NBA

Steph Curry's leaving no doubt ... he's the greatest three-point shooter of all time -- gender be damned.

The Golden State Warriors sharpshooter faced off with WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu for a head-to-head three-point contest during NBA All-Star Game weekend ... going shot for shot beyond the arc.

SC won the contest 29-26, but that's no knock on SI's performance ... 'cause her 26 points tied Damian Lillard's number from the NBA three-point contest that took place earlier in the evening -- and, he won the whole dang thing.

BTW ... Sabrina backed up and shot from NBA three-point distance, adding about a foot and a half to where she normally shoots for the New York Liberty. She did use the slightly smaller WNBA ball to shoot.

Curry's an expert on three-pointers ... he's a two-time winner of the NBA contest -- on top of holding the record for most career threes made.

After the contest, the two competitors were incredibly complimentary of each other. Steph said Sabrina's presence at the event would inspire a whole lotta kids to keep chasing basketball dreams while Sabrina applauded Steph for showing her respect by competing against her.

That doesn't mean there wasn't a little gamesmanship before the contest ... with Sabrina telling reporters Steph was talkin' some trash during a practice round before the event.

The Splash Bro reigns supreme ... but Sabrina also said she's jonesing for a rematch. FWIW, next year's All-Star Game is being hosted by the Warriors.

Some amazing Kobe Bryant items are looking for a new owner -- including a Draft Day ticket and gold-painted handprints -- and they're all going to go to the highest bidder at auction!!

The two rare pieces are a part of Goldin's "Iconic Collection Honoring Life & Career of Kobe Bryant" ... and the stub stands out, as it sparked the very beginning of Mamba's Hall of Fame career.

The Continental Airlines Arena ticket has the event date (6/26/96) etched on it ... as well as the customized NBA Draft in New Jersey logo.

Of course, the 1996 draft is considered one of the most talented in NBA history ... featuring Bryant (the 13th overall pick), Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Jermaine O'Neal, Derek Fisher and more -- so the original owner certainly saw a fair share of future greats.

Another cool item is the 33x25-inch framed clay handprints Kobe made during a tour of Paris in 2017 ... which were covered in gold paint as part of a project for French artist Sacha Schwarz.

There's also a photo to match the moment Bean put his paws in the molding to provide authentication.

We're told both items are estimated to sell in the thousands ... in fact, the gold-plated hands are expected to go for $20k!!

There are other great pieces as well -- things like game-used jerseys and unique trading cards.

NBA Slam Dunk champion Mac McClung says he has two opportunities to do something truly historic this weekend ... telling TMZ Sports he's ready to reveal a pair of moves that have never been done before!!

The G League star -- who wowed the entire basketball world with his top performance in 2023 -- peeled back the curtain on this year's contest ... and it sounds like fans can expect nothing short of fireworks.

"I think I have three dunks that haven't been done in a contest before, but I think two of them haven't been done by anybody before," McClung said. "So I hope I can make them -- if I make them, I'll be happy and I do them right."

"But we put a lot of effort into it and hope it goes well."

Mac -- who currently plays for the Osceola Magic -- says there are about six different dunks he's got ready to go ... and the only real issue is figuring out which ones he'll pick.

But it's not just the dunks that have him excited -- he hinted there could be some cameo appearances featured in his routine as well.

McClung is going up against some fellow high-flying athletes -- Jaylen Brown, Jaime Jaquez and Jacob Toppin -- and he admitted he'll be just like the fans as he watches them perform.

There will be a lot more than a shiny trophy on the line for McClung -- the hooper recently partnered with hi-tech insoles company, VKTRY ... and if he repeats as champion, he's giving out $ 500k worth of product to a number of lucky fans who register for the giveaway.

McClung raved about the insoles ... claiming they give him a big advantage on the court.

Dude better be careful, or he's gonna need a helmet when his head hits the roof.

You won't see Josh Hart anywhere near the NBA All-Star festivities this weekend ... 'cause the Knicks guard absolutely HATES the host city -- essentially calling the entire state of Indiana a dump.

All 30 teams' biggest names are flocking to Indianapolis for the event ... but Hart made it clear he's skipping out on hanging with his NBA buddies to avoid spending any unnecessary time in the Hoosier State.

"Hell no, I'm not going to Indianapolis," Hart said on his "Roommates Show" podcast with Jalen Brunson and guest Mikal Bridges. "If I don't have to play the Indiana Pacers, I'm not stepping foot in that state."

"I do not want to be in Indiana for any All-Star break, anything. I'm not an Indiana guy. I don't want to be there [when I play against the Pacers]. I'm not an Indiana fan."

Hart continued to pile on the state ... evoking Joakim Noah's infamous rant about Cleveland in the process.

"What's good about Indiana?" he added ... admitting there are actually two positives that come to mind -- a White Castle and a local bakery.

"If not those two things ... Indiana, bottom of the barrel."

Kevin Durant is now a certified hyphenate celeb -- athlete-rapper, that is -- and the title comes courtesy of his collab with Stalley on a track called “Scared Money.”

Stalley tells TMZ Hip Hop ... he and KD shot the video a couple of weeks ago in NYC … a full circle moment after recording the track last summer.

KD was feeling ambitious and asked Stalley to send him a beat, and their mutual friend Travonne Edwards suggested the boom-bap instrumental that became “Scared Money.”

Stalley says the collab came organically … KD sent over his verse faster than some of the full-time rappers he’s worked with in the past!!!

The track will live on Stalley’s upcoming album “Peerless” which drops in March.

He has a show on Friday in Cincy but will have to wait to perform it live with KD -- the Phoenix Suns star will be in Indy this weekend as a starter for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.

P.J. Tucker's straight-up not having a good time in L.A. ... and somehow, it's gotten worse -- the Clippers forward was just fined a whopping $75,000 for publicly saying he wanted to be traded earlier this month.

Tucker -- who was part of the James Harden deal with the 76ers back in October -- has grown more and more upset with his current team in recent months ... having only played in 12 matchups for the Clips.

It got to the point where Tucker told the media he was ready to pack up his shoe collection and leave town for a new squad ... saying he had his "fingers crossed" he'd get either traded or bought out.

"I want to be somewhere where I’m needed, wanted and can do it all," Tucker told Andscape last week.

The league got wind of Tucker's comments ... sharing a statement on the hefty punishment just minutes ago.

"The NBA announced today that LA Clippers forward P.J. Tucker has been fined $75,000 by the NBA for public comments reported during the week of February 5 expressing a desire to be traded to another team," the Association said.

Ty Lue has opened up about Tucker in the past ... saying he understands the athlete wants to compete, but hopes he can still have a positive impact on the team.

Tucker wasn't traded prior to the trade deadline ... and he will be away from the Clippers until after the All-Star break.

Pause, shmause -- Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan spent the most romantic night of the year together on Wednesday ... enjoying a Valentine's Day dinner fresh off putting their romance on ice.

Sources tell TMZ Sports ... the couple hit up ZZ's Members Club in Miami's Design District, where they looked very much like a couple throughout their meal.

Of course, this all comes on the heels of the two pumping the breaks on their romance ... as our sources told us earlier this week they had some trust issues to work on, among other snags.

But the two apparently stayed attached at the hip the entire day -- as we reported, they were also spotted buying roses at a Miami flower shop and Larsa's house on Wednesday.

So either Larcus figured out their problems and are back to normal, or they can at least put their drama on the back burner in the public eye.

Larsa and Marcus were first spotted together back in 2022 ... and have even sparked engagement rumors in the past, and Michael Jordan's son has consistently said a marriage is in the works.

11:20 AM PT -- Isaiah Stewart's attorney, Alex Spiro, clearly believes the situation has been blown out of proportion, telling TMZ Sports ... "Isaiah was issued a ticket -- not arrested -- and we expect the case to be dismissed."

Spiro also added that I.S. was not put in handcuffs ... and was released after receiving the citation.

Pistons center Isaiah Stewart was arrested for allegedly assaulting Suns forward Drew Eubanks during an altercation before Detroit's game against Phoenix on Wednesday.

The Phoenix Police Department said in a statement the alleged incident occurred in a parking tunnel at Footprint Arena in Arizona at around 4:45 PM -- roughly an hour before tip-off.

Cops said when officers arrived on the scene, they spoke with several bystanders ... who told them the two athletes had gotten into a verbal altercation as they arrived at the arena that turned violent.

"Witnesses said the argument escalated when they saw Stewart punch Eubanks, causing a minor injury," the Phoenix PD said in its statement. "Both men were separated by security which ended the fight."

A short time later, police said they arrested Stewart for assault ... and issued a citation. He was released -- but cops say the investigation remains ongoing.

The Pistons said they were aware of the incident ... adding that they're "in the process of gathering information about what happened and what provoked it, and responding to the NBA and local authorities."

Kevin Durant -- who was traded to the Suns in 2023 -- spoke about the situation after the game ... calling it "unfortunate." He did say, though, the team has Drew's back.

"It’s supposed to be a brotherhood," Durant said. "But I also understand, dudes get into stuff. We try to avoid that in this league, hopefully we can move on from it. We all support Drew."

Stewart -- a first-round pick in 2020 -- is averaging 11 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season. He gained national notoriety in 2021 after he got into a physical altercation with LeBron James on the court.

Eubanks, meanwhile, signed with the Suns last year after playing for the Blazers and Spurs. He's currently averaging 5.7 points per game.

Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan are calling a timeout on their relationship ... and the split comes after some issues cropped up between them -- ones they're hoping to smooth out.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … Larsa and Marcus recently put a pause on dating while they work through a bump in the road, with Larsa coming to the conclusion over the weekend that they needed to call things off -- at least for the time being, anyway.

Larsa and Marcus were first spotted together in September 2022, and we're told they had been living together and spending 24 hours a day in each other's company ... as our sources put it, their courtship was moving 100 MPH.

Now, it's all grinding to a halt - or at the minimum, a major slow-down -- although we're told Larsa and Marcus are still talking to each other as they try to figure out how they can move forward romantically.

Sex seemed to always be a big deal for them ... remember, Larsa liked to brag about how much they were banging. So, on its face that wasn't the problem.

The fact they're still communicating is interesting ... as we reported, they unfollowed each other on social media and scrubbed pics of them together from their respective pages.

Now, our sources say the split wasn't caused by one specific thing ... instead, like all relationships, we're told Larsa and Marcus are simply in the middle of a rough patch. Something we know they're trying to get on the same page about ... trust.

Remember, Larsa is 16 years older than Marcus and Michael Jordan famously said he didn't approve of their relationship -- Larsa's ex-husband is Scottie Pippen -- but we're told none of that played a role in the split.

It will be interesting to see if Larsa and Marcus work things out and get back together somewhere down the line ... right now, our sources are suggesting that may happen.

Shaquille O'Neal's days on the TNT desk might be numbered ... 'cause the NBA legend revealed he'd leave his "Inside the NBA" gig to work with the Orlando Magic during his emotional jersey retirement ceremony.

The Big Aristotle was the man of the hour at the Magic vs. OKC Thunder game on Tuesday ... and as he was shown appreciation for all his hard work on the court from 1992-96, he returned the favor by telling the team owners he'd love to come back in some capacity.

"To the DeVos family, whenever you want me to quit TNT and come back home, you give me a call," Shaq said. "I'll be here in an instant."

The comment was met with cheers ... and the crowd gave him a standing ovation.

Shaq also said in his speech it was an honor to be the first player in Magic history to get his digits in the rafters ... but admitted he felt it would've happened to his teammate, Nick Anderson, first.

He also shouted out Penny Hardaway -- reminiscing on how he was adamant the team find away to bring him to Orlando -- and many other teammates, staffers and execs that helped pave the way during the first stop in his Hall of Fame career.

The whole event was fitting for the larger-than-life figure ... and he was also gifted a custom team-themed jacket, which was presented by his children.

It's unclear exactly what role Shaq would play in a job with the Magic, but he does have some experience in ownership with the Sacramento Kings in the past.

Shaq was a dominant force during his time with Orlando -- averaging 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 295 games -- reaching the NBA Finals in 1995.

Former San Antonio Spurs guard Bryn Forbes has been arrested for the second time in the last year ... after he was accused yet again of putting his hands on a woman.

Jail records in Bexar County, Texas show Forbes was thrown behind bars on Tuesday afternoon and booked on a felony domestic violence charge.

Court documents, obtained by News 4's Mariah Medina, show the arrest all stemmed from an alleged violent encounter the basketball player had with the mother of his two children on Monday in San Antonio.

According to the docs, the woman told officers Forbes banged on her apartment's window -- and when she let him in, "he immediately punched her in the head."

Officials say the woman told them Forbes then choked her with his forearms, the collar of her shirt ... and then his bare hands.

The docs state the woman told Forbes she could not breathe ... but he allegedly responded, "if you can speak then you are not being choked."

Officials say the woman told them she was ultimately able to get away from Forbes but had soreness in her neck afterward.

This is not the first time the 30-year-old hooper has been accused of getting violent with a female ... back in February 2023, he allegedly hit a woman "several times" after a night out on the town in Bexar County.

Forbes was tagged with an assault charge over the allegations ... but court records show he entered into a pretrial diversion program back in June 2023.

Kevin Durant's career portfolio is expanding into hip hop music ... the NBA superstar appears to have shot a new music video with rapper Stalley, and he's delivering autobiographical bars!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained a video of KD and Stalley vibin' to an audio recording of them while watching basketball highlights on TV ... and the NBA All-Star starter sounds like he's got a lot to get off his chest.

The raps appear to be a classic back-and-forth ... Stalley opens the track by championing his own independent hustle and stress-release practices.

KD eulogizes his late grandmother ... "RIP to Barbara Davis/We hit another layer/When she speak to me, it's like she saying prayers."

He was just named as a starter in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, his 14th appearance, but but gripes about aging players getting discriminated against ... by comparing himself to Randy Moss during the Hall of Fame wide receiver's time with the Oakland Raiders.

Stalley, the Ohio-born rapper, had stints playing college hoops and was also on Rick Ross' Maybach Music label -- so, it's ideal he and KD would spark up a friendship.

KD's worn his hip hop fandom on his sleeve his entire b-ball career and the love has been reciprocated ... Drake, J. Cole, Freddie Gibbs, Kash Doll and several other rap stars have interacted with him, and name-checked him in songs.

Shaquille O'Neal got his wish by running into Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl ... but he seemed a bit more infatuated with the pop superstar's plus-one on Sunday -- revealing he has a big ol' crush on Ice Spice!!

The four-time NBA champ told TMZ Sports last week he wanted a seat right next to Travis Kelce's girlfriend for the Big Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers ... and while that didn't happen, he still got to rub elbows with her on at least two different occasions throughout the night -- even gifting her a Judith Leiber bag, which comes with a $4,500 price tag.

Shaq made sure to show his appreciation for his run-in with Swift -- who ended up sitting with the "Think U The S*** (Fart)" rapper, Kelce fam and Blake Lively instead -- going to Instagram to share the interactions with his followers ... as well as his a special shoutout to 24-year-old IS.

"and @icespice is so dam fine thanks @taylorswift," Shaq said on social media ... which undoubtedly sounds like shooting his shot.

His comment section was flooded with similar takeaways ... with one user joking, "Shaq shot his shot… but it was a free throw 😞"

Another added ... "The last thing I’d expect on my page is Shaq saying ice spice is fine."

Unclear what Ice thought of the gesture ... but gotta respect Shaq's courage to throw it all out there, even if it goes over like a "fart" in a windstorm.

Shaquille O'Neal cumplió su deseo de encontrarse con Taylor Swift en el Super Bowl, pero parecía un poco más encaprichado con la acompañante de la superestrella del pop el domingo, ¡revelando que tuvo un gran flechazo con Ice Spice!

El cuatro veces campeón de la NBA le dijo a TMZ Sports la semana pasada que quería un asiento justo al lado de la novia de Travis Kelce para el gran partido entre los Kansas City Chiefs y los San Francisco 49ers, y aunque eso no sucedió de todos modos pudo codearse con ella al menos en dos ocasiones diferentes durante la noche. Incluso le regaló un bolso Judith Leiber, que viene con una etiqueta de $4,500.

Shaq se aseguró de demostrarle su agradecimiento a Swift, quien terminó sentándose con la rapera de "Think U The S*** (Fart)", la familia de Kelce y su amiga Blake Lively, yendo a Instagram para compartir la interacción que tuvo con la estrella del pop con sus seguidores, así como un saludo especial a la cantante de 24 años, Ice Spice.

"y @icespice está tan condenadamente bien gracias @taylorswift," dijo Shaq en las redes sociales, lo que sin duda suena como que está lanzando sus fichas.

Su sección de comentarios se inundó con interpretaciones similares, con un usuario bromeando: "Shaq disparó su tiro ... pero fue un tiro libre 😞"

Otro añadió: "La última cosa que esperaría en mi página es Shaq diciendo que Ice Spice está buena".

No está claro lo que Ice pensó de todo esto, pero hay que respetar el coraje de Shaq para decir todo esto, incluso si se va como un "pedo" en una tormenta de viento.

Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević was laid to rest on Monday ... and hundreds paid tribute to the beloved figure at his funeral in Serbia, including Steve Kerr.

The GSW head coach was spotted in the rain at a Belgrade cemetery almost a month after Milojević suffered a fatal heart attack while dining out with the team in Salt Lake City.

You can see the 58-year-old Kerr standing amongst mourners, wearing a DM tribute pin on his black blazer.

Former Warriors players Zaza Pachulia and Mike Dunleavy Jr., who is currently the Warriors general manager, were also in attendance.

Kerr will miss the Warriors game tonight against the Jazz in Utah.

Milojević -- known as Deky -- became a Warriors assistant coach in 2021 ... after a career coaching and playing in Serbia.

The NBA was devastated by Deky's shocking death ... with commissioner Adam Silver calling Milojević "a beloved colleague and dear friend to so many in the global basketball community."

"Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Natasa, their children, Nikola and Masa, and the Warriors organization during this tragic time."

The Warriors paid tribute to Deky in a bunch of different ways, including wearing the beloved coach's initials on their jerseys.

Consider Baron Davis on Stephen Jackson's side in his beef with Austin Rivers ... 'cause the former Hornets and Warriors star tells TMZ Sports he believes pairing LeBron James with his son, Bronny, would work wonders for the young hooper.

TMZ Sports caught up with B. Diddy just days after Rivers claimed it would be bad if King James' team drafted the USC standout ... which was met with heavy criticism from the "All the Smoke" podcast host, who referred to the former Clipper as "trash."

Davis -- who played 15 seasons in the NBA -- weighed in on the debate while out in Vegas for the Super Bowl festivities ... and he's optimistic about the potential pairing.

"Your daddy is LeBron James," Davis said, "I think it will do nothing but help him."

"You say it'll enable him because your daddy on the team, but like, nah, that s*** different. That's LeBron. LeBron's a coach, a basketball genius and that's his seed."

Davis used Ken Griffey Jr. as an example ... as the former MLB legend played with his dad on the Mariners in the 90s -- making them the first father/son duo to play on the same Major League Baseball team together.

"There's a certain type of swag, there's a certain type of s*** that you really didn't get to see as a kid," Davis said.

"Now you there, you get to see your dad's whole layout."

At the end of the day, Davis feels Rivers' own comparison to being coached by his dad is totally different than Bronny playing with his pops ... and the James duo will benefit whichever franchise they play on.

"[Bronny] already got the DNA. Now you got the whole layout, the whole trajectory, and the blueprint laid out for you."