NBA

Rayshard Brooks' widow can't be more thankful for LeBron James and the rest of the NBA taking a stand with their boycott ... and she's hopeful true change is on its way.

Tomika Miller tells TMZ ... she beamed with pride after the Lakers and the rest of the NBA teams decided to boycott Wednesday's playoff games to bring attention to police brutality following the shooting of Jacob Blake and the 17-year-old who allegedly shot and killed 2 protesters in Kenosha, WI.

Tomika says there's a huge difference between her taking a stand at her workplace versus the NBA -- and several MLB, WNBA and MLS teams for that matter -- boycotting games. The size of the platform matters, and she says it brings a bigger spotlight on the plight of Black Americans.

Tomika said the players' actions let people like her know the "little people" are not forgotten by the privileged. As you know by now, Tomika's husband, Rayshard, was shot in the back and killed in June after cops found him asleep at the wheel at an Atlanta drive-thru.

When officers tried to handcuff him, a struggle ensued -- Brooks grabbed an officer's taser and ran before he was shot in the back 3 times. Making matters worse ... the family lawyer says cops waited more than 2 minutes to even check on Brooks once he was down.

Blake also was shot in the back ... 7 times at point-blank range by Kenosha, WI police officer Rusten Sheskey.

Lute Olson -- one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time -- has died, his family confirms. He was 85.

The University of Arizona legend passed away Thursday while in hospice care in Tucson.

Olson led the men's hoops program for U of A for 25 years -- from 1983 to 2008 ... bringing home a national championship in 1997.

That team featured future NBA stars like Mike Bibby and Jason Terry.

He was a 7-time PAC-10 Coach of the Year and brought 5 different teams to the Final Four.

And, get this ... starting in his 2nd year at Arizona, Olson's teams made the NCAA tourney in 23 straight seasons!!!

Olson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 -- while he was still coaching! He retired 6 years later.

His record at U of A is insane -- 589 wins and only 187 losses.

In the years after his retirement, Olson became a fixture at all Arizona home basketball games and often traveled to road games in California.

On April 12, 2018, The University of Arizona honored Olson with a statue outside the McKale Center on campus.

Some of the stars who played under Olson include ... Steve Kerr, Damon Stoudamire, Gilbert Arenas, Richard Jefferson, Luke Walton and Channing Frye.

He also coached Kenny Lofton -- who went on to become a big MLB star.

Olson is survived by his wife, children and several grandchildren.

There's still hope the NBA players and league execs can work out a plan to save the season ... with players compiling a list of "actionable items" they want the NBA to endorse in order to proceed.

A high-ranking NBA source tells us ... the feeling among several players is they will lose their biggest platform if they stop the season.

Of course, a stoppage won't affect the impact of superstars like LeBron James ... but we're told the majority of players see real value in being able to use the NBA platform to speak to the masses about social justice issues.

In fact, Draymond Green just posted about it -- saying, "The notion that athletes should just stop working but no one else in the world should stop is baffling to me."

"Why stop doing the very thing that offers you the biggest platform to speak for those that look like me/a lot of us?"

"To do that is to actually give up the platform to speak for them, because without us using our platforms which is afforded by the influence of the sport, it actually stops us from echoing what those in the back are saying."

So, the hope is both sides can reach a compromise -- with players coming together after a tense Wednesday night meeting in order to put together a list of demands for the league.

Obviously, the NBA wants to proceed -- there’s so much money at stake. And, from what we understand, the league execs and owners are meeting Thursday morning to figure out a way to work out a deal with the players.

As we previously reported, the Milwaukee Bucks were the first team to boycott on Wednesday when they refused to take the floor for Game 5 of their playoff series with the Orlando Magic.

Other teams followed suit ... until the league officially announced that all games would be rescheduled to a later date.

We're told the league had already planned for possible COVID-related postponements ... so they're not super worried about getting back on schedule.

But, word is ... play almost certainly will not resume Thursday -- everybody still needs some time.

Utah Jazz superstar Donovan Mitchell is going OFF on MLS team owner Dell Loy Hansen for comments he made about player protests ... demanding he sell the team if he doesn't approve.

Of course, several MLS games were postponed following the Jacob Blake shooting ... including Hansen-owned Real Salt Lake's match-up with LAFC.

Hansen appeared on a radio show Thursday morning to express his frustrations with the game being postponed ... comparing the feeling to being stabbed.

"It’s a moment of sadness," Hansen told X96’s Radio From Hell. "It’s like somebody stabbed you and you’re trying to figure out a way to pull the knife out and move forward. That’s what it feels like."

"The disrespect is profound to me personally."

Hansen also claimed the players do not care about local issues, the city or the organization ... and hinted at losing interest in improving the team.

"It’s taken a lot of wind out of my sails, what effort I want to put into recruiting players and building a great team," Hansen said. "It just seems that’s not a very good path to take."

Enter Mitchell -- who got wind of Hansen's comments and came up with a simple solution for his frustrations.

"WOW... if it’s taken 'the wind' out then sell the team... I stand with (Real Salt Lake) players,'" Mitchell tweeted.

Soccer star Jozy Altidore agrees with Spida ... and says he's even in the process of forming a group to buy the team.

"He needs to sell the team then," Jozy tweeted. "I’m involved in a group that’s ready to purchase it. Time for change."

It may not be under the best circumstances, but Damian Lillard is happy to be back with his 2-year-old boy after leaving the NBA bubble due to injury ... saying, "This is good for the soul."

The Trail Blazers superstar left Orlando on Thursday to seek treatment for a sprained knee he suffered against the Lakers earlier this week ... and it's unclear whether he will return.

It's a HUGE bummer to have Dame go down with injuries -- he was playing lights-out in the bubble and even beat LeBron James and the top-seeded Lakers in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs.

The 30-year-old appears to be in great spirits despite the bad news, saying, "Dislocated finger... Lateral knee sprain ... but this is good for the soul ... missed my baby boy ❤️."

The bubble has proven to be a challenge for players who are forced to be away from loved ones for months .... and Paul George recently spoke about the environment taking a toll on his mental health while going through a slump.

Dwyane Wade is making a statement without saying a word ... showing solidarity with his NBA friends and former teammates by debuting a Black Lives Matter-inspired hairstyle.

The sports world came to a screeching halt following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, WI ... with the NBA, WNBA, MLB and NFL postponing games and practices.

Wade -- who has been outspoken about social justice throughout his career -- revealed the bleach-blonde style with a black fist on Wednesday ... right after the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court in honor of Blake.

The future Hall of Famer has also been spreading his message with his wardrobe recently, sporting a "Shoot hoops, not people" shirt.

Barack Obama says he "commends" the NBA players who participated in Wednesday's "boycott" -- saying they're setting a great example for the rest of the country.

"I commend the players on the [Milwaukee Bucks] for standing up for what they believe in, coaches like [Doc Rivers], and the NBA and WNBA for setting an example," Obama said.

"It’s going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values."

The Milwaukee Bucks were the first team to refuse to take the court for their playoff game Wednesday -- saying they were still so upset over the shooting of Jacob Blake, they wanted to send a message to the rest of the country.

Other teams followed suit -- and the league eventually announced all of Wednesday's playoff games had been postponed.

Of course, Obama's message to the NBA and its players is much different than the message the current U.S. President has delivered to the league recently.

Donald Trump has repeatedly bashed NBA players and owners -- including LeBron James -- for the way it's dealing with the social justice issues in America.

Trump has said he will boycott the league if players continue to kneel for the national anthem -- something he considers to be disrespectful to the flag and the military.

Jake Paul is taking a cue from "Rocky IV" and heading to the mountains to train for his upcoming boxing match ... and TMZ Sports has the video.

He's confident about the fight -- but when it comes to the FBI investigation surrounding him ... not so much.

The 23-year-old was on a hardcore mountain bike ride early Wednesday morning with his team in Mammoth Lakes, California.

FYI, top fighters like UFC star Rafael dos Anjos and others have trained in Mammoth in the past because of the altitude  -- it sits nearly 8,000 feet above sea level and many athletes feel it helps with conditioning.

Paul -- who's set to fight 36-year-old ex-NBA star Nate Robinson on Nov. 28th -- clearly feels the training location will give him an advantage.

In fact, when asked for a fight prediction, Jake's promising a 1st round knockout of the 3-time NBA Slam Dunk champion.

But, when asked if he'll also be able to beat the FBI's case against him stemming from an incident in Arizona back in May, Jake replied, "I don't know about all that."

As we previously reported, the FBI says it's investigating allegations of criminal acts surrounding the incident at Scottsdale Fashion Square.

The feds even raided Jake's Calabasas home earlier this month and confiscated several firearms.

Jake has played down the investigation -- telling his fans not to worry ... and plans to make a music video about the situation.

Kenny Smith just walked off the set of "Inside the NBA" in a show of solidarity with the NBA players who are boycotting Wednesday's playoff games.

"As a black man, as a former player ... I think its best for me to support the players and just not be here tonight," Smith said.

Smith then unplugged his mic and walked off the set -- leaving co-hosts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Ernie Johnson to finish the show without him.

Before he left, Smith explained his decision this way ...

"Right now, my head is like ready to explode," Smith said about the aftermath of the Jacob Blake police shooting in Wisconsin.

Smith says he can't stop thinking about the incident and the surrounding issues -- whether it's in the car or in the broadcast studio -- and he felt a strong compulsion to take some sort of action.

After he walked off, Ernie Johnson said he respects Kenny's decision ... and they continued on with the show.

55-year-old Smith won 2 NBA titles during his 10 year career and has become a key member of the "Inside the NBA" team, the most popular basketball show on TV.

As we previously reported, the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court for Game 5 of their playoff series with the Orlando Magic. Other NBA teams followed suit.

The Milwaukee Bucks are boycotting their playoff game against the Orlando Magic Wednesday ... electing to not take the court in protest after the Jacob Blake shooting.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and his teammates did not participate in pre-game warm-ups before their scheduled Game 5 matchup in the NBA bubble ... staying put in the locker room.

Of course, Blake was shot in the back 7 times by a police officer during an incident in Kenosha on Sunday ... about 45 minutes from Milwaukee.

The news was just made official minutes ago -- with the team announcing they will not play on Wednesday at all.

Bucks player George Hill issued a short statement saying, "We’re tired of the killings and the injustice."

Bucks exec Alex Lasry has also weighed in ...

"Some things are bigger than basketball," Lasry said.

"The stand taken today by the players and org. shows that we’re fed up. Enough is enough. Change needs to happen."

"I’m incredibly proud of our guys and we stand 100% behind our players ready to assist and bring about real change."

Obviously, this will have huge ramifications -- the team is reportedly facing millions of dollars in fines for missing the game. But, they clearly feel the social justice statement is worth it.

ESPN's Bobby Marks says the fine could be as high as $5 million if the NBA chooses to enforce it.

Both the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics have also discussed boycotting their playoff game on Thursday.

Unclear if the Bucks' move will embolden them to stay off the court.

Of course, Bucks player Sterling Brown was victim of police brutality back in 2018 when he was tased by cops while outside of a Walgreens in Milwaukee while on a first date.

Cops had accused him of parking in a handicap space ... and things escalated from there.

Video showed officers taking Brown to the ground and tasing him -- despite the fact he never resisted or seemed to pose a threat.

Brown says he was offered a $400,000 settlement in exchange for his silence on the matter -- but he refused, saying, "I can't be quiet."

The police chief later issued an apology to Brown.

Paul George is speaking out about the challenges of being stuck in the NBA bubble ... saying he battled with anxiety and depression while going through a historic slump.

The L.A. Clippers superstar had been under-performing during the playoffs before erupting for a 35-point game against the Mavericks on Tuesday ... and spoke in detail about what it was like to struggle with the mental aspect of the game in Orlando.

"It was just a little bit of everything," George said after the huge Game 5 win. "I underestimated mental health, honestly. I had anxiety, a little bit of depression. Just being locked in here."

"I just wasn't there. I checked out."

FYI -- George was REALLY going through a tough time on the court ... becoming the first player since 1960 to shoot less than 25% in 3 straight games.

It got so bad, it was to the point where PG-13 was posting cryptic messages about haters on IG ... and was trending on social media.

The 30-year-old said it all changed for him after speaking with a team psychiatrist ... who helped him get in a good spot before the 154-111 win.

"My energy, my spirit was changed. That's all it needed. That's all I needed. I came here, I knew what my job was. Left it all on that court .... Ready to move forward."

The Bubble situation isn't exactly a cakewalk for some of the NBA players -- while the league has done a good job keeping players healthy and safe, many are having a tough time being away from their families and friends for so long.

Props to George for speaking out about his mental health issues -- it's not an easy thing for people to discuss, especially on a national platform ... and he deserves credit.

LaMelo Ball will NOT be reppin' the family business when the NBA season rolls around -- the prospect is about to ink a huge deal with Puma!!!

The news will officially end an era for the Big Baller Brand ... with Melo becoming the first Ball Bro to jump ship for another company.

The partnership makes sense, considering Melo, Lonzo and LiAngelo all just signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports ... and Hov is the creative director for Puma Basketball.

In fact, we spoke with LaVar about the possibility of a BBB x Puma collab back in May ... and he seemed interested in the idea.

Melo's move adds to Puma's growing list of clients ... including names like veteran center DeMarcus Cousins, Suns star Deandre Ayton and Hornets guard Terry Rozier.

Of course, Ball is no newbie to the shoe game -- he had his own signature shoe in high school, which eventually deemed him ineligible for the NCAA.

Ball is widely regarded as one of the best players in the 2020 NBA Draft ... and is projected to be a top-3 pick.

The Athletic's Shams Charania says the deal is close to being completed ... but so far, no word on the $$$ or if Zo will make another song in honor of the move.

The former Commissioner of the NYPD is going after LeBron James ... saying the NBA superstar should keep his mouth shut when it comes to criticizing police because he "has no idea what the job is."

Bernie Kerik -- who was commish from 2000 to 2001 -- was really upset with LeBron's critical comments about the police officers involved in the Jacob Blake shooting.

"I’ve got nothing nice to say about those cops at all," Bron told the media on Monday.

"If you’re sitting here and telling me that there was no way to subdue [Blake] or detain him before the firing of guns, then you’re sitting here and lying to not only me, you’re lying to every African American, and every black person in the community."

Enter Kerik ... who clapped back hard at Bron on social media.

"You should not comment or criticize when you have no idea what the job is, nor would you have the courage to do it," he said.

"I’d challenge [LeBron James] to handcuff someone the refuses to comply, or spend a day in a firearms simulations training center?"

Kerik has been a staunch defender of the police in several high profile shooting cases over the years.

An emotional Doc Rivers choked back tears as he talked about the Jacob Blake police shooting on Tuesday -- explaining why Black people are pissed and railing against republicans.

"It's amazing why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back," Rivers said.

"It's really so sad. Like, I should just be a coach. I'm so often reminded of my color. It's just really sad. We got to do better. But, we got to demand better."

The L.A. Clippers coach had refused to talk about the shooting BEFORE the playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks "because it's so hard to keep watching it."

But, after the game, the emotions poured out of the 58-year-old, who interestingly enough, used to be friends with Donald Trump.

"If you watch that [Jacob Blake] video, you don’t need to be Black to be outraged. You need to be American and outraged."

"All you hear is Donald Trump and all of them talking about fear," Rivers said while referring to the Republican National Convention.

"We're the ones getting killed. We're the ones getting shot. We're the ones that we're denied to live in certain communities. We've been hung. We've been shot. And, all you do is keep hearing about fear."

Doc says he's not anti-cop -- his father was a police officer -- but he demands changes when it comes to training, especially when it comes to policing the Black community.

"The training has to change in the police force. The unions have to be taken down in the police force," Rivers said.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's son has been hit with several felonies stemming from his alleged knife attack on a neighbor in June ... and now he's facing nearly 10 years behind bars.

We broke the story ... cops in San Clemente, Calif. arrested 28-year-old Adam Abdul-Jabbar after they say he attacked his neighbor during an argument.

Adam's neighbor says he complained to the basketball legend's son about helping his grandma with outdoor trash cans ... which the man says set Adam off.

The 60-year-old says Adam stabbed him numerous times ... causing serious injuries, including a fractured skull and brain bleed. The man -- who's since filed a civil lawsuit against Adam -- also claims he nearly died from blood loss due to the incident.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Adam has now been charged with 3 felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one felony count of carrying a dirk or dagger, and three enhancements of inflicting great bodily injury over his alleged role in the incident.

If convicted on all counts, Adam faces up to nine years and eight months in prison.

"A dispute between neighbors should never escalate to violence, much less the ruthless nature of this attack," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said Tuesday.

"Violence of any kind will not be tolerated in Orange County and those who choose to inflict violence on others will be prosecuted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office to the fullest extent of the law."

Ben Simmons has a new team -- no he hasn't been traded (yet) ... the NBA superstar has joined the world-famous FaZe Clan!

Simmons -- a hardcore gamer -- is the newest celebrity investor and even got a new FaZe nickname to go along with it ... FAZE SIMMO!

The Philadelphia 76ers big man will serve as an "ambassador to the organization for content as well as an advocate for gaming and esports and the expansion of FaZe Clan globally," the company says.

FaZe Clan also notes it will not disclose the amount of Ben's investment, though it's probably fair to assume it's a sizable number.

Simmons first started gaming with FaZe talent in 2018 -- mostly playing Call of Duty with FaZe Temperrr.

The two recently participated in a COD celebrity pro-am which raised nearly $125,000 to help people affected by COVID-19.

"Gaming is an important part of my life, and so it was a natural progression to personally invest in this industry,” Simmons said.

"FaZe Clan represents the pinnacle of the gaming culture, and I am really looking forward to connecting with new fans around the globe."

FaZe is one of the largest and most influential companies in gaming -- recently passing the 1 BILLION view mark on its YouTube channel.