NBA

Matt Barnes says things are finally so good between him and Derek Fisher, he invited his ex-wife's fiance to his charity event in L.A. -- but, there was just one problem, Fisher didn't show up.

Barnes was holding an Athletes vs. Cancer fundraiser -- hoping to raise cash to provide college scholarships for kids who beat cancer ... very cool.

Fisher was on the guest list, so we asked Barnes about their relationship ... and he couldn't have been more positive.

"Yeah, we're good ... we're fine," Barnes said.

"The most important thing is to make my kids happy and we're both working hard at that."

The invite comes off the heels of Derek Fisher and Gloria Govan saying Barnes would not get an invite to their upcoming wedding. Seems Barnes is trying to make the relationship work.

Amar'e Stoudemire says when the NBA season kicks off in the fall ... he WILL be on an NBA roster -- telling TMZ Sports he's already been in contact with "a few teams."

We broke the story ... the 35-year-old Stoudemire is gunnin' for an NBA comeback -- and he's using Ice Cube's new hoops league, the BIG3, to catch general managers' attention.

"I think now being back with the BIG3, they can see I still got it," Stoudemire says.

There's more ... Amar'e tells us he ain't the only one on his team who's making a serious run toward an NBA roster in 2018!!

Roy Hibbert tells TMZ Sports ... he's done with professional basketball -- explaining, "It's just time to move on."

The 31-year-old -- a 2-time NBA All Star -- was at LAX and we were talking about everything from LeBron James to Carmelo Anthony ... even Isaiah Thomas.

But, when we asked Hibbert if he had any desire to come back to the Lakers and play with LeBron, he told us, "I'm good on it right now" ... and explained that he's moving on from the NBA.

Hibbert last played in the league back in 2017 -- a stint with the Denver Nuggets. Before that, Hibbert was a stud with the Indiana Pacers.

As for what he'll do next? He's got options ... considering he reportedly made more than $70 mil in the NBA.

Tyson Chandler ain't mad at his teammate, Devin Booker, for that elevator fight -- in fact, TC says the whole thing is funny!!!

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Booker rushed to the aid of his then-Phoenix Suns teammate, Tyler Ulis, after Tyler got attacked in an apartment elevator back in 2017.

Since Chandler was on the Suns (and still is) at the time of the incident, we asked what he thought about the fight.

"Honestly," Chandler told us ... "The video is just funny!"

Tyson says the major point is that no one got hurt -- and no harm, no foul!

In fact, Tyson said had he known Ulis was in trouble that night, "I might've been there with 'em."

Shaquille O'Neal got an ENTIRE nightclub to chant "Barkley Sucks" during a DJ gig in D.C. -- and the trolling didn't stop there!

Shaq was performing at Echostage as DJ Diesel -- when he decided to clown his "Inside the NBA" co-host with a giant projection on the back wall that read, "Barkley Has NO Ring!"

Shaq clapped along gleefully as the place went crazy!

Of course, Shaq and Chuck are really tight in real life -- so, it's all in good fun.

Now, it's on Barkley to get even ...

Of course, it's not the first time Shaq went off on an NBA star in a nightclub -- back in the day, he freestyled the infamous "Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes" verse during his rift with his Lakers teammate.

Both Shaq and Kobe have said they've made up and they're on good terms now.

NBA star John Wall is one of the most incredible, talented athletes on planet Earth -- but, when it comes to baseball, he stinks.

Remember ... the Washington Wizards star threw arguably the worst first pitch in MLB history about seven years ago ... and, unfortunately, he's not much better with a bat in his hands.

Wall was at Nationals Park warming up for the MLB celebrity softball game Sunday night ... when he took some BP.

If you're counting at home ... that was three fouls, a complete whiff, and maybe a base hit -- all from a dude throwing lobs from about eight feet away!!

Wall's confidence wasn't shaken ... he was somehow able to hit a single and score a run when the bright lights actually came on -- but, still.

Nick Young thinks Patrick Beverley must've been on the sauce when he declared the Clippers to be the best team in the NBA ... asking TMZ Sports, "He was drunk that night or something?"

Remember, earlier this month, Beverley proudly told us he REALLY believes his new Clip squad is better than the Lakers and the Warriors ... and are real contenders to win the NBA title.

So, when we saw Swaggy -- who plays for the Warriors -- leaving Craig's in West Hollywood Sunday night ... we had to ask for his thoughts. His reaction says it all.

Nice moment between LeBron and his former Cleveland Cavs coach, Tyronn Lue, at the NBA Summer League in Vegas ... where the two embraced and bro'd out.

It appears to be the first time they've seen each other since LeBron bolted The Land and signed a new $154 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Our friends Bryan Salmond and Sharp and Shapiro from "The Vegas Take" radio show were next to the two at the Thomas & Mack Center as the Cavs took on the Raptors ... and watched Bron and Ty chat it up.

LeBron -- wearing his L.A. Lakers shorts -- got a standing ovation from the crowd.

LaVar Ball says the pathway for LiAngelo Ball to get to the Lakers is a clear one ... and it runs through the new hoops league he created -- THE JBA!!

L.A. -- along with the other 29 teams in the NBA -- passed on Gelo in the draft last month ... so now the most famous Ball has a new plan to fix that -- put him in a JBA jersey with LaMelo.

"It's not even a yellow brick road," LaVar tells TMZ Sports. "It's a road that he has to take. It's nothing wrong with this."

So far ... so good for Gelo -- who dropped 53 points, 10 boards and 10 assists in his debut Thursday night ... playing in front of Lakers stars Lonzo Ball and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

LaVar seems to concede it's probably not the most ideal route for Gelo to end up in the association ... but he says it's better than "running hills and just shooting on the machine by yourself."

Caroline Wozniacki's not sweating missing out on one of the biggest days in women's tennis ... she's staying cool in the pool instead.

The tennis star and her NBA fiance, David Lee, are still vacationing in Italy -- now they're in Portofino -- and were spotted Saturday getting wet and enjoying some delicious-looking drinks.

As we reported ... the couple jetted over to Italy early this week after Caroline got bounced from Wimbledon in the second round.

You're looking at a living, breathing SHOE GOD -- Tinker Hatfield -- Nike's famous designer who created some of the most iconic Air Jordan shoes EVER!

But Tinker also created a stinker ... an Air Jordan shoe that he wishes he never made -- the Jordan 15.

You gotta hear Hatfield explain why he wishes he could take it back and throw it away ... the story is really interesting. Did you know he modeled the tongue of the shoe after Michael Jordan's actual tongue?

On the flip side, Tinker says his Jordan 11s are his proudest creation -- but tells TMZ Sports it's a shoe that was thiiiis close to being scrapped ... if not for MJ himself bringing it back to life.

BONUS -- we ALSO asked Hatfield what to expect with LeBron James' first signature shoe as a Laker ... and it's gonna get fans hype.

NBA player Tyler Ulis was attacked and beat up by 2 guys in an apartment elevator fight in 2017 ... until his friend, Devin Booker, came to the rescue ... and TMZ Sports has the footage.

It all went down in Tempe, AZ on May 26 while Ulis was still playing for the Phoenix Suns. We're told Tyler was trying to hold the elevator for his friends when another group of guys tried to get on.

When Tyler continued to hold it ... they took offense and a scuffle broke out. One guy grabbed Tyler while another man put him in a headlock. The fight spilled out of the elevator and into the hallway.

A short time later, Ulis' friends -- including Suns superstar Booker -- took the elevator to the scene of the fight and found the men who attacked Ulis. Another fight broke out, Ulis threw punches.

Booker -- who covered his face with a bandana -- does not appear to hit anyone.

Eventually, the 2 groups get down to the lobby ... where another man from Ulis' crew (wearing a black shirt) chases their adversaries out of the building and punches one of the guys in the face.

You can see Booker chasing after the other men into the street.

We're told police were called to the scene, but ultimately no arrests were made.

Hey fellas, wanna make Tinashe laugh? Well, all you gotta do is remind her that 6'10" NBA star Ben Simmons is so scared of her that he's hiring extra security, because she thinks that's REALLY funny.

We broke the story ... sources close to Ben say he believes Tinashe is despondent about their breakup, and popping up at Hollywood nightspots he hits with new GF Kendall Jenner.

Tinashe was out at Delilah Thursday night (Ben was not inside ... that we know of) when we asked her what she thinks about his concerns and, with the laughs he got, our guy might as well have been Dave Chappelle.

Steph Curry can't even let his guard down in the offseason ... 'cause the dude's getting challenged WHEREVER he goes -- even on the golf course!!

Curry was participating in the practice round at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe on Thursday ... when his own caddie grabbed a basketball and put the NBA superstar in a blender!!

Curry's reaction is hilarious ... the dude even reenacts his infamous mouthpiece toss from the 2016 NBA Finals!!

(Obviously, Curry was in on the joke ... but, it's still really funny)

BTW -- there's a TON of athletes competing in the tourney Friday -- from Sean Payton to Jared Goff to Vince Carter. But, they didn't get crossed up by their caddies.

It wasn't all L's for Curry ... he did win the Korbel champagne poppin' contest!

If LeBron James is looking to cast people in his upcoming movie ... look no further than Karl-Anthony Towns!!

We got the Minnesota Timberwolves superstar out in Hollywood with his smokin' hot girlfriend, Kawahine Andrade ... wearing the exact same designer hoodie Bron rocked Wednesday night.

FYI, the hoodie is made by a company called Rhude -- which sells the sweatshirts for around $500!

So, with their fashion sense lining up, we asked KAT if he wants some on-camera work with LeBron's production company.

"Tell him to call me," Towns said ... "We can make it happen!"

He's not the only star hoping to team up with James -- Common says he'd love to hook up with LeBron for a project.

How's this for a collaboration ... LaVar Ball and LeBron James on a big Hollywood project together?

LaVar tells TMZ Sports ... don't rule it out.

The Big Baller was at his JBA league event in Ontario, CA where we asked if LaVar had plans to get in on all of the Hollywood power meetings LeBron has been taking in Los Angeles.

Lonzo's dad told us a meeting with Bron ain't a priority ... right now ... but he's excited about the possibility of teaming up with King James down the line.

"In Hollywood, anything's possible," LaVar says ... "We hook up together maybe become something more powerful. But it's all good!"

We also asked LaVar about Lonzo's health surrounding his knee injury -- and he assured us, "Lonzo's getting better and better."