when we got him out at LAX Thursday, we had to ask who's on the OTHER side of the hair spectrum in the NBA.

The doctor definitely named names -- calling out one of the Houston Rockets.

But there's more ... we also asked who would win if Villanova played the 76ers in a battle of Philly hoops teams -- and Erving brought up some personal history to give us the answer.

NBA player Chris Copeland's got beef with 1 OAK Nightclub in NYC for allowing one of its customers to stab him and his GF ... so he's going after them in court.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, Copeland and his girlfriend got into an argument with two other people leaving the club a year ago. He says the altercation escalated quickly, and one of the strangers stabbed him and Katrina Saltara, his girlfriend. He says they suffered serious injuries.

Copeland says 1 OAK negligently allowed the stabber into the club with a "spring-operated switchblade knife" and did nothing to prevent the stabbing.

Vanessa Bryant says Kobe gave her all 5 of his NBA Championship rings ... increasing her collection of insanely expensive Kobe Bryant gift rings to 6.

One man's poster is another man's cherished memory ... 'cause Terry Crews says not only was he not embarrassed he got dunked on by Shaq ... he was actually HONORED.

Terry was out at LAX when we asked him about the video that's gone viral ... Shaq punishing Crews with a one-handed tomahawk blast in a celebrity game last Sunday.

One might think TC -- a former NFL player -- might be a little miffed he got yammed on in front of the whole world ... but he tells our guy, "If you get posterized by Shaq it's all good."

Must be ... Patrick Ewing used to get paid for it.

Check out the poster moment below.

Klay Thompson's dad Mychal Thompson is calling out Scottie Pippen ... saying his son's team would definitely beat the '96 Bulls in a never-gonna-happen fantasy basketball series.

Thompson -- a former NBA #1 overall pick -- was out in L.A. when we asked him about Pip saying his record setting Bulls team would SWEEP the Warriors if the two were able to magically meet up.

The comments caught fire on social media with some accusing Pippen of old man "get off my yard" nostalgic bravado ... and some saying he was dead on.

Count Mychal among that first group ... 'cause he says Steph and the gang would take out MJ and Pippen's crew in a sizzling seven game series.

Russell Westbrook ain't gonna like this ... Amar'e Stoudemire is throwing the gauntlet down ... the fashion ... saying it's him and only him who reigns as the most fashionable guy in the NBA.

Stat was leaving the Beverly Wilshire hotel -- looking spiffy as always -- when we wanted to know once and for all who the best dressed baller in the entire league was.

There's a lot of competition ... Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and the aforementioned Russell Westbrook make every press conference a runway ... displaying wild styles to the masses.

Check out the clip -- Stoudemire ... the OG of the fancy thread game ... says there's "no comparison" between him and the rest of the league ... staking his claim to the NBA best dressed championship.

We'd weigh in ... but we're wearing sweatpants right now.

We now know who got all of Magic Johnson's natural athletic talent ... his son's pecs ... 'cause TMZ Sports has pics of MJ's kid on the beach with him ... and his physique is Hall of Fame.

Magic Johnson and the whole fam bam were on vacay down in Hawaii earlier this week when his 35-year-old son, Andre, decided to steal the show ... by showing off.

Check out the pic ... Magic is looking good for 56 ... and Andre is looking good for a nickel corner in the NFL.

Andre normally keeps a low profile but after these beach pics, we're guessing all of social media will be on bae watch.