NBA

Well, THAT didn't take long.

Doc Rivers is back on an NBA bench just days after leaving the L.A. Clippers ... agreeing to become the next head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The longtime L.A. coach mutually parted ways with the Clips earlier this week ... after a disappointing exit from the playoffs.

Rivers addressed the exit in a statement, saying, "While I was able to accomplish most of my goals, I won't be able to see them all through. Though it was a disappointing ending to our season, you are right there and I know what this team is capable of accomplishing with your support."

Rivers made it clear he wasn't ready to hang up his tie just yet ... and while an official announcement has yet to be made, it's only a matter of time.

Rivers -- who has posted a 943-681 record as a head coach -- beat out huge names like Mike D'Antoni and Ty Lue for the gig ... and is taking on a team with a ton of talent.

The Sixers have been hoping to get back into the Finals for years ... and now they got a guy who has won it all.

The treasure trove of Kobe Bryant memorabilia found in an abandoned storage locker has been returned to the NBA star's family, TMZ Sports has learned.

We broke the story ... someone recently won an auction for an abandoned locker in L.A. -- like a scene out of "Storage Wars" -- which contained everything from Kobe Bryant shoes to jerseys and even a mink coat from a photoshoot.

In total, there were 35 pairs of shoes, jerseys, Lakers practice gear, a Lakers all-access badge that says, "Mamba," tax paperwork and more.

The buyer ended up selling the items to "Storage Wars" star Rene Nezhoda for roughly $13,000 ... and the original plan was to make a fortune on the open market.

But, we're told Vanessa Bryant learned about the auction and felt the items belonged with the Bryant family -- so her reps reached out to Rene before he put them up for sale in hopes of working out a deal.

We spoke with Rene who tells us, "Everything has been worked out. A number of personal items, worn items, and paperwork were sold directly back to the Bryant family."

Rene wouldn't tell us the sale price because of the terms of the agreement -- but sources close to the deal say it wasn't about turning a profit, it was about getting the items back to the family in a fair way.

Some of the best basketball players to ever live will be present for Game 1 of the NBA Finals ... but, of course, they won't actually *be* there due to COVID-19.

Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and more headline the insane list of NBA legends slated to be virtual fans for the Lakers vs. Heat on Wednesday ... tuning in to the game from the comfort of anywhere other than the Orlando bubble.

The list is full of players who have hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy in the past -- including Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Isiah Thomas, James Worthy, Julius Erving, Manu Ginobili, Robert Parish and more.

Seriously, there's a LOT of rings in the bunch.

On top of the champs in the crowd, there will be 40 first-time poll workers identified by LeBron James' "More Than A Vote" campaign!!

It won't be as electric as years past ... but heck, at least we have ball!!

Scottie Pippen is channeling his inner McKayla Maroney -- saying he's just "not impressed" with the Chicago Bulls new head coach.

FYI, the Bulls just signed Billy Donovan to a brand new 4-year, $24 million contract last week in the hopes Billy can finally help turn the franchise back into winners.

Speaking of winners, Pippen -- who won 6 'chips with the Bulls -- weighed in on the move during an interview with Forbes and man, he's not happy.

"If you’re looking at it from a fan perspective, I’m not impressed with what they did," Pippen said.

"I don’t think that they have made any dramatic changes that are going to change who they are as a team. That’s just my personal opinion. I like Billy Donovan as a person but I don’t think he’s proved anything in the NBA that proves he’s worth investing in and bringing a team up that needs help like Chicago does."

Remember, Donovan coached OKC with 2 MVPs -- Kevin Durant until 2016 and Russell Westbrook until 2019 -- and still came up short from winning the title.

Donovan was 243–157 during his 5 seasons in OKC -- and made the playoffs every year ... though he only advanced out of the 1st round one time.

Pippen says he just doesn't think Donovan has that certain X-factor that will help change the culture in Chicago.

"[The Bulls are] a team that has been struggling for a long time. To me, I don’t see the value he brings to them. He’s going to be a coach but there are a lot of them out there. He didn’t do anything special in OKC that warranted him a second opportunity. That’s just my opinion."

Also worth noting, Pippen used to work for the Bulls as an advisor -- but got fired from his gig back in 2019.

After the move, Pippen took a shot at the Bulls. -- saying, "It's probably a good thing, right? ... I like to associate myself with winning."

Mark Cuban is personally helping Delonte West get back on his feet ... with the Dallas Mavericks owner picking up the ex-NBA star at a gas station in Texas.

As we previously reported, the former Cleveland Cavaliers guard has fallen on tough times in recent years ... and was most recently seen holding a sign on the street in Dallas last week.

Sources connected to West's family tell us that Cuban -- who had been trying to reach DW on the phone for days -- finally got in contact with Delonte ... who agreed to meet the Mavs owner on Monday in Dallas.

We're told Cuban took West to a local hotel ... while his family formulates a game plan.

Our sources tell us West's circle of fam and friends have been trying desperately to get Delonte to go to rehab ... and he now seems open to the idea.

We're even told Cuban has offered to help cover Delonte's cost for treatment.

FYI, West played for Cuban's Dallas Mavs from 2011-2012.

As we previously reported, the NBA, the NBA Players Association, Doc Rivers, Jameer Nelson and others have tried to get Delonte help in the past.

We've reached out to Cuban and the Mavs for comment ... so far, no word back.

The governor of California has signed a new "Kobe Bryant Law" -- which makes it a crime for first responders to take unauthorized pictures of a dead person at an accident scene.

The measure -- which takes effect on January 1st -- was triggered by the aftermath of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash ... when 8 local deputies were accused of taking or sharing death pics for unofficial business.

In fact, at least one deputy was accused of using a Kobe death photo to try and pick up a woman at a bar.

But, on Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill which will make it a misdemeanor for a first responder to take or share pics from an accident or crime scene for any purpose outside official law enforcement or genuine public interest.

Kobe's widow, Vanessa Bryant, has already filed a lawsuit against the L.A. County Sheriff's Office over the alleged accident photo scandal. She's suing for negligence, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Doc Rivers is officially OUT as Los Angeles Clippers head coach ... after a quick exit from the NBA Playoffs.

58-year-old Rivers has coached the Clips since 2013 ... and after adding Kawhi Leonard and Paul George this last off-season, L.A. Clippers were favorites to win an NBA title.

Despite having a 3-1 lead on the Denver Nuggets, the Clippers were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Shortly after they were bounced from the playoffs, there were reports of turmoil within the team ... with PG allegedly feuding with his teammates.

Rivers addressed losing his job on social media, writing ... "Thank you Clipper Nation for allowing me to be your coach and for all your support in helping making this a winning franchise. When I took this job, my goals were to make this a winning basketball program, a free agent destination, and bring a championship to this organization."

"While I was able to accomplish most of my goals, I won't be able to see them all through. Though it was a disappointing ending to our season, you are right there and I know what this team is capable of accomplishing with your support."

"Thank you to all the players, coaches and staff for helping us get here. Most importantly, thank you to the fans. We went through a lot, and I am grateful for my time here."

Of course, Rivers -- who is 943-681 as a head coach -- won a ring with the Boston Celtics in 2008.

From "quarantine and chill" to victory kisses -- Miami Heat star Tyler Herro and GF Katya Elise Henry are going strong in the NBA bubble ... celebrating his huge win with some smooches on the court!!

It's been one helluva pandemic for the 20-year-old baller -- remember, the dude pulled up from DEEP and started flirting with the model on social media back in March.

Things got serious in no time ... and now they're one of the hottest young couples in sports.

Speaking of hot, Herro is coming off his best series of the playoffs against the Boston Celtics ... earning a career-high 37 points in Game 4.

As for KEH, she's been cheering for him from inside the bubble since earlier this month ... and was present for the Heat's series-clinching win on Sunday.

Next up, LeBron James and the Lakers ... and we take it Henry will be cheering her man on in the NBA Finals.

Best rookie year EVER?!

DJ Khaled went ballistic celebrating the Miami Heat's win over the Celtics on Sunday ... jumping and screaming like a mad man -- and the whole thing was caught on video!!!

The 44-year-old -- who's been a Heat fan for YEARS -- was catching the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals game in a living room somewhere ... when Miami pulled out the series win.

That's when Khaled went CRAZY ... grabbing his drink, woooooing like Ric Flair and hopping around like a little kid!!

Ya gotta watch the clip ... the dude is SUPER PUMPED for his favorite team -- and said of the victory afterward, "WE IN THE FINALS !!!!!!!!"

Khaled then gave an epic pump-up speech about his squad ... boasting about all their championships and saying straight-up the air conditioning in Miami's locker room "pours out greatness!!"

Of course, the celebration might be short-lived ... the Heat have a tough road ahead of it in the NBA Finals -- as LeBron James and Anthony Davis await.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley is in jail Sunday after being arrested for possession of a controlled substance and concealing stolen property.

Police showed up at Beasley's Plymouth home Saturday and took him into custody. We're told he's being held without bail and is waiting to go before a judge, which could take 24 hours.

The team issued a statement Sunday AM, saying, "We are aware of the situation involving Malik Beasley and are in the process of gathering information at this time."

The Timberwolves are holding a 3-week, voluntary camp in Minneapolis.

It's unclear what property was allegedly stolen, but one of the charges was reportedly marijuana possession ... this according to The Athletic. Seriously, how can that still be a thing in 2020?

With fans out of the stands for this season, these stars have been stuck watching the games from home ... Which means we've been missing out on some key NBA famous fan photos!

In the past stars such as Winnie Harlow, Jason Sudeikis, Adam DeVine, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have been caught in these mascot moments ... and now we're sparking up these memories just in time for the NBA finals.

Take a look through our gallery of celebrities with NBA mascots to see all the stars that have showed up to support their team on the court!

Travis Scott had permission from the GOAT to shoot visuals for his newest track ... getting a personal blessing from Michael Jordan to make it happen at his famous Illinois mansion!!!

Cactus Jack just dropped his new hit, "FRANCHISE," with Young Thug and M.I.A. this week ... and His Airness' Highland Park home is heavily featured in the music video.

TMZ Sports has learned ... 29-year-old Travis -- who takes pride in his creativity -- thought the NBA legend's $14.8 MILLION pad would be the perfect set for his vid ... so he hit up MJ to get his approval.

We're told the decision was a complete no-brainer ... with Jordan giving his thumbs-up "without hesitation."

The connection is pretty organic -- Travis has released several signature colorways for the Air Jordan 1, 4 and 6 sneakers via his lucrative deal with Nike ... and has been loyal to the Swoosh for years.

As for the video, the place is recognizable off the rip -- the "23" being displayed at the gate is a dead giveaway.

On top of that, the indoor court's "Jumpman" logo featuring MJ's kids' names is seen during the vid ... as well as the epic backyard with pool and putting greens.

And, good news for those who fell in love with the house from the video -- it's currently for sale!!

Talk about good advertising.

NBA legend Allen Iverson wants Giannis Antetokounmpo to pull a Kevin Durant and form a super team in the Bay Area ... saying he'd LOVE to see the Greek Freak join the Warriors!!!

There's been a TON of talk about Giannis' NBA future -- the 2-time MVP has one more year on his current contract ... and many have been wondering if his time as a Milwaukee Buck is coming to an end.

AI -- who Giannis just so happened to idolize growing up -- spoke about Antetokounmpo on Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson's "All The Smoke" podcast Thursday ... saying he LOVES the dude's game.

That's when Jackson pointed out he hopes Giannis gets the hell out of Milwaukee to join Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in Golden State ... and Iverson agreed.

"That's where I want him to go ... Golden State," Iverson said, adding, "I would love him to go there. That's where I want him to go."

"I want him to go to Golden State, man."

As for Giannis, he seems to be happy with his current situation with the Bucks ... but given how much he loved watching AI growing up, this may put the thought in the back of his head.

L.A. Lakers guard J.R. Smith is clapping back at Tory Lanez after getting DISSED on his latest album ... calling the artist a "clown" and a "lil ass boy."

A bit of a refresher -- the NBA vet was outspoken after Megan Thee Stallion accused Tory of shooting her in July ... saying, "This clown shoots a female and ya’ll listening to his music."

"TF Tory Lanez," J.R. added. "You a straight clown. Facts. And tell whoever to hit my line. It’s whatever.”

Fast forward to Thursday night ... when Tory addressed ALL accusations and negative comments made against him since the alleged incident -- including Smith's jab -- on his track, "Sorry, But I Had To..."

Here are the lyrics about Smith:

"J.R. Smith, it's the pot that piss ... And you the last cat that should talk about some shots that hit."

"'Cause your performance and percentage, player ... Rollin', ridin' benches, n***a, I'm from the trenches, n***a."

"You the type to buy a chick a eighty and ya still won't get a inch up in her."

Smith -- fresh off the Lakers' 114-108 win over the Denver Nuggets -- heard Tory's bars loud and clear ... and fired right back on his Instagram story.

"i got time today too! 🤣🤣," J.R. said. "bout to get real 🌶🌶"

There's more ... "He not even 30 stay in ya place lil ass boy."

"bust ya gun at a female you all types of 🤡"

FWIW -- 5'3" Tory also denies Meg's shooting claims ... but we know where Smith stands on that issue.

Charles Barkley called the idea of defunding and/or abolishing the police "crap" ... and the NBA legend is urging people who are pushing the message to "stop that."

Chuck delivered a speech on the matter on NBA on TNT Thursday ... bluntly saying the answer to police brutality and social injustice in America is NOT taking away money from cops.

"Who are Black people supposed to call, Ghostbusters, when we have crime in our neighborhoods?" Barkley said ... before adding, "We need to stop that defund or abolish the cops crap."

Instead, Barkley says the solution to the issues is police and prison reform.

"I hear these fools on TV talking about defund the police and things like that -- we need police reform and prison reform and things like that," the basketball Hall of Famer said.

"Because you know who ain't going to defund the cops? White neighborhoods and rich neighborhoods."

Barkley's take on social injustice issues didn't stop there ... he went on to comment on the Breonna Taylor case -- and said he doesn't believe it's in the same vein as what George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery went through.

"We do have to take into account that her boyfriend did shoot at the cops and shot a cop," Barkley said of Taylor.

"So, like I said, even though I'm really sorry she lost her life, I don't think that we can just say we can put this in the same situation with George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. I just don't believe that."

For his co-hosts' part on the show ... Shaquille O'Neal backed Barkley, saying, "I have to agree with Charles, this one is sort of lumped in."

NBA superstar Joel Embiid and model girlfriend Anne de Paula just welcomed their first child together ... making the surprise announcement Thursday!!

The news comes as a shock to many who didn't even know the couple was expecting ... but the new parents decided to go public as their baby boy, Arthur Elijah de Paula Embiid, made his big arrival this week.

The name is important to the Embiid family -- Joel's younger brother, Arthur, died at age 13 in 2014.

"We are so blessed and fortunate to welcome our little boy in this family," the Sixers center said on Instagram.

And, in true Embiid fashion ... daddy had jokes.

"First of 11 or more? Trying to convince her but I’m not winning so far. I’m just trying to build a soccer team but for real I’m so excited for the future and my life has a new meaning."

"Kudos to @annedepaula_ for being so strong and giving me the Greatest Gift our life can offer #GodisGood"

Embiid and de Paula have been together since 2018 ... and this is their first child together.