NBA

ATL Hawks owner Bruce Levenson is being UNFAIRLY labeled a racist over his now infamous email -- so says ATL rapper Killer Mike who tells TMZ Sports the only color on BL's mind was GREEN!

The email (from 2012) went viral last weekend -- and in it, Levenson explained that the high percentage of black people at his games was scaring off rich white people.

Mike, who's signed to T.I.'s Grand Hustle label, says there's NOTHING WRONG with making those observations.

"It's not remotely racist at all. What I read was a business man trying to fill up his seats with the demographic that spends the most money."

Mike adds, "I own a barber shop. I make it a point for people to know I cut white people's hair. If white people 30 to 55 aren't coming to Hawks games, you have to do whatever you need to do to get them there."

Mike does admit that the email was "crass" -- but he thinks people should stop being so quick to throw that word "racist" around.

Al Sharpton tells TMZ Sports ... he's been a part of discussions with NBA Commish Adam Silver on how to handle the situation with racist Atlanta Hawks owner Bruce Levenson.

Sharpton -- who previously sat down with Adam Silver in the middle of the Donald Sterling crisis -- tells us, "In the discussions we've been having with the Commissioner, they said they were gonna vet everyone out [before allowing a sale of the team]."

The Rev says, "We challenge the NBA Commissioner Silver and others to not just go from one billionaire to another without opening up the diversity of ownership in the NBA."

"We only have one team. Michael Jordan owned by a black [Charlotte Bobcats] ... yet look at the percentage of players that are black."

10:47 AM PT -- Larry Bird (President of the Pacers) just ripped George over the comments ... saying, "Paul George's tweets from earlier were thoughtless and without regard to the subject of domestic violence and its seriousness in society."

Paul George's leg must be okay ... 'cause he's backpedaling HARD after tweeting out some STUPID comments about the Ray Rice situation.

The Indiana Pacers star came under fire IMMEDIATELY after writing, "I don't condone hittin women or think it's coo BUT if SHE ain't trippin then I ain't trippin.. Lets keep it movin lol let that man play!"

Stupid.

Then it got worse ... with George writing, "If you in a relationship and a woman hit you first and attacking YOU.. Then you obviously ain't beatin HER. Homie made A bad choice! #StayUp"

Were you even watching the same tape?? It wasn't exactly self defense, dude.

Didn't take long for George to realize he screwed up -- and less than an hour later, tweeted, "Let me apologize to the women and to the VICTIMS of domestic violence people my intent was not to downplay the situation."

With racist-ass racist Bruce Levenson on the outs ... TMZ Sports has learned NBA legend Dominique Wilkins is actively trying to become the next owner of the Atlanta Hawks.

Multiple NBA sources tell us ... Dominique is "extremely interested" in becoming the next owner of the Hawks -- and has already been pre-approved for ownership by the NBA.

We're told Wilkins -- who has amassed his own small fortune over the years -- has partnered up with a "very well-known businessman" who believes Wilkins would be the best person to lead the Hawks back to NBA glory.

Of course, Levenson recently tendered his letter of resignation as current Hawks owner after an incredibly racist email he wrote back in 2012 came to light ... in which he complained that too many black people were attending his games.

Wilkins played for the Hawks for 12 years during his NBA career ... and was a 9-time All Star ... and they still LOVE him in the ATL.

Doc Rivers is no stranger to national controversy (see: Donald Sterling) ... so the question we had to ask -- could NBA Commissioner Adam Silver have handled the Ray Rice situation better than Roger Goodell?

Of course, Silver was hailed as a hero for his swift and thorough handling of the Sterling scandal -- when he sent a team of NBA investigators to L.A. ... who quickly gathered facts and independently verified the authenticity of the Sterling recordings.

On the other hand, Goodell is being accused of bungling the Rice case -- after admitting he screwed up on Ray's initial punishment and claiming he was never able to get his hands on the elevator security footage.

Atlanta Hawks owner Bruce Levenson abruptly announced he's selling the team because he's guilty of sending an email so racist ... it would make Donald Sterling cringe.

Levenson admits he sent the email to team execs back in 2012, urging them to get more suburban white fans at games. He then laid out all the problems with the current fan base, listing the following:

- it's 70 pct black
- the cheerleaders are black
- the music is hip hop
- at the bars it's 90 pct black
- there are few fathers and sons at the games
- the concerts [after games] are either hip hop or gospel

Levenson continued in the email ... "My theory is that the black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent black fans to build a significant season ticket base." He also complained that he's told team execs, "I want some white cheerleaders ... I have even bitched that the kiss cam is too black."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says Levenson copped to the email in July -- about 2 months after Donald Sterling was banned -- and immediately informed the league he would sell the team.

Gilbert Arenas' lady Laura Govan is serving notice to all basketball wives -- there's only one (engagement) ring to rule them all ... and it's the MILLION DOLLAR stone she rocks on her hand.

Laura was out in Calabasas when our camera guy asked her about Russell Westbrook's endearing display of love to his fiancee -- a sick $700k engagement ring.

That's when the bombshell was dropped -- Laura told us she thinks the Westbrook ring is "cute" ... but can't touch the million dollar MONSTER on her ring finger!!

10:06 AM PT -- IT'S A $700,000 RING!!!!

We've learned ... it was made by Jason of Beverly Hills ... who's made engagement rings for all sorts of stars including Gabrielle Union and Evelyn Lozada.

As for Russell's ring -- we're told it's a 6-piece elongated cushion cut ring with VVS clarity ... and in total, the whole thing is worth $700k.

We're told Russell knew exactly what he wanted when he hit up Jason's shop. It was very important to him that he got a ring with the highest quality possible.

Dude did a helluva job.

Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook is the next NBA star in line for a wedding -- 'cause he popped the question last night ... with a massive diamond ring ... and his GF said yes!

Westbrook and longtime GF Nina Earl made the announcement on social media Wednesday night ... showing off the gargantuan rock with a caption that read, "Nothing even matters..@ninamri3_ forever my lady! LOVE YOU!!!!"

Earl is a former UCLA basketball player -- and the two met during their college days ... before Westbrook signed his $80 MILLION contract extension.

L.A. Clippers star Matt Barnes admits ... he's not proud of all of his tattoos -- in fact, Barnes says there's one piece of ink he hated so much, he HAD to go out and cover it up.

Barnes was out at Kitson in L.A. Wednesday to support teammate DeAndre Jordan when he told us about the regrettable work he got on his arm back when he was a teenager ... and why he had to make it go away.

Screw the Lambo ... forget the Bentley ... NBA legend Pat Riley cruises around L.A. in one of the most GANGSTER vehicles of all-time -- and TMZ Sports has the footage.

The President of the Miami Heat was leaving a car wash in Malibu early Tuesday -- where only the finest detailers were allowed to work on his prized 1950 Mercury coupe.

FYI -- Riley has been OBSESSED with the 1950 Merc for years ... for good reason -- GQ once touted the ride as one of the most gangster cars of all time.

Check out the clip -- we also asked Pat what he got Dwyane Wade for his wedding ... and judging from Pat's reply, he hooked D-Wade up!!!

Despite the fact he called her a "pig" in open court ... despite the fact he's STILL suing her ... Donald Sterling got together with estranged wife Shelly to celebrate their 60th anniversary on the beach ... and TMZ Sports has the shocking photo.

The two put their insanely nasty war on hold last weekend -- and bathed their bodies in the sun at the Balboa Bay resort in Newport Beach.

Multiple sources connected to the couple tell us they decided to get together to celebrate their 60th anniversary ... but they still consider themselves very much estranged.

As one source put it, "It looks weird from the outside ... but it's just the way they are."

Sure, Donald trashed the hell out of Shelly for the past couple of months ... but at the end of the day, his bank account is up $2 BILLION.

Chris Bosh has struck again.

For some reason (we're still trying to figure this out) the Heat star decided to attend the Emmys with his wife last night ... and decided to amuse himself by photobombing one of the most famous actors in the world, Matt McConaughey.

Of course, Bosh is somewhat of a photobombing pro ... the guy targeted teammates during post-game interviews almost every week last season.

But don't worry, Bosh showed off his fancy side too -- showing off his white jacket (with a white Rolls to match) before the awards.

Ballin'.

Kevin Durant has sworn off acting forever -- telling TMZ Sports even Shaq's critically-panned movie "Kazaam" was WAYYYY better than his 2012 flop "Thunderstruck."

Gotta respect the honesty.

Here's the deal ... Durant was leaving Benihana in Bev Hills (delicious hibachi shrimp btw) ... when we asked if he was ever gonna try to rebound from the debacle that was "Thunderstruck."

For the record -- "Thunderstruck" (like "Freaky Friday" with basketball powers) -- was a box office disaster ($587,211 domestic) ... especially compared to Shaq's 1996 classic ($18,937,262).

We also asked KD about the rumors he was trying to get out of his Nike contract -- but Durant was a little less forthcoming.

Two NBA superstars were at 1Oak nightclub right around the time Suge Knight was shot in a Hollywood nightclub early Sunday morning -- and TMZ Sports has the video.

Our photogs were rollin' as Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee and L.A. Clippers star Glen "Big Baby" Davis walked up to the nightclub around 11:45 PM Saturday night ... just like any other night.

Big Baby got inside ... but the line proved to be too much for McGee and he decided to leave. Might have been the best decision he made all night.

Because 90 minutes later, gunshots rang out -- and as TMZ first reported, Suge Knight was shot multiple times.

Unclear if Davis was still in the club at the time of the shooting -- but we're guessing he was, since 1Oak was the place to be Saturday night ... with huge stars like Chris Brown, Tyson Beckford and more hanging inside the Sunset Strip club.

We're reaching out to try and get as much info as we can.

Stay tuned ...

V. Stiviano has just filed new legal docs in her war with Shelly Sterling -- claiming she NEVER slept with Donald Sterling ... 'cause he's into men and she was his beard.

TMZ Sports has obtained the lawsuit -- which Stiviano filed in response to Shelly's allegations that V. accepted cars and property from Donald that he didn't have the authority to give her.

In the new docs, Stiviano argues that the items in question were given to her in exchange for being Donald's "beard" -- and she insists Shelly knew about it.

Stiviano states ... she was "not ever a sexual partner of Donald T. Sterling" and "believes that [Sterling] is a homosexual and enjoys sexual acts and or sexual congress with males."

In the legal doc, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Stiviano says Shelly was "acutely aware of [Donald's] sexual orientation and condoned same as well as acknowledged and approved [Donald's] gifts of money [to Stiviano]."

Stiviano also says the gifts she received were NOT community property -- but rather Donald's separate property.

Stiviano is also suing Shelly and Donald for defamation -- claiming they slandered her in the media by calling her a thief and saying she embezzled money and property from Donald. She's demanding no less than $10 MILLION.

We reached out to Donald's camp -- so far, no word back.

Story developing ...

Here's a photo of the new L.A. Clippers owner in a public photo with TWO black people.

Take THAT Donald Sterling!

Steve Ballmer hit up the L.A. Dodgers game with Magic Johnson and Clippers President Doc Rivers last night.

It's interesting ... considering it was a photo featuring Magic Johnson that led to Donald Sterling's downfall ... when he blasted V. Stiviano for posting a photo of Magic on social media.

In audio posted on TMZ Sports, Sterling screamed at Stiviano for being seen in public with black guys and told her not to bring any black people to his games.

Earlier this week, Sterling himself admitted -- "I'm finished. I'm over."

Yup.