NBA

Shaquille O'Neal is opening up about his divorce with Shaunie O'Neal, not only taking blame for the split, but also acknowledging the loneliness that followed when his then-estranged wife and kids left their family home.

The 50-year-old Hall of Famer joined "The Pivot Podcast" with Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor this week ... and got real about the breakdown in his relationship.

"I had the perfect situation," Shaq plainly told the guys.

"Wife was finer than a mug. Kept giving me babies, still finer than a mug -- I had it all."

The hoops legend and Shaunie got married in 2002 -- in the midst of Shaq's dominant NBA reign -- and had four children together ... Shareef, Amirah, Shaqir and Me'arah.

Unfortunately, the two separated in 2007 ... before almost immediately reconciling. However, despite getting back together for some time, Shaunie filed for divorce in 2009, citing "irreconcilable differences."

The divorce was finalized in 2011.

And, Shaq isn't trying to place blame elsewhere ... he plainly says he was at fault.

"I don't make excuses. I know I messed up."

Shaquille last played in the NBA during the 2010-2011 season ... so he had a lot of free time on his hands, and he admits he was lonely.

"I was lost. 76,000 square-foot house by yourself. Lost."

O'Neal says his divorce from the "Basketball Wives" star and executive producer -- who's currently engaged to fiancée Keion Henderson -- is one of the three big regrets that continues to linger in his mind.

The other two ... the strained relationships he had with Kobe Bryant and Penny Hardaway.

"Big mistake in the Penny relationship. Big mistake in the Kobe relationship," Shaq said.

Kyrie Irving's middle fingers and potty mouth just cost him some serious coin ... the NBA announced it has fined the Nets superstar for flipping off Celtics fans as well as cussin' at some of them at Sunday's playoff game.

The NBA released a statement Tuesday saying the Nets guard has been docked $50K for "making obscene gestures on the playing court and directing profane language toward the spectator stands."

Of course, the gestures the league is referring to came when Irving flashed his middle fingers behind his head while standing in front of a group of Celtics fans who were trolling him.

The other incident occurred when Kyrie was walking in the hallway at TD Garden and a fan shouted, "Kyrie, you suck." Irving responded by yelling, "Suck my d*** bitch."

Unfortunately for Kyrie, this isn't the first time the NBA has come down on him. Earlier this year, KI was hit with a $25,000 fine after he clapped back at a fan in Cleveland who was giving him a hard time.

Irving's relationship with Celtics fans has been contentious ever since he left the team to sign with the Nets ... and Cs fans make sure to let him know they feel whenever he steps foot in TD Garden.

The Warriors aren't just chasing rings anymore -- they're going after the entire entertainment industry ... as the team is set to release K-pop star BamBam's new single, "Wheels Up" this week!!

The Dubs just launched Golden State Entertainment ... with the intent to tell stories via music and documentaries, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The team's first project with the new venture is to release the GOT7 rapper's new song ... which he performed during halftime of the Warriors game earlier this month.

Remember, BamBam -- the Warriors' global ambassador this season -- recently teamed up with the org. to release a special merch collab ... which was a big hit with the fans.

BamBam's love of the Warriors runs deep ... in fact, the GOT7 rapper was an integral part in securing Andrew Wiggins a spot in the NBA's All-Star Game ... by calling on his massive social media following (16 million Instagram followers) to vote for the 27-year-old.

GSE exec David Kelly explained the shift into entertainment ... saying, "When you think about what we already do, we create content."

"We do storytelling, and this is just another form of storytelling. It’s a new type of content that we’re well-positioned to create."

"The line between sports and entertainment, we think, is pretty thin," he added, "and we just feel that we’re in a position to step a little over that line and begin to create original content."

Vanessa Bryant is remembering her late husband, Kobe, on their wedding anniversary, posting a throwback photo of the two with a heartfelt message on what would've marked their 21st year as a married couple.

On Monday, Vanessa shared a photo on her Instagram of her and Kobe from their younger days, paying homage to the love the two shared over the years.

"I love you forever, baby. Happy Anniversary @KobeBryant #21" she captioned the pic.

The Bryant's were married on April 18, 2001 ... so this would've been 21 years Kobe and Vanessa celebrated their matrimony.

It's been over two years since Kobe (along with eight other people including his daughter) tragically died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, CA ... and Vanessa has been doing everything in her power to keep Mamba's name and legacy going.

She recently announced the longstanding partnership between Kobe and Nike -- which temporarily ended last year -- was repaired, paving the way for the release of the "Mambacita Sweet Sixteen" shoe under the Swoosh brand.

DJ Khaled better hit up Lil Baby (remember?) for some jump shot tips ASAP ... 'cause the rapper/producer hilariously airballed a 3-pointer during the Heat's playoff game on Sunday.

The "We The Best" star was on tap for the first game of Miami's 1st round series against the Hawks ... and decided to get in a "practice shot" during a break in the action.

In the video, you see Khaled take one dribble to gather his shot before launching a 3-pointer from the top of the key ... and, well, he misses everything.

In Khaled's defense, security was coming over to stop him from shooting, even going as far as to put a hand up to try and block the attempt.

So, the degree of difficulty was definitely there, but the airball wasn't even the funniest part ... 'cause security then booted the hip hop icon off the court in epic fashion.

Khaled, however, was a good sport about it all ... leaving the court and returning to his seat to enjoy the rest of the game.

On a recent episode of LeBron James' "The Shop," Khaled's close friend, Rick Ross, was asked what would happen if the two played one-on-one.

"I'd do em dirty," Ross said ... and judging from Khaled's airball, it's kind of hard not to agree with Rozay.

Kyrie Irving and Celtics fans are still beefin' ... the Nets star point guard gave double middle fingers behind his head to a group of fans who were heckling him during Sunday's game.

Celtics fans were all over Kyrie -- who spent two seasons with Boston before signing with the Nets -- trying to get him off his game ... and Kyrie seemingly had enough and responded.

In the short clip, you see Irving flip not one but two birdies behind his head as he stands along the baseline, waiting to receive the ball from the ref before inbounding the ball.

Of course, Irving's double bird drew a response from the crowd ... who was happy they finally got KI to respond.

After the game, Irving addressed the incident with the C's fans ... saying, "Where I'm from I'm used to all these antics and people being close nearby. It's nothing new when I come into this building what it's gone be like. But it's the same energy they have for me, I'm gonna have the same energy for them."

He continued ... "It's not every fan. I don't want to attack every Boston fan. When people start yelling p**** or bitch and f*** you and all this stuff, there's but so much you can take as competitor. We're the ones expected to be docile and be humble and take a humble approach. Nah, f*** that, it's the playoffs."

It's not the first time Kyrie's gotten into it with the Boston fans. You may recall, he compared C's fans to a "scorned girlfriend" after they chanted "Kyrie sucks" late in the fourth quarter of a game back in March.

"If somebody's going to call me out my name, I'm going to look them in they face and see if they bout it," Irving said on Sunday. "Most of the time they not."

And, it wasn't just the court where Kyrie was getting into it with the fans ... as he was walking to the locker room in the hallway, a fan can be heard saying "Kyrie you suck."

"Suck my d*** bitch," Irving quickly responded.

Despite the heated back-and-forth between Irving and C's nation ... Ky still dropped 39 points against a physical Boston defense.

Master P isn't giving up on his NBA coaching dreams just yet -- the rap legend tells TMZ Sports if Jeanie Buss hires him as the team's next head coach, he guarantees they'll win a championship.

Remember, P was campaigning to join the New Orleans Pelicans' staff last season ... even hiring an agent in an attempt to secure an interview.

The mogul didn't land the gig, but now that there's an open spot at the head of the Lakers' bench ... he wants owner, Jeanie Buss, to look his way.

"Bring me in, I can help get us some W's."

The rap icon said he's not used to seeing the Lakers like this -- having witnessed Hall of Fame players such as Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant win 5 titles during their careers.

P says he has a plan to get the Purple and Gold back on track ... and it starts with bringing in Shaquille O' Neal to be one of his assistants.

"They need some alpha males over there," P said. "Cant get nothing bigger than me. If you want to win, bring me in."

"I'll bring some hell of assistant coaches with me. Shaq, John Lucas. I don't know if Shaq wants to do that, but if he do, we can take over. I can't see another team like that."

P knows his hoop -- the guy almost made an NBA team back in the '90s ... and has experience coaching Bulls star DeMar DeRozan at the AAU level.

LeBron James is gonna be happy to hear this ...

Kenny "The Jet" Smith says he loves the idea of Mark Jackson becoming the Los Angeles Lakers' next head ... telling TMZ Sports he can lead the team to a championship.

The Lake Show just fired Frank Vogel after a horrendous 2021 season ... and there are reports the 4-time NBA champ favors the former Golden State Warriors head coach to take the reins.

We spoke with The Jet about the vacancy ... and he thinks landing Jackson would add trophies to the Lakers' already-stuffed case.

"Mark Jackson, he knows how to handle that kind of environment," Smith said at LAX this week ... pointing out the success he had with the Dubs before he was fired in 2014.

Remember, the Warriors went on to win three championships over the next 4 years after Jackson's ousting ... while coach went on to work as an analyst for ESPN.

"He put the Warriors in contention of what they are," Smith said. "The way they play, their style of play. Steph Curry owes a lot to his career, because before Mark got there, Steph Curry wouldn't even play in 4th quarters. We wouldn't think he was a great player, a great defender."

"Mark Jackson could coach the Lakers to a championship, for sure."

Paul George is out ... the Clippers star has entered the league's health & safety protocols and will miss tonight's game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

... a gigantic blow for the Clips.

Adrian Wojnarowski reports sources told him the L.A. forward will not play in his team's win-or-go game against the Pelicans.

It's unclear if PG tested positive for COVID or is just experiencing symptoms, but either way the 7x All-Star won't be seeing the court in the biggest game of the season.

George was already sidelined for a number of games for the Clippers this season ... as he was dealing with a torn ligament in his elbow.

However, since returning to the Clips lineup, the team has enjoyed some success with one of the game's premier two-way players back in the mix.

George averaged over 24.3 points per game, 6.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds despite only playing in 31 games for the Clippers this season.

The Clippers will have an uphill battle if they want to get past a tough New Orleans team ... and losing one of their best players certainly won't make it any easier.

Story developing ...

That was quick ...

The NBA took less than 24 hours to punish Miles Bridges for throwing his mouthpiece at a fan ... announcing Thursday it's fined the Charlotte Hornets star $50,000 for his outburst Wednesday night.

As we reported, Bridges chucked the mouthguard into the stands after he was ejected in the fourth quarter of the Hornets' blowout loss to the Hawks in Atlanta.

Bridges threw the mouthpiece in a fit of rage at a heckler following his removal from the game ... but he did apologize for it afterward.

Bridges added that he wanted to get in contact with the fan he hit ... and "do something nice for her."

"I was aiming for the guy that was screaming at me and it hit a little girl," Bridges said. "So that's definitely unacceptable on my part and I take full responsibility."

Lamar Odom says if the Lakers want to win a title next season, they need to hit up an old friend and hire the Zen Master himself -- Phil Jackson!!

Remember, last time TMZ Sports spoke with Odom about his beloved Purple & Gold, he thought they could still turn things around and win it all ... but unfortunately for his prediction, L.A. was eliminated from the playoffs last week.

Odom tells us the biggest reason for the Lakers' struggles this season is because the team didn't spend enough time playing together due to injuries to several key players.

"They needed more time," Odom said. "Anthony Davis missed damn near half the year. They just needed time together to bond, but they'll be back next year."

"It'll be LeBron's 20th year next year, so I look forward to see how that's going to go."

Odom -- who won back-to-back rings with the Lakers during his career -- believes the team should keep the guys currently on the roster ... but a new coach can help bring success back to the franchise.

"I think they need to keep the same core intact," Odom said. "Just taking new demands from somebody else. New coach. New direction from someone else.

"It's hard to coach LeBron this far along in his career because he's so advanced mentally."

Despite the daunting challenge of coaching LBJ, Odom tells us the one person who can handle it is Jackson ... who led the Lakers to 5 NBA titles in his career.

"Phil Jackson, I know can coach LeBron with the triangle offense," Odom said. "I think that would keep [LeBron] around a little longer. Preserve him a little longer."

"I would love for Phil Jackson to be the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers."

LO told us if the Lakers hired Phil [Jackson] as their next coach, they will win the NBA championship next season.

"If he was to come back and coach the Lakers, I think the Lakers would be the pick -- the fan-favorite."

There's more -- Lamar tells us he's officially making his way to the Metaverse via his very own "Baller Heads Club" NFT collection.

We're told members of the community will have the opportunity to win awesome rewards -- meet and greets with LO and other NBA players, signed gear ... and even three $5,000 scholarships will be given away as well.

Lamar says he saw it as an interesting way to give back -- with a percentage of earnings going to charity each month as well.

NBA baller Hassan Whiteside is letting go of his beachfront mansion -- complete with a home theater and rooftop deck -- and it comes with a $23 million price tag.

This pad is amazing -- it sits off the Biscayne Bay in sunny Miami, Florida ... and features 6 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, a gorgeous backyard pool, sleek kitchen with a gigantic fish tank and floor-to-ceiling windows.

It also comes with a movie theatre, full gym for workouts, a cabana bath, private terrace and a private dock ... as well as a rooftop deck, which is perfect for watching the sunset.

The crib is listed with Joe Azar from Compass for $23 milli -- $7.3 million more than Whiteside paid back in 2016.

The 2-time NBA block leader lived in the beach-style home while he played for the Miami Heat ... before he was traded to the Blazers in 2019.

After short stints with Portland and the Sacramento Kings, Whiteside signed a one-year deal with the Jazz in 2021. He is currently a free agent.

Charlotte Hornets star Miles Bridges was so furious after being ejected from a game Wednesday night -- he angrily chucked his mouthpiece into the stands, accidentally hitting a young girl near her face.

The wild moment happened in the fourth quarter of the Hornets' blowout loss to the Hawks in Atlanta -- just seconds after Bridges was tossed from the contest for arguing about a goaltending call.

The 24-year-old was pissed at the ref for blowing the whistle on him ... and he was so livid, his teammates and coaches had to usher him off the floor before things escalated.

But, as Bridges was on his way back to the locker room, an Atlanta fan appeared to taunt him -- which set the Hornets forward off.

Check out the video from the game's broadcast -- Bridges attempted to launch his mouthguard at the heckler ... but it missed, and hit a girl in the neck area.

The girl did not appear to be injured -- but she was clearly confused and perturbed.

After the game, Bridges calmed down and apologized for it all ... and said during his meeting with reporters that he was hoping to get in contact with the girl and "do something nice for her."

"I was aiming for the guy that was screaming at me and it hit a little girl," Bridges said. "So that's definitely unacceptable on my part and I take full responsibility."

"That's out of character for me," he added. "You've been around me -- I don't act like that or ever flash out like that. So, that was definitely wrong, a lot of emotions and hopefully, I can get in contact with the young girl and sincerely apologize to her and do something nice for her, but that's definitely on me."

The NBA is expected to hand down a punishment sooner than later -- and Bridges made it clear, he's going to accept whatever comes his way from league officials.

"I'm ready for any consequence that the NBA gives me," he said.

NBA pro Iman Shumpert and his singer-songwriter wife Teyana Taylor have put their house on the market, and they're angling for a $4 million buyer.

The 5-bed, 6-bath home in Studio City, CA is loaded with cool stuff, including the obligatory pool, movie theater, and even a waterfall. And the big bonus for dog-lovin' buyers ... a custom dog house!

The master bedroom has a massive walk-in closet and a meditation balcony that overlooks the Zen-themed yard.

This isn't the first time Iman and Teyana tried to unload the house -- the couple bought the property in 2018 for just under $3M, listed it for rent and tried to sell it 2 years later for $3.695M. They took it off the market and just relisted it.

We're told they're selling because they spend most of their time on the East Coast so no need for a big place in La La Land.

Sean 'Eitan' Constine of Nourmand and Associates Beverly Hills has the listing.

NBA legend Dennis Rodman was feeling extra generous outside a strip club in Florida this week ... pulling out a brick of 500 $1 bills and handing it to a woman with a disability -- and TMZ Sports has the touching video.

The 5-time champ was enjoying a night out at Molly Brown's in Daytona Beach, when he started chatting it up and joking with some fans for about 20 minutes out in the street.

But he wasn't just there to talk -- he decided to help out the woman in need by pulling out the cash and handing it over.

We're told the woman was overjoyed with the gesture ... thanking him and shaking his hand.

Dennis didn't stop there -- we're told he gave another $500 to a woman who witnessed the moment unfold.

In true Rodman fashion, the guy ended up throwing a party in the street -- dancing around and singing in front of his customized tour bus.

We're told Rodman couldn't have been nicer to all the fans who showed up ... and he even gave out custom t-shirts to everyone.

Lakers guard Wayne Ellington just got slapped with a $20,000 fine by the NBA ... after he threatened to put his "hands on" Facundo Campazzo following an incident between the two during a game over the weekend.

NBA exec Byron Spruell announced the fine on Wednesday afternoon ... reprimanding Ellington for his threatening tweet.

If you missed it, during the Lakers vs. Nuggets game on Sunday, Campazzo intentionally shoved Ellington in the back -- sending him crashing to the floor.

At the time, Campazzo was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game -- but Ellington clearly didn't think that penalty was enough ... 'cause he tweeted afterward he wanted some street justice.

"When I see you I’m putting my hands on you @facucampazzo," Ellington said.

In addition to fining Ellington for the tweet ... the NBA also said it's suspending Campazzo for one game without pay for the shove.