NBA

Straight from the Mamba's mouth ... Kobe Bryant says he's NEVER returning to pro basketball.

The NBA legend set the record straight in an interview with Rich Eisen ... saying "I will never come back to the game. Ever. I am here to show people that we can do much more than that."

Of course, Black Mamba already has an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball" ... and has a bunch of other projects geared towards connecting youth to sports.

"There's about a 0-percent chance I come back and play," Bryant says.

There were rumors Kobe could come back to the Lakers when LeBron James decided to move to L.A., and most recently about joining Ice Cube's BIG3 league when co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz said he was told by a source that Kobe was gonna play next season.

But, Kobe's rep chimed in on his hoops future to TMZ Sports ... saying "NOT True. 100% not happening."

Regardless, Cube told us on Wednesday he was still hopeful Bryant would take the BIG3 bait.

J.J. Redick says the Clippers turned from a title contender to a teardown project ... 'cause of "DONALD TRUMP-LEVEL" childishness from the team's stars!!

Seriously.

Remember ... the Clippers from 2011 to 2017 were LEGIT -- on the doorstep of a championship every year with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan roaming the floor.

Redick was a part of most of those squads ... and he revealed earlier this week that the downfall of it all was because of a level of pettiness similar to what he's seen from the White House.

"It's weird to think what we had the potential to accomplish and what ultimately derailed that was pettiness," Redick said on the "Pardon My Take" podcast on Barstool Sports.

"Like Donald Trump-level pettiness."

Redick says the team had a passive aggressive attitude toward everything -- and that's why Redick's in Philly, Paul's in Houston, Jordan's in Dallas and Griffin's in Detroit these days.

"I don't know that we hate each other. I don't know that," Redick says. "It was just passive aggressive bullsh*t."

BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz is NOT throwing in the towel on Kobe Bryant playing in his league next season -- telling TMZ Sports he trusts his source.

After Kobe's rep shot down Jeff's previous claim that he'd be suiting up for the 2019 season, we saw JK out in NYC ... and he made it clear he's not backing down.

"There's no mix-up. Someone who's a good source, who I'm not gonna reveal, says he's gonna play."

Jeff acknowledges Kobe's been telling people it's not true -- but Kwatinetz doesn't believe it's a hard pass ... at least not yet.

"Every year we have guys who say they're not gonna play who end up playing," Jeff said ... adding, "I don't know that he's not coming. I'll know in February. I think that's the truth."

Jeff also said he's spoken with Jason Terry -- who said he WILL play next season.

"I'm the source on that one because he told me himself."

As we previously reported, Molly Carter -- who runs Kobe, Inc. -- told TMZ Sports he's "100%" not playing in the BIG3. Vanessa Bryant also claimed Kobe is done playing basketball.

Lamar Odom got emotional while wishing happy 40th birthday to Kobe Bryant Thursday -- thanking his good friend for sticking with him through thick and thin ... even during his darkest hours.

Remember, Kobe was one of the first people who rushed to the hospital to meet with Lamar following his overdose at a Nevada brothel back in 2015.

In fact, Kobe bolted from a Lakers preseason game early right when he heard the news and was with Lamar hours after the incident.

Kobe continued to support Odom during and after his recovery -- and Odom hasn't taken his friendship for granted.

"There are no words in this world that can describe the mad love I have for you," Lamar wrote.

"I appreciate you Bean, you have been there for me in my most dark times until today and I hope till the end of times."

"We shined together in my most glorious times and those are like a tattoo in my heart . I can never repay you back for the unconditional love but I can tell you how much I appreciate you."

How'd Andre Drummond feel when he saw LeBron James playing in an L.A. pickup game this week with Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard?

"I was mad I was not there!"

Drummond's also out in L.A. getting some offseason workouts in -- mostly at UCLA, where Bron and company got it in on Tuesday ... so he stopped by the TMZ office to hang out.

The Detroit Pistons superstar says he LOVES playing pickup hoop with other NBA stars -- especially those guys -- and he gave us the lowdown about what happens in those games.

Shocker ... Drummond says Kevin Durant dominates, telling us he's easily the #1 pickup player alive.

"He's very fun to watch and play with ... I think he's very unguardable."

Drummond also tells us why Kawhi Leonard is an absolute freak of nature -- just look at the size of his hands!

There's more ... Drummond also just dropped his new album, "Fyi" -- and says it solidifies his spot as the "best artist in basketball."

Here's advice from an ex-NBA superstar on how to handle yourself in a booty club -- take whatever you've got in your wallet ... AND CHUCK IT AT STRIPPERS!!!

The sage wisdom is brought to you by former Celtics star Glen "Big Baby" Davis ... who we got at OHM Nightclub, where he was judging an open audition for V Live L.A.

After explaining to us what he looks for in great strippers ... he unveiled advice to all the normal folk who have no idea how to be a big baller around butts.

"You gotta thrown what you can, man," Glen says. "Throw what you can, that's my motto."

Ice Cube knows the chances of Kobe Bryant playing in the BIG3 next year are slim to none -- but ya can't score if you don't shoot!!

Cube's BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz got everyone's hopes up on Tuesday when he told the media that a "credible source" informed him Mamba was joining the 3-on-3 league in 2019.

Kobe's people quickly shot that down -- so, when we saw Cube in NYC early Wednesday morning, we asked him to clear everything up.

Cube told TMZ Sports he hadn't spoken to Kobe yet, but says when it comes to a basketball comeback, "I think he's done."

Still, he left the door open a crack ... and even pitched Kobe about why he should add BIG3 to his resume.

Kobe hasn't played pro basketball since he retired from the NBA at the end of the 2015-16 season -- and his wife, Vanessa Bryant, was adamant he ain't EVER coming back.

Shaquille O'Neal doesn't seem convinced, however, recently telling TMZ Sports his former Lakers teammate was coming back for one last hurrah with LeBron James.

Don't hold your breath ...

Only the finest for The King ...

LeBron James and his wife, Savannah, had a romantic date night in Bev Hills on Tuesday ... returning to one of his favorite restaurants in the city and TMZ Sports has the video.

The James' hit up Avra -- the same high-end Greek restaurant where Bron dined with Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Pacino last month.

No mixing with the normies for Bron and Vannah, they were ushered through the back by a security team into a waiting Maybach with a chauffeur.

We tried to talk Trump with the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, but he wasn't in the mood.

Earlier in the day, LeBron worked out at UCLA with some of his NBA superstar friends ... including Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Cedi Osman and Toronto Raptors assistant coach Phil Handy.

The photo fueled rumors that Bron could be recruiting KD and Kawhi to form a superteam in L.A. next year.

Kobe Bryant playing in the BIG3 next year is "100% not happening" ... so says the woman who runs Kobe's company.

Rumors started swirling Tuesday when BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz told reporters on a conference call that he heard from a "credible source" that "Kobe is going to be playing next year."

Of course, Ice Cube and several BIG3 players including Stephen Jackson and Allen Iverson have called for Kobe to join the league -- because it would be awesome -- but Bryant had always said he's retired from basketball.

In fact, when rumors swirled that Kobe was considering coming back to the Lakers for one last season with LeBron James, Vanessa Bryant was adamant he's DONE with hoop.

So, when Kwatinetz suggested Kobe was down for some 3-on-3, we reached out to Molly Carter -- the Chief Marketing Officer at Kobe Inc. -- who told us straight-up, "NOT True. 100% not happening."

Lamar Odom says it's a miracle he's alive -- revealing he had 12 strokes and 6 heart attacks while he was in a coma from his 2015 drug overdose.

Th ex-NBA star spilled his guts about the incident to Kevin Hart while sitting in an ice bath for KH's YouTube show, "Cold as Balls."

"All my doctors that see me say I'm a walking miracle," Odom said while shivering in the ice tub next to Hart.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Odom was rushed to a hospital on October 13, 2015 after he was found unconscious at Dennis Hof's Love Ranch South in Pahrump, Nevada.

Blood tests showed Odom had cocaine in his system at the time of his overdose. There were times doctors didn't think Odom would survive -- but somehow, he managed to pull through.

Since recovering, Odom has been to rehab and says he's now fully sober and over his addiction.

In fact, Odom told Kevin Hart he feels grateful to be alive -- joking about how it beats the alternative.

During the "Cold as Balls" segment, Odom also joked about the brothel and opened up about how much he appreciated Khloe Kardashian stepping up and handling his care while he was unconscious.

"It was big," Odom said about Khloe.

Odom -- who was legally married to Khloe (but separated) at the time of the overdose -- had tried to get back with her after he got better ... but she had moved on.

Brooklyn Nets star Kenneth Faried was arrested and charged for possessing more than 2 ounces of weed on Sunday ... and TMZ Sports has the mug shot.

The 28-year-old was arrested on the Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton, New York at 1:30 AM ... after the vehicle he was riding in was stopped at a sobriety checkpoint.

A rep for the Southampton Town Police Dept. tells us the officer at the scene noticed a "strong odor of marjuana was emanating from the inside of the vehicle."

Faried was booked for 4th degree unlawful possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor. He was transported to a nearby station for processing.

The other 2 people got tickets and were released at the scene.

Cops say Faried got the harsher charge because he was in possession of more than 2 ounces.

If convicted, Faried faces up to a year in jail ... for WEED.

The Nets released a statement to TMZ Sports, saying, “We are aware of the situation involving Kenneth Faried and are in the process of gathering more information at this time.”

Jimmy Butler had himself one helluva Monday -- squashing beef with Dwyane Wade and going on a lunch date with a smokin' hot Instagram model ... and TMZ Sports has the video.

First, D-Wade ...

Everyone saw Dwyane clap back at Jimmy last week when the Minnesota Timberwolves star commented "WELL DAMN" on a hot photo of Wade's wife, Gabrielle Union.

Wade wrote to Butler, "Put well damn in caps on my wife photo again and you’re gonna see what the good, the bad and the ugly is like."

So, when we saw Butler at The Ivy in L.A. we had to ask if there was real smoke between the two. Butler answered and seemed to put the whole thing to bed.

Speaking of bed ... Butler's lunch date was an absolute dime -- and while he tried to play coy when leaving the restaurant, we ID'd her as famous Instagram model India Love.

Love is an aspiring rapper who's been romantically linked to stars like The Game, Rick Ross and Drake. She's basically a she-pimp (get it, gurl!) with 3.7 million IG followers.

No word if she and Butler are an item -- but we wouldn't hate if they were!

Matt Barnes is gearing up for Baby #3 -- his model girlfriend is pregnant ... and we're told they're both stoked about it!

The recently retired NBA star has been dating Anansa Sims -- daughter of legendary supermodel Beverly Johnson, as reported by Bossip. Anansa is a pretty famous self-described plus-size model who's been featured in tons of fashion mags.

Sources tell us ... Anansa is due in December.

As for their relationship, we're told -- "They are both happy and their families and friends are super supportive."

One source close to Matt tells us, "She's just really sweet and brings out the best in him. It's a good pairing."

Anansa has three kids from a previous relationship with ex-football player David Patterson. Barnes has twins from his previous relationship with Gloria Govan.

Congrats!

Matt Barnes just hit Mario Chalmers with an epic diss ... telling the ex-Miami Heat star he straight-up has MOOBS!!

It all went down in the comments section of Chalmers' latest IG post -- an innocent pic of a shirtless Mario announcing he's about to have a baby with his girlfriend, Paijey Baby. She's 7 and a half months preggo!

Barnes -- who played with Mario in Memphis in the 2015-16 season -- was one of the first to see it ... and decided to celebrate with a friendly body shaming zing.

"Congrats bro! I see you carrying the milk for her," the ex-NBA star wrote.

Barnes went on to hit Mario with a "jk" and some playful emojis.

FYI ... Mario's been steadily taking Ls of this nature throughout his career -- with even Barack Obama getting in on the act at the White House in 2014!!

Pearl Jam brought out a very special guest at their Chicago concert this weekend -- none other North Korea's #1 man Dennis Rodman ... who had some, uh, interesting things to say.

The former Bulls star made an appearance Saturday night at PJ's Wrigley Field set and told Chitowners he was thankful for their continued support while he unofficially lobbied for the U.S. with Kim Jong-un ... which unofficially resulted in an actual meeting recently.

Dennis told the crowd ... "You people here are the only people on this planet Earth [that] gave me support. Thank all you guys!" He continued with a promise to the Windy City, saying when he died ... he'd "make sure" to be buried in Chicago. The audience ate it up.

Eddie Vedder told him to put off his death for as long as possible. Well said.

The man who threatened to kill Adam Silver over an NBA roster spot just caught a huge break ... and he has the commish to thank for it.

27-year-old David Pyant was arrested and charged with aggravated harassment back in May after sending an email to Silver, saying "If you don't let me play, I'm going to come up there and kill you with my f*cking gun."

But, Pyant won't be serving any time for the threat, 'cause TMZ Sports has learned Silver simply did not want to move forward with the case ... and the charges were dropped.

It's a HUGE break for the guy ... he was facing up to a year in jail.