NBA

Bronny James has jumped over the biggest hurdle any man faces in a relationship -- he got his girlfriend's parents' approval ... with Salli Richardson and Dondre Whitfield telling TMZ Sports the Lakers hooper is good one!!

We caught up with the famous Hollywood couple/Parker Whitfield's mom and pops out at LAX this week ... and naturally, had to ask about their kid's romance with LeBron's oldest son.

While the two didn't spill on specifics, one thing's for sure -- they're Bronny fans.

If and when Shaquille O'Neal's Sacramento State men's basketball team faces off with Master P's University of New Orleans squad ... the NBA legend says he wants a whole lot more on the line than bragging rights.

During a chat with TMZ Sports this week, the Big Diesel -- who's the Hornets' general manager -- made it clear he's ready to "put whatever" on the line when it comes to CSUS vs. UNO.

"You tell Master P," O'Neal said, "when we do this game, if we're allowed to put a little wager on it, I'll put whatever."

Shaquille O'Neal says he's ready to take over Hollywood with TMZ ... offering to host an upcoming edition of the "TMZ After Dark" tour!

The NBA Hall of Famer told us he's ready to join up with fans of the show for a night of revelry ... as long as we do it up as big as the 7'1" inch celeb himself.

Shaq tells us he's down to hit the normal places our tour goes -- Scum & Villainy, Saddle Ranch, TomTom, Roosterfish or the like -- but, he wants the evening to end with a party of 100K strong ... all raging to DJ Diesel himself.

Marselles Brown appeared to instruct one of his family members to call his NBA star son, Jaylen Brown, just after he was placed into custody for allegedly stabbing a man during a parking lot dispute in Nevada last month.

Marselles' apparent request was captured on Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department video TMZ Sports has just obtained.

In the footage, right after Marselles had been told he was about to be hauled off to jail over allegations he tried to kill a youth football coach during a spat over a door ding -- the elder Brown seemingly told someone nearby to notify his son of what was happening.

Jerry Jones still has one very large Cowboys fan in his corner despite his shocking trade of Micah Parsons -- Shaquille O'Neal!!!

The Big Diesel told TMZ Sports this week he still has Jones' back ... this despite the Dallas owner jettisoning his favorite team's best player to Green Bay late last month.

In fact, Shaq jokingly threatened to get physical with our Michael Babcock for even remotely implying that Dallas supporters should turn on the Cowboys' boss.

While Malik Beasley is no longer a target of a federal gambling investigation, the NBA is doing its due diligence into the serious allegations involving the free agent guard.

The league told ESPN it is conducting its own probe into Beasley after a sports book detected unusual betting interest in his stats in January 2024.

While it's unclear how long the league has been looking into the 28-year-old ... the outlet cited a source that said the process is "believed to be in its final stages."

Two months after launching their relationship, Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson are once again stepping out in public ... this time at a star-studded Jay-Z event!

TMZ Sports has learned Klay, 35, and Meg, 30, plan to hit up Hov and billionaire Michael Rubin's REFORM Alliance Casino Gala at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City on Saturday, one of their few public cameos together.

Of course, the future Hall of Famer first got people talking about him and Meg on July 12 ... when he posted a pic kissing a woman whose back was to the camera. Fans speculated it was the rapper.

Shawn Kemp spent his last night before beginning home detention enjoying the sights and sounds of a Lil Wayne concert.

TMZ Sports has learned the former NBA superstar -- who was just ordered to 30 days of electronic home monitoring for firing a gun during a 2023 parking lot dispute -- hit Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Wednesday to get down at "The Carter VI" tour.

He didn't seem like a guy too concerned about the sentence he was getting set to serve -- as video we obtained showed him vibing to Weezy's tunes.

Steve Ballmer is adamantly denying the L.A. Clippers had a role in Kawhi Leonard's massive endorsement deal with Aspiration ... claiming the contract came months after the NBA superstar already agreed to an extension with the team.

The billionaire owner opened up on the recent bombshell report on ESPN on Thursday ... kicking things off by saying the Clippers have always abided by the league's salary cap circumvention rules, as it's "the right thing to do."

Ballmer then went into detail on his relationship with the now-bankrupt company ... saying the team was approached regarding a potential sponsorship deal, and he felt it was a "match made in heaven" based on its emphasis on carbon neutrality.

New year, new team, new endeavor for NBA hooper Jalen Green ... 'cause the Phoenix Suns guard is now an underwear model -- starring in a new campaign for Calvin Klein!!

The 23-year-old showed off the brand's Fall 2025 look in a commercial shoot ... which showed him walking around the city before ending up at a rooftop basketball court.

Considering this is CK we're talking about, it wasn't long before Green ditched his clothes and worked on his jumper in a pair of grey boxers.

Baron Davis is turning to one of his former NBA teammates to help him win a Mirrorball Trophy this year -- telling TMZ Sports he's getting dancing advice from none other than Iman Shumpert!

Just hours after it was revealed the former Golden State Warriors point guard would be on the newest season of "Dancing With The Stars" ... he told us he's already picking Shumpert's brain on how to two-step through the competition.

Shumpert, of course, won Season 30 of the show -- and Davis said Wednesday the guys have already FaceTimed to talk strategy. He added that "some note-taking" sessions are on the way as well.

5:20 PM PT -- The Los Angeles Clippers released a lengthy statement Wednesday evening addressing the allegations ... saying the idea Ballmer invested in Aspiration to "funnel money to Kawhi Leonard is absurd."

"Steve invested because Aspiration co-founders presented themselves as committed to doing right by their customers while protecting the environment."

The statement goes on to say that neither the team nor Steve had "any knowledge of improper activity by Aspiration" -- which was a team sponsor from the 2021 to the 2023 seasons before defaulting on their contract -- "or its co-founder until after the government initiated its investigation."

"There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team. Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of Kawhi’s independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say otherwise is flat-out wrong."

It closes with L.A. saying they "welcome" the league's investigation into Aspiration ... and will continue "to cooperate with law enforcement in its investigation into Aspiration's blatantly fraudulent activity."

12:53 PM PT -- The NBA just announced it is launching an investigation into the claims made in Pablo Torre's report.

Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers are under fire, accused of circumventing the NBA's salary cap with a huge, no-show endorsement deal ... but the team is firing back, calling BS on the allegations!

In the report from Pablo Torre -- who drew the ire of Jordon Hudson earlier this year -- Leonard is accused of signing a $28 million deal with a now bankrupt company, Aspiration, that was at least partially funded by the billionaire owner of the Clips, Steve Ballmer ... as a way around salary cap restrictions.

If true, that's obviously a huge no-no as far as NBA rules go.

Despite the lucrative deal, Torre says he was unable to find any instance where Kawhi worked with the tree planting company.

If you wanna smell "strong" and "smooth" like Shaquille O'Neal, now's your chance ... the NBA Hall of Famer just dropped a signature cologne!!

TMZ Sports has learned the fragrance launched on Wednesday ... and the legendary center has his fingerprints all over the final product, which is "all about presence."

"It’s strong, smooth, and leaves a mark, just like I aim to do in everything I take on. I wanted something luxurious but still within reach, and this is it," O'Neal said.

If Jaylen Brown has thoughts on his father's attempted murder case, he's opting to keep them to himself.

The NBA superstar was peppered on Tuesday with questions about his dad's Aug. 20 arrest while he was out at LAX ... but he declined to answer any of them.

It's, of course, entirely possible the Boston Celtics forward doesn't have an opinion on the matter, as TMZ Sports is told he and Marselles Brown are not close.

Zach Edey got a tongue lashing from a cop after he was busted for speeding earlier this year ... as newly released police video shows an officer chastised him for allegedly going over 100 MPH on a roadway.

The traffic stop took place on May 1 in Tippecanoe County, Indiana ... after Edey was accused of doing 101 in a 55.

Indiana State Police body cam footage shows almost immediately, the basketball player was berated by the cop for his lead foot.

Doris Burke is losing her spot on the NBA Finals broadcast team -- the famous TV talent is being replaced by former hooper/longtime commentator Tim Legler.

ABC/ESPN's decision was reported on Thursday ... which will end her historic run as the first woman to serve as a game analyst for a men's pro sports championship.

Instead of Burke, the networks will utilize the ex-NBA player to work alongside Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson.