Basketball

NBA players aren't the only ones dragging Noah Lyles for smearing the NBA's "World Champion" title ... Drake took time out from his 'Blur' Tour to rub the track star's nose in his commentary!!!

Drake reps Toronto first and foremost, but even he had to cringe at Lyles' comments and hopped on DJ Akademiks' page to react  ... "He thought this speech was gonna be so hard in the mirror the night before...now the whole league doesn't rate u 😂😂😂"

Lyles' NBA slander also proved to be easy fodder Monday for Charlamagne tha God's "Donkey of the Day" -- countless previous 'DoD' culprits have hailed from the state of Florida and Noah, being born and raised in Gainesville, found himself to be no exception.

Lyles, dominated over the weekend at the World Athletic Games in Budapest, Hungary ... winning 3 Gold medals and many think he got too big-headed to formulate a serious thought.

As Charlamagne -- and several NBA stars noted -- the league attracts the best players from all over the WORLD, and the last 3 MVPs have all been non-American ... and 2 of them won back-to-back!!!

Noah Lyles clearly ruffled feathers when he criticized NBA players for calling themselves "world champions" after winning an NBA title ... 'cause Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Draymond Green and other hoop stars clapped back at the track star for the perceived shade!

If you missed it, Lyles, who just won three golds (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay) at the World Athletic Games in Budapest, Hungary, criticized NBA players for calling themselves "world champions," saying NBA players shouldn't get that moniker when they only play in the U.S. and Canada.

"You know what hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have ‘world champion’ on their head. World champion of what? The United States?!" Lyles said.

"Don't get me wrong, I love the U.S., at times, but that ain't the world. That is not the world. We are the world. We have almost every country out here fighting, thriving, putting on their flag to show that they are represented. There ain't no flags in the NBA."

Several NBA stars caught wind of 26-year-old Lyle's comments.

"Somebody help this brother," Durant wrote in the comments, while Booker left a face-palm emoji.

Draymond -- a 4x NBA champ -- also had a few words for the world's fastest man ... "When being smart goes wrong 🤦🏿‍♂️".

NBA players weren't the only ones clappin' back ... fans also flooded Lyles' IG comment section, with one writing, "Your insecurity is insane. Sorry track isn’t the premier sport in the US."

Of course, Lyles is technically right. The NBA championship is played in North America. But, the NBA teams feature the best players from not just America or Canada, but around the world. Giannis, Jokic, etc.

Doctors have gotten to the bottom of Bronny James' cardiac arrest, saying after extensive testing they've discovered a congenital heart defect that CAN be treated ... and the James family hopes he can continue his basketball career.

After consultations with some of the top heart doctors around the country, physicians believe they've identified the cause of Bronny's cardiac arrest.

"It is an anatomically and functionally significant Congenital Heart Defect which can and will be treated," a statement released by the family said.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... 18-year-old Bronny's heart stopped on July 24 during a workout on USC's campus in L.A.

James spent the weeks after getting evaluated at the Mayo Clinic and other medical institutions ... all in an effort to find out why he went into cardiac arrest.

Bronny appears to be doing much better. He's been spotted out around Los Angeles, most recently attending a Dodgers game and Drake concert with his dad.

As for his basketball future, the family is optimistic he can return to the court.

Gorilla Nems isn't feeling appreciated by the New York Knicks after lending them his trusty catchphrase ... and he's flipping them the bird as a staff, organization, and entire crew!!!

Bootleg Kev struck an apparent nerve with Nems when he asked if he gets free Knicks tickets since flipping his "Bing Bong" track into a remix for the team, and the Coney Island rapper went off.

Nems claims the NYK have "disgusting" business tactics, and are snakes in the grass ... and he says they make him jump through hoops to catch any hoops action at MSG.

He claims the team tried to offer him crappy seats after he participated in a celebrity b-ball game, but Nems says he wants courtside or nothing.

We gotta say, that's a pretty tall order -- everyone knows those Garden seats are always filled with A-listers -- and yet, Nems feels the team owes him a Spike Lee-adjacent seat.

Knicks fans know the "Bing Bong" soundbite well ... it plays in MSG every time the team makes a 3-pointer. You'd think that would make Nems a life-long Knicks fan, but that relationship's clearly soured.

Forget game-worn memorabilia ... how about a leather outfit rocked by an NBA legend?!

Wilt Chamberlain's two-piece disco suit, worn by oner of the coolest athletes of all time, is on the block at SCP Auctions ... and is expected to sell for a pretty penny (bids start at $20k)!

SCP described the suit as one of the "most unique" items from the Big Dipper ... a fit he not only wore on multiple occasions including during a visit to the Playboy Mansion, but he was also photographed in the threads over the years.

The blazer and pants are in "wearable condition" and come with horse hair and feather tassels attached. Instead of buttons, the designer used stones and leather.

"This suit certainly aligns with Chamberlain's larger-than-life attitude," SCP said, "and can be photo-matched to multiple images of Wilt enjoying the nightlife in the 70s."

SCP got its hands on the rare fit from a private owner who obtained it at auction in the early 2000s.

Of course, anything worn by Wilt is gonna cost you ... the Philadelphia-born baller, a 4x league MVP, is considered one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball.

Wilt earned many accolades during his 14-year career. He made 13 All-Star teams, was a 7x scoring champion and 11x rebounding champion. He won 2 NBA titles and was the Rookie of the Year. Chamberlain could do whatever he wanted on the court.

Off the court, Wilt was known for his alleged exploits with the opposite sex ... claiming to have slept with over 20,000 women. With the disco suit, we're inclined to believe him.

Win or lose, it's Hakuna Matata for the New York Liberty ... 'cause the WNBA squad is teaming up with Broadway's "The Lion King" to bring the hit musical to the halftime show!

The announcement was made on Thursday ... the show at intermission, inspired by the musical, will go down on September 7 when Sabrina Ionescu and the Liberty take on the Los Angeles Sparks at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Outside of the halftime show, there will be special appearances from members of the Broadway company, plus giveaways and other cool Lion King experiences at the arena.

"The New York Liberty are honored to team up with the iconic Broadway production, The Lion King, as we continue to elevate our world-class fan experience at Barclays Center," Liberty CEO Keia Clarke said.

"As two long-standing staples in the New York entertainment landscape, we look forward to our first-of-its-kind collaboration on September 7."

"The Lion King" is one of the most successful shows in Broadway history ... and has been performed across the world in nine different languages. The musical is celebrating its 25th year on Broadway and is the highest-grossing B'way show of all time (over $1 billion!!!).

The best tennis player in the world is no match for Jimmy Butler -- the NBA superstar proved he's got serious skills on more courts than just the hardwood ... by scoring a point off Carlos Alcaraz during a U.S. Open charity event!!

The Miami Heat hooper was serving as an honorary ball boy for the Spanish star's contest against Frances Tiafoe at the Stars of the Open at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Wednesday ... when all of a sudden, he decided to step in and show off his tennis game.

Okay, so Butler might not be the next Federer ... but he certainly held his own as he rallied with the No. 1-ranked Alcaraz, who was obviously taking it easy on the six-time All-Star.

At one point, Butler asked Alcaraz to hit him with a fast serve so he could prove he could successfully return ... but didn't get his wish, as his opponent put in about 5% power on his attempt.

But, it was Jimmy Buckets who got the crowd roaring by the end of the point ... sneaking a shot past Alcaraz to come out on top!!

Kimberly Van Gundy -- the wife of former NBA coach and analyst Stan Van Gundy -- tragically died last week, the family announced.

She was 61.

Stan, who coached the Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons and New Orleans Pelicans over the course of his career, met Kimberly at Castleton State College in Vermont in the mid-1980s ... where he was the head coach of the men's basketball team at the time.

Kimberly and Stan got married on May 28, 1998 ... and celebrated their 25th anniversary earlier this year.

"I lost my big sister Kimberly Abbott Van Gundy on Wednesday," Kimberly's sister, Catherine, said in a statement last week. "She was one of my favorite people and I will forever miss her. Rest in peace, Kim."

Kimberly's obituary page reads ... "Kimberly's kindness and love for all around her was shown through her charitable works and activism."

A cause of death was not announced.

Kimberly leaves behind her husband and four children -- Shannon, Michael, Alison and Kelly.

You can't see Angel Reese on the court OR in class -- the LSU superstar says she's so popular on campus these days, she has to handle all her academics online!!

The Tigers forward revealed the adjustment in a new interview with Teen Vogue this week ... saying she wasn't expecting to blow up the way she did after the women's hoops team won its first-ever championship back in April.

"I didn't think I was going to be on Shade Room every time I post something," Reese said.

Reese -- who went viral after making John Cena/Tony Yayo's famous gesture all up in Iowa baller Caitlin Clark's face -- explained the attention she got in Baton Rouge became a little bit too much for the 21-year-old student-athlete.

"I don't feel like I'm a celebrity, but I think a lot of people look at me as a celebrity now because of the impact I've had on not just women's basketball, but sports in general, and Black women," Reese said. "Things have changed for me."

Her money has also changed -- Reese signed several NIL deals worth up to $1.6 million since becoming a star, but she's not letting the money and fame distract her from what's most important to her.

"School's first, basketball is next," Reese said. "I wouldn't be here without school and basketball, so that's my priority."

Once she's done with that, Angel said she plans to play in the WNBA ... and hopes to retire her mom ASAP.

"My mom is my rock," Reese added. "Everything I do is just for her and my brother."

The tributes are pouring in on what would have been Kobe Bryant's 45th birthday ... with the late Lakers legend's wife, Vanessa, sharing an emotional post.

"Happy birthday, baby. I love you always & forever. ❤️ #82378," Vanessa said on Instagram alongside several pics of the couple together.

Bryant's former teammates like Caron Butler and Carlos Boozer showed love in the comments ... as well as Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, who said, "A timeless and inspiring love story ❤️❤️❤️❤️."

Bryant has been the center of countless social media posts on Wednesday ... as many have been sharing their favorite memories.

Kobe and Vanessa first met on a music video set back in 1999 ... and were married 19 years before the five-time champion's death in 2020. They had four kids together -- Natalia, Gianna, Bianka and Capri.

Drake paid homage to LeBron James on Monday night, but on Tuesday, he tipped his cap to another Laker legend -- Kobe Bryant -- and the impromptu tribute to the Mamba was pretty cool.

Drizzy was performing yet another show at Crypto.com Arena as part of his "It's All A Blur" tour -- his sixth stop in the City of Angels this month -- and when someone threw a black, Bryant Lakers jersey on stage ... he paused his show to remember the Hall of Famer.

The 36-year-old rapper picked up the No. 24 uni and told the sold-out crowd at the venue where Bryant played almost all of his home games for his entire NBA career, "I'mma hold this up 'cause we got to show love to Kobe one time."

"Ya'll make some noise for Kobe at this time," he added.

The fans in attendance roared for several moments ... before Drake continued on with his performance.

It's the second time in as many days that Drake has urged his crowd to support the Lakers -- at Monday's show in Crypto, he featured James and the L.A. star's son, Bronny, a couple times during the concert.

Tuesday's tribute, though, was perhaps the most fitting ... considering this week is a special one for Bryant and his family.

James Harden's bank account is 5 zeros lighter this morning ... the NBA slapped the perennial All-Star with a huge 100 grand fine for saying he wouldn't play for the Philadelphia 76ers, despite being under contract.

"The NBA announced today that Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden has been fined $100,000 by the NBA for public comments on August 14 and 17 indicating that he would not perform the services called for under his player contract unless traded to another team," the Association announced.

"The league’s investigation, which included an interview of Harden, confirmed that these comments referenced Harden’s belief that the 76ers would not accommodate his request to be traded."

Of course, it was just last week when the 2018 NBA MVP blasted the Sixers exec while at an Adidas event, saying, "Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of."

In case there was any doubt, James doubled down.

"Let me say that again. Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”

Once James returned to the States, he was asked whether the relationship with Morey and the team could be salvaged ... to which he said no.

Harden is set to be a free agent after this season ... but he's made it clear, despite being owed over $30 million, he won't play for the 76ers.

LeBron James may not wear No. 6 anymore, but he's still got love for the 6 God -- the Lakers superstar and Bronny were front and center at Drake's concert in L.A. on Monday ... escorting the rapper out to the stage at the start of the show!!

Drizzy has made it a thing throughout his "It's All a Blur" tour ... enlisting famous celebs and friends to walk out with him before his performance.

Fittingly enough, Drake decided to give the James Gang the honor at Crypto.com Arena ... and judging by their faces, the ballers were thrilled with the rockstar treatment.

It's great to see Bronny at yet another public outing ... considering he suffered cardiac arrest at a USC workout less than a month ago.

Drizzy also gave Bron a big shout-out during the show ... thanking the four-time champ for being a day one supporter.

Former Univ. of Houston basketball player Reggie Chaney -- a member of the Cougars team that made the Final Four in 2021 -- has tragically died at 23 years old.

Details surrounding the death have not yet been revealed ... though the school's president, Renu Khator, said in a statement Monday night "The news has left us with sad and heavy hearts."

He was a "giant among giants of Houston basketball," she added.

Chaney initially began his college career at the Univ. of Arkansas in 2018 -- playing in 34 games his freshman season. But, following his sophomore year with the Razorbacks, he transferred to Houston, where he became a key part of the 2020-21 squad that advanced all the way to the NCAA tournament's Final Four.

This past season with the Cougs, the last one of his college career, he played in 35 games and earned American Athletic Conference Sixth Man of the Year honors. In total, he logged time in 104 contests for the Cougars in his three years at the school.

News of his death has rocked the hoops community ... with his former coach at Arkansas, Eric Musselman, saying in a statement Monday evening that he and his program are "devastated."

"He was a relentless worker and loved by his teammates," Musselman said. "His family is in our thoughts and prayers."

Justin Gorham, Chaney's former teammate at UH, added on X that Chaney was "always dependable."

"Glad I got the chance to lace em up with him, without Reg we don’t accomplish half the things we did. Rest easy brother LOVE."

Chaney had been slated to play professionally later this year in Greece.

The war between Magic Johnson and Norm Nixon on HBO's "Winning Time" was blown way out of proportion ... so says one-half of the former Lakers duo, who tells TMZ Sports that's not how it went down in real life.

Season two of the hit show has been largely centered around the terrible relationship between the veteran point guard, Nixon, and Johnson, the team's young star. One scene even depicted Michael Cooper breaking up a locker room fight between the players.

So, when we saw the 2x All-Star outside LAX on Monday, we asked him whether the show got things factually correct.

"Naw," Nixon responded ... "Not even close."

Norm, who is portrayed by his son, DeVaughn Nixon, isn't the only former Lake Show star who isn't exactly a big fan of the hit show.

In fact, we recently talked to Hall of Famer James Worthy ... who doesn't count himself as a viewer.

"I just think [Winning Time] could have been done really, really good. And I was disappointed that it wasn't," Worthy told us.

Back to Norm, we also asked the 2x NBA championship-winning PG about Steph Curry's recent claim that he was the greatest point guard ever.

Nixon averaged nearly 16 points, 8+ assists, and 1.5 steals a game over his 10-season NBA career. He obviously also played with Magic (who he didn't hate ).

Reggie Miller is 57 years old, but the NBA legend is still pushing himself to the limits athletically ... Reg just crushed a 100-mile cycling race that he says absolutely kicked his ass!

"The [SBT GRVL] race Blue course was the hardest race for me to date on a bike, Mother Nature kicked my A$$," Reggie wrote on social media.

The race is ridiculously difficult. Aside from pedaling a bike over 100 miles, the race surface is primarily gravel. To make matters worse, the course isn't flat. No ... there's nearly 7,000 feet in elevation gain.

"I was in survival mode after mile 55 when leg cramps made themselves a huge race presence. We started the race at 9 AM and it was already warm, it got up to 89 degrees for most of the race. So yes, hardest day for me, but also this was the most fulfilling I’ve ever felt on 2 wheels"

Despite it being a competitive race, Miller -- who serves on the USA Cycling Board of Directors -- says his fellow riders were awesome ... with many offering to help, sometimes at the expense of their own race times.

"At least 50 to 60 riders would roll up to me clearly seeing me in distress, a lot offered their own salt tabs stash, water, food, etc. This is why I will ALWAYS come do SBT GRVL, the gravel community is unmatched with so much inclusiveness. They weren’t helping me because I was 'Reggie Miller', all they saw was another rider needing help."

Ultimately, it took Reggie 6 hours and 55 minutes to finish the course ... a race he completed in 5 hours and 46 minutes last year.

Despite being an hour slower due to the conditions, Miller still finished in a very respectable position... crossing the finish line in 375th place finish out of 926 racers. His average speed was 14.46 MPH.

After the race, Reggie shared some inspiring words, writing ... "Always find a silver lining in your efforts that don’t stack up to your expectations, because you can always learn from them and use them next time you’re in that situation. #DamnDevilCramps"