Basketball

The Miami Heat may have lost the NBA Finals, but there's at least some good news for the organization -- Conor McGregor says Burnie the mascot is A-OK after getting his bell rung at the hands of the UFC superstar!

"The mascot is good. It was a skit, and all is well," the 34-year-old former champ said Tuesday in NYC.

"I spent a lot of time with him afterward, we talked it out, everything is great. It was all part of the show!"

Remember, McGregor participated in what was supposed to be a fun, friendly routine with Burnie during game 4 of the Finals in Miami on Friday, when things took a turn for the worse for the furry creature.

Conor was promoting his Tidl Sport recovery spray ... when Burnie -- wearing oversized boxing gloves -- squared up with McGregor.

That was all The Notorious needed to see ... and he smashed Burnie with one of his vicious patented left hooks. The mascot went down to the ground before McGregor hit him with a brutal ground-and-pound strike to the head.

Unfortunately, Conor hits hard, as the guy in the Burnie costume found out, resulting in a reported trip to the hospital.

But, by Conor's account, he escaped serious injury and is okay.

Dillon Brooks continues to catch strays after his trash talk blew up in his face this season ... 'cause the NBA hooper is now a punchline in Polo G's new freestyle -- and it's harsh!!

The Chicago artist dropped the vicious bar while appearing on "Justin Credible's Freestyles" with Power 106 in L.A. ... where he flowed over Ja Rule's classic "New York" beat.

It only took a few seconds for Polo to name-drop the former(?) Memphis Grizzlies player ... saying, "If he a lame like Dillon Brooks, I take him straight off the roster."

Justin immediately started cracking up ... but Polo was just getting started, freestyling for another two minutes before it was all said and done.

Of course, Brooks has been the butt of many jokes after calling LeBron James "old" and washed up in the middle of Memphis' first-round matchup against the Lakers ... which L.A. ended up winning in six games.

After the Grizzlies were sent packing, there were reports Memphis had no interest in bringing Brooks back "under any circumstances" ... which was later refuted by his agent.

Ja Morant gave Lil Wayne the cold shoulder when the rapper tried to lend a helping hand following his recent gun controversy ... so says Skip Bayless, who claims he was given the information from the Young Money honcho himself.

The FS1 host shared Wayne's apparent side of the story on the "Skip Bayless Show" podcast this week ... saying the "Kant Nobody" M.C.'s personal experiences influenced his decision to reach out to the All-Star guard.

According to Skip, Wayne reminisced on his own time spent on Rikers Island for gun possession ... and made it known he didn't want Ja to end up in the same cell.

Skip says the message was delivered ... but claims Ja and his team never got back to Wayne.

Wayne isn't the only rapper concerned about Ja's well-being.

Cam'ron, who says he dashed his own basketball dreams to pursue moves in the streets, has also been publicly telling Ja to revert course ... especially since the Dipset rapper doesn't think a career in hip-hop is in the cards for the Grizzlies star.

Skip's gonna need to map out a game plan to discuss more of Ja's plight -- he's currently without a debate partner at "Undisputed" after Shannon Sharpe announced his departure on Tuesday.

The mass shooting after the Nuggets' championship win in Denver on Tuesday morning appeared to be sparked by a drug deal gone wrong ... this according to cops.

Denver chief of police Ron Thomas made the revelation on Tuesday afternoon ... explaining that they discovered cash, firearms and what appeared to be fentanyl at the scene -- all signs that point toward a botched drug deal.

Two people, Thomas said, are in police custody -- though their exact involvement remains unclear.

Of the 10 people that sustained gunshot wounds, authorities said they believe five or six were innocent bystanders. All 10, thankfully, are now in "fair condition," according to officials ... though five still remain in the hospital.

The gunshots initially broke out about a mile from Ball Arena at around 12:30 AM ... roughly three and a half hours after Denver beat Miami to win the NBA title in Game 5.

Officials praised the actions of responding officers -- releasing video from the scene that showed cops running toward the gunshots in an effort to keep people safe.

An investigation into it all, officials added, remains ongoing.

Larsa Pippen says she was in super stealth mode in the early days of her relationship with Marcus Jordan ... admitting she gave her boyfriend an alias in her phone to keep people from finding out about their budding romance.

The 48-year-old reality TV star revealed the sneaky tactic in the couple's new podcast, "Separation Anxiety" ... saying she initially couldn't risk having people find out what was going on behind the scenes.

"I could never really put you under your name in my phone," Pippen said. "So I had you under Marc Jacob."

"I didn't want anyone to know when you called me."

Marcus seemed to completely understand the reasoning behind it -- after all, Scottie Pippen is Larsa's ex-husband, who has major beef with Marcus' pops, Michael Jordan ... and the two knew there was going to be a lot of "interest" if word got out that they were dating.

But, the couple decided to say to hell with the hate after a few months ... which was made clear after they started packing on the PDA wherever they went.

Marcus also spoke about how things got started ... and apparently Yo Gotti was right, 'cause it really does go down in the DMs.

"I do remember going on a trip to the Bahamas, taking a big group of friends, hit you in the DMs just saying, 'Hey, look we going to the Bahamas, you're more than welcome to come,'" Jordan said.

"I'll probably say that's the first move."

Pippen also had a few words for the trolls who still don't believe she just met Marcus a few years ago ... since Scottie and MJ played together for over a decade

"Like, I threw your 5th birthday or something," Pippen said. "Like, no, by the way, I never met you before."

Larsa admitted she feared she would never find true love again ... claiming there was no one out there who really got her attention the way Marcus does.

"I think I might be single forever because there's no one that's cute, funny, smart," Pippen said.

"Then when you and I first got together, I was like, 'Oh, my God, this is the guy.' This is the guy I prayed for, 'cause I really prayed for a best friend and I feel like I got my best friend."

An NBA championship celebration in Denver quickly turned from jubilation to terror ... as 10 people were injured in a mass shooting in the city following the Nuggets' win.

According to the Denver Police Dept. ... the shooting took place about a mile from Ball Arena at around 12:30 AM on Tuesday morning.

Full details surrounding the incident are not yet clear -- cops described the scene as "a complex" situation -- though they did say 10 total people had sustained gunshot wounds.

Cops revealed one of the injured has been identified as a suspect. Three others, police said, are in critical condition. The rest "are believed to have non-life-threatening injuries."

"As far as what led up to this altercation that resulted in the shots being fired, that’s still under investigation at this time," a police spokesperson said. "It did occur in the area where we had largest gathering of folks celebrating during the night."

Photos from the scene show authorities have marked off the area with caution tape as an investigation continues.

Just prior to the shooting, it had been nothing but a good time for those in the city who were celebrating the Nuggets' 94-89 Game 5 victory over the Heat.

Fans had climbed street poles to cheer on their NBA team with others -- before they hurled themselves into happy crowds below.

Others were seen shooting off fireworks to commemorate the team's first-ever title.

Inside the arena, meanwhile, Nuggets players couldn't have been happier to finish off their championship run ... the guys doused each other in booze in the locker room -- and at one point, series MVP Nikola Jokic tossed Jamal Murray into a pool.

Wilt Chamberlain was arguably the most dominant basketball player to ever grace the hardwood ... and now the uniform worn by "The Big Dipper" for around 50 games during his '59-'60 rookie season is available at auction, and is expected to sell for millions!

The white Philadelphia Warriors home jersey features "PHILA" on the front and Wilt's iconic #13 on the back, both in red tackle twill. The jersey contains what appears to be a blood stain. The white shorts have a thick blue waistband and are trimmed in red and gold.

Both jersey and shorts are on the auction block at SCP Auctions ... where they already have a bid of $1.37 million.

The uniform was worn for nearly every home regular season and playoff game (approximately 50 games) during the season, according to SCP, who had the uni photo matched by MeiGray, MEARS, and Sports Investors Authentication (SIA).

Of the games Wilt wore the jersey and shorts, he rocked them during his 47-point and 36-rebound performance against the Boston Celtics on January 2, 1960. He also wore them three days later against the Minneapolis Lakers (they moved to L.A. the following year) when he dropped 52 points and 20 rebounds in a win.

7'1" Chamberlain, one of the greatest athletes ever, also wore the jersey when his squad lost in 6 games to the Celtics in the Eastern Division Finals playoff series.

Of course, despite how dominant he was, it was just Wilt's rookie season. Still, he won the first of his 4 league MVPs and averaged an unprecedented 37.6 points and 27 rebounds a game, both NBA records. He also won Rookie of the Year in the most anti-climatic ROY vote to ever take place.

Chamberlain entered the NBA in 1959, signing with the Philly Warriors, after starring for three seasons at the University of Kansas (where he looked like a man amongst children) and one with the Harlem Globetrotters.

WC went on to play for 14 seasons, averaging over 30 points and nearly 23 rebounds. He was a 13x All-Star, 11 rebounding champ, and 7x scoring champ. Wilt scored 100 points in 1962, a record, along with 71 other records, still stands in the NBA record books.

The uniform auction ends on the evening of June 17.

Past game-worn jerseys have sold for huge prices. Take the jersey Michael Jordan wore for game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals which sold for $10.1 million in September 2022. Just a few months ago in February, a Kobe Bryant game-worn jersey from his lone MVP season sold for nearly $6 million.

The Wilt jersey and shorts, the holy grail of vintage basketball uniforms, according to experts, could be in the same neighborhood.

Cam'ron is telling Ja Morant he's seen hoop dreams deflate ... and doesn't want the embattled NBA superstar to flush his career for being too in love with the streets.

The Diplomats founder was once a top basketball prospect coming outta Harlem in the mid-1990s ... but didn't take his academics seriously and saw his career fizzle after tearing his hamstring at junior college in Texas.

Cam'ron shared pics of his basketball playing days throwing up a gang sign to show Ja how unfocused he was at the time, where he says he got kicked outta college for pistol-whipping someone.

The "Oh Boy" rapper says he's not glorifying his past actions and doesn't want Ja, who's currently awaiting NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's judgment after his latest gun-toting video, to make the same mistake.

Ja should probably listen to Cam, as he's had his own run-ins with NBA Commissioners in the past.

Conor McGregor punched the Miami Heat's mascot last night, and while it all seemed to be in good (planned) fun ... it actually ended up hurting the dude inside, per a new report.

According to The Athletic ... the man who was playing "Burnie" during Friday's game was sent to the ER after taking a couple of closed-fist dings to the dome ... courtesy of Conor, who was playing along in a clearly orchestrated sketch.

You see, the whole thing was designed to plug CMG's new pain relief spray -- TIDL Sport --which he actually used during the comedy bit. The mascot got socked, went down ... and then got socked again before being dragged away by staffers. Conor was spraying it on the way out.

Unfortunately ... while Conor might've thought Burnie was just hamming it up for the crowd -- the person wearing the costume was legitimately injured. The Athletic says the Burnie dude was treated at the hospital, and then released with pain medication ... and was OK.

So, no real harm or foul all things considered ... and it certainly doesn't sound like anyone in the league or with the Heat is mad at Conor. It's just one of those things -- a battle wound if you will.

Tom Brady's feeling the need for speed and getting plenty of it in France at the 24 Hours of Le Mans ... where a ton of celebs are on hand for the action.

The legendary endurance race recruited none other than LeBron James for the honor of waving the starting flag for this year's event.

Famous racing fan, and sometimes driver, Patrick Dempsey is also there ... as is Ferrari's F1 driver Charles LeClerc. He's not driving this weekend, LeClerc's just there to support the Italian automaker, which is returning to the Le Mans grid for the first time in 50 years.

But, all eyes were on Brady before the race, because he's not just a spectator this weekend ... dude's got skin in the game.

His Brady Brand clothing line is a sponsor on the Hertz Team car. He stopped to take a bunch of selfies with fans as he walked the grid before the race went green.

Tom joked on social media, he wanted to "see what it feels like to pass someone." Speed was never his thing, but he did alright without it.

The Miami Heat are on the ropes in the NBA Finals, but their celeb turnout is still top-seeded in the league ... right up there with legendary LA Lakers Showtime.

Lil Wayne, Conor McGregor, G-Eazy, Chris Tucker and J. Balvin filed into the primo seats at Miami's Kaseya Center.

McGregor actually got some playing time -- not in the game, which the Denver Nuggets won -- but he was part of the center court entertainment. The UFC legend squared off with the Heat mascot Burnie ... and earned a one-punch W.

Some other famous fans in the crowd included Odell Beckham Jr., Flo Rida, Forest Whitaker, Neymar, Ozuna and Paul Pogba.

Despite all the negativity surrounding Zion Williamson and his personal life, his stepfather is offering a public show of support for his son, saying he stands by the NBA star ... while reminding people to "believe half of what you see and nothing you hear."

Williamson's stepfather, Anderson Lee, indirectly addressed the swirling rumors which started when porn star and OnlyFans model Moriah Mills blasted the Pels star this week, while at a Zion Williamson Foundation event in Louisiana.

"And I wanna say this," Lee said at the end of his speech ... "and I wanna be politically correct when I say it. That’s my son and I love him."

He continued ... "Believe half of what you see and nothing you hear. That’s all I want to say. I stand by my son one hundred percent. I wasn’t always where I am today."

ICYMI, Mills, 32, went on a Twitter rant this week, saying she has a romantic fling with the NBA superstar. She says she exposed their relationship, and alleged screenshots of their intimate text messages because she claims Zion did not tell her he had a girlfriend, nor that they were expecting a baby.

Williamson and his girlfriend, Ahkeema, announced on Tuesday they're expecting a baby girl.

"I was with you last week in New Orleans and you couldn’t tell me you had a random thot pregnant after all I’ve done for you @Zionwilliamson," Mills wrote on Twitter.

"Better pray I’m not pregnant too because I’m definitely late."

Mills claims this is not for clout or money ... it's about her getting "emotionally played."

Williamson -- who signed a 5-year, $193 million rookie extension with the New Orleans Pelicans -- has yet to comment on the allegations.

The insane celebrations on UConn's campus following the school's basketball team's championship win in April have now cost several students dearly ... TMZ Sports has confirmed a few have been expelled over it all.

UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz says while some investigations into the postgame incidents in Storrs, Conn. remain ongoing ... some have closed -- and they've resulted in students being perma-banned from the university.

Others could suffer similar fates soon -- Reitz tells us there are further hearings still on the school's agenda.

"We'll likely have a better picture later in the summer of the totality of the outcomes," Reitz said ... adding, "since students have the opportunity for an appeals process if they disagree with the proposed outcome, and in those circumstances, the case remains open until that takes place and a final decision is made."

The school initially launched investigations into the partying on April 3 ... just hours after students were seen wildly celebrating the Huskies' 76-59 win over San Diego State.

Video shot by bystanders shows students smashed windows ... while others ripped down light poles and lit fires in the streets.

Some were even accused of flipping a car on its side.

After nearly a year of dating, LaMelo Ball and his girlfriend, Ana Montana, went Instagram official on Friday ... and things appear to be serious -- 'cause the model says she's in love!!

The Charlotte Hornets star and influencer certainly haven't been hiding their romance ... exchanging mushy social media messages and featuring each other on their stories over the past few months.

While everyone assumed they were the real deal, the two never really came out and confirmed they were "official" until Friday ... when Melo and Montana shared each other on their IG grids.

Montana -- real name Analicia Chaves -- captioned her pics "The ONE😍🥰💕" and ... Melo wrote "1 of 1's 😘🛸💕" on his post.

Montana left a sweet comment on Melo's page ... saying, "I love you baby 💕😍🥰" ... and their fans went crazy.

"Happy looks so good on you 😍😍," one fan said ... while another said they look like a great couple.

Ball has made a splash in the NBA so far in his short career ... but his 2022-23 campaign was cut short due to a bad ankle injury. It's safe to say Ana did her part in helping him recover off the court.

The adult film star who called out Zion Williamson earlier this week has seen her popularity explode since she railed against the NBA player ... TMZ Sports has learned searches for her on Pornhub have spiked like crazy.

According to a rep for PH, after Moriah Mills -- a 32-year-old music artist and OnlyFans model -- claimed in a series of tweets that she had been intimate with Williamson just days before he had announced he's expecting a baby with another woman ... people flocked to the website to check out her work.

The rep tells us that on June 7 -- the day she made the allegations against the New Orleans Pelicans forward -- searches for Mills increased 2,293% when compared to her daily average.

The rep also says she's now edging toward 1 million total searches already this month -- and now ranks inside the top 200 porn stars on the site.

An interesting note ... according to the Pornhub rep, it's actually been more women than men who have searched for her.

Adam Silver is fully aware of the rumors surrounding whether Ja Morant was actually waving a toy gun during his second Instagram Live scandal ... but ultimately, the NBA commissioner says it might not make a difference when determining his impending punishment.

Silver spoke at length about Ja's situation in an interview on "The Dan Patrick Show" on Thursday ... and he said the crux of the issue is how the Memphis Grizzlies star's actions disregarded the importance of gun safety.

"It's interesting," Commish said Thursday. "The very issue for Ja, certainly in the first incident, was treating a gun as a toy. That's what we're talking about and that's what I think the danger is to society."

"Taking a gun, live streaming it without getting into gun issues in terms of the propriety of owning guns and the use of guns, I think everyone agrees that gun safety is critically important and that guns aren't toys."

He added ... "It's something that I'm thinking a lot about because, again, I'm not going to get into specifics about the investigation, but in fact, if you're live streaming something to the world that looks exactly like a gun and in a frankly reckless manner, should it matter whether or not it's a real gun?"

The claim gained traction after Claudia Jordan said on "The Breakfast Club" earlier this week that she heard from Ja's camp that the weapon shown in the video was actually fake.

Silver says the league will look into "whatever is presented to us" before concluding the investigation ... and will take past conduct and the circumstances of the situation into account.

Silver explained what's most important is getting Ja right as a human being ... with basketball taking a backseat for the time being.

Ja was suspended indefinitely from all Memphis Grizzlies activities shortly after the video went viral -- he later apologized for his actions, but did not say if the gun was real.