NBA

If you found out someone you loved was doing drugs -- and you knew you could stop it -- would you grab a hammer and try to rescue that person???

That's the story behind the arrest of Tim Donaghy -- the ex-NBA ref who went to prison for betting on NBA games that he officiated.

Donaghy was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for allegedly threatening a man with a hammer ... but he told police the only reason he was even in that situation was to save his daughter.

According to the police report, Tim believed his daughter was doing drugs with a friend at a nearby home -- so he grabbed a hammer and went to get her.

While Tim was arguing with his daughter outside the home, he was confronted by another man -- the father of his daughter's friend.

The man claims Tim brandished the hammer and threatened to use it, if he came any closer.

Police were called and Tim was arrested for aggravated assault.

Donaghy's attorney tells TMZ Sports his client did NOT assault anyone -- and didn't threaten anyone -- he only had the hammer for protection. Tim insists he was just trying to be a good dad.

More trouble for Chris Bosh's mother ... Frieda Bosh has been arrested for allegedly using a disabled man in "drug distribution activities."

We broke the story ... the Texas home where Frieda lives was raided by law enforcement officials earlier this month because cops believes a drug trafficking operation was being run out of the home.

Now, officials say Frieda and another man living at the home, Johnathan Brown, were "exploiting a disabled person" ... by forcing the man to use his disibility check to pay their rent.

As we previously reported, the home is owned by Chris Bosh -- and Frieda says he's trying to evict her. They haven't spoken in years.

Officials say Brown was running the drug ring -- and Frieda "allowed this to occur as a means of obtaining free narcotics and marijuana from Brown, while also allowing narcotics and marijuana to be distributed from the offense location."

For her part, Frieda has denied wrongdoing -- and previously pointed the finger at a short-term tenant who had moved out of the home.

Enes Kanter is facing a 4-YEAR, 8-month prison sentence back in his home country, according to Turkish media reports ... and it's all over his social media war on Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey's government-run news agency says the chief public prosecutor's office in Istanbul has indicted the Knicks star for his insulting tweets about Erdogan -- a man Kanter has previously referred to as the "Hitler of our century."

Back in May, Enes was detained at a Romanian airport because his Turkish passport was canceled. Kanter was ultimately allowed to return to the U.S. ... but he became a wanted man in Turkey after Erdogan labeled him a terrorist.

Enes said he would've been dead within days if he was shipped back to Turkey and jailed.

He's now hoping to become an American citizen -- and considers himself "country-less."

Scottie Pippen is amending his stance on LeBron James ... telling TMZ Sports, "LeBron ain't better than me until he gets 6 titles."

Woooooo!!!!!!

Remember, it was just last week Scottie sent Stephen A. Smith's blood pressure through the roof when he told the ESPN star LeBron is "probably ahead of [Michael Jordan]" when you compare career numbers."

So, we had to follow up when we saw Pippen leaving Madeo with his wife Larsa ... and Scottie laid down the gauntlet!

For the record, Scottie and MJ each have 6 rings. LeBron has 3.

WHO STEALS A TOILET?!

Whoever broke into Charlie Villanueva's house, that's who ... this according to the NBA player himself.

Villanueva -- who made more than $50 million in his career -- says he came home to his Dallas pad and realized someone had been inside and stole a bunch of his stuff.

But the worst offense ... "They stole my toilet ... I'm not making this sh*t up!"

Villanueva even provided photo evidence of the jacked crapper.

"I’m still tripping, who steals a toilet? Like why a toilet."

A few hours later, Charlie added, "I’m still in shock of the things they stole ... but the one that stand out the most is a toilet...... Bro a toilet, can’t get my mind off that. A toilet..... Wow."

Must have been a nice toilet.

Kobe Bryant just got the first endorsement for the political career we're not sure he even wants yet ... U.S. Congressman Peter King says Kobe's got everything it takes to be an all-star politician.

Magic Johnson seemed to hint that Kobe's post-NBA calling was politics during a speech at the Mamba's jersey retirement ceremony, when he said Bryant had the ability to bring all people together.

We saw King -- who represents New York's 2nd district -- in D.C. and asked for an expert's opinion on the honorable Kobe Bryant from California, and here's the thing ... King seemed down with it.

BTW -- King uses all kinds of weird hoops analogies to give Kobe props, but the main takeaway is, he's on board.

From Black Mamba to black booty ...

After the Kobe Bryant jersey retirement event in L.A., some of the biggest stars in town -- from Allen Iverson to Baron Davis -- hit up the Ace of Diamonds strip club ... and turned all the way up!!!!!

FYI, A.O.D. is a Monday night ONLY strip club -- featuring some of the most famous booty shakers from around the country ... and there's always a ton of huge stars on the guestlist.

This time, a bunch of stars flocked from Staples ... including Nipsey Hussle, Dave East and Zoey Dallaz for the Dec. 18 party hosted by Miss Diddy and the Brand Group.

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.