New York Knicks

Blake Griffin tells TMZ Sports that Zion Williamson can "100 percent" be the NBA's all-time best dunker ... saying of the former Duke star, "He's going to be a monster."

Of course, Zion has been legendarily rattling rims since he was a high school prodigy ... and now that he's on his way to the NBA, we had to ask Blake if Z can be one of the best dunkers ever.

Blake's opinion? He says there's no doubt in his mind Zion can be up there with Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins, telling us, "100 percent. 100 percent."

"If he keeps playing like he is, he's going to be a monster."

In fact, Blake seems to be a huge fan of Zion's game overall -- not just his dunking -- saying, "He's a really good basketball player ... he can do a lot of stuff. He's going to be really, really good."

As for Griffin's advice on how Zion should handle possibly participating in the dunk contest in his rookie season next year ... BG says the ex-Duke star should only do it if it feels right.

But, when Z eventually decides to compete ... Griffin says it'll be a show, telling us, "He's probably going to do some things that we haven't seen in a while."

#CantWait!

For the first time ever, the official Philadelphia Warriors scoring sheet from Wilt Chamberlain's legendary 100-point game is up for sale ... and it's expected to rake in more than $100,000!!!

The game was March 2, 1952 -- Wilt's Philadelphia Warriors took on the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Wilt racked up 100 POINTS that night -- the ONLY time a player has hit triple digits -- and Chamberlain famously posed for a photo with a sign that read "100."

We're told the Warriors' official team scorer's sheet -- which was signed by Wilt that night -- was taken home by the official team scorer. When he passed away, his widow gifted the item to a close family friend.

Now, that friend has decided to offer it up to a worthy collector via SCP Auctions -- the starting bid was $15,000 ... and there's already been a ton of action. The auction closes Saturday night.

Experts predict the sheet will ultimately skyrocket past the $100k mark -- since the official Knicks scoring sheet from that game sold for $100k back in 2012.

Zion Williamson better hope New York doesn't end up with the #1 overall pick ... 'cause Jay Williams tells TMZ Sports he's not confident the Knicks owner would know how to handle a player of his caliber.

"I live in New York City, so obviously everybody wants the answer to be New York. But, I don't know if I trust James Dolan enough with that yet."

And why? Jay -- who was outside The Cabin NYC -- doesn't go into detail, but it's pretty clear he's referencing ALL the missteps Dolan's taken recently ... which includes booting fans for telling him to sell the team.

So, where IS the ideal landing spot for the Duke beast? Jay tells us that's with the Hawks.

"It would be kind of dope to see him in ATL with Trae Young," Williams says.

Of course, Zion doesn't have much of a choice -- he's expected to be the top pick in June's NBA Draft either way -- so, better hope the ping pong balls land the right way!!!

5:55 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the alleged victim told cops Porzingis pinned her down on a bed in his guest room, penetrated her vagina with his penis and then got violent.

The woman told cops he hit her in the face several times, spit on her, called her "my bitch" and "my slave" and said he owned her. We're told the accuser claims he stopped assaulting her as she was putting up a fight.

Former New York Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis is the target of an NYPD investigation after a woman came forward and accused him of rape ... TMZ has learned.

The woman claims Porzingis invited her to his Manhattan penthouse on February 7, 2018 -- just hours after he tore his ACL in a game at the Garden against the Bucks -- and held her down and raped her.

According to the New York Post ... the woman -- who's in her 20s and lived in the same building as Porzingis -- reported the rape to police Thursday ... and The Post claims investigators consider her story to be credible.

The accuser reportedly told cops Porzingis promised to give her $68,000 in hush money to pay for her brother’s college tuition, but then reneged ... which is why she waited to report the alleged sexual assault.

Porzingis was traded by the Knicks to the Dallas Mavericks in February. Mavs owner Mark Cuban says the team has been instructed by federal authorities not to comment on the rape allegation.

The NYPD’s Special Victims Division has reportedly taken over the case and is investigating.

We've reached out to Porzingis and his current and former teams ... no word back so far.

However, the player's attorney Roland G. Riopelle says they are aware of the woman's complaint and "unequivocally deny the allegations."

While the Knicks are busy booting fans from MSG ... the Nets are on the brink of making the playoffs ... and DeMarre Carroll says the city's totally buzzin' for them!!!

Of course ... New York's always been Knicks' territory. Even when the Nets came over to Brooklyn in 2012, the vast majority of folks held on to their beloved Knickerbockers and didn't care too much for the team from Jersey.

But, as it turns out ... the Nets are currently 7th in the East thanks to breakout seasons from players like D'Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie.

Earlier this week, BK had an insane 25-point, 4th-quarter comeback against the Kings ... behind Russell's 44 points.

And, the Knicks ... well, their 14-58 record is the worst in the NBA.

So, when we saw the NBAer out in Santa Monica on Thursday ... he said there's a lot of support for the squad as they head into the postseason.

"I think everybody's excited about what's going on, so it's a big time for the city," Carroll says.

Not everyone wants James Dolan to sell the Knicks ... and if ya don't believe us, here's ex-NBA player Chris Copeland telling TMZ Sports he LOVES his old boss!!

... but Copeland's friend?? Not so much.

We shot the ex-NBAer outside Madeo over the weekend and asked straight-up what the Knicks need to do to get back to relevance.

Copeland's friend had a few suggestions -- which would've gotten him BANNED from MSG if he had said it at a game -- but the hooper shuts down any of that talk and praised the team owner.

"I love Dolan, Dolan's my guy," Copeland tells us. I love Dolan, love the Knicks."

It's been the trend to tell Dolan off at Knicks games recently -- but it comes with a price.

As we previously reported, fans have been getting 86'd from Knicks games or any other events being held at MSG for heckling him ... as we've seen with at least 2 different occasions in recent years.

Another NY Knicks fan claims James Dolan banned him FOR LIFE from Knicks games for telling the owner to "sell the team" in 2018 ... and TMZ Sports has the stay away document to prove it!!!

The guy we spoke with is still so afraid of retaliation from Dolan and the Knicks, he asked us to keep his identity a secret ... but provided us with the letter he got from MSG informing he was never allowed back in The Garden.

This incident took place in 2018 ... the fan we spoke with describes the incident as nearly IDENTICAL to the one captured on video on Saturday.

Basically, the fan says he yelled at Dolan to sell the Knicks -- and that's when he was approached by 2 cops and 5 security guards who escorted him to the bowels of MSG where he got his lifetime ban.

In fact, the fan says Dolan personally grabbed security personnel to make sure his order was carried out.

"Dolan himself made sure, came down and shouted 'FOR LIFE' and kept walking," the fan tells us, "It was surreal to say the least."

The fan says he was fully cooperative with law enforcement -- and insists some of the guards sympathized with him -- but he still got the ban.

A short time later, the fan says he received a letter from the Senior VP of legal and business affairs at MSG spelling out his punishment -- "In light of this incident, you are hereby indefinitely banned from Madison Square Garden."

TMZ Sports posted footage of Dolan issuing the same lifetime ban to a different fan on Saturday. Guessing he'll be getting a similar letter sometime soon.

These guys aren't the only people who got the boot from Dolan -- ex-Knicks star Charles Oakley was famously dragged out of MSG in 2017 after an incident involving Dolan.

After the first incident from over the weekend, a rep for the arena told us, "Our policy is and will continue to be that if you are disrespectful to anyone in our venues, we will ask you not to return."

A pretty powerful NY congressman is taking issue with James Dolan -- telling TMZ Sports he's AGAINST banning fans unless they do something to really deserve it.

We spoke with Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D) -- who represents NY's 13th District, which is comprised of Upper Manhattan and a small part of the Bronx. Basically, Knicks country.

So, we asked Espaillat how he feels about Dolan banning a Knicks fan who shouted at the owner to "sell the team" during Saturday's game at Madison Square Garden ... and it seems he's against it.

"I don't like people being banned," Espaillat tells us ... "Fans are fans. They're never wrong ... not unless they do something wrong."

Translation -- Dolan needs to grow some thicker skin.

Of course, Espaillat ain't the only person who feels that way ... D.L. Hughley told us Dolan was WAY out of line and suggested the Knicks should be BEGGING fans to watch their games since they suck so bad.

D.L. Hughley just went IN on James Dolan -- saying the Knicks fan he booted from MSG over the weekend should be GRATEFUL he won't have to watch the "sh*tty" Knicks play ever again.

"Right now, if you kicked every Knick fan out, you'd be doing them a f*cking favor," Hughley told TMZ Sports.

But wait ... there's more!! And, it's pretty hilarious.

Remember, Dolan 86'd a fan from Madison Square Garden after the fan shouted at Dolan to "sell the team" because of their terrible play over the past few decades.

D.L. says Dolan's ban is laughable -- "That's like saying, 'I'm not gonna let you have a bite of this sh*t sandwich."

Hughley -- a self-described Lakers fan -- added, "The Knicks are sh*tty and they're doing you a favor!"

Dolan has been getting ripped pretty hard in the media for the way he treated the fan during Saturday's game -- a game the Knicks lost to the Sacramento Kings.

2:00 PM PT -- An MSG spokesperson tells TMZ ... "Our policy is and will continue to be that if you are disrespectful to anyone in our venues, we will ask you not to return."

New York Knicks owner James Dolan got pissed when a fan urged him to sell the team to someone who can help them win ... so he flexed his owner muscles and 86'd the guy.

The abysmal Knicks were in the final minutes of another home loss Saturday against the Sacramento Kings when Dolan headed for the exits early. In the vid -- obtained by TMZ Sports -- a fan is heard giving James a parting shot ... and it really gets under his skin.

Check it out ... the fan yells, "Sell the team!" and instead of ignoring it, Dolan calls the man rude for sharing his opinion and tells him his days of taking in Knicks games at Madison Square Garden are over.

Then James sics security on him!

Witnesses tell us the fan was held while 2 cops and security came over to ID and question him before asking him to leave. It's unclear if he's been permanently banned from Knicks games ... we're working on it.

We're told there were other fans heckling Dolan, but he singled out the guy who doesn't want him to be the owner anymore.

Ben Simmons and Kendall Jenner just learned how tragedy can bring a couple closer together ... because lovebirds spent some quality time moments after Ben was assaulted on the hoops court.

By a vicious, savage, disrespectful, jaw-dropping dunk.

It happened during the Knicks vs. 76ers game Wednesday night, when Knicks rookie Kevin Knox delivered a two-handed destruction to Simmons that shook social media to its core (which is pretty easy to do).

It happened in front of a packed house of celebrities including Regina King (who almost got bulldozed by Joel Embiid), Tracy Morgan, Karrueche Tran, Justin Long and Maluma.

Kendall was there too, and after the game she and Ben hit the town with some pretty long (but beautiful) faces, probably contemplating Ben's basketball future, while dealing with post-dunk PTSD.

Here's the play ... please don't allow any young kids, people with cardiac conditions or small dogs to watch.

America almost lost a legend Wednesday night ... but thankfully, Joel Embiid's hops saved the day.

Golden Globe-winning actress Regina King had courtside seats at MSG for the Sixers and Knicks game ... but it might've been TOO close to the action considering what went down in the 3rd quarter.

Embiid went chasing after a loose ball that was heading for the stands, forcing him to jump over RK in the process ... and you can tell by King's face -- she was SHOOK.

Embiid ended up kicking the dude behind King square in the chest ... but he appeared to be just fine.

King tweeted about the scare ... saying, "Yoooo. Thank you God and @JoelEmbiid for your athletic abilities. Crisis averted."

Aaron Judge says he'd consider switching positions if the Yankees signed Bryce Harper -- telling TMZ Sports, he'll do whatever it takes to help his squad land the biggest fish in free agency.

Of course, Harper is currently shopping for the right fit -- and with the Yankees willing to write huge checks, they're still in the running.

Judge is excited about the possibility -- explaining, "Anytime you can add an MVP to a team, it's going to make them better."

There could be one slight issue ... both Judge and Harper play right field -- so, we asked Aaron who would have to switch positions if Harper signed with NY.

Short answer -- Judge is willing to do whatever it takes to get Bryce in pinstripes.

"Wherever he wants to play, wherever he wants to play -- we'll make it work."

The Yanks have a pretty stacked outfield already -- Judge in RF, Aaron Hicks in CF, Giancarlo Stanton in LF and Brett Gardner backing 'em all up -- but, Aaron says there's definitely room for Harper.

Judge also wouldn't mind being future teammates with another mega-free agent, Manny Machado ... and tells us, he hopes both guys "make the right choice."

There's more ... Aaron also has predictions for the Knicks -- saying, now that Kristaps Porzingis is gone -- he's expecting at least TWO superstars to head to the Big Apple next summer!!!

Forget Los Angeles ... Shaq says if he were a young baller in today's NBA -- his next free agency contract would be with the Knicks!!!

"If I was a youngster, Madison Avenue would be turning into Shaq Avenue."

It's interesting ... seeing as EVERY big-name free agent over the last several years has passed on the Knicks for other (mostly Golden State-colored) pastures.

But, the Diesel tells us he doesn't understand why dudes aren't just lining up to play in Madison Square Garden.

"People always talk about business and business after basketball. Knicks don't have a star player, so any superstar that comes there, Madison Avenue is going to open up them doors."

That could change soon ... while the free agent market ain't exactly warm for NY next summer -- a high draft pick could be in the cards.

Does that mean Zion Williamson could be the next Knicks superstar?? We know one guy who'd love to see that ...

11:51 AM PT -- Enes Kanter has just responded ... saying Hedo is the "delusional" one because his information is WRONG and Enes has the documents to prove it.

He also referred to Hedo as "Erdogan's lap dog."

Here's the statement ...

"This is my travel document: It’s NOT a visa issue!!! I CAN go to London. Either you are delusional, or still Erdogan’s lap dog.. Keep wagging your tail."

Ex-NBA player Hedo Turkoglu is going OFF on fellow Turkish hooper Enes Kanter -- claiming Enes is "delusional" and "irrational" if he REALLY thinks the Turkish government is plotting to kill him.

Kanter has been beefing with Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for years -- often comparing Erdogan to Hitler. Kanter has been branded a terrorist in Turkey and is reportedly facing prison time if he ever returns.

Just last week, Kanter said he would not be traveling with the NY Knicks to the U.K. to play the Wizards out of concern he would be more susceptible to Turkish assassins who want him dead.

Enter Turkoglu ... the President of the Turkish Basketball Federation who just came out SWINGING at Kanter -- saying Enes' story is flat-out wrong and dangerous.

"I received with concern the news about the delusions targeting the Republic of Turkey of Enes Kanter, who pledged his loyalty to the ringleader of Fetullashist Terrorist Organization (FETO), and his statement that he would miss the game in London due to fears of being assassinated by Turkey."

"We know that he has not been able to travel to many countries due to visa issues since 2017. In other words, Kanter cannot enter the U.K. not because of fears for life as he claims but due to passport and visa issues. This being the long known truth, he is trying to get the limelight with irrational justifications and political remarks."

"Such remarks constitute another example of the political smear campaign Kanter has been conducting against Turkey as well as his efforts to attribute importance to himself by covering up the contradictions in his sports career."

"Kanter not only targeted the Republic of Turkey, governed by the rule of law, with unjust accusations but he also regarded the British security forces as weak and attempted to harm Turkish-British relations."

"It is obvious that this person's remarks are irrational and distort the truth."

Pete Davidson gets by with a little help from his friends ... and courtside seats at the Knicks game.

The 'SNL' star looked like he was really enjoying himself Monday night at Madison Square Garden, as he watched his NY Knicks take on the visiting Washington Wizards. Pete was smiling and having a drink while seated next to his pals -- comedian John Mulaney and actress Chloe Sevigny.

Not sure who the guy in the Washington shirt is, but he should be happier now ... his team won.

Pete's good time came hours after he addressed online the public bullying he's been dealing with since his relationship with Ariana Grande began ... and after it ended. Pete blasted the trolls for harassing him, saying ... "No matter how hard the internet or anyone tries to make me kill myself. I won't."

Grande responded online early this morning, telling her fans to "be gentler" with Pete and others ... saying she cares deeply about Davidson and his health. She added ... "I will always have irrevocable love for him and if you've gotten any other impression from my recent work, you might have missed the point."