NBA

Wanna be LeBron James' neighbor?? Lakers co-owner Jesse Buss just put his L.A. mansion on the market for nearly $11 million ... and while it's got a dope pool and home theater, the best perk is it's close to the NBA superstar's house!!

The 3-floor Brentwood estate is pretty incredible -- it has 6 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms and a chef kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances, a home theater, full gym, an illuminated bar and a temperature-controlled wine cellar.

On top of that, there's a luxurious pool with views of the city and canyons.

The master bedroom has a walk-in closet and oversized bathroom ... which comes with a steam shower and bathtub that also has views of the ocean.

As we previously reported, Buss got the pad back in 2018 ... which made it super convenient for him to link up with the 4-time NBA champ for neighborhood meet-ups or bro time. But now, he's looking to part ways with the crib.

Kyrie Irving might not be able to play basketball this season as he continues to resist getting the COVID-19 vaccine -- but the dude's still stretching his legs ... with pigskin, no less.

TMZ Sports has obtained video of the Brooklyn Nets superstar all in Sunday on a game of pickup football with some guys at a high school in New Jersey ... where he seemed to be playing wide receiver and running routes, but not getting a look on this particular play.

We're told they were playing 4 on 4 here ... and this was actually a soccer field. So, not really a gridiron, per se, but at least we're getting a chance to see him out in public.

He's been seemingly reclusive of late -- taking to IG Live to try and explain his vaccine status and rationale -- this as he remains the focus of national media amid his stance to not get the jab ... and forfeit millions of dollars to be a "voice for the voiceless."

While we imagine his coaches and teammates won't be too happy seeing this -- Kyrie hasn't practiced/played with the Nets in a good long while now, due to the NY vaccine mandates -- at least they can take solace in the fact that he's staying active and somewhat in shape(?) for if/when he caves and decides to get back on the court at some point this season.

Then again ... maybe he never will. It looks like the Nets are prepared to move forward without Kyrie for now -- and they could very well trade him if he stays hunkered down like this.

ESPN analyst Jay Williams says people are wishing for his death after defending Kyrie Irving's COVID-19 vaccine stance ... going on an emotional rant slamming the hateful messages he's gotten this week.

Of course, J Will got in a heated debate with Stephen A. Smith on "First Take" this week ... saying while he doesn't personally agree with the decision, he believes Kyrie has every right to do what he wants with his body.

Williams says the hate has been flooding in following his appearance ... noting people have been spewing terrible things at him for not denouncing KI's position ... and mentioning his tragic motorcycle accident in 2003.

"Thank God I almost passed away when I was 21 years old," Jay said. "You know some of the crazy s*** that people say to me on the internet when they disagree with my opinion? Go hit a pole, go die again, aww Duke education."

"Thank God I went through that experience, 'cause I don't need other people to justify how I think about myself."

Williams then speaks on the Irving drama ... saying this is a real life situation -- not some over-the-top TV segment -- so people need to stop associating his character.

"Kyrie Irving doesn't owe you anything. He doesn't owe you a response on your timeline. He doesn't owe you answers that you feel like you need."

Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashian aren't back together, but that hasn't stopped the NBA player from admiring his ex's bod ... 'cause he gushed over the latest pic of her physique Wednesday.

Khloe posted a sizzling photo of her on the cover of Health mag on her social media page ... and just minutes later, Thompson hopped in the comment section with a sweet compliment.

"Wow!!" Thompson wrote. "You are so motivational Koko! So proud of your hard work and dedication to your healthcare and fitness. Abs of steel!! BRB I need to do some sit ups."

Thompson added two heart emojis at the end of his sentence.

The two officially split back in June -- and while we're told they haven't rekindled a romantic relationship since, they have been spotted together an awful lot in the past few months.

You'll recall, the two were seen at LeBron James' wife's birthday party in late August ... and also photographed taking baby True out for activities several times in the weeks prior.

Kyrie Irving is finally speaking out publicly about his anti-vaccine choice ... explaining he believes nobody should be told what to do with their bodies -- and he's tired of feeling "demonized" over his decision.

The Brooklyn Nets star -- who's been barred from playing and practicing with his team until he either gets the vaccine or gets some sort of exemption -- broke his feelings down on the matter in a lengthy video on his social media page Wednesday.

In his talk with his camera, which lasted over 20 minutes, Irving repeated over and over again he's against vaccine mandates.

In his explanation, Irving made it clear he wants people to be able to make their own decisions on the shots without a threat of potentially losing their jobs, livelihood and money.

The NBA star added he's tired of hearing critics blast him for his decision ... saying he hasn't done anything criminal.

"I haven't hurt anybody," Irving said. "I haven't committed a crime. I'm not out here acting dumb, stupid. I'm out here taking care of my family, my kids."

Irving said he would not retire over it all ... but did not reveal his plan for getting back on the court despite his strong, anti-vax stance.

The Nets, meanwhile, have stated they're moving on from Irving in wake of his decision ... with the team's general manager, Sean Marks, saying this week, "we will not permit any member of our team to participate with part-time availability."

DeAndre Ayton and Suns owner Robert Sarver have met this week amid an ugly contract feud -- grabbing a drink together at a fancy spot in Arizona ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We've obtained photos of the two at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort on Monday ... and witnesses tell us the guys appeared to be in talks over a new deal for Ayton.

One witness says Ayton was comparing his game and his athleticism to another player during the conversation with Sarver ... adding that the talks seemed to be "all business."

If you're not familiar, Ayton -- the #1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft -- is seeking a new contract in Phoenix ... but has been upset over how the offers have been so far.

In fact, Ayton said Tuesday -- less than a day after the meeting with Sarver at the resort -- the entire situation has been "disappointing" ... particularly after seeing other players around the league, including Nuggets wing Michael Porter Jr., get flashy new deals.

"I love Phoenix, but I'm really disappointed we haven't really gotten a deal done yet," Ayton told reporters. "We were two wins away from winning a championship and I just really want to be respected, to be honest."

"To be respected like my peers are being respected by their teams."

A witness tells us Ayton showed up at the resort before Sarver ... and seemed perturbed, looking stoic and glancing at his phone often.

Derrick Rose just secured the first win at Madison Square Garden this season ... 'cause the hooper proposed to his girlfriend on the court -- and she said, "YES!!"

The Knicks guard shared the awesome news Tuesday night ... posting a photo of him and 26-year-old Alaina Anderson wining and dining privately at half court.

"Just got engaged in MSG nothing major!" Anderson said on IG. "A WIFE!!!! I love you!!!! 😍😍😍 MRS ROSE TO YALL LOL"

And, you can't help but notice the absolutely huge diamond ring on Alaina's ring finger!!

Alaina says she wasn't expecting it, even with the private dinner at MSG -- 'cause Rose gave her a promise ring the day before saying, "hopefully one day I can get you the real thing."

Very sneaky, D Rose!!

Rose wrote a poem to his future wife ... saying, "Believe the words that I will have your back and love u forever. When I FIRST saw you I told Ryan that we were gon be together."

"I will always love you becuz you go above and beyond. We built a beautiful family and a unbreakable bond. Thank you Queen."

The lovely couple has reportedly been together since his Chicago Bulls days in 2016 ... and welcomed their daughter, Layla, in 2018 and son, London, in 2019.

Kyrie Irving will not be allowed to play or practice for the Nets until his COVID vaccine situation is resolved, the team announced Tuesday.

Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks said in a statement that unless Irving gets vaccinated or the NBA provides him an exemption ... the star point guard will be barred from the team.

"Given the evolving nature of the situation and after thorough deliberation, we have decided Kyrie Irving will not play or practice with the team until he is eligible to be a full participant," Marks said.

"Kyrie has made a personal choice, and we respect his individual right to choose. Currently the choice restricts his ability to be a full-time member of the team, and we will not permit any member of our team to participate with part-time availability."

Irving has not commented publicly on his choice to avoid the vaccine -- he told his followers on social media last month that was a "private" matter -- but he's made it clear through social media activity that he is, in fact, anti-vax.

Of course, due to New York City mandates, in order to play games and practice in NYC, players are required to be vaccinated.

So far, Irving has missed all of the team's workouts in NYC as well as the Nets' preseason games over the vaccine choice ... and it's now clear he won't be a part of any of the team's activities moving forward unless something gives.

"It is imperative that we continue to build chemistry as a team and remain true to our long-established values of togetherness and sacrifice," Marks said.

"Our championship goals for the season have not changed, and to achieve these goals, each member of our organization must pull in the same direction."

It's been reported that Irving -- who's in the middle of a 4-year, $136,490,600 contract -- stands to lose MILLIONS based on the decision.

LaMelo Ball fans no longer have to shell out $400 for his signature kicks -- the Charlotte Hornets baller just revealed his first shoe with Puma ... and they come with a far-from Big Baller price tag!!

Remember, Melo left the family brand and signed a huge deal with PUMA last August ... and on Tuesday, announced his first collab with the brand will be out in December.

The kicks are called the MB.01s and look pretty dope -- with Nitro Foam in the midsole, a red colorway and wings on the side.

The sneakers also feature the words "Rare" on the sole, "Melo" on the heel and "1 of 1" on the tongue.

The sneaks also have "Not From Here" etched in front of the laces -- 'cause get it? Melo's outta this world!!

"The phrase 'Not From Here' means kind of like you’re an alien," Melo said in an interview (Sorry, Demi Lovato).

"You’re not from here, you’re something nobody’s ever seen before. You’re one of one. Something like that. It’s real different."

The best part?? Melo's new shoe is a LOT cheaper than his BBB MB1 -- like $270 cheaper -- so it's great news for fans looking to cop the new kicks.

You may have seen the Rookie of the Year rocking them at the 2021 NBA Summer League ... and they'll be available for everyone come December.

J.R. Smith's up-and-down first college golf tournament has just hit a new low ... he stepped in a beehive while playing a hole Tuesday and required medical attention.

The former NBA player -- who joined North Carolina A&T's golf team this year -- was playing in his final round at the Elon Phoenix Invitational at in Burlington, NC, when he hit a wayward shot on the 12th hole.

Smith -- according to witness Jared Bunder -- went into the woods to search for the ball ... but then stepped on a pile of bees.

Images from the scene show Smith was clearly in some pain -- he rubbed his foot/ankle area repeatedly -- and he ultimately required assistance from on-site medics.

Smith, per Bunder, let other groups play ahead of him while he received the medical care.

Smith's scorecard shows he was able to return to action, though, finishing the 12th hole with a double bogey. He then rebounded to card a par on the ensuing Par 4 13th.

So far, Smith is 2-over through his first four holes of his final round.

As we reported, Smith didn't have the best start to his first tourney with North Carolina A&T ... logging scores of 78 and 83 in his first two rounds. He's currently in 81st place.

Ben Simmons has reported to Philadelphia ... and while that may be surprising to fans, it was even more shocking to the 76ers, who reportedly had NO IDEA the NBA star was planning to show up Monday night.

Simmons copped a flight from L.A. to Philly and pulled up to the Wells Fargo Center shortly before the Sixers' preseason game to receive a COVID-19 test ... officially kickstarting his process to rejoin the squad.

But, as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports, Simmons did not give Philly a head's up on his arrival ... which had to have made things pretty freakin' awkward when he popped up out of nowhere.

25-year-old Simmons has been trying to force his way out of Philly for months ... even reportedly willing to miss out on millions in order to get his way.

But, the Sixers called BS' bluff, withholding 25% of his salary -- which comes out at more than $8 MILLION -- and handing down fines for missed practices and preseason games, which were piling up rapidly.

While it's still possible Simmons never suits up for the Sixers again, it's far more likely he will play for Philly while both sides either try to kiss and make up or find a reasonable trade to ship him outta town.

Simmons is set to meet with Sixers brass on Tuesday ... and we're sure that'll be completely drama-free.

Even after retirement, Michael Jordan still finds ways to break records ... 'cause a game-worn patch card he signed just sold for $2.7 MILLION, an all-time high price for a piece of His Airness' memorabilia.

The rare card is a 1997-98 Upper Deck -- and it's considered one of the greatest hoops cards ever made.

It features M.J.'s autograph, a swatch of the jersey that he wore during the 1992 NBA All-Star Game, and it's limited to just 23 copies.

But, more importantly, it's believed to be the first card to ever feature both a piece of a game-worn jersey and a signature -- which experts say make it truly historic.

"It makes sense that this card -- and the innovative new designs and card styles that it spawned in the industry -- is one of the most pivotal in our hobby," said Ken Goldin, president of Goldin Auctions, which auctioned off the piece Monday.

"Owning this card is like owning a sliver of MJ's legacy and we were very proud that we were trusted with this record-breaking transaction."

The card is also an important piece because the '92 All-Star was the one where Magic Johnson made his return to the NBA after retiring before the 1991-92 season.

The previous record for Jordan memorabilia was held by a different version of the card -- numbered 21/23 -- which sold for $2.1 million at Goldin Auctions earlier this year.

J.R. Smith's officially a college golfer -- the 36-year-old made his debut at a tournament on Monday ... and it may not have gone the way he was hoping.

The ex-NBA star suited up for North Carolina A&T on the first day of the Elon Phoenix Invitational at the Alamance Country Club in Burlington, NC on Monday ... and he had a pretty solid start, hitting 2 birdies in his first 5 holes.

But, after making par on holes 10-14, Smith carded 7 bogeys and a double-bogey to finish out with an 81 (+7) ... just 6 spots above last place.

Look, there was no way the former All-Star was going to come in and wreck the competition, but the fact he's even out there doing his thing is pretty awesome ... and he looked damn good, too.

Smith will be able to work on his score during the second round of competition -- which got underway -- and we'll be keeping an eye out to see what he does on the links!!

Big shout-out to Smith for putting in the work and getting this far.

Lamar Odom might have his next boxing opponent ... 'cause O.T. Genasis tells TMZ Sports he'd consider stepping in the ring with the NBA champ -- if the money's right.

41-year-old Lamar is fresh off whooping J.Lo's ex-hubby, Ojani Noa, in his second-ever Celebrity Boxing bout ... and has already been called out by Benzino.

When we spoke with O.T. at Rajon Rondo's Tacos AF event earlier this week, we had to ask if he would be putting his name on the list of Lamar's future opponents ... and hey, he didn't say no.

In fact, he tells us he's been training privately for years ... and hints he might be too skilled for the hooper.

Genasis wouldn't give us a guarantee on the fight ... but if you can read between the lines, you can tell he's highly confident in the hypothetical bout.

Genasis -- who would be a LOT shorter and lighter than LO -- says he'd take the fight very seriously ... and would need to spend countless hours in the gym in order to be ready to compete.

The Brooklyn Nets are poised to win an NBA championship with or without Kyrie Irving this season ... so says Charles Oakley, who tells TMZ Sports the star's availability won't derail the team's title hopes.

Of course, Irving -- who is not vaccinated -- could miss more than half of the season due to COVID vaccine mandates in NYC and California ... which has folks like Shaq saying the Nets should get rid of him.

Oakley doesn't think KI's absence will be that big of a deal, though ... after all, it helps they still have Kevin Durant and James Harden.

"I think they can still win it with him playing this way," Oakley said on TMZ Live this week.

"You still have James Harden and KD -- 2 of the top 5 best players in the league."

Oakley -- who's coming out with his own cooking show, "Chopping It Up with Oakley," added, "They wasn't healthy last year, so you think if James Harden comes back healthy this year with KD healthy, they still can win it even if Kyrie play only half of the season."

Besides missing playing time, KI is gonna lose a TON of money -- $380k per game!

So, we asked the NY Knicks legend if he was on the Nets would he talk to the point guard about his decision ... he says he would but at the end of the day -- "he's a grown man."

"He knows he losing 300, 400 thousand a game and it's not about the money. We see that."

"He believe what he believe in."

Meyers Leonard is breaking his silence and giving his first on-camera interview to TMZ Sports after using an anti-Semitic slur ... addressing the bonds he's formed with the Jewish community, death threats he's received, and his desire to return to the basketball court.

"It's hard to explain," Leonard told us out in Beverly Hills. "The people who have been the most loving and the most compassionate, showing the most grace, have been so many people from the Jewish community."

Remember, 29-year-old Meyers -- the 11th overall pick in the 2012 draft -- dropped the k-word while streaming on Twitch back in March. He was almost immediately traded to the OKC Thunder, who cut him.

Since being released, Leonard has been incredibly active within the Jewish community, including meeting a bunch of kids at a synagogue in Boca Raton ... where he got emotional while discussing the incident with the students.

It's just one of many things Leonard's done to educate himself ... in the process, forging tight bonds with Jewish people of all ages.

"I can honestly sit and talk for an hour about this. About all the different experiences with little kids in the Jewish community, to teenagers, all the way up to Rabbis, who have just been so generous with their time and so understanding."

Meyers says in the wake of the comments, both he and his family had to deal with terrible abuse online, including people threatening to sexually assault and murder his spouse.

"It's been a very, very long and hard process," Leonard says ... "When the death threats, and my wife is being told 'don't leave your house, we're gonna rape you.' And, these things. It was hard. So, a lot of these things are difficult to share, but over time I've been able to heal."

As for Meyers' hoops career, he's gunning to get back in the league ... and says it'd be a dream come true to return to Pat Riley's team.

"I would be ecstatic if I could play for the Miami Heat again. I fell in love with that place, I really did. My wife and I love it there."

Meyers continued ... "There's something about the culture there that's just me."

Whether it's back in South Florida or in another NBA city ... Leonard -- a 9 year NBA vet -- just hopes he has a chance to return to the game he loves.