Basketball

Ayesha Curry poured her heart out for her NBA superstar husband on his special day ... sending Steph a super-romantic note on his birthday.

Steph turned the big 3-4 on Monday ... and Ayesha was there to congratulate her husband on another year of life.

"Happy birthday to the love of my life!," Ayesha said on Instagram. "You bring our family so much joy and happiness. We love you beyond measure. The year ahead is bright and I can’t wait to watch you grow and thrive even more."

"To my favorite person in the world, happy birthday @stephencurry30 ! 🥰🥰🥰."

Steph and Ayesha first met when they were in high school. After years of dating, Steph proposed to Ayesha ... and the two tied the knot in 2011. The power couple has been married for more than 10 years and now have three children together -- Riley Elizabeth, 9, Ryan Carson, 6, and Canon W. Jack, 3.

Of course, Steph's wife doesn't mess around when it comes to their union -- she recently denied rumors alleging they were in an open relationship ... saying the claims are "ridiculous" and calling it disrespectful to her marriage to make such an insinuation.

Ayesha is by far Steph's biggest cheerleader -- she was in the building at Madison Square Garden when Steph passed Ray Allen for the most 3-pointers made in NBA history.

It's clear their love is going stronger than ever!!

Magic Johnson says he's not tuning in to HBO's new show about the "Showtime" Lakers, but the NBA legend should definitely reconsider -- so says "Winning Time" actress Caitlin O'Connor, who tells TMZ Sports he'd love the series!!

As we previously reported, the 5-time champ told us he was NOT looking forward to Adam McKay's project starring John C. Reilly ... pretty much distancing himself from the entire thing.

But, O'Connor -- who plays legendary Laker fan Dyan Cannon in the series -- is hoping Magic changes his mind ... saying Quincy Isaiah's portrayal of the 3-time MVP is certainly worth a watch.

"I think Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson gives an amazing performance," O'Connor said outside Urth Caffe. "He has a smile that lights up a million rooms."

O'Connor even sends a personal message to the legend ... saying, "Magic Johnson, if you're watching this, you should watch 'Winning Time.' It's so funny, it's so fast-paced. Jerry Buss breaks the fourth wall. John C. Reilly does an amazing job on the show. I think that Magic is gonna love it, so I hope that he watches it."

As for her time on the show, O'Connor also says she hasn't met Dyan just yet ... but she'd LOVE to hit up a Laker game with her in the future.

O'Connor says she did a deep dive into everything about Dyan's life to prepare for the role ... and McKay worked tirelessly to make sure the show was done right.

In a rare public appearance, former NFL star Colin Kaepernick was spotted at the Lakers game Sunday night, choppin' it up with Dodgers star outfielder Mookie Betts.

During the broadcast of the Lakers-Suns game, cameras panned to Kaepernick, who was standing with Betts during a TV timeout ... which, of course, is worth noting 'cause Kap maintains a relatively low profile.

Seeing Betts and Kap together is interesting. Colin's known for kneeling and Mookie, at one point, said he'd never kneel because his father served in the Air Force. Betts later changed his position by kneeling before a Dodgers game in 2020, saying, "I wasn't educated. My fault."

Kap's attendance at the game comes on the heels of the 34-year-old releasing a video last week of him working out ... which clearly served to put NFL owners on notice that he's still interested and capable of playing QB in the NFL.

The last time Kaepernick took a snap under center in the NFL was in 2016 ... as quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. Kap's final season certainly wasn't his best, but the dual-threat QB contends he's been doing his part to stay in shape, and he's ready to play.

"For The past 5 years, I’ve been working out and staying ready in case an opportunity to play presented itself," Colin tweeted on Sunday. "I’m really grateful to my trainer, who I’ve been throwing to all this time."

"But man, do I miss throwing to professional route runners. Who’s working?? I will pull up."

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett stepped up and responded to Kap's request -- telling him that he would run routes for him. “Let’s do it bro! Me and my brother will come run routes for you!” Lockett wrote to Kap.

One of the biggest beefs in NBA history has officially been squashed -- Kevin Garnett extended an olive branch to Ray Allen at his jersey retirement ceremony on Sunday ... and it was beautiful.

Of course, there was bad blood between the two Celtics champions ever since Allen left Boston to join the Miami Heat in 2012 ... breaking up the big three of KG, Allen and Paul Pierce after one title.

Tensions still appeared be high between KG and Allen during this past All-Star Weekend ... when Garnett hit his ex-teammate with a piercing stare during the 75th anniversary team ceremony.

But, all the hatred is a thing of the past -- as Allen was in attendance at KG's retirement ceremony ... with the two embracing at center court in the middle of the Big Ticket's speech.

"It's good to see Ray Allen here," Garnett said during the special moment. "Real s***. It's good to see you, man."

Allen then approached KG and gave him a hug ... with Pierce joining in for the touching moment.

KG says Allen should be the next Celtic to have his number in the rafters ... making him the final member of the big three to receive the honor.

Jason "White Chocolate" Williams felt the heat for saying Kobe Bryant is not a top-five all-time Laker -- and, now, he's retracting his statement, officially deeming the Black Mamba L.A.'s G.O.A.T.

The former point guard says he misunderstood the question on the "Players Choice" podcast last week when he said he was "not sure" if Bryant was a top-five Laker.

"In the conversation you all heard," Williams said in a lengthy post on his social media page Sunday, "my thinking was that we were talking about ALL the greatest NBA players EVER who wore the Laker purple and gold jersey for at least ONE season."

"I wasn’t talking about the greatest LAKER ever… because of course that’s Kobe!!! Kobe IS the Lakers!!! 💛💜"

In other words ... Williams says he thought the question was strictly from a basketball standpoint -- NOT what each player actually meant to the franchise.

In his IG statement, Williams explained he believes Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James are better hoopers than Bryant, but they don't mean nearly as much to L.A. as Kobe.

"My bad if I've hurt any of y’all feelings, it’s just my opinion!!!" Williams said. "I love this game and I respect this game!! It has nothing to do with Kobe bustin my team’s ass just about every time we played them either."

Kyrie Irving is throwing NYC's vaccine mandate policy right back in its face on primetime TV -- taking in a home game, maskless, from the stands ... but not able to step onto the court.

The awkward scene played out live Sunday during the Nets' home game against Knicks ... which was being carried by ESPN. During the 2nd quarter, the camera panned to KI, who was shaking hands with people down near the bottom of the stands, and then going up to his seat a few rows up.

In this capacity -- as a spectator -- he's totally okay to not wear a mask and move about ... as that is now NYC's policy on events like this, regardless of vaccine status. However, their rule pertaining to private employees hasn't changed -- namely, those folks have to be vaccinated, and Kyrie isn't.

Still ... the irony of the sitch reeks of hypocrisy, but more importantly ... it reeks of a lack of common sense, something that Doris Burke and other announcers broached with trepidation ... because, if we're being honest, the regulations here just don't make sense anymore.

Kyrie's former teammate, LeBron James, was not as shy about expressing his indignation over NYC's backwards thinking. In response to someone pointing out what a joke this is, he wrote ... "FACTS FACTS FACTS!! It literally makes ABSOLUTELY ZERO SENSE!!! They say if common sense was common then we’d all have it. Ain’t that the truth."

LBJ has been outspoken on the pandemic, especially the further into it we've gotten. Remember, it was just in December that he suggested the latest strains were more like the flu or the cold than anything else ... something he was slammed for at the time, as some felt he was downplaying the seriousness of the virus.

Rich Paul is giving actor Damson Idris -- who's playing the NBA super-agent in a biopic about his life -- a big stamp of approval ... telling TMZ Sports he's a huge fan (and friend) of the "Snowfall" star.

We talked to the 40-year-old agent as he left LAX Thursday night ... and we asked Rich about the upcoming film about his life, and the actor who will portray him.

"I like Damson a lot. He's a great friend of mine," Paul said, adding, "Damson's great man, he's doing a great job. That's my brother."

Not much, if anything, was known about the project or its cast until Idris recently broke the news during an appearance on "The Breakfast Club."

"I am about to play Rich Paul," Idris announced on the show.

"It is time we start cherishing black moguls and Rich is someone that people need to know. This guy has completely changed the game, and I'm happy and fortunate to call him a big brother, and I can't wait to honor his story."

Paul, LeBron James' longtime agent, has a fascinating story. He met LBJ at an airport in Akron, Ohio when he was in his early 20s, and James was 18.

The story goes ... Rich approached Lebron and tried to sell him some throwback jerseys. The guys obviously hit it off, and fast forward almost 20 years, Paul has become one of the most respected and powerful agents in the entire sports world.

And, Paul -- who also reps the likes of Anthony Davis, John Wall, Ben Simmons and other stars -- isn't just a superagent ... he's a celebrity in his own right.

Case and point ... Rich dates Adele.

Delonte West is attempting a hoops comeback ... the former NBA player who's battled addiction and legal issues over the years tried out for the Big 3 today -- and it's pretty great to see.

38-year-old West was in Washington D.C. at the Athletic Republic for tryouts for the 3-on-3 league that mostly features retired NBA stars.

Guys like Joe Johnson, Reggie Evans, and Leandro Barbosa played in the Big 3 last season.

No word yet on how Delonte performed at the tryout (West looked good knocking down a couple 3s) ... but just the fact he's out there is encouraging.

West -- who last played in the NBA for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2011-2012 season -- has had several run-ins with the cops over the years since leaving basketball.

Just a few months back, in October, Delonte was arrested outside a police station in Palm Beach County, FL for allegedly banging on the door of the station, before cursing out cops.

But, Delonte -- who has battled addiction -- worked very hard to get himself back on track (with the help of supporters like Mark Cuban).

We broke the story a few weeks back that West was busting his ass in the gym in an effort to prepare for today's tryout.

During his time in the NBA, West -- the 24th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft -- was no scrub. DW played 8 seasons for the Celtics, SuperSonics and Cavs ... in addition to the Mavs. He averaged 10 points, 3 rebounds and nearly 4 assists a game for his career.

It's not yet known if Delonte will make a team ... but just the fact he's out there is the real win here.

Quavo's ready to showcase his hoop skills ... telling TMZ Sports that the directors for the reboot of "White Men Can't Jump" starring fellow rapper Jack Harlow need to give him a ring  -- 'cause he wants to play the role of Wesley Snipes.

We caught up with the "Bad and Boujee" MC at LAX after it was announced that Jack will be acting in the remake of the film ... and Quavo told us he's dead serious about wanting to be cast in the movie alongside Harlow.

"I think they need to call me, so me and Jack Harlow can do it," Huncho said.

"I need to play Wesley Snipes' role."

The movie -- which was originally released in 1992 -- tells the story of Billy Hoyle played by Woody Harrelson, and Sidney Deane played by Snipes, abandoning their on-court rivalry to team up together and hustle other guys.

The film was wildly popular ... meaning Harlow -- who landed the lead role in his first-ever screen audition -- has big shoes to fill. But, Huncho seems to think the rap star will do well on set.

"Jack Harlow's amazing," Quavo said. "He can do everything."

Of course, Quavo is no stranger to actual ballin' ... he's routinely traded buckets with some of the industry's biggest names -- such as Drake and Justin Bieber.

Huncho has also become a fixture in the NBA's annual All-Star Celebrity Game ... winning MVP honors in 2018 after dropping 19-points in an impressive performance.

Jason "White Chocolate" Williams is wrong ... Kobe Bryant's not only in the top five greatest Lakers of all time -- he's number one!

... that's according to former Los Angeles Lakers center (and former Kobe teammate) John Salley, who tells TMZ Sports there is no better Laker ever than the Black Mamba.

"Kobe is the greatest Laker of all time," Salley said outside of LAX this week.

Of course, Williams is clearly not in agreement with Salley -- because he said on the popular basketball podcast "Players Choice" earlier this month that he wasn't sure if Kobe belonged even in the top-five Laker conversation.

Williams didn't elaborate on why ... but he said he knew the opinion would ruffle feathers.

Salley wasn't pissed about the former NBA point guard's hot take -- but he made it clear to us, Kobe is his No. 1 all-time.

"When you say greatest Laker, I'm just going to go with Jerry West, then it was Magic Johnson," the four-time champion said. "And then, 20 years of Kobe changed the whole attitude."

Ex-NBA star Jason "White Chocolate" Williams just pissed off a whole lot of Kobe Bryant fans ... saying he's "not even sure" the Black Mamba is a top-five Laker of all-time.

The former point guard made the shocking claim on the popular hoops podcast "Players Choice" this week ... while discussing where the NBA's greatest should land on an all-time rankings list.

"I haven't really thought about where I got Kobe," Williams said. "But, Kobe's not as high on my list as people would really think he should be."

"I'm not even sure he's on the top five of the all-time greatest Lakers."

One co-host kind of agreed with Williams ... but several others on the show thought the dude was crazy.

Of course, Laker Nation is surely clenching its fists over Williams' comments ... because nearly everyone who's rooted for the Purple and Gold has him pinned somewhere definitively in their top three.

Williams -- who spent 12 seasons in the NBA with the Kings, Grizzlies, Heat and Magic -- went head-to-head with Bryant throughout his career, so it's plausible his opinion was formed as a result of firsthand experience.

Williams didn't mention who he'd possibly have above Kobe ... but the Lakers do have a rich history of ballers (Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Shaquille O' Neal and LeBron James, to name a few).

Kobe's place amongst the Laker icons, though, is cemented in the eyes of many L.A. fans ... as he won five titles, two finals MVPs, and one regular-season MVP in his 20-year career.

Steph Curry is back in the good graces of 10-year-old Warriors fan PJ O'Byrne -- who was crushed when the 3x champ didn't play in the game she recently attended -- hooking up the young girl with some free courtside tix to see him hoop!

PJ originally received tickets to see Golden State play the Denver Nuggets back in December for her birthday, but a COVID-19 outbreak forced the game to be postponed.

It was rescheduled for Monday in Denver, but Steph didn't travel with the team and ultimately missed the game ... leaving one of his biggest fans, PJ, visibly devastated.

O'Bryne -- who was holding a "Go Warriors! MVP Steph Curry" sign in anticipation of seeing her favorite player hit the court -- was in tears when she received the news that #30 wasn't playing.

Well, Steph and the Warriors org. made things right ... providing the girl and her family tickets to Thursday's game against the Nuggets, giving Steph an opportunity to apologize in person.

Before tipoff, Curry made his way over to O'Bryne and her family (they had great seats) ... and briefly chatted with PJ, who was crying ... only this time, tears of joy.

The Nuggets also provided her with MVP jerseys.

PJ got to see a heckuva performance too. Steph didn't just drop 34 points ... he also surpassed 20,000 total career points, and led the Warriors to a thrilling comeback victory over the Nuggets, 113-102.

76ers fans greeted Ben Simmons with boos and trash talk as he took the court before Thursday's game ... marking his first return to Philadelphia since his trade to the Brooklyn Nets.

Remember, the 25-year-old guard made it clear he wanted out of Philly ... and was willing to lose out on millions of dollars as he refused to suit up for the Sixers this season.

Simmons finally got what he wanted last month ... after the Sixers traded BS, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden.

Simmons returned to Wells Fargo Center -- this time as a visitor -- in black and white gear for Thursday's matchup against the Sixers ... and despite being out with an injury, the fans let him hear it during pre-game shootaround.

In fact, the 3-time All-Star was heckled way before getting to the arena -- he was surrounded by an angry crowd while getting onto the team bus ... with one fan saying, "Ben Simmons, you stink!"

Fans were also booing Simmons outside the Four Season in downtown Philadelphia ... with one fan actually thanking him for the Nets trade.

"Thanks for James, man" one fan yelled.

Cops have arrested a 12-year-old boy after they say he robbed Jim Boeheim's wife at gunpoint last week.

According to Syracuse police, the minor stuck an air gun in Juli Boeheim's face while she was sitting in her car on March 1 at a famous shopping center in New York.

Police say the boy then reached into the Syracuse head coach's wife's vehicle to grab her purse ... claiming he later took off in a stolen car with three other men.

Cops say the boy has since been charged with robbery, grand larceny and criminal possession of a weapon. They did not release the boy's name due to his age.

Jim spoke about the incident on Brent Axe's radio show on ESPN just two days after it happened ... and he explained Juli was "definitely shook up" over it all.

"I mean, this isn't television," Jim said. "It's not movies. It's real life."

There's no snow in Miami ... but Floyd Mayweather was ready just in case, rockin' $795 Balmain ski boots to the Heat game!!

The 50-0 boxer -- one of the best ever to enter the ring -- wore the luxury fashion boots courtside while the Miami Heat took on the Phoenix Suns at FTX Arena on Wednesday.

The black and ivory footwear are Balmain waterproof apres-ski boots, made with Polyamide and calfskin.

Mayweather made sure he matched with an oversized Balmain cotton T-shirt featuring the fashion line's monogram print and name across the chest. The shirt costs $650 on the Balmain website.

So, the fit -- not including the diamond watch, bracelets, jeans and cap (which surely go for thousands of dollars) -- costs $1,445!!

Showing out at basketball games is Floyd's thing -- just a few weeks ago Mayweather sat courtside at the Spurs-Heat game, and the 45-year-old wore a ton of diamond chains around his neck.

Buddy Boeheim appeared to sucker punch an opponent in the gut during Syracuse's ACC Tournament game on Wednesday ... but his father, Orange head coach Jim Boeheim, says he believes the act was "inadvertent."

The play happened in the middle of the first half of 'Cuse's blowout win over the Seminoles ... when after a Syracuse basket, Buddy appeared to turn and throw a fist into Wyatt Wilkes' body.

Video replays showed Buddy made strong contact with the FSU hooper's stomach -- and the force was so great, Wilkes actually had to leave the game for a few minutes to recover.

Many on social media panned the play as dirty -- but no foul was called, and Syracuse went on to win the contest, 96-57.

After the game, Jim commented on the play ... and said he didn't think his son delivered a cheap shot at all.

"The kid pushed [Buddy] twice," Jim told reporters. "And he swung around and hit him. I think it was inadvertent, but that's OK."

Buddy and Wyatt appeared to have no bad blood following the game ... the two were seen chatting on the court following the tilt.

As for FSU's head coach Leonard Hamilton, he praised Buddy when asked about the incident.

"I don't want anything to take away from how well they played and what type of fine young man he is," Hamilton said. "The game is physical. You expect guys to go out and bang and be aggressive. And if something inadvertently happens, sometimes we want to categorize it one way or another."

No word yet on if the ACC will reprimand Buddy for the play. Syracuse is set to play next against Duke on Thursday.