NBA

Khloe Kardashian watched attentively Saturday night as BF Tristan Thompson tried in vain to beat the L.A. Clippers ... and she did nothing to stop the rumor she's engaged.

Khloe was wearing a massive ring as she sat with pal Malika Haqq. She's worn the ring over the last few days, but mum's been the word.

Khloe officially got divorced from Lamar Odom in December.

LaVar Ball is now taking aim at the OTHER big college hoops star projected to go #1 in the NBA Draft ... saying Markelle Fultz ain't worthy of the top spot -- because he's not a winner.

Draft experts have been debating whether it'll be LaVar's kid Lonzo Ball or University of Washington star Markelle Fultz who'll get the top honor at the NBA Draft in June.

But LaVar tells TMZ Sports it's a no-brainer -- Lonzo wins. Markelle doesn't.

LaVar's point ... Lonzo was a key reason UCLA chalked up a 29-4 record this year. Markelle led Washington to a 9-22 season.

"If you got a kid that makes everybody better, you mean to tell me you wouldn't take him over a guy that's averaging 40 points but the team's losing?? If you wanna winner, you pick my boy."

"Look what he did to UCLA. They 15-17 last year. You bring one dude and change the culture that's what you want, it's not Lonzo's passing and shooting that's his great gift, it's the winning."

Look at the bright side Markelle ... by being called out by LaVar you just joined a list that includes Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley.

With President Trump going after North Korea, there's one man who says he can HELP the situation ... Dennis Rodman!

Of course, The Worm has not only met with Kim Jong-un ... but he worked for Trump on 'Celebrity Apprentice.'

He's got his hand in music now too, Rodman's featured on Mansionz new single -- which hit the top of Spotify -- called "Dennis Rodman" ... of course.

He's the perfect middleman, right?

Rodman says he hasn't spoken with Trump about his experience in Pyongyang ... but would love to brief POTUS if he can find the time.

Couldn't hurt, could it?

The Lakers are in a tailspin, they've lost 7 of their last 8 ... and if they're tanking for a draft pick, Ice Cube says that's total B.S.

Cube is a big Lake Show fan -- so we asked about a possible silver lining to another terrible season ... a shot at Lonzo Ball in the upcoming NBA Draft.

The NBA got it right slapping Andre Iguodala with a $10k fine for racial remarks ... so says ex-NBA player Ryan Hollins, who tells TMZ Sports that type of talk has no place in the league.

Those remarks included Iggy referring to his coach, Steve Kerr, as "Massa" and another incident where he actually tweeted the n-word after a loss.

We got Ryan out at LAX and asked him about Andre's punishment, and he totally agreed with the league's decision ... specifically about the n-word, which Hollins says role models shouldn't use.

What's interesting is that Ryan says he has no problem with the "Massa" insult, which he says Andre could've been just joking around about, but the NBA seemed to really take issue with that.

You know that furry getup Carmelo Anthony rocked to the Knicks game Tuesday night? It was custom-made ... and it was expensive!

TMZ Sports spoke with Nadeem Waheed -- owner of Daniel's Leather in New York -- who says Melo dropped $5,000 on the American sheepskin shearling with cross fox fur ... and added the $500 hat to match.

If Barack Obama wants to buy a piece of an NBA team ... now's his chance!

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says he's down to sell 10% of the franchise to the former President of the United States ... and he even names his price!

Of course, Obama has previously said he has real interest in becoming an NBA owner -- and has reportedly discussed being part of an ownership group.

The issues ... Cuban's price seems super high considering the recent sale prices of other NBA teams.

But maybe it's just the first number in a longer negotiation???? (Yeah, we've seen "Shark Tank").

Jermaine O'Neal says Ice Cube's BIG3 league is NO JOKE -- telling TMZ Sports, "We ain't signing up for it to be a clown show."

O'Neal -- along with a slew of ex-NBA stars -- have signed up for the 3-on-3 league ... and O'Neal says he's dead serious about competing at a world-class level.

You can see in the video, the 6-time NBA All-Star looks to be in pretty good shape ... and says he and his old running buddy, Bonzi Wells, are in it to win the whole damn thing.

Guessing Allen Iverson, Stephen Jackson, and Chauncey Billups will take issue with that.

Khloe Kardashian's in loooooove ... and professed it to Tristan Thompson in an emotional birthday note to the NBA star.

"To the happiest of birthdays my love! To the first of many more together! May God continue to bless you in all of your days! And may we forever look at one another like this."

One of LaVar Ball's college teammates says Ball's claim he could've beaten Michael Jordan back in the day is a bunch of BS ... calling Ball's statement "laughable."

TMZ Sports spoke with Brian Quinnett, a forward on the 1987-88 Washington State team LaVar played on for one year ... and asked him if there's any truth to Ball's big-time assertion.

"It's laughable. The stats speak for themselves."

The stats Quinnett are referring to are LaVar's 2.2 ppg average from that year ... numbers NFL stud Le'Veon Bell used to call out Ball earlier today.

BTW -- the 6'8" Quinnett knows all about having to guard Michael Jordan ... telling us he did just that as a member of the Knicks back in the early '90s ... and it didn't work out well.

"He basically called for a clear out, took the ball and dunked on my head."

Ex-NBA star Cliff Robinson has finally revealed the medical condition that left him hospitalized in Oregon ... saying he suffered a brain hemorrhage, but he's on the mend.

The 50-year-old former Portland Trail Blazers star was hospitalized on March 8 and is still receiving treatment at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center ... but he just released an update on his condition.

"I had an unfortunate incident with a minor brain hemorrhage which means I’ll be in rehabilitation for a while. But I’m excited about trying to get past this speed bump. I’m improving every day."

Le'Veon Bell says Lavar Ball is OUT OF HIS DAMN MIND for saying he could've beaten Michael Jordan 1-on-1 back in the day ... and brought out stats to make his point.

Ball -- who played college hoops at Washington State and Cal State L.A. -- has been making headlines (again) after saying, "Back in my heyday, I would kill Michael Jordan 1-on-1."

Le'Veon ain't havin' it.

"lol man, Lavar Ball really will say anything for attention...so youu can beat Michael Jordan 1 on 1 in both y'all primes man?! 😩😂 I'm done."

"Lavar Ball, you have to understand you averaged a whole 2 points per game at Washington State...youu know damn well Jordan would TORCH you!"

"Lavar Ball, in '88 when youu averaged that whole 2 points a game at Washington St, Michael Jordan averaged 35 a game with the Chicago Bulls."

Think Bell's reality check will stop Lavar from speaking his mind? Yeah, neither do we.

Dennis Rodman put in WORK on the streets of Vegas Monday night ... teaming up with a bucket drummer outside Planet Hollywood ... and the people loved it!

We're told it all went down around 10 PM ... when Rodman was walking around the strip and saw the dude murdering the bucket drums.

Rodman grabbed the mic and busted out James Brown's "Get On Up" ... and it wasn't bad.

How does Shaq get amped up for "Inside the NBA"? ... He freestyle raps about his co-workers!

The Diesel was spittin' bars over Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones Part II" beat as he walked through the TNT offices before a show.

Shaq rapped about everyone he encountered ... including Kenny Smith and a guy he calls "The Light-Skinned Jermaine."

The Notorious B.I.G. got his very own banner at the Barclays Center during the Brooklyn Nets' "Biggie Night" ... and Diddy, Lil Kim and Biggie's family showed up to witness the honor in person.

Joel Embiid is taking ANOTHER shot at his celebrity crush -- this time, professing his love in a video message to Rihanna ... "I love you."

Embiid's been after Rihanna for a while ... ever since she allegedly shot him down in 2014 and told him to come back when he's an All-Star.

Well, he killed it this season and could win Rookie Of the Year ... and clearly, he's got the confidence to double down on his efforts to court the pop star.

Still, Embiid's staying humble ... and told our photog, it's his 76ers teammate, Dario Saric, who should get R.O.Y.