NBA

Kyrie Irving took time out of a pre-game speech Wednesday to demand Joe Biden get Brittney Griner home ... saying straight up, "Do your job!"

The Nets star made the call-out just seconds before Brooklyn took on the New Orleans Pelicans ... right in the middle of the Barclays Center court.

The 30-year-old grabbed the mic, and urged fans to cheer his team and his teammates on ... before he turned the conversation to Griner and the U.S. President.

"I appreciate us being able to share this floor together, all of us as brothers," the point guard said, "but the big picture that's going in the world is free our sister, Brittney Griner, please!"

"POTUS, do your job!" he added. "Everybody do your job! Please bring our sister home."

Griner has been incarcerated in Russia since February ... after authorities accused her of bringing hashish oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport.

Biden has said repeatedly he's working hard to bring her home -- and U.S. officials have said they've made a substantial offer to Russia to get her out.

Griner's wife, Cherelle, said earlier this week on the basketball player's birthday that she appreciated the President's efforts.

Others around the NBA also used their season-opening platforms this week to raise awareness for Griner's situation ... with Steph Curry saying at the Warriors ring ceremony Tuesday that he didn't want anyone to forget about her.

Paul Pierce continues to be the butt of the joke after his viral raunchy twerking party last year -- his friends trolled him by getting a birthday cake with a picture from the infamous Instagram Live session ... and it's hilarious!!

Pierce, who celebrated his 45th birthday last Thursday, posted a picture of the cake on Twitter ... which poked fun at his NSFW gathering that led to his exit from ESPN.

On the cake is a pic of Paul -- who looks mesmerized -- pictured next to a scantily clad woman with the words, "Monica come through," and "Happy Birthday Habibi."

"My boys got me this cake fa my bday they play to much," Pierce said on Twitter ... seemingly accepting the friendly jab.

Remember ... the former Celtics superstar posted a video on Instagram showing him having a good time as scantily-clad women twerked on the floor behind him.

Pierce was fired from his ESPN job just days later.

Paul didn't seem too phased by his firing at the time ... posting a video of him smiling and laughing, saying, "Big Things coming soon stay tuned make sure u smile."

Shoutout to Paul for being a good sport about it all.

Kevin Durant is fed up with how hoop fans are treating Russell Westbrook ... saying it's completely fair to criticize players for poor performances -- but people are taking it to an unnecessary level with his old teammate.

You've seen the memes and clips -- Brodie's game has been under the microscope ever since he played his first game for the Lakers in 2021 ... with folks highlighting his miscues on social media and cracking jokes.

KD -- who played alongside Russ in Oklahoma City -- says he's seen all the posts and is clearly annoyed with how the 2017 MVP is being treated ... and thinks NBA fandom is getting to "toxic" levels.

"I understand there's certain points where you don't play well," KD said on "The Etcs" with Boardroom. "And, you are open to criticism when you don't play well. We get that."

"But, it's like now, you make him the butt of your jokes now. It's going to a point to where it's like, alright, I get the criticism for what he did that night, but now it's starting to reach a different level of some s*** that I don't understand right now."

Durant says fans are being extra hard on Westbrook because he's now on a huge market team and playing alongside the most famous NBA player in the past 30 years ... which has a big impact on how he's evaluated.

Despite all the talk, KD is pulling for Brodie ... saying he hopes he sticks to his game, blocks out the haters, and proves everybody wrong -- with one exception.

"When we play [the Lakers], I hope they play s****y," he joked.

Durant adds he thinks current NBA fans are overall being more negative than usual ... saying, "I hate how they talk. The dialogue around our game is so toxic at this point. I get criticism, but it's starting to turn into something else right now."

Steph Curry was so pumped for his bro-in-law's game-winner on Wednesday night ... he woke up everyone in his house -- and nearly everyone in his neighborhood, too!!

Curry spent part of his off-night from the NBA watching the Suns vs. Mavericks ... and when Damion Lee -- his former Warriors teammate and the husband of his sister, Sydel -- sank an improbable shot to give Phoenix the dub, he absolutely lost his mind.

The 4-time NBA champ and Golden State superstar let out a guttural yell ... before claiming he didn't mind that he was bothering his sleeping kids.

"Come on!!!!" he screamed as his wife, Ayesha, sat on the couch behind him. "Yeah, Dame! Stick with it! Stick with it! Stick with it!"

"The kids are asleep," he added. "I don't care! Stick with it!"

In the background, Curry's youngest child, Canon, could be heard crying -- but it still didn't stop Steph from praising Lee.

The two are obviously super close -- and have been officially family since 2018 ... when Lee married Sydel.

James Bouknight was unconscious for an hour before cops were finally able to wake up the Charlotte Hornets guard ... but the ordeal didn't end there, 'cause law enforcement says the hooper refused to get out of his Mercedes and even crashed into two squad cars before finally being placed under arrest for DWI.

The details of the arrest are all spelled out in court docs ... and it's clear cops had a helluva time waking up the former UConn star. Police say they tried numerous tactics for about an hour, including using a PA system and an air horn.

Once he finally came to, cops say the 22-year-old refused to get out of his car for several minutes, and instead sat in his driver's seat, eating.

As TMZ Sports previously reported, while asleep, Bouknight had a Glock 23 handgun in his lap. The weapon was visible in a photograph obtained and posted by us.

Police say James moved his car forward, hitting a cop car in front of him, before reversing and hitting another squad car behind him.

Finally, cops say Bouknight complied and exited the car, where he was arrested.

The docs say Bouknight claimed he took four shots of tequila before driving home early Sunday morning. He later took a breathalyzer and blew a .14. The limit in North Carolina is .08.

JB apologized for the arrest on Tuesday, saying ... “Honestly, I just wanted to apologize for being a distraction before the start of the season, for my teammates and for what we’ve got going on.”

Stephen Curry took a moment to honor Brittney Griner during the Golden State Warriors' championship ring ceremony on Opening Night -- wishing the hooper a happy 32nd birthday and supporting the efforts to bring her home.

"We want to continue to use our platform and the opportunity to shoutout a very special member of the basketball community -- Brittney Griner's birthday is today," Curry said before the Warriors hung their fourth banner in eight years.

"She's 32 years old. We want to continue to let her name be known. And, we pray that ... it's been 243 days since she's been wrongfully incarcerated in Russia. We hope that she comes home soon and everybody's doing their part to get her home."

Griner, who's been in custody in Russia since February, briefly thanked her supporters during what should have been a special day ... saying in a statement, "Thank you everyone for fighting so hard to get me home."

"All the support and love are definitely helping me."

As for the Warriors, their rings (made by Jason of Beverly Hills) are incredible -- they feature 16 carats of yellow and white diamonds set in yellow gold to represent their 16 wins in the playoffs.

It's the first championship ring to be made up of mostly yellow diamonds -- in honor of the team's "golden age."

They also have a special secret compartment ... which reveals the number of trophies each player has individually won over the course of their career.

There are seven carats of yellow cushion cut diamonds on the bezel to mark the team's total championships in franchise history ... and 43 baguettes in the bridge of the logo on top for Curry's 43-point performance in the Finals.

Charlotte Hornets hooper James Bouknight lay passed out in his Mercedes-Benz AMG GT with a bag of Doritos and a Glock handgun in his lap before he was arrested for DWI ... a photo obtained by TMZ Sports appears to show.

The 22-year-old former 11th overall pick (2021) was arrested around 2 AM early Sunday morning in a parking deck in Mecklenburg County, NC for driving while intoxicated.

It's a bit misleading, 'cause Bouknight wasn't actually moving at the time of the arrest ... he was allegedly conked out in the driver's seat of his $100K Benz, blocking access to the garage.

Witnesses tell us security attempted to wake up James, but despite repeatedly pounding on the window, they couldn't get his attention.

When they looked through the car's windshield (the tint made it difficult to see through the other windows), security saw a weapon on James' lap -- a .40 caliber Glock 23.

That's when security called the cops ... who responded and were ultimately able to wake up the 6'4" guard and place him under arrest.

Bouknight was booked, before being released on $2,500 bond.

He was NOT charged with any crime relating to the gun ... North Carolina doesn't require a permit to open carry a weapon.

Draymond Green says he did not pay attention to the chaos that ensued after TMZ Sports posted video of his practice attack on Jordan Poole ... admitting he has no idea how much it "blew up" because he doesn't spend time on the Internet.

The Golden State Warriors star detailed what exactly went down on Friday, October 7 -- the morning we published the violent altercation -- and he says he wasn't scrolling through the thousands of tweets and Instagram posts reacting to the video.

"I don't really read many tweets at all," Green said on NBA on TNT. "And, so I was just chilling at home with my children. If you want me to be honest with you, I still don't know how much the world may think it blew up."

Green makes it clear he never cared for anyone's opinion ... and the aftermath of the Poole altercation didn't change that.

Green says he received some solid advice following the incident ... adding he was told to "look at all the upsides."

"Like, the world has seen one of your worst moments," he says. "Look at the upside and I can live with that."

As we previously reported, Green spent a few days away from the team as a result of the incident ... and was fined, but not suspended.

James Harden didn't break out the razor for his face, shirt OR his shoes for the 76ers' opening night ... leaving the fuzz on all three for Philly's much-anticipated first game of the year!!

The superstar point guard showed off the furry 'fit on his way into TD Garden ahead of the Sixers' game against the Celtics ... lookin' both comfy and swaggy.

He had on some tan slippers, a purple sweater, some pajama-like bottoms ... and he topped it all off with a sweet Louis Vuitton bag.

Of course, he left on his signature beard as well -- and, as he entered the arena, he didn't say anything to reporters ... looking locked in.

Harden has been known to take risks with his pregame looks -- he is, after all, VERY involved in the fashion world ... but this is a next-level look for even him.

P.J. Tucker, meanwhile, also strolled into Boston with an outlandish look ... sportin' some hot-pink shoes, pants and jacket.

Lamar Odom says he had nothing to do with the post on his personal Facebook page about missing Khloe Kardashian ... 'cause as it turns out, he hasn't had access to that social media account in YEARS.

A recent update on the ex-Lakers superstar's verified page made rounds this week ... with many assuming the 42-year-old was publicly expressing his prolonged feelings for his ex-wife.

"Missing my best friend #memories for life," the post read alongside a throwback pic of the couple cuddled up together.

The account also went on to defend the post ... saying, "Didn't know we not allowed to miss someone regardless if mistakes were made. I'm human just like everyone else but I get it I let people down and I will pay for it forever and that's okay too."

Lamar's current rep, Gina Rodriguez, tells TMZ Sports an old manager is actually behind the Khloe posts ... as well as anything else popping up on his page.

As we previously reported, Lamar fought like hell to regain access to his socials after cutting ties with his old management ... but his Facebook is the last one he still hasn't gotten back.

Klay Thompson clearly isn't a fan of Ronnie 2K -- and he proved that by going after the video game influencer and straight-up calling the guy a "clown."

The face of the NBA 2K franchise made an appearance on ESPN on Monday ... where he said players who want a better skill rating need to play better and stop bribing him with shoes and other perks.

Klay -- who's publicly had an axe to grind with 2K recently -- went after Ronnie in the comment section of the video clip ... saying, "Y'all really interviewed this clown?" Klay wrote.

This isn't the first time Klay has gone after Ronnie -- real name Ronnie Singh -- and the popular franchise ... the 4-time champ eviscerated 2K the over his 88 three-point rating earlier this year.

The Warriors superstar shared a screenshot on his Instagram story when the ratings were released ... writing, "NBA 2K has been doo doo since SEGA Dreamcast NBA 2K."

Klay also posted an image showing him and Steph as the two players with the most 3-point field goals made in history, adding, "Put some respect on my name you bums @NBA2K."

For good measure ... KT said Madden was better than 2K.

Charlotte Hornets guard James Bouknight was arrested for allegedly driving while impaired early Sunday morning ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

The 6'4", 160-pounder was booked around 1:51 AM, according to the Mecklenburg Sheriff's Office in North Carolina. His bond was listed at $2,500.

Bouknight was a star for the UConn Huskies before going 11th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

He averaged 4.6 points in 31 games in his rookie campaign ... including a 24-point performance against the Sacramento Kings.

Bouknight's arrest adds to a hellish offseason for the Hornets ... after star Miles Bridges was accused of abusing his girlfriend in front of their children. Former Charlotte forward Montrezl Harrell -- who recently signed with the Philadelphia 76ers -- was also busted for having marijuana in his car.

The Hornets released a statement ... saying, "We are aware of the incident involving James Bouknight and are in the process of gathering additional information."

"We will have no further comment at this time."

Story developing ...

The Boston Celtics came up with a special way to honor Bill Russell this season ... with the late Hall of Famer getting a tribute on the team's alternate jersey.

The Cs made the announcement on Monday via IG with photos of Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Grant Williams rockin' the new gear -- and they're pretty dope.

The jerseys are dark green, black, and gold featuring 11 gold diamonds on the sides ... to symbolize the number of NBA championships Russell had won during his career.

There's also another set of 11 gold diamonds surrounding Russell's No. 6 jersey number on the waistband ... and the new scripted Celtics wordmark was inspired by Slade’s Bar & Grill, a spot that was owned by Russell in the 1960s.

The Celtics also shared a tribute video of the jersey release ... showing throwback highlights of Russell and what he meant not only to the NBA but to the world.

"Paying homage to a true champion," Celtics said in the caption, "and the Gold Standard of what it means to be a Celtic ☘️."

FYI, Russell -- who played center for the C's from 1956 to 1969 -- helped design the city edition unis with the team before he passed this July at the age of 88.

The Celtics will wear the tribute gear 11 times this year -- another homage to his title wins -- and will start with their season opener against the 76ers on Tuesday.

Draymond Green wants to keep it professional, and Jordan Poole says he'll do just that -- telling reporters his teammate apologized for punching him during practice ... and now his focus is on winning another championship.

Poole -- who just inked a 4-year, $140 million extension with the Warriors -- spoke with the media for the first time since the violent altercation ... and said he's looking to move past the whole ordeal.

“He apologized," Poole said ... calling their interaction "professional."

"We're here to play basketball and everybody in the locker room and on the team knows what it takes to win a championship, and we're gonna do that on the court."

Poole says the two will handle themselves in a professional manner moving forward ... adding, "We're here to win a championship and keep hanging banners."

As we previously reported, Green seemed indifferent about his personal relationship with Poole after the incident ... saying it's up to Jordan if he wants to repair their friendship.

"As far as us moving forward, Jordan's a professional, I'm a professional," Green said last week. "We have a job to do."

While Poole didn't blatantly take a shot at Green, his statement seemed cold ... leaving it fair to assume the guys aren't grabbing a beer together anytime soon.

Of course, we're told the practice altercation went down after Poole got cocky over his contract negotiations ... but Warriors players adamantly deny any change in his attitude leading up to the punch.

Now that Poole got paid, it leaves a big question mark on Draymond's future with the team ... especially since he didn't get an extension of his own.

Sonny Vacccaro -- the shoe brand industry legend -- tells TMZ Sports he's absolutely fired up for his upcoming biopic ... explaining he loves that Matt Damon is playing him in the movie!!!

"This is the best thing that I could have ever imagined," the 83-year-old said. "And it's bigger because I never imagined it could happen. It's off the charts. It's off the charts."

Damon and Ben Affleck have teamed up to make the movie about Vaccaro's life -- with Affleck set to play famed Nike honcho Phil Knight in the flick.

Producers promise the movie will tell the story of how Vaccaro and Knight relentlessly pursued Michael Jordan to sign a shoe deal with Nike back in the 1980s. Filming officially kicked off this summer.

Further details surrounding the script haven't been made public yet -- and while Vaccaro himself is unsure of the minutia of the movie, he's pumped for it nonetheless.

"I can't explain," Vaccaro said. "I'm 83 years old. It was complete surprise to me. It's an unbelievable honor and I believe in what they're going to do is going to be the truth on the film."

Vaccaro says he and his wife, Pam, were actually invited to the set recently, and they had a blast. He tells us us they got to meet with Damon while there, and told him they share a funny connection with Jason Bourne.

Vaccaro also told us he was blown away when he saw the entire cast -- explaining, "It's like 'Gone With The Wind' or something. I mean, my God, there are no guys that the world's not going to know."

Dikembe Mutombo has been diagnosed with a brain tumor ... and the 56-year-old Hall of Famer is receiving treatment in Atlanta, the NBA announced Saturday.

“NBA Global Ambassador and Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. He is receiving the best care possible from a collaborative team of specialists in Atlanta and is in great spirits as he begins treatment."

The statement continued ... "Dikembe and his family ask for privacy during this time so they can focus on his care. They are grateful for your prayers and good wishes.”

The family has not released any further information.

Mutombo played 18 seasons in the league ... spending mostly with the Nuggets, Rockets and Hawks. He also played with the Knicks and Nets in shorter stints. Dikembe was a 4x Defensive Player of the Year and made 8 All-Star teams.

Dikembe was inducted into the Naismith Basketball HOF in 2015.

Aside from being one of the most dominant defensive players in NBA history, Dikembe is one of the most philanthropic athletes of his generation.

Mutombo has opened hospitals and schools in Africa, and even welcomed U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken to the Congo this summer.