NBA

Steph Curry is disgusted that Colin Kaepernick is still in the unemployment line ... and he's got a message for all the NFL teams refusing to sign him -- FREE KAEP.

Steph was in attendance for the 49ers vs. Panthers game at Levi's Stadium ... and shared a photo of the field with a #FreeKaep caption.

This statement comes a day after Curry spoke about Kaep deserving an NFL roster spot ... adding that his national anthem protests "shook up the world ... for the better."

“He definitely should be in the NFL," Steph told The Charlotte Observer.

"If you’ve been around the NFL, the top 64 quarterbacks, and he’s not one of them? Then I don’t know what game I’m watching."

As for Kaep ... the former Niners QB was social media silent on Sunday -- but his Know Your Rights Camp account posted messages urging fans to boycott the NFL.

John Salley has a message for LaVar Ball -- I can take Big Baller Brand to the next level!!!

Here's the deal ... Salley is a part-owner in Q4 Designs -- an apparel company that manufactures everything from shoes to shirts and more.

The NBA legend says he's been actively trying to lock down a meeting with LaVar in an effort to join forces and he's confident they can work out something ASAP.

"I'm trying to get Big Baller Brand to let us make the shoes," Salley says.

Demi Lovato's on a mission to help with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, and while volunteering at the Houston Food Bank she ran into Kevin Hart and NBA superstar Chris Paul.

We're told Demi donated 50,000 bottles of water to the food bank after hearing about price-gouging in the area -- and she set up a fundraising initiative with the food bank after donating $50k of her own dough.

Chris and Kevin were helping unload trucks and serve food. We're told the trio randomly bumped into each other and snapped a quick pic.

Nick Young says he taught JaVale McGee everything he knows about the card game Bourre ... which might be a problem since it was THAT game that ignited the biggest gun standoff in NBA history.

Here's the deal ... Kevin Durant recently praised JaVale's Bourre card game skills during an interview with Bill Simmons.

So, when we saw Swaggy P -- one of JaVale's old Washington Wizards teammates -- we asked for his take.

That's when Young bragged that he taught JaVale the game back when J.M. was a rookie -- and intentionally taught him the WRONG way to play so he'd lose. Funny.

The only problem is that it was an infamous game of Bourre on a Wizards team jet back in 2009 between JaVale, Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton that led to the gun showdown.

As Gilbert has previously explained, JaVale won a particularly contested hand -- a hand Javaris was pissed about because he thought it was a misdeal. He blamed Gilbert and things escalated from there.

Young jokes that when it comes to card games, JaVale just has that "Shaqtin' a Fool" karma.

LeBron James added another job to his resume -- RUNWAY MODEL.

The NBA superstar hit the catwalk for the Kith Fashion Show at the Classic Car Club during NY Fashion Week on Thursday ... and killed it.

Bron was showing off his Nike LeBron 15 kicks -- while working the runway like a champ.

Scottie Pippen also walked the same show -- rocking a tracksuit and a modernized version of his of his old Nike Air Pippens.

Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook were reportedly in the crowd. Those guys LOVE fashion.

Dwight Howard's all about gender equality -- which is why he and a female boxing trainer took turns PUNCHING EACH OTHER IN THE STOMACH!!

The NBA star laced up the gloves with Ann "Annimal" Najjar at the UFC Gym in San Diego -- where she challenged Dwight to hit first ... and he did. Hard.

In fact, Howard knocked her back twice in a row ... before ending it with a 3rd body shot that folded her in half.

The next day, Ann flipped the script and punished Howard's abs with more than 10 ferocious body blows in a row.

Magic Johnson was lookin' like a million bucks (minus $500k) Wednesday night ... but the Lakers Prez ain't sweatin' his first fine as an NBA exec. ... telling TMZ Sports his team is doing great.

FYI -- the Lakers got hit with a tampering penalty after making illegal contact with OKC Thunder star Paul George. Magic took all the blame ... and said he'd cough up the half a mil from his own salary.

So we asked Johnson if Lake Show owner Jeanie Buss accepted his offer ... and he took the opportunity to assure fans that everything's A-Ok in L.A.

Derrick Rose hit LAX on Wednesday to fly out to Chicago ... WITH 10 BAGS!!!

Tilman Fertitta tells TMZ Sports he's absolutely STOKED about buying the Houston Rockets -- explaining it's been a lifelong dream ... and he wants to bring Beyonce into the fold.

We spoke with the "Billion Dollar Buyer" star moments after it was announced he bought the NBA team for $2.2 BILLION ... and he told us he'll work his ass off to make Houston proud.

As far as Beyonce -- who was in the running to buy the team -- Tilman praises her as a wonderful ambassador for Houston and hopes she'll join his team "in some capacity."

"It would be great to have her involved in any way."

FYI, Fertitta has made a fortune in the restaurant business -- he owns Catch, Mastro's, Bubba Gump and the Rainforest Cafe spots -- and says he can't wait to come to L.A. to beat the Lakers and the Clippers.

Beyonce's hopes of buying the Houston Rockets just got pushed to the left ... to the left -- instead, the team will be sold to billionaire restaurateur Tilman Fertitta.

Fertitta will fork over a check to current owner Leslie Alexander for $2.2 BILLION, this according to ESPN.

Alexander bought the team for $85 mil in 1993 ... so, not a bad investment for that guy!

Fertitta is COUSINS with Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, the guys who made billions from the UFC -- but he was NOT an investor in that business.

Tilman is reportedly worth $3.1 billion, so says Forbes ... and stars in the CNBC reality show "Billion Dollar Buyer" -- where he buys blossoming companies.

Beyonce was rumored to be in the mix to buy the Rockets as part of an investment group -- but lost out ... despite support from her mother, who even posted a pic of B in a Rockets jersey over the weekend.

What helps Kevin Durant dominate on the court, makes him suck at stand up paddleboarding.

KD totally looked like a fish (a really big one) out of water as he attempted to get up on a board in Maui. Looks like he quickly discovered 7 feet -- or just under that -- is a whole lot of body to balance, but it is Labor Day weekend after all.

Kev eventually opted for the not-as-cool, yet way more stable move of paddling from his knees.

Can't knock the hustle, but maybe he should take a page out of his teammate Steph Curry's Hawaiian playbook when it comes to beach activities.

Finding weed in Amsterdam is hard (?!) -- so says JaVale McGee, who just got back from what most consider the weed capital of the world.

Not that he was on the hunt for any himself -- we think.

We got JaVale touching down at LAX ... and had to ask the Warriors big man if he got down with any extracurriculars while he was Euro-trippin'.

"No ... try not to," McGee told TMZ Sports. "It's not as accessible as you would think -- you have to go search for stuff."

Chris Brown would have to disagree.

How does James Worthy feel about Kevin Durant saying he'd take his spot on the Showtime Lakers?

In a word: "LUDICROUS."

We got Big Game James at LAX ... and asked him what he thought of KD's recent comments on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" -- where Durant said he'd take Worthy's starting spot next to Magic Johnson and co. if he could play for any historical team.

"I think that’s ludicrous," the Hall of Famer told TMZ Sports. "I don’t know how he came to that conclusion, but I disagree."

Worthy says he doesn't get why KD would single him out ... but we're guessing their beef from earlier this year's got something to do with it.

FYI, Durant ultimately decided he'd keep Worthy and bench Kurt Rambis for his Showtime dream team.

Kobe Bryant has played in a lot of venues, but never the Hollywood Bowl ... until Friday night.

Kobe took the stage at the best venue in L.A. and read his now-famous retirement letter, "Dear Basketball," accompanied by the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra no less.

The conductor was definitely as famous as Kobe, at least in orchestra circles ... John Williams.

And there's more ... an animated film by Glen Keane of Disney fame played on the big screen.

Awesome night for sure.

LaMelo Ball's $395 shoes officially have their first celeb buyer ... cause O'Shea Jackson Jr. (aka Ice Cube's son) says he's gonna cop a pair ASAP!

Not that O'Shea thinks The MB1s are worth the scratch -- dude's just a HUGE Lakers fan ... and backs all things BBB.

If you need proof ... the "Straight Outta Compton" star already knew about Melo's kicks when our photog found him at LAX -- just HOURS after they dropped.

"If it has the name Ball on it, the sh*t is HOT," Jackson told TMZ Sports.

"I’ma get mine. I’ma get some of Lonzo’s. If LaVar gets some, I’ma get them too."

Speaking of LaVar ... O'Shea says he's a "genius" -- and even plugged the Big Baller dad for president!

Looks like Jay-Z ain't the only big name on the bandwagon.

Iman Shumpert says he's not worried about facing off against his old teammate and friend, Kyrie Irving, when the Cavs take on Boston ... because he knows all Kyrie's moves!!

Shumpert was actually pretty candid about the whole situation when we asked if there will be a heated rivalry when playing the Celtics since the blockbuster trade sent Kyrie out of Cleveland.

Shumpert says he's excited to play with new teammate Isaiah Thomas -- and has a message for him, "Get your work shoes on!"

As far as LeBron goes, Iman says the Cavs all have a group text going, but they haven't gotten together to talk about all of the changes going into next season.

Honestly, it's a great clip -- Shumpert keeps it all way real.