Basketball

The Kid from Akron is getting his own museum in his hometown ... with the massive tribute coming to Ohio in 2023.

The LeBron James Family Foundation made the announcement on Friday via Instagram -- showing flicks of the 37-year-old standing in the soon-to-be exhibit.

"The story of King James will live on in Akron forever inside the one-and-only LeBron James Museum by Upper Deck Sports at House Three Thirty 👑."

The museum will be in the basement of the HFF -- a multi-use facility launched by the LBFF that offers financial health training, a sports complex, full-service dining and more for the community.

The exhibit will feature the journey of King James ... starting from the Springhill Apartments to becoming a 4-time NBA champion.

It will display his basketball awards at St. Vincent-St. Mary H.S., his "Decision" to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat, his return to Ohio and more recently, his time with his current team, the L.A. Lakers.

His many off-court ventures will be focused on as well -- including the I Promise School, involvement in growing the Blaze Pizza franchise and his acting career.

"We can’t wait to bring the story of the kid from Akron to life for all to see in 2023. 🤴🏾"

Hopefully, they left some space for his retirement and his Hall of Fame induction ... and maybe a few more trophies?!

Kobe and Gigi Bryant's legacy continues to live on -- the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation released a hoodie celebrating the two this week ... and it sold it out in less than 24 minutes.

Thursday -- 02/24 -- was a symbolic day for the Bryant family because it features the jersey numbers Gigi and Kobe wore during their basketball career.

Vanessa Bryant says Champion donated the hoodies to support the Mamba & Mambacita Sports store launch ... and judging from how quickly they went, supporters couldn't wait to get their hands on them.

Vanessa says the hoodie is for a good cause ... with 100% of the proceeds going to support the Foundation's mission of creating equal opportunity for underserved boys and girls in athletics.

The MMSF Reverse Weave Pullover hoodie is all black ... and features the Mamba & Mambacita logo on the front in white.

The hood and sleeve feature the numbers 2, 8, and 24 ... commemorating each jersey number Kobe and Gigi wore when they hit the hardwood.

"Special thanks to Champion for donating this merchandise to our foundation," Vanessa wrote in a post on Instagram.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years. We are overwhelmed with gratitude. Our hoodie sold out in less than 24 minutes 🖤🤍."

The NBA continues to pay tribute to the late Terrence Clarke ... by gifting his mother an honorary Rising Star jersey from the 2022 All-Star Weekend.

Clarke's mom, Osmine, shared the news on Instagram ... saying she received her son's All-Star gear from Klutch Sports -- the agency TC signed with before his tragic death last April.

"Thanks 🙏🏾 to Klutch team for sending me T's jerseys," Osmine said, "I'm so sorry 😢 he wasn't able to showcase his talent before leaving us."

"Thanks again for all who made this possible a through STAR 🌟 looking over us love ❤️ you 5"

Clarke -- who played for the Kentucky Wildcats in 2020 -- passed away after a horrific car accident in Los Angeles on April 22 ... months before the 2021 NBA Draft.

The NBA has preserved the 6'8" guard's legacy ever since ... making him an honorary pick at the draft and bringing his family on stage to accept his draft hat.

The league also teamed up with the Celtics to renovate the Boston Centers for Youth & Families Vine St.'s basketball court ... where Clarke grew up playing hoops.

The court features his initials, Wildcats jersey #5 and his famous quote -- "I want to be that guy for everyone in the city."

Powerful moment before the Nuggets and Kings game Thursday -- the teams, including Ukrainian-born Sacramento center, Alex Len, locked arms in a show of solidarity as war rages on in Ukraine.

Len is 1 of 2 NBA players from Ukraine. Svi Mykhailiuk, a forward from the Toronto Raptors, is the other player.

The show of unity between the teams comes in the wake of Russia launching a violent military attack in Ukraine ... sparking international condemnation and concern over the situation on the ground in eastern Europe.

It's obviously been a very difficult time for Len ... and he clearly appreciated his teammates and the opposing players on the Nuggets for the gesture.

"Thank you to my Kings family and the Denver Nuggets for your solidarity and support of Ukraine tonight," Alex wrote on Instagram.

Len also shared a joint statement on social media with Mykhailiuk condemning the awful attacks perpetrated by the Russian military.

"Ukraine is a peaceful, sovereign state inhabited by people who want to decide their own destiny. We pray for our families, friends, relatives, and all the people who are in the territory of Ukraine."

"We hope for an end to this terrible war as soon as possible. "Dear fellow Ukrainians, Hold on! Our strength is in unity! We are with you!"

Alvin Gentry -- head coach of the Kings -- spoke with reporters before the game ... telling the media he had a team meeting with Len, and the coach asked for prayers for his loved ones.

"I just like for you guys to kinda keep him in your prayers and hopefully his family is going to remain safe."

Jaxson Hayes faced a judge in L.A. stemming from his July arrest on Thursday ... and the Pelicans center entered a no contest plea for a resisting arrest and false imprisonment charge, TMZ Sports has learned.

The 21-year-old former Texas star was facing 10 other charges ... but the judge dismissed them.

Hayes was arrested on July 28 after LAPD responded to a reported domestic incident at a home where Hayes was staying. When officers arrived, cops say Hayes refused to allow them inside ... and a scuffle ensued.

At least one police officer sustained an injury during the struggle.

While cops were fighting with the 6'10" player -- who was tased during the scuffle -- Hayes was heard telling officers he couldn't breathe (LAPD is currently conducting a "use of force" investigation to determine if appropriate force was used).

Although Hayes did not plead guilty, a no contest plea would still end up with a conviction on his record.

Each of the two charges carries up to 364 days in jail, a fine or both.

Winnie Harlow and Kyle Kuzma were either working on their MMA ground game or packing on the PDA on vacation this week ... and we're assuming it's the latter.

Harlow posted a steamy collection of hot shots to her IG on Thursday ... where the 27-year-old model is seen straddling her 26-year-old Wizards star boyfriend while laid out on the beach somewhere in paradise.

It was clearly a great All-Star break for Kuz and Harlow -- they also enjoyed a boat ride while on the long trip ... and you can see the hooper smiling as he holds a cigar and a handful of his lady.

The couple was definitely into each other -- a good sign that their reconciliation is going extremely well since their break up last August.

Remember, the two split right around the time Kuz was traded from the Lakers to D.C. ... but they got back together 5 months later.

As we previously reported, the two first became an item after Kuz slid into Harlow's DMs ... and they became one of the first quarantine couples to surface during the pandemic.

Bronny James isn't just following in his father's footsteps on the basketball court ... he's also inherited pops business acumen -- the high school phenom just landed a deal with PSD underwear, and will release a signature collection later this year.

LeBron James' oldest son -- who has ambitions of playing in the NBA one day -- isn't wasting any time securing the bag.

PSD announced news of the huge signing on Thursday ... officially welcoming Bronny to their family.

FYI, 17-year-old Bronny Jr. -- a star on the Sierra Canyon basketball team -- is the youngest athlete entrepreneur to partner with the underwear company, according to PSD.

And, the partnership just makes sense ... Bronny says he's been rockin' PSD's draws for as long as he can remember.

Bronny now joins a star-studded roster at PSD -- Ja Morant, Deebo Samuel, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and Bubba Wallace are already affiliated with the brand.

Now, the plan is for Bronny to link up with the company's design team and create signature pieces that'll be available in stores in spring.

"I’m looking forward to sharing my ideas and input to create some pretty unique pieces.”

Paul George is opening up about his struggles in the NBA bubble ... saying he couldn't sleep for 2 WEEKS -- and it played a huge role in his performance on the court.

The Clippers forward joined former teammate Serge Ibaka on his "How Hungry Are You?" cooking show recently ... and detailed how mentally and physically taxing his time at the Disney World campus in Orlando was in 2020.

"A lot of it was just weighing on me," George told Ibaka. "For one, I wasn't sleeping. No lie, I probably went a good week and a half, 2 weeks of 0 sleep. I would lay in bed and my mind would be racing."

PG told Serge that his lack of sleep was so concerning, he tried using different solutions -- from taking naps to therapy to using sleeping gummies to remedy the problem.

Of course, George was pretty inconsistent throughout the 2020 NBA playoffs ... and he says it was extra tough on him because there was no way to escape.

Ultimately, Paul admits his sleep deprivation negatively affected his performance on the court ... but he's not making excuses for blowing a 3-1 series lead against the Denver Nuggets.

"I ain't gon' make no excuses on it ... he said. "We just blew it."

No one is safe from 50 Cent's trolling -- not even the NBA's G.O.A.T. -- 'cause the rapper came after Michael Jordan on Wednesday, clowning His Airness for his handsy embrace with Mary J. Blige over the weekend.

Fiddy just dropped the joke on his Instagram page ... poking fun at the way MJ held on to MJB while posing for a pic at the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday in Cleveland.

(BTW, Blige posted the photo to her Instagram page earlier this week. See below.)

50 zoomed in on Jordan's hand, which appeared to be creepin' close to the top of a butt cheek, and wrote, "MJ & MJB, he palmed the ball 🏀LOL"

The "In Da Club" rapper added a pic of a surprised Denzel Washington to make the ribbing extra spicy.

A super-rare Kobe Bryant card just netted a fortune in a private sale ... with TMZ Sports learning the piece sold for a staggering $2 MILLION!!

The card is a 1997-98 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems piece -- and it's one of the rarest Black Mamba cards in existence.

It's numbered to 100, although only 10 of the emerald version were ever made, and with an 8.5 grade, it's still in ridiculously good condition.

Officials at PWCC Marketplace -- which brokered the sale -- tell us the historic sale went down last week ... saying it set an all-time record for a Kobe card.

"This is arguably Kobe's best card in existence," PWCC exec Jesse Craig said. "It's more desirable than even a Kobe Bryant rookie card or a Kobe Bryant autograph."

The front of the card features a still image of a young Bryant donning his #8 Lakers jersey ... and passing the basketball with flair.

The back of the card displays the Mamba with a focused look on his face ... and his stats from the '96-'97 season.

Craig tells us the card's design is also what makes it so valuable ... because it was one of the first-ever created in the "insert" style mold.

"These Precious Metal Gems variants are arguably the most desired insert card in the entire world," Craig said. "These set the tone for the insert market going forward."

No word on who the buyer is ... but something tells us they're pretty rich.

Mitchell Robinson's dad is missing ... and the New York Knicks center is asking everyone for help finding him.

Robinson -- who was drafted in the second round by the Knicks in 2018 -- expressed concern on social media ... saying his dad, Mitchell Robinson Jr., has been MIA since Feb 13.

"My dad is missing if you have info on his whereabouts please contact 850-436-9620," the number for the Escambia County Sheriff's Dept., Mitchell wrote.

Days later, Robinson once again took to social media ... pleading with the public to help him locate his father.

"Don't know a place the devil will hide you ... Come home pops," Robinson wrote on his Instagram story.

The Escambia County Sherriff's Office is aware of Robinson Jr.'s disappearance ... and reports that Robinson Jr. was actually last seen on Feb 11.

The sheriff's office is currently investigating the manner ... and shared a photo of Mitchell's dad, as well information surrounding his last whereabouts on its Facebook page.

Robinson has played in 53 games for the Knicks this season ... and has seen an increase in his productivity and efficiency across the board.

Juwan Howard has been punished for smacking an opposing coach during a wild altercation over the weekend ... with Michigan reportedly banning the guy from the Wolverines' sidelines for the rest of the regular season.

Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel just reported the news ... one day after Howard kicked off a brawl at the end of the Michigan vs. Wisconsin game by taking a swipe at Badgers assistant Joe Krabbenhoft.

The ban would effectively be a 5-game suspension for Howard ... as the Wolverines have just five contests left before they play in the postseason Big 10 Tournament.

As we previously reported, Howard told media members following the altercation that he got aggressive because Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard had put his hands on him first.

"I think that was very uncalled for, for him to touch me," Howard said after the game, "as we were verbalizing and communicating with one another. So, that's what ended up happening."

Many had speculated Howard would be banned for longer -- and, considering the melee ended up being very, very ugly, some thought it could cost the 49-year-old his job.

Michigan, meanwhile, is 14-11 this season.

Michael Jordan shared a special moment with Kobe Bryant's wife at the All-Star Game on Sunday ... with MJ embracing Vanessa after the Lakers legend was honored during halftime.

The Black Mamba received a powerful ovation as members of the league's 75th-anniversary team were recognized in Cleveland ... and Vanessa was visibly overcome with emotion as her husband was featured on the scoreboard.

Jordan, Jerry West and Lakers GM/Kobe's longtime agent Rob Pelinka were spotted alongside Vanessa during the festivities ... as #23 went up and gave her a big hug and chatted with her on the court.

Kobe's presence was felt throughout the night ... as Vanessa was in attendance to hand Chris Paul the WNBA's first Kobe and Gigi Bryant Advocacy award, which honors players for their contributions to women's hoops.

Stephen Curry won the newly-designed Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP award ... after nailing 16 3-pointers to help Team LeBron beat Team Durant, 163-160.

The exchange between MJ and Vanessa was truly emotional for fans to watch -- Jordan and Kobe were close, and the Bulls legend even gave a tearful speech at Bryant's service in 2020.

Adele is trying to tune out any distractions in her life ... even cameras that are right up in her face!

Adele was at the NBA All-Star Game Sunday night -- no doubt showing support for BF Rich Paul -- and a camera crew unsurprisingly got a shot of her.

The cameras got super close to her, but Adele just pretended they weren't there ... looking away to either side. The shot lasted an uncomfortably long time. Typically the director stays on the shot until the person they're shooting acknowledges it, but that never happened.

Adele hasn't been seen in public much since the cancellation of her Vegas residency... where she went online and apologized -- breaking the news just one day before the first show would begin.

She's mostly been on the down-low since the cancellation, with the exception of a night out at a gay bar in London.

This was a big night for Rich, and Adele was there to support him and watch the game. They were seated next to another musical icon -- Mary J. Blige.

Juwan Howard got physical with another coach after his team’s bitter loss in a basketball game ... kickstarting an ugly fight.

The University of Michigan’s men’s basketball head coach got into it Sunday while shaking hands with the opposing team ... the Wisconsin Badgers, who beat Juwan’s Wolverines 77-63 in a hard-fought game.

While UoW’s HC, Greg Gard, approached JH in the lineup ... he appeared to get snubbed by the latter -- which made him start to get in Juwan’s face, as the two of them began yapping back and forth.

Soon, it became clear this was going beyond words ... as other coaches and players had to rush between them to break up a head face-off. Juwan wasn’t done yet though ... in an apparent effort to reach Gard, he took what looked to be an open-hand swing at one of the Wisconsin assistant coaches, and made contact. It was all caught on camera, of course.

That sparked more fighting from the players, and an all-out brawl ensued.

Fortunately, it doesn’t seem things got too out of hand ... and the chaos was eventually tapered down after everyone separated from one another.

No word on what exactly made Juwan react that way -- or what sort of punishment, if any, awaits him.

The NBA All-Star Celebrity Game had challenges Friday night ... because there was a major distraction in the crowd -- and her name is Megan Fox.

It must've been super hard for some players to concentrate as Megan cheered on her fiance Machine Gun Kelly, who played on Team Walton in the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game during NBA All-Star Weekend.

MGK was festooned in bling as he showed off his skills ... btw, he has mad skills on the hardwood.

Team Walton also included Quavo ... himself a pretty awesome player. He was more than happy to mug for a selfie with former WNBA great Lisa Leslie.

The opposing team -- Team Nique -- included the likes of Tiffany Haddish, singer Kane Brown and Jack Harlow!

Good sportsmanship clearly abounded at the event, as Jack Harlow of Team Nique was seen sharing a heartwarming embrace with Quavo of the opposite side.

Matt James of 'Bachelor' fame and a member of Team Walton had a misstep when he was shooting from the foul line and hit teammate Brittney Elena in the chest by mistake. People started trolling Matt on social media, and Brittney then jumped in ... "🤣🤣🤦🏽‍♀️🤣🤣 He said sorry y'all! It was a simple mistake lol."