NBA

Former Univ. of Kentucky men's basketball star Tyler Ulis was injured in a scary head-on crash this weekend ... but his dad says, thankfully, he is expected to make a full recovery.

James Ulis told the Lexington Herald-Leader on Monday that Tyler was driving from Detroit to Toledo on Saturday morning ... when a woman ran into Tyler while the two drivers were going roughly 70 MPH.

James said his son suffered a broken ankle in the crash as well as a cut on his leg and a scratch on his face ... but somehow avoided complete catastrophe.

"It was a tough one," James said, "but thank God he is alive."

James added that Tyler is expected to undergo surgery to repair his ankle on Wednesday .. but otherwise is "actually good considering what he went through."

Tyler's former coach with the Wildcats, John Calipari, tweeted his well-wishes to his ex-point guard following news of the accident ... saying, "We've been in touch, but let's send some prayers, #BBN. He's had some setbacks and fate has intervened a few different times."

"I'm here for you @tulis3 until the wheels fall off!!"

Tyler starred at UK for two seasons in 2014 and 2015, and earned consensus first-team All-American honors following the 2015 season. He went on to be picked by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft.

Shaquille O'Neal was a horrific teammate to rookies back in the day ... so says Gary Payton, who claims the Big Diesel used to pour his waste on guys who were using the bathroom.

Payton, who was Shaq's teammate for one year with the Lakers and then two years with the Heat in the 2000s, explained how the vile acts would go down during a recent interview with Vlad TV.

The Glove said Shaq would go to the bathroom in a bucket "for about a week" -- and then dump it on unsuspecting rookies who were in stalls.

"He would pour it on them," Payton said.

GP didn't identify which rookies were on the receiving end of the disgusting "prank" -- but he said he at least made an effort to get Shaq back for it all.

Payton explained he'd take the former NBA superstar's underwear from time to time, forcing him to "be free-ballin' all the time."

If you thought things couldn't get worse for the Los Angeles Lakers, here's proof they're still approaching rock bottom ... 'cause LeBron James is now firing back at fans for criticizing him mid-game -- appearing to tell them to "shut your ass up."

Bron and the Lakers were getting trounced by the Pelicans all Sunday night ... and Laker Nation was audibly disgusted by what they were seeing -- showering the team with boos throughout the game.

James took exception to one particular fan who apparently had some "advice" for the King ... prompting him to clap back as the game was still going on.

"Tell me one thing you know about basketball besides the ball going in," LeBron fired back at the guy ... much to the delight of the crowd nearby.

The video doesn't show how the fan reacted ... but LeBron went about the rest of his night, finishing with 32 points.

James' relationship with fans has been rocky recently -- remember, he had 2 Pacers fans escorted out for heckling him earlier this season.

But, LeBron wasn't the only Laker to respond to the fans trash-talking him on Sunday -- another fan captured a video of forward Trevor Ariza calling someone in the crowd a "bitch" repeatedly.

It appears the guy Ariza had been going back and forth with was ultimately kicked out of the game ... getting walked out by security shortly after the interaction.

Tension and frustration were understandably high -- the Lakers have looked lifeless coming out of the All-Star break ... dropping their first two games to the Clippers and Pels.

Even Lakers GM Jeanie Buss needed a break from watching her team ... as video circulated on social media of her leaving her seat as the team was down big, 78-53.

The Lakers ended up losing to the Pelicans, 123-95, dropping them to 27-33 on the season with just 22 games remaining.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams is so passionate about winning a championship for the city ... he's willing to lace up his kicks and showcase some of his hoops skills if he has to!!

Adams spoke with TMZ Sports briefly as he was heading into NBC studios at Rockefeller Center ... and our cameraman tried to see if the 110th mayor in the city's history would provide an update on Kyrie Irving's status for home games.

Irving -- who's only allowed to play in road games at the moment -- missed a significant amount of the Nets games this season ... as he was sidelined over his decision to remain unvaccinated.

Of course, most Nets fans had their fingers crossed after Adams took office ... hoping that the former NYPD officer-turned politician would change the mandate that prevents Irving from playing home games for the Nets, but allows his opponents to play.

Adams admitted recently the current vaccine mandate is "unfair" to Kyrie ... but said changing a rule that's already been set in motion would send "mixed messages."

"I am really, really, leery about sending the wrong message. Having the city close down again keeps me up at night," Adams told reporters at a conference.

Of course, Adams' comments were all in good fun -- after all, the Nets are probably better off.

The mayor has since changed his tune on COVID-19 from a few weeks ago ... announcing he has a plan to end New York City's vaccine mandate for indoor spaces like the Barclays Center -- which, of course, is great news for Nets fans.

Adams told reporters he "can't wait" to get rid of the mandate -- a far cry from his initial stance -- and changes could happen "in the next few weeks."

The Kid from Akron is getting his own museum in his hometown ... with the massive tribute coming to Ohio in 2023.

The LeBron James Family Foundation made the announcement on Friday via Instagram -- showing flicks of the 37-year-old standing in the soon-to-be exhibit.

"The story of King James will live on in Akron forever inside the one-and-only LeBron James Museum by Upper Deck Sports at House Three Thirty 👑."

The museum will be in the basement of the HFF -- a multi-use facility launched by the LBFF that offers financial health training, a sports complex, full-service dining and more for the community.

The exhibit will feature the journey of King James ... starting from the Springhill Apartments to becoming a 4-time NBA champion.

It will display his basketball awards at St. Vincent-St. Mary H.S., his "Decision" to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat, his return to Ohio and more recently, his time with his current team, the L.A. Lakers.

His many off-court ventures will be focused on as well -- including the I Promise School, involvement in growing the Blaze Pizza franchise and his acting career.

"We can’t wait to bring the story of the kid from Akron to life for all to see in 2023. 🤴🏾"

Hopefully, they left some space for his retirement and his Hall of Fame induction ... and maybe a few more trophies?!

The NBA continues to pay tribute to the late Terrence Clarke ... by gifting his mother an honorary Rising Star jersey from the 2022 All-Star Weekend.

Clarke's mom, Osmine, shared the news on Instagram ... saying she received her son's All-Star gear from Klutch Sports -- the agency TC signed with before his tragic death last April.

"Thanks 🙏🏾 to Klutch team for sending me T's jerseys," Osmine said, "I'm so sorry 😢 he wasn't able to showcase his talent before leaving us."

"Thanks again for all who made this possible a through STAR 🌟 looking over us love ❤️ you 5"

Clarke -- who played for the Kentucky Wildcats in 2020 -- passed away after a horrific car accident in Los Angeles on April 22 ... months before the 2021 NBA Draft.

The NBA has preserved the 6'8" guard's legacy ever since ... making him an honorary pick at the draft and bringing his family on stage to accept his draft hat.

The league also teamed up with the Celtics to renovate the Boston Centers for Youth & Families Vine St.'s basketball court ... where Clarke grew up playing hoops.

The court features his initials, Wildcats jersey #5 and his famous quote -- "I want to be that guy for everyone in the city."

Powerful moment before the Nuggets and Kings game Thursday -- the teams, including Ukrainian-born Sacramento center, Alex Len, locked arms in a show of solidarity as war rages on in Ukraine.

Len is 1 of 2 NBA players from Ukraine. Svi Mykhailiuk, a forward from the Toronto Raptors, is the other player.

The show of unity between the teams comes in the wake of Russia launching a violent military attack in Ukraine ... sparking international condemnation and concern over the situation on the ground in eastern Europe.

It's obviously been a very difficult time for Len ... and he clearly appreciated his teammates and the opposing players on the Nuggets for the gesture.

"Thank you to my Kings family and the Denver Nuggets for your solidarity and support of Ukraine tonight," Alex wrote on Instagram.

Len also shared a joint statement on social media with Mykhailiuk condemning the awful attacks perpetrated by the Russian military.

"Ukraine is a peaceful, sovereign state inhabited by people who want to decide their own destiny. We pray for our families, friends, relatives, and all the people who are in the territory of Ukraine."

"We hope for an end to this terrible war as soon as possible. "Dear fellow Ukrainians, Hold on! Our strength is in unity! We are with you!"

Alvin Gentry -- head coach of the Kings -- spoke with reporters before the game ... telling the media he had a team meeting with Len, and the coach asked for prayers for his loved ones.

"I just like for you guys to kinda keep him in your prayers and hopefully his family is going to remain safe."

Jaxson Hayes faced a judge in L.A. stemming from his July arrest on Thursday ... and the Pelicans center entered a no contest plea for a resisting arrest and false imprisonment charge, TMZ Sports has learned.

The 21-year-old former Texas star was facing 10 other charges ... but the judge dismissed them.

Hayes was arrested on July 28 after LAPD responded to a reported domestic incident at a home where Hayes was staying. When officers arrived, cops say Hayes refused to allow them inside ... and a scuffle ensued.

At least one police officer sustained an injury during the struggle.

While cops were fighting with the 6'10" player -- who was tased during the scuffle -- Hayes was heard telling officers he couldn't breathe (LAPD is currently conducting a "use of force" investigation to determine if appropriate force was used).

Although Hayes did not plead guilty, a no contest plea would still end up with a conviction on his record.

Each of the two charges carries up to 364 days in jail, a fine or both.

Winnie Harlow and Kyle Kuzma were either working on their MMA ground game or packing on the PDA on vacation this week ... and we're assuming it's the latter.

Harlow posted a steamy collection of hot shots to her IG on Thursday ... where the 27-year-old model is seen straddling her 26-year-old Wizards star boyfriend while laid out on the beach somewhere in paradise.

It was clearly a great All-Star break for Kuz and Harlow -- they also enjoyed a boat ride while on the long trip ... and you can see the hooper smiling as he holds a cigar and a handful of his lady.

The couple was definitely into each other -- a good sign that their reconciliation is going extremely well since their break up last August.

Remember, the two split right around the time Kuz was traded from the Lakers to D.C. ... but they got back together 5 months later.

As we previously reported, the two first became an item after Kuz slid into Harlow's DMs ... and they became one of the first quarantine couples to surface during the pandemic.

Paul George is opening up about his struggles in the NBA bubble ... saying he couldn't sleep for 2 WEEKS -- and it played a huge role in his performance on the court.

The Clippers forward joined former teammate Serge Ibaka on his "How Hungry Are You?" cooking show recently ... and detailed how mentally and physically taxing his time at the Disney World campus in Orlando was in 2020.

"A lot of it was just weighing on me," George told Ibaka. "For one, I wasn't sleeping. No lie, I probably went a good week and a half, 2 weeks of 0 sleep. I would lay in bed and my mind would be racing."

PG told Serge that his lack of sleep was so concerning, he tried using different solutions -- from taking naps to therapy to using sleeping gummies to remedy the problem.

Of course, George was pretty inconsistent throughout the 2020 NBA playoffs ... and he says it was extra tough on him because there was no way to escape.

Ultimately, Paul admits his sleep deprivation negatively affected his performance on the court ... but he's not making excuses for blowing a 3-1 series lead against the Denver Nuggets.

"I ain't gon' make no excuses on it ... he said. "We just blew it."

Kyle Rittenhouse intends to sue LeBron James ... after he says the NBA superstar defamed him during his murder trial late last year to his 50+ million fans on social media.

And, he's not just going after The King ... he also says he's going after President Joe Biden and Whoopi Goldberg, among others.

As you know, 19-year-old Rittenhouse was charged with 2 counts of homicide, 1 count of attempted homicide, in addition to other charges, for shooting 3 people -- 2 fatally -- at a protest in Kenosha, WI.

During his trial, Rittenhouse took the stand ... and became emotional when talking about the events of August 25, 2020.

But, not everyone was buying the tears. Most notably, LeBron, who sent out a tweet mocking Rittenhouse's breakdown to his millions of followers.

Now, Rittenhouse -- who was found not guilty on all charges -- is fighting back.

During a lengthy sit-down interview with Turning Point USA, Kyle said he was going after all the people who defamed him before and during his criminal trial.

KR obviously saw Bron's message, and now he intends to sue the hooper.

Of course, recently, Rittenhouse reacted to LeBron's tweet, saying he actually used to be a fan of LeBron but has since said, "F*** him!"

As for Biden, Rittenhouse says the U.S. prez called him a white supremacist ... so he too can expect "papers," as Kyle phrased it.

No one is safe from 50 Cent's trolling -- not even the NBA's G.O.A.T. -- 'cause the rapper came after Michael Jordan on Wednesday, clowning His Airness for his handsy embrace with Mary J. Blige over the weekend.

Fiddy just dropped the joke on his Instagram page ... poking fun at the way MJ held on to MJB while posing for a pic at the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday in Cleveland.

(BTW, Blige posted the photo to her Instagram page earlier this week. See below.)

50 zoomed in on Jordan's hand, which appeared to be creepin' close to the top of a butt cheek, and wrote, "MJ & MJB, he palmed the ball 🏀LOL"

The "In Da Club" rapper added a pic of a surprised Denzel Washington to make the ribbing extra spicy.

Longtime NBA referee Ken Mauer says he was forced out of the league ... after refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine due to religious reasons.

The 36-year NBA veteran joined Jason Whitlock on his show, "Fearless"... and revealed the reason he's been MIA from the hardwood this year is because of the league's vax mandate.

“I never thought that my faith in our Lord Jesus Christ would prevent me or stop me or get in the way of me refereeing NBA basketball games. That’s what’s happened,” Mauer said. “Not to just me, but other people.”

Mauer -- who was raised Catholic -- told the BlazeTV host that after doing his own research he has concerns about the jab -- explaining he believes aborted fetal tissue was used in the development of the vax.

The 66-year-old told Whitlock that as many as 17 referees initially opposed the vax mandate that the NBA included in the collective bargaining agreement before the season started.

FYI, there is currently no vaccine mandate for players.

Ken also said many of his colleagues didn't want to take the vaccine ... but ultimately felt forced to get jabbed because their livelihood and ability to provide for their family was at stake.

"There are many referees who were forced to because they have children, they have families, and they have bills to pay," Mauer said. "They’re scared and I’m not. I’m never going to take the vaccine."

Mauer expressed no regrets over his decision to remain unvaccinated ... and says he thinks it's a shame workers across the country are being bullied into getting the shot.

A super-rare Kobe Bryant card just netted a fortune in a private sale ... with TMZ Sports learning the piece sold for a staggering $2 MILLION!!

The card is a 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems piece -- and it's one of the rarest Black Mamba cards in existence.

It's numbered to 100, although only 10 of the emerald version were ever made, and with an 8.5 grade, it's still in ridiculously good condition.

Officials at PWCC Marketplace -- which brokered the sale -- tell us the historic sale went down last week ... saying it set an all-time record for a Kobe card.

"This is arguably Kobe's best card in existence," PWCC exec Jesse Craig said. "It's more desirable than even a Kobe Bryant rookie card or a Kobe Bryant autograph."

The front of the card features a still image of a young Bryant donning his #8 Lakers jersey ... and passing the basketball with flair.

The back of the card displays the Mamba with a focused look on his face ... and his stats from the '96-'97 season.

Craig tells us the card's design is also what makes it so valuable ... because it was one of the first-ever created in the "insert" style mold.

"These Precious Metal Gems variants are arguably the most desired insert card in the entire world," Craig said. "These set the tone for the insert market going forward."

No word on who the buyer is ... but something tells us they're pretty rich.

Mitchell Robinson's dad is missing ... and the New York Knicks center is asking everyone for help finding him.

Robinson -- who was drafted in the second round by the Knicks in 2018 -- expressed concern on social media ... saying his dad, Mitchell Robinson Jr., has been MIA since Feb 13.

"My dad is missing if you have info on his whereabouts please contact 850-436-9620," the number for the Escambia County Sheriff's Dept., Mitchell wrote.

Days later, Robinson once again took to social media ... pleading with the public to help him locate his father.

"Don't know a place the devil will hide you ... Come home pops," Robinson wrote on his Instagram story.

The Escambia County Sherriff's Office is aware of Robinson Jr.'s disappearance ... and reports that Robinson Jr. was actually last seen on Feb 11.

The sheriff's office is currently investigating the manner ... and shared a photo of Mitchell's dad, as well information surrounding his last whereabouts on its Facebook page.

Robinson has played in 53 games for the Knicks this season ... and has seen an increase in his productivity and efficiency across the board.

No All-Star Game selection (and no healthy elbow) for Paul George, clearly no problem ...

The Clippers forward was spotted living it up in St. Barts instead of healthily playing in the NBA's showcase this weekend ... being seen shirtless in the sun with his fiancee, Daniela Rajic.

George looked to have no issue whatsoever with being away from the trainer's room and the hardwood for a few days ... and Rajic, sporting a colorful one-piece, didn't seem to have too much issue with it either.

The couple has a few more days to burn in the Caribbean Sea too ... as George's Clippers don't return to action until Friday when they take on the Lakers.

George's teammates, meanwhile, are certainly hoping the vacay heals their star ... the guy started the season on fire but has been out the past few weeks with a serious elbow injury.