NBA

Who's got more turtleneck-and-chain swag -- vintage The Rock or NBA star Devin Booker?

For the answer, we asked Devin's Suns teammate, Jared Dudley ... and he told us Booker takes out The People's Champ, "EASY."

"Look at that chain, man -- young money," Jared told TMZ Sports outside Poppy in Hollywood.

Pretty hilarious ... 'cause Rock feels the same way!

Tons of huge stars flocked to Staples Center to watch the Lakers retire Kobe Bryant's #24 and #8 jerseys ... but Floyd Mayweather's terrible outfit almost stole the show.

Take a look ... it's like if a couch pattern was an NBA uniform.

There was more crazy fashion ... LaVar Ball was covered head-to-toe in BBB gear. Allen Iverson paid tribute to Kobe with his G.O.A.T. shirt. Adam Levine rolled out the sweatpants and Gucci boots.

Shaq, Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, Caron Butler ... just some of the huge names paying tribute to the Mamba on Monday.

This is a pretty hilarious clip ...

We saw Kyle Kuzma out in L.A. over the weekend with one of his pals and asked the Lakers rookie if he's supporting Lonzo Ball's Big Baller Brand.

Remember, Kuzma clowned on his teammate on social media last week -- saying, "Y'all really spending 600 dollars for this hat?" ... followed by some trash emojis.

So, we followed up with Kyle -- and while Kuzma didn't speak, his friend sure did ... "F*ck no he wouldn't buy one!!!"

That's when Kyle tried to do some damage control ... but it was too late.

We know ... it's all in good fun -- but still pretty hilarious.

The Kobe vs. LeBron debate ain't as close as you think -- so says Ice Cube, who told us why it's Bryant "all day" on the eve of his double-jersey retirement.

"Just because of his tenacity -- nobody has the killer instinct like Kobe," Cube told TMZ Sports. "I don't think we've seen that since Michael Jordan."

It's pretty clear Cube's talking about the Mamba Mentality -- something he says Kobe and MJ had, but LeBron doesn't.

"That's what you pay for when you go see basketball. You don't pay to see friends play, you pay to see enemies play."

FYI, the ceremony's Monday at halftime of Lakers-Warriors. Congrats!

Allen Iverson says it's "definitely an honor" making Odell Beckham's leg sleeve Hall of Fame ... and he's showing love to OBJ for the ink.

"I thought that was dope," A.I. told TMZ Sports at Baron Davis' Black Santa Basketball Fundraiser and celebrity game in Santa Monica. "I'm a big fan -- that's my little man."

FYI, Odell finished up his leg mural a couple weeks back ... putting the iconic play where Iverson took Tyronn Lue's soul next to black revolutionaries like MLK and Obama.

A.I. clearly loves the piece ... but we had to ask -- how does Coach Lue feel about it?!

"I know he don't have no problem with that."

Still waiting on confirmation from Ty ...

Roughly 18 months after calling it quits ... Iggy Azalea and Nick Young came face-to-face at Craig's in L.A. on Sunday -- and it was definitely NOT sunshine and rainbows.

Swaggy (who plays for the Warriors) is in town to play the Lakers -- and stopped by his old stomping grounds for dinner. Just so happens, Iggy had arrived a few hours before and was still inside.

The two were only inside the restaurant together for a short while -- but afterward, Young broke it down for us ... and told us things are cordial.

In fact, he even gave us ADVICE on how to act when you run into your ex ... and it ain't half bad!

But, Iggy clearly didn't feel the same way -- because when a reporter claimed the two were on a "dinner date," Iggy unloaded on Twitter.

"Ryan Smith @ TheDailyMail i hope all your christmas gifts contain boxes of dried up chips of dog sh*t for trying to imply i would EVER, EVER have a dinner date with my ex who created a full human behind my back."

Remember, they broke up when it came out that Nick knocked up his ex-GF.

Iggy added, "The unfortunate thing about LA is there are not that many places people eat. You can be in the middle of one of the most important dinner meetings of your life; and randomly your ex and all his friends walk in the same place."

Listen up, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball -- in case you're having any second thoughts about Lithuania ... we found a team for y'all that tours the whole damn globe!

That's right -- we got Cheese and Jet of the Harlem Globetrotters out in NYC ... and they told TMZ Sports they'd be totally down to bring in the Ball bros.

"If it doesn't work out, come to the Globetrotters! Or come here first -- forget Lithuania!" Cheese said.

Dope offer for BBB ... but also kinda funny considering their teammate, Hoops, told us big bro Lonzo ain't exactly Globetrotter material.

Master P says his dream of being an NBA coach nearly came true with the New Orleans Pelicans ... telling TMZ Sports he was actually up for a job on the NBA team's coaching staff this year.

P sat down with us to talk about his coaching debut later this month in the Global Mixed Gender Basketball league he owns ... but also told us he almost got a shot at the big time.

"I feel like I could help the New Orleans team this year. You know I was up for that job last year as an assistant coach?!"

P didn't tell us exactly what kept him from getting the gig, but he did say it was ultimately the Pelicans loss, because he truly believes he could've made them a winner.

"I would've turned that team around." Later adding, "That should be a championship team right now."

LaVar Ball picking a Lithuanian league for LiAngelo and LaMelo had a lot of people scratching their heads ... but not Swae Lee, who says the Big Baller's makin' money moves!

"I think wherever the bag is calling, you gotta chase the bag," the Rae Sremmurd rapper told TMZ Sports outside Poppy in L.A.. "It could be Columbia, it could be Venezuela, it could be Australia -- wherever the bag is calling."

Swae ain't wrong, in theory ... but BBB claims it ain't about cash -- with Gelo and Melo reportedly pocketing no more than $500 per game.

The ex-wife of slain NBA star Lorenzen Wright is locked up in Southern California ... after cops busted her in connection with his murder.

TMZ Sports got Sherra Wright's mug shot. The Riverside County Sheriff's Dept. busted her Friday evening on a fugitive warrant for murder -- which was issued in Tennessee. Memphis police have charged her with 1st degree murder and conspiracy.

Lorenzen -- who played 14 years in the NBA -- was murdered 7 years ago. His remains were found in the woods, 10 days after he was seen leaving Sherra's Tennessee home.

The case had gone cold until recently -- police found the murder weapon in a lake, and earlier this month arrested Billy Turner and charged him with 1st degree murder.

Police aren't saying yet what the alleged connection is between Turner and Lorenzen's ex-wife ... who is sitting in jail pending extradition to Tennessee. Reports say they went to the same church.

The man who accused Ray Allen of making violent threats against him after their alleged relationship went sour is backing off -- he's dropped his case against the NBA star, TMZ Sports has learned.

As we previously reported, Bryant Coleman got a temporary restraining order against Allen in Florida after telling the court Ray sent men after him and made violent threats over the phone.

Coleman had previously told TMZ Sports he believed his life was in danger.

Ray had always maintained the allegations were B.S. -- and that Coleman is the real bad guy ... who catfished him in a scheme to get private information from the NBA star.

Now, we've obtained court documents which show Coleman has voluntarily dropped his restraining order -- though he doesn't explain why the change of heart.

Ray's attorney, David Markus, tells us, "We are pleased Coleman voluntarily dismissed the injunction and false claims he made against Ray Allen."

"Ray has never met Coleman. Ray Allen has never spoken with Coleman. Ray has never threatened him or anyone. He wants nothing to do with him and is looking forward to putting this matter behind him."

LeBron James might just be Nostradamus ... because he predicted Lonzo Ball would run from the wrath of a royal thunder dunk ... and in Thursday night's game, Ball did just that.

LBJ made the prognostication while visiting kids at the Cleveland Clinic (awesome guy) earlier this week when a brave young man named Andrew asked him to dunk on Lonzo.

"He might not be in my way! Once he sees I'm about to take off, he might move out the way."

Fast forward to the 2nd quarter of the Lakers vs. Cavs game on Thursday night -- 'Bron gets a pass from J.R. Smith and barrels towards the basket ... and this happens.

To be fair to Lonzo -- lets be real, he made a smart decision.

LeBron James' stats might end up beatin' Michael Jordan's ... but when it comes to the GOAT debate, Chauncey Billups says it ain't even close.

"I think Jordan’s the best, hands down," Billups told TMZ Sports out on Rodeo Drive. "There's nothing that LeBron can do -- and I’m a HUGE LeBron James fan."

FYI, Scottie Pippen reignited the Jordan vs. LeBron debate on Thursday ... when he said King James was "probably ahead" of Jordan on the stat sheet.

Chauncey says that's all good and well ... but when you're talking about who's the best player, numbers can only take LBJ so far.

"Can you dunk on Lonzo for me?"

That's the cutest and savagest Christmas wish we've ever heard ... courtesy of a brave kid that LeBron James visited at the Cleveland Clinic on Wednesday.

When Santa Bron stopped in to see Andrew, a young Cavs fan, and show him some love ... the kid only had one request -- that King James DUNK ALL OVER Lonzo Ball when the Lakers play Cleveland tonight.

Could LaVar Ball tear apart the family on "Inside the NBA"??

Probably not ... but Kenny Smith says his co-star, Charles Barkley, was WRONG when he blasted LaVar as a bad father who's exploiting his kids.

TMZ Sports spoke with "The Jet" (on his way onto a jet at LAX) ... and he told us why the Big Baller's move to ship his boys to Lithuania could actually be SMART.

Kenny's not the only ex-NBA star to back Ball -- Metta World Peace says LaVar is giving LiAngelo and LaMelo a significant edge over other talented American basketball players.

It's a beautiful sight for N.Y. Giants fans ... Odell Beckham Jr. makin' his way around the Big Apple without his walking boot!!

TMZ Sports spotted the NFL superstar heading into MSG for the Knicks vs. Lakers game Tuesday ... and although his boot was super swagged out, it's a great sign for his health to see him without it.

OBJ went down with a season-ending ankle injury in October ... but watching him sit courtside with Magic Johnson to cheer on the Knickerbockers sans boot should give fans hope.

Get well soon, OBJ!