NBA

"You're never going to meet a nice woman -- especially in basketball."

That's LaVar Ball's fatherly advice to his NBA sons -- explaining why they're only going to meet "hoes" while living the jet-setting life as pro basketball players.

"You’re not going to find nobody like I found your mom," LaVar explained on the "Endless Hustle" podcast while talking about the advice he's given his sons Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo.

"If you’re in this profession, you got all this fame and notoriety -- how are you going to meet a good girl? You’re not."

LaVar says the only places NBA players meet women during their busy careers are at restaurants, clubs or in the arenas -- "So, I hate to tell you but you’re going to meet a hoe. Just how it goes, son."

"So son, that’s the bad part of the life you’re going to get -- you're never going to meet a good woman."

LaVar also warned that by the time his kids understand what he's talking about -- it'll almost be too late ... because if they meet a woman who's 30 and single "You gotta wonder why she's by herself at 30."

"So there’s something that’s dangerous no matter how good they look -- but have a good time son. I feel bad for you -- but hey I love the fact you made it!"

When asked how he'd react if his sons brought home a "hoe" -- LaVar said that's already happened more than once.

"I already seen 'em! They already brought a few through here!"

LaVar says his boys will never be able to meet a woman at a typical job or at church because the demands of the NBA are too time-consuming -- plus, the constant travel also makes things tough.

Cleveland Cavs player Kevin Porter Jr. allegedly punched a woman in the face and ripped off her wig during an altercation back in August ... but Porter's attorney says the claim is bogus.

The allegations are spelled out in police reports obtained by TMZ Sports ... which detail an August 16 incident involving Porter, his sister and two other women.

The 2 alleged victims told police things popped off when "words were exchanged" at an apartment complex in Downtown Cleveland ... and things escalated from there

One of the alleged victims told cops Porter's sister struck first -- punching one of the women in the face.

That's when, the women say, Kevin jumped in ...

"At this time, Mr. Porter threw his drink in the face of [an alleged victim] and then ripped the wig off her head and then punched her in the left side of her face causing slight swelling visible at the time of this report," the police report says.

Cops say they spoke with a witness who saw the whole incident and backed up the two women ... claiming the Porters were the aggressors.

In fact, the witness says she saw Kevin Porter with one of the women's "weave in his hand when he then punched [one of the women] in the face causing her to [fall] into the refrigerator."

When cops arrived, they noted both of the women who allegedly fought with the Porters had visible injuries.

The woman who was allegedly struck by the NBA player had a swollen left cheek, cops say. The other woman had a broken fingernail and a small lump on her forehead.

Both women opted to NOT receive medical treatment at the time of the incident.

Cops say they told the two women to contact the city prosecutor's office if they wanted to press charges. So far, neither Porter nor his sister have been charged with a crime.

Porter's attorney, Alex Spiro, issued a statement adamantly denying the allegations -- saying, "There is no truth to this allegation which is why the allegation has led nowhere."

20-year-old Porter has other legal issues ... he was arrested Sunday following an early morning crash in Ohio.

After the wreck, cops say they found a loaded handgun and what appeared to be weed inside the vehicle. He is facing multiple charges including felony improper handling of a firearm inside a motor vehicle and misdemeanor 1st-degree drug abuse -- along with other traffic citations.

Porter pled not guilty to the misdemeanor charges -- and entered a no plea on the felony.

James Harden and many others in the Rockets' org. all want OUT of Houston ... and it's all reportedly because the team's owner is a big Donald Trump supporter.

NBA insider Ric Bucher dropped the bombshell revelation on "The Odd Couple" podcast this week ... saying Tilman Fertitta's ties to the Republican party and Trump have created a massive divide in the org.

According to Bucher ... players and staffers have disagreed so heavily with Tilman's donations to the Trump campaign -- it's created a straight-up "revolt."

"What I heard is," Bucher said, "and we know how much politics and political position had to do with the boycott and protests during the Bubble -- I'm hearing that Tilman Fertitta’s strong Republican support and donations is one of the things that is contributing to this dissatisfaction."

Bucher added, "There is a revolt here because they look at Fertitta as a guy who supports the current President."

Russell Westbrook has already reportedly requested a trade from the Rockets ... and Harden is said to now want out as well.

The team also jettisoned Robert Covington this week ... while last year's coach, Mike D'Antoni, and last year's GM, Daryl Morey, have already left the squad.

Fertitta -- who bought the Rockets in 2017 for $2.2 BILLION -- has never been shy about his public support for Trump ... he's praised POTUS often, and the two are known to be good pals.

Charles Oakley's assault case against Madison Square Garden NY just got new life -- thanks to an appeals court ruling.

Remember, Oakley had sued MSG, owned by James Dolan, for assault, battery, defamation and other allegations stemming from the infamous Feb. 2017 incident when Dolan ordered Oakley to be removed from Madison Square Garden.

The case was dismissed in federal court in Feb. 2020 -- but now, an appeals court has ruled Oakley CAN proceed with the assault and battery portions of his suit.

So, why?

The appeals court believes the lower court didn't analyze Oakley's assault and battery claims correctly -- and he deserves a shot to put on evidence that MSG security used unreasonable force when they kicked him out.

Oakley says in his complaint that security roughed up him and repeatedly shoved him to the ground -- all while Oakley claimed he did nothing wrong.

Oakley is obviously happy his lawsuit can move forward -- telling TMZ Sports in a statement, "I am appreciative of the appeals court as I now have a chance to show the world what I said from day one was true."

"The truth is going to come out at trial and Dolan will be held responsible for what he did."

Oakley's attorney Douglas H. Wigdor also commented ... saying, "As we have always stated, Mr. Dolan and MSG acted improperly, and unlawfully, when they violently threw Mr. Oakley out of MSG without provocation."

"We are pleased that the Second Circuit has allowed Mr. Oakley to have his day in court and to finally be able to hold Mr. Dolan accountable for his actions."

"This is a great day for Knicks fans and fans of Mr. Oakley, and we look forward to the truth of what happened finally coming out."

Sources connected to the case tell us MSG is confident with its position -- noting 7 out of the original 9 claims were dismissed for the second time, including all claims against James Dolan.

We're told MSG believes it behaved appropriately in coordination with the NYPD and are confident in the final outcome.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested this weekend on a weapons charge -- something the team says it'll handle internally.

Porter Jr. was picked by cops in Mahoning County Sunday morning and booked for improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle. No other information about what led up to the arrest has been released, but the guy was taken to jail and posed for this mug shot.

In a statement released shortly thereafter, the Cavs said they would address this in-house. A spokesperson says, "We are aware of the situation involving Kevin Porter Jr. and are in the process of gathering information. We have spoken with Kevin and will continue to address this privately with him as the related process evolves."

The hoop Kobe Bryant molded his jump shot on as a child is set to hit the auction block ... and it can be all yours -- if you've got a small fortune lying around.

TMZ Sports has learned that just before Bryant's childhood home in Pennsylvania sold for $810K this month ... the seller decided to pull the backboard and the rim from the listing after the buyer wasn't interested in paying more for its inclusion.

Instead, we're told the seller gave it to an acquaintance who handed it over to John Romani at Sales By Helen to have it sold at auction.

While it's unclear how much the hoop might fetch from bidders ... Romani tells us it wouldn't surprise him at all if the piece soared into six figures.

As we've been reporting, Kobe memorabilia has been in ultra-high demand since his tragic death ... with fans paying astronomical prices for signed basketballs, jerseys of anything else Kobe touched.

In fact, a signed piece of the hardwood from Staples Center that Kobe played on in his final NBA game recently sold at auction for more than $600,000!

As for the hoop from Kobe's Pennsylvania home, Romani says the plan is for it to enter Heritage's Platinum Night Auction on Feb. 20.

And, Romani says there will be a bunch more Bryant memorabilia collected from the house that will join the hoop there.

Romani tells us a Michael Jordan Sports Illustrated magazine addressed to Kobe will be sold. Other items, like Duke basketballs Kobe had when he was being recruited by the Blue Devils, will be included as well.

Romani says there's even some Italian magazines Kobe owned ... and one book that Kobe appeared to have written on as a kid.

LaMelo Ball may be a Puma guy now, but he's still selling clothes at Big Baller prices -- launching his very own designer lifestyle clothing brand ... and it ain't cheap.

The youngest Ball Bro is one week from becoming a likely top 5 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft ... and he's already making serious business moves.

Dubbed "LaFrancé" -- Ball's middle name -- Melo is expanding his brand with black and white t-shirts, hoodies and socks featuring his name and logo ... and they're expensive as hell.

For instance -- the shirts come with a $70 price tag ... and the hoodies will setcha back $120.

And, if you've ever wanted to rep Melo on the balls of your feet, the socks are currently being sold for $20 a pair.

19-year-old Ball says the "Melo 2020" launch is only available for a limited time ... which might explain the price.

If you think those prices are steep, Melo says he actually LOWERED the cost after some more consideration.

"Outta the kindness of my heart and talkin wit my team I'm gone lower the price on some stuff to show love," Melo said Friday.

"cuz some people been a lil upset and i wanna see MOST of yaw happy ...  i'm playin all of yaw."

FWIW -- the site says each piece is "100% Hand-made with love in Los Angeles, CA, USA" ... and can you really put a price on love?!

Kobe Bryant is still a titan of industry -- even in death -- so says Forbes which just ranked him #6 on its "Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities of 2020" list.

The NBA legend passed away on Jan. 26 in a helicopter crash -- but in the months that followed, his estate pulled in an estimated $20 million in earnings, Forbes says.

The main source of income is from shoes and apparel -- with Nike reportedly raking in around $250 mil annually from Mamba items.

In addition to sneakers, Kobe's 2018 autobiography, "The Mamba Mentality: How I Play" sold more than 300,000 copies this year --TEN TIMES the number of copies it did in 2019, Forbes says.

There's more ... after the Lakers won the NBA championship in October, Bryant's jersey was the #2 seller for the organization, behind Finals MVP LeBron James.

As for the rest of the Forbes list ... Michael Jackson is still #1 with $48 mil in earnings in 2020. Dr. Seuss is #2 with $33 mil. Peanuts creator Charles Schulz is #3 with $32.5. Arnold Palmer is #4 with $25 million. And #5 is Elvis with $23 mil.

Elvis' estate has lost a ton of money this year because of the COVID pandemic -- tourism at his legendary home Graceland is a big moneymaker, but it's been hit hard by the shutdowns.

He may not be happy in Houston, but Russell Westbrook was all smiles in L.A. on Thursday ... where he celebrated his birthday at one of the swankiest spots in town.

Russ turned the big 3-2 on Thursday -- and hit up Delilah with his wife, Nina, and some close pals (No, James Harden wasn't there).

As you may have heard, Westbrook is looking to leave the Houston Rockets ... where he's reportedly unhappy with the team's "accountability and culture," according to The Athletic.

He apparently wants to play for a squad where "he can have a role similar to his prior, floor-general role in Oklahoma City."

So, Westbrook has reportedly made a trade request with just about a month until the 2020-21 NBA season kicks off. Tick tock ...

Westbrook still has 3 years left on his current contract -- which is set to pay him out more than $132 MILLION.

Michael Jordan's last piece of NBA laundry is hitting the auction block -- the actual jersey from his final game ... and it's gonna fetch a TON of cash!

It's MJ's #23 away jersey from his final game with the Washington Wizards on April 16, 2003 ... the last time Jordan stepped on the court as an NBA player.

39-year-old Jordan dropped 15 points with 4 rebounds and 4 assists against the Philadelphia 76ers that night -- but it wasn't enough to get the W. Final score, 107 to 87.

BTW, we're also told Jordan rocked the jersey for the final 2 months of his NBA career -- his final 14 road games.

The one-of-a-kind jersey is about to hit the block at Goldin Auctions ... and GA tells us they expect the threads to bring in over $500,000!!

As for where the jersey -- which Goldin says has been photo-matched to ensure authenticity -- came from ... well, it's a pretty cool story.

Back in 1984, Jordan befriended the owner of a limousine service ... and the 2 men became close.

MJ gifted the jersey to the guy who held on to it for years -- but he has now decided to part ways with the item.

The Jordan jersey is part of a larger collection of rare MJ items hitting the auction block -- including a pair of signed, game-worn, Air Jordan 1's from Michael's 1984-1985 season. GA also has MJ's signed, game-worn minor league baseball jersey from the Birmingham Barons.

The defending NBA champs will be playing home games in front of empty seats to start off the 2020-21 season ... with the Los Angeles Lakers keeping fans home "until further notice."

The team made the announcement Wednesday ... saying it consulted with state and local health officials to come up with its plan for games as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

"The health and safety of our fans, players, staff and community are our main priority and we will continue to work with state and local officials to come up with a plan to safely welcome fans back to STAPLES Center in adherence with local, State, and NBA guidelines," the Lakers said in a statement.

"We appreciate your continued support and look forward to coming together, when it is safe to do so, to celebrate the raising of our banner and the quest for another NBA championship.

FYI, L.A. -- like many places across the country -- is seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The 2020-21 schedule will be released soon ... and the season starts Dec. 22.

Former college basketball star Austin Daye is paying tribute to the late Nipsey Hussle ... by honoring the rap legend with a massive back tattoo.

The 32-year-old pro hooper -- a massive Nip fan -- revealed the new ink on Monday ... which also features an image of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali.

Daye hit up tattoo artist Juan D Castaño for the job ... and we're assuming it took hours to finish the piece, which also features a "The Marathon Continues" flag.

Of course, the TMC slogan was Nip's motto ... and followers have carried his message since his passing in March 2019.

The former NBA first-round pick joins ballers like Jordan Clarkson and J.R. Smith ... who have both dedicated serious real estate to the L.A. MC.

FYI -- Daye has been tearing it up overseas. He's currently playing for Reyer Venezia and won the Italian Cup MVP in 2020.

NBA player Sterling Brown has reached a $750k settlement with the City of Milwaukee, records show -- stemming from a 2018 incident when he was tased by cops.

Remember, the Milwaukee Bucks player was confronted by officers outside of a Walgreens while he was on a first date.

Cops had accused him of parking in a handicap space ... and things escalated from there.

Video showed officers taking Brown to the ground and tasing him -- despite the fact he never resisted or seemed to pose a threat.

Brown filed a lawsuit after the incident -- and previously said he was offered a $400,000 settlement in exchange for his silence on the matter but refused, saying, "I can't be quiet."

Now, Brown HAS reached a deal ... but according to The Athletic's Shams Charania it's not just about money.

In addition to the $750,000 ... Shams says the "City of Milwaukee would in a statement admit to a constitutional violation and commit to incorporate changes to the Milwaukee Police Department standard operating procedures."

LeBron James says his White House boycott is over ... and is 100% down to celebrate the Lakers championship with President-elect Joe Biden.

No NBA team has celebrated a title with President Trump since he took office in January 2017 -- with the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors each opting to celebrate elsewhere.

In fact, the Dubs celebrated with President Obama privately instead of going to the White House when they won in 2017.

King James praised the Dubs for the move ... calling Trump a bum in the process.

Now that LeBron and the Lakers are champions, the question --- will they go to 1600 Penn??

LeBron answered in a Twitter exchange with Draymond Green ... saying now that Biden will be in office, he'll return to the White House!!

Draymond tweeted at LeBron on Saturday ... saying, "Yoooo @KingJames y’all can go to the White House and celebrate y’all title G!"

LBJ responded, "YO we back up in there my G!!! I’m taking my tequila and vino too!"

Throw another assist on LeBron's resume ...

Shannon Sharpe tells TMZ Sports he STRONGLY believes the NBA superstar deserves some of the credit for helping Joe Biden close in on the presidency.

"[LeBron James] and Stacey Abrams registered so many people to vote," Shannon said.

"It was him that said, 'you know what? Open up these arenas and make them polling stations.'"

Sharpe says things like LeBron's "More Than a Vote" organization -- which helped thousands of people register to vote -- as well as all his other charitable contributions put Biden in a position to possibly beat Donald Trump this week.

"I'm sure [LeBron] had something to do with it because we registered the voting block. "

"You look at what happened in Detroit, you look at what happened in Philadelphia, look at what happened in Atlanta, you look at what happened in Milwaukee."

"Now, I don't know what's going to transpire, but when President Biden, when this thing is finally official, his first meeting should be with the leaders from those communities. They should eat first! What can I do for those communities? That was his Moses. They delivered him the presidency. "

For his part, Bron celebrated like crazy on Friday -- when it appeared obvious to him that Biden would secure the White House ... writing on his social media page, "Let’s go!!!!!"

King Von's death is hitting the sports world hard -- with NBA stars like Montrezl Harrell, Stephen Jackson, Evan Turner and more mourning the loss of a rising star gone too soon.

The rapper was shot and killed after a violent altercation outside a nightclub in Atlanta on Friday. He was only 26 years old.

Harrell shared his condolences to Von's family shortly after the news broke ... saying, "Damn it’s sad we lost another young brother to soon ... What is going on in the world."

"This the true sad part, three young blessings won’t see their dad come home again."

Jackson posted a video on Instagram ... calling for an end to senseless violence.

"Your brothers are not the enemy," Jackson said. "The ones got u thinking that are the real enemy. Wake up. Love for all who have love for all."

Turner also reacted on social media, saying, "This killing each other s**t gotta stop... Rest In Peace, King Von"

Other tributes came from athletes like Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenjon Barner, who said, "Damn I really just started listening to King Von and became a fan and he gone smh wow 2020 you got it we understand! RIPKingVon."

2016 NCAA champ Kris Jenkins spoke out in shock ... tweeting, "That king Von s**t wild smh RIP."

Ex-NFL first-round pick George Foster also recently came across Von's music, adding, "Man, I just really heard the King Von fella for the first time like last week, and thought 'jit ain’t bad.'"

"Now lil buddy gone smh."

The New England Patriots also honored the late rapper at practice on Friday ... playing his breakout hit, "Crazy Story," over the speakers.

RIP