NBA

Jason Kidd just got the boot in Milwaukee -- but he's already got a rebound offer from one of the most powerful head coaches in the NBA!

Well, sorta ... we got Doc Rivers and Tom Thibodeau -- Doc's former Celtics assistant -- leaving Craig's after Thibodeau's T-Wolves edged Rivers' Clippers in L.A.

Naturally, we had to bring up the shocking J-Kidd firing ... and Doc immediately went to bat for the NBA legend, saying he would "absolutely" add him to his coaching staff.

One problem -- there ain't any vacancies on his bench at the moment ... and he's already got big-name assistants like Sam Cassell and Mike Woodson.

Kobe Bryant was just nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his movie, "Dear Basketball" ... but it begs the question, Time's Up?

In a time where huge Hollywood stars are crushing people like Aziz Ansari, James Franco and others ... ya gotta remember, Kobe was formally charged with raping a woman back in 2003.

Remember, Bryant admitted having sex with a 19-year-old hotel staffer in Eagle, Colorado -- but insisted it was consensual.

By his account, things went south when Kobe asked the woman if he could ejaculate in her face during the sexual encounter. Kobe claims the woman denied his request and he stopped cold. The woman clearly saw things differently.

When approached by police, Kobe asked the cops if he could pay her off to make the situation go away.

Kobe was charged with sexual assault -- but the case was dropped when the accuser stopped cooperating with prosecutors. At the time, she claimed she was receiving hate mail and death threats.

She filed a civil suit against Kobe, which he later settled. There are reports he paid around $5 million, though Kobe claimed he never paid her a dime.

Kobe later released an apology saying, "I want to apologize directly to the young woman involved in this incident. I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year."

Kobe added this part ... which sounds a lot like Aziz's explanation:

"Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter."

So, the big question ... how will Hollywood react if Kobe wins?

With LeBron James and Steph Curry picking the teams for the NBA All-Star game, we asked Kyrie Irving if he'd be upset if his old teammate didn't pick him first.

Ya gotta see what Kyrie says when we spotted him at Delilah in West Hollywood.

For the record, Irving is having a killer season with the Boston Celtics -- averaging 24.5 points per game and carrying the team on his back. He's definitely an MVP candidate.

So, Bron's GOTTA pick him first, right?! We'll see ...

Here's Lakers star Jordan Clarkson doing his best LaVar Ball impression -- saying Lonzo Ball should be LeBron's 1st pick in the All-Star draft ... even though he ain't an All-Star.

Right.

We got Clarkson at Delilah over the weekend ... and asked him straight-up who Bron's #1 selection should be when him and Steph Curry choose their squad members later this week.

Apparently, Jordan didn't get the memo that you gotta be an actual All-Star to qualify.

Or, more likely, he just wanted to plug Lonzo and his venerable fashion brand ... with the help of the BBB entourage (which we're guessing JC inherits whenever Zo's out).

Why was Nick Young kissing a puppet and grooving like Michael Jackson over the weekend?

Don't worry -- it's 'cause he was hypnotized ... and there's video!!

It all went down at the 30th birthday bash for Warriors teammate JaVale McGee ... where Swaggy P got on stage and put under. Like, really under -- dude was OUT.

What happened next was Swaggy like you've never seen him before -- putting the moves on a puppet during a slow dance ... and crotch-grabbin' and moon-walkin' like MJ.

He plays for Minnesota, but NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns was ALL ABOUT PHILLY on Sunday -- decked out in Eagles gear ... and celebrating after the victory!

The Timberwolves star (who's in town to play the Clippers) hit up Craig's -- in a very good mood -- reveling in his team's NFC Championship victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

FYI, KAT grew up in Edison, NJ -- about 60 miles from Philly.

So, how does he feel about the Eagles' chances against Tom Brady?

With all the fights in the NBA lately, we had to ask WNBA legend Chamique Holdsclaw if there was ever a female baller she just didn't mess with in the women's league.

And she definitely produced a name.

First off, Chamique was no cupcake ... 6'2", 172 lbs and was a 2-time rebounding champion during her legendary career. Bottom line -- she was a beast.

But Holdsclaw tells TMZ Sports ... the baddest chick she ever played against was Yolanda Griffith -- 7-time All-Star, WNBA champ and the '05 Finals MVP.

And according to Chamique, she'd rough you up hard if you got in her way.

#Respect

Move over, Ball bros -- Shareef O'Neal says the Lakers are his #1 choice when he goes pro ... and if we were Magic Johnson, we'd start working OT to make it happen.

We got Shaq's son touching down in LAX ... and asked who he'd want to draft him since his NBA career is creeping up.

Shareef told TMZ Sports his favorite team and player were the Cavs and LeBron James, respectively ... but there's 1 thing that puts the Purple and Gold above playing with the King.

Jermaine O'Neal's got a fool-proof plan to getting Nate Robinson back into the NBA ... and it all starts with ballin' out in Ice Cube's BIG3 league!!

TMZ Sports spoke with the ex-NBA All-Star about the newest addition to his Tri-State squad ... and J.O. reveals he personally recruited Robinson because he knows the 33-year-old still belongs in the pros.

O'Neal says the NBA scouts should have their eyes on Nate throughout the season ... 'cause his team is gonna feed him the ball the whole time!!

How does Scottie Pippen feel about his good friend, Kim Kardashian, naming her baby after his beloved Chicago?!

Scottie loves it!!

Draymond Green told Nick Young he needed to "expand [his] horizons" ... so he took his NBA teammate to see the play "Hamilton."

Yep ... it was bros' night out at the CIBC Theatre in Chicago (since the guys were in town after playing the Bulls).

Joel Embiid says he's OVER Rihanna -- officially declaring he's moving on after trying to get a date with her for years.

Seems Lakers rookie Josh Hart thinks Embiid's making a mistake.

Backstory ... Embiid has long claimed he hit on Rihanna back in the day and she told him to come back when he made the NBA All-Star team.

Well, now he has ... he'll be a starter on the East ... so, TNT's Kristen Ledlow asked Joel if he had a message for RiRi now.

He shot her down -- it was hilarious.

So, we asked ex-Villanova star Josh Hart if Embiid's making a mistake.

Kim Kardashian went straight for Lamar Odom's jugular after he dissed Khloe Kardashian ... making fun of him for visiting brothels.

Kim replied to a tweet Thursday in which Lamar was quoted from his interview on BET's "Mancave" that read ... "I knew my marriage to Khloe was over 'when she was on her second or third NBA player.'"

Safe to say, Kim wasn't having it ... she responded ... "Or second or third brothel."

Lamar has been known to visit brothels in the past, most famously when he OD'd at one in Nevada a few years back. Khloe has dated NBA star James Harden, and is currently preggo with Tristan Thompson's kid.

No love lost here, apparently.

Sebastian Telfair -- former NBA point guard -- has been ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from his estranged wife and kids after she claims he went on a violent window-smashing rampage at their home.

Samantha Telfair filed court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, claiming Sebastian showed up to her home in Irvine, CA on Jan. 12 and went nuclear on the doorbell when he realized she wasn't home.

32-year-old Telfair began cussing like crazy and kicking the door -- even when the couple's two young kids came out of the house and begged him to stop.

When Samantha finally got home, Sebastian approached her aggressively -- but she was able to get into the house. Instead, Samantha claims, Sebastian bashed in the front windshield of her car.

Cops were called and an emergency restraining order was issued against Sebastian.

Samantha says she's worried about Sebastian's overall mental health -- saying he's threatened to kill himself and has "become increasingly hostile, unstable and violent."

She also gave police a photo of the guns officials confiscated from Sebastian during an arrest in NY back in June.

A judge granted a temporary restraining order against Telfair. There's a hearing in the matter set for next month.

It ain't too often you see off-court action like Rockets vs. Clippers ... but Jermaine O'Neal says when he balled, some players would make it a point to meet in the locker room.

"We've had a couple guys in the past that will make it known that if you camera talkers then we'll see you in the back," O'Neal told TMZ Sports. "Things a little bit different now."

Jermaine -- who was in the infamous "Malice at the Palace" brawl -- says players still gotta be careful what they say, and more importantly, WHO they say it to ... but clearly thinks his era was tougher.

No disagreements here.

Bonus: We also got Tracy McGrady to weigh in on Rockets-Clippers, and he told us why he's A-Ok with (most of) what went down.

Dennis Rodman has checked into rehab ... again ... in the wake of a drunk driving arrest, his rep confirms.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Rodman was busted in Newport Beach, CA over the weekend -- after cops say he was swerving all over the road and blasting loud music while intoxicated.

We talked to Rodman's rep, Darren Prince -- who says The Worm has entered Turning Point Rehabilitation Center in Paterson, New Jersey to deal with his alcohol issues.

Rodman has been to rehab before -- once in 2014 ... and he was also featured on 'Celebrity Rehab' with Dr. Drew back in 2010.