Basketball

Justin Bieber demostró una vez más que tiene un juego serio en la cancha, cruzando por encima de los defensores y encestando repetidamente durante un partido de baloncesto organizado el jueves por la noche.

El cantante de "Ghost" llegó al estudio de The Surgeon en Los Ángeles por segunda vez en las últimas dos semanas, para jugar con el equipo Nahmias una vez más en la liga de baloncesto del famoso zapatero.

Y no pasó mucho tiempo para que Biebs demostrara que su última aparición en el lugar no fue casualidad, pues estuvo esquivando a los defensores y anotando fácilmente durante toda la noche.

Bieber terminó el partido con 13 puntos, tres rebotes, una asistencia y un montón de otros números positivos, aunque no fue suficiente para que su equipo se llevara una victoria a casa. Nahmias cayó 110-102 frente a Surgeon.

Bieber estaba muy entusiasmado con el partido, pero parece que luego se tomó la derrota muy mal.

Justin Bieber proved once again he's got serious game on the hardwood ... crossing over defenders and burying shots repeatedly during an organized hoops game on Thursday night.

The "Ghost" crooner hit up The Surgeon's studio in Los Angeles for the second time in the last couple weeks ... suiting up for Team Nahmias yet again in the famous shoe customizer's basketball league.

And, it didn't take long for Biebs to show that his last appearance at the venue wasn't a fluke ... as he blew by defenders over and over again, scoring easily throughout the night.

Bieber finished the game with 13 points, three rebounds, one assist and a ton of highlights ... although it wasn't enough to score his team a win -- as Nahmias fell to Surgeon, 110-102.

Bieber was hyped up for the game beforehand ... but afterward, he seemed to take the loss hard.

Adam Silver is lovin' the NBA's new collaboration with Kim Kardashian's SKIMS underwear brand ... so much so the commissioner was actually wearing 'em when TMZ Sports spoke with him this week in NYC!

We caught up with the 61-year-old commish just days after the NBA announced its multi-year partnership with SKIMS MENS ... which Kardashian recently introduced.

In fact, KK used OKC star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as one of the models for the SKIMS MENS launch ... in addition to Neymar Jr. and Nick Bosa. The line did millions of dollars in sales in minutes upon launch.

But, is the product any good? Silver's clearly a big fan!

"Although I'm not going to show you, I'm wearing them right now," Adam told us.

"I strongly recommend them to everyone."

Silver even believes the undies could help the players perform better on the court.

"When guys are more comfortable, makes them play better," Silver said. "So yes, gonna have a direct impact on the game."

Speaking of playing better, LeBron James is fresh off a monster game ... scoring 35 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out 7 assists in 42 minutes against the Clippers.

Dan Dakich spent 16 years with Bob Knight as a star player and coach, and while "The General" was certainly a hardass many times, his former pupil revealed another side of the legendary Indiana University coach ... the funny side!

"The dude was hilarious. He comes off as this big, mean, 'I'm gonna go crazy on everybody,' and he did. Let's be honest, he did. The man would go nuts on you and make you do things you never thought your body was capable of doing, but he was hilarious, honest to God," the Outkick host told TMZ Sports.

The 61-year-old continued ... "He was a guy's guy. You could crack on him if he was in the right mood. If we won a few games. And he was certainly gonna crack on you."

As for his prowess on the bench, Dan says Knight's "the best basketball coach I've seen."

Dakich played for Bobby at IU from 1981 to 1985 ... where he served as a team captain during his junior and senior seasons.

Right after graduating, DD went to work with Knight as a graduate assistant until 1987, when he became a full-time assistant coach. Dan remained with Indiana until 1997 when he left to become the head coach at Bowling Green.

"I think people don't get to see how caring he was, how loving he was. He loved his players. he loved his team. He loved his school. And he was always giving back."

That's former Indiana University star turned college basketball head coach Steve Alford joining Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) ... opening up on the death of his coach and longtime friend, Bob Knight.

Alford played for the legendary figure in Bloomington between 1983 and 1987 ... winning an NCAA National Championship as a senior. Steve averaged 19.5 points per game over his standout college career and graduated as Indiana's all-time leading scorer (Calbert Cheaney later surpassed SA atop the list).

Knight's accomplishments on the court are nearly unmatched ... he led his team to 3 National Championships, 5 Final Fours, and 11 Big Ten titles. He was named the AP Coach of the Year 3 times, and Big Ten COY 8 times. He was also inducted into both the Basketball and College Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach Knight won 902 games over 42 seasons.

For all his accolades, Alford says Bobby did just as much for the players away from the hardwood.

"[Coach Knight] was a mentor, he was a father figure. He taught us about life as much as he did about playing the game of basketball, which was immense. He was as good as it got on the court," Alford said.

Steve also told the story of Bobby's recruitment of him ... when he was Indiana's Mr. Basketball in high school in 1983.

"When he made his home visit to our home in Newcastle, he only gave me 4 promises," Alford told us.

"He said 'you'll play with great teammates.' I have incredible teammates. 'You'll play for championships.' That happened, both conferences and nationally. 'You're gonna get your degree.' That happened in 4 years, and 'you're gonna have a friend for life.' Those were the promises coach made."

Knight (as well as Steve's dad, who was a coach) left a huge impression on him ... so much so Alford obviously because a head coach, too. Alford, who was previously the head coach at UCLA, is now the HC at Nevada.

The General's family announced the sad news Tuesday afternoon.

"It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by family. We are grateful for all the thoughts and prayers and appreciate the continued respect for our privacy as Coach requested a private family gathering, which is being honored."

Kayla Nicole might not be with Travis Kelce anymore, but she had no issue getting the best seats in the house when the Lakers hosted the Clippers on Wednesday -- enjoying the contest from a courtside view.

The model and fitness influencer appeared in great spirits as she celebrated her 32nd birthday a day early at Crypto.com Arena ... seemingly blocking out all the outside noise related to her ex's new relationship with Taylor Swift.

Of course, KN recently spoke out about Kelce's new romance ... saying she had to distance herself from the situation by unfollowing her good friends Patrick and Brittany Mahomes on Instagram to protect herself.

While Kayla and Travis' romance is dunzo, there was still love in the air at the game -- recently-married Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and comedian Jay Mohr couldn't help but share a kiss while LeBron James and Co. secured the 130-125 win in overtime.

The arena was packed with star power -- popular K-pop group LE SSERAFIM also got to check out the Purple & Gold in their custom L.A. jerseys ... and the Laker Girls paid tribute to the quintet by doing a dance to their hit song, "ANTIFRAGILE."

The ladies also had a special meet and greet with Laker legend Magic Johnson, who fanboyed out and asked for a pic outside the arena.

Chaewon, Kazuha, Eunchae, Sakura and Yunjin were really into the game ... going crazy for the home team after the final buzzer -- so it really was a "Perfect Night" for the group.

Actor Jeremy Renner proved once again he's doing well after his serious accident earlier this year ... smiling from ear-to-ear as he caught the action from the front row.

Other big names include Swae Lee, Latto, Mike WiLL Made-It, internet star Corinna Kopf, Jimmy Iovine and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who might be the only celeb who didn't go home happy.

Everyone in attendance didn't get to check out the Clips' newest star, James Harden ... who wasn't available to play following his big trade from the Philadelphia 76ers.

Puede que Kayla Nicole ya no esté con Travis Kelce, pero no tuvo ningún problema para conseguir los mejores asientos cuando los Lakers recibieron a los Clippers el miércoles, disfrutando de la competencia desde una vista privilegiada de la cancha.

La modelo e influencer de fitness parecía de muy buen humor mientras celebraba su cumpleaños número 32 un día antes en el Crypto.com Arena, aparentemente bloqueando todo el ruido exterior que ha provocado la nueva relación de su ex con Taylor Swift.

Por supuesto, Kayla habló recientemente sobre el nuevo romance de Kelce diciendo que tuvo que distanciarse de la situación y por eso tomó la decisión de dejar de seguir a sus buenos amigos Patrick y Brittany Mahomes en Instagram para protegerse.

Aunque el romance de Kayla y Travis ya se terminó, el amor aún estuvo presente la noche del partido, con los recientemente casados Jeanie Buss, propietaria de los Lakers, y el comediante Jay Mohr compartiendo un beso, mientras LeBron James y compañía aseguraban la victoria 130-125 en el tiempo extra.

El estadio estuvo repleto de estrellas. El popular grupo de K-pop LE SSERAFIM también pudo ver a los Purple & Gold con sus camisetas personalizadas de L.A., y las Laker Girls rindieron homenaje al quinteto bailando su canción de éxito, "ANTIFRAGILE".

Las chicas también tuvieron un encuentro especial con la leyenda de los Lakers Magic Johnson, que se hizo fan y les pidió una foto afuera del estadio.

Chaewon, Kazuha, Eunchae, Sakura y Yunjin realmente se metieron en el partido y enloquecieron de alegría tras el pitido final, así que fue una "noche perfecta" para el grupo.

El actor Jeremy Renner demostró una vez más que se encuentra bien tras su grave accidente a principios de este año, sonriendo de oreja a oreja mientras seguía la acción desde la primera fila.

Otros grandes nombres incluyeron a Swae Lee, Latto, Mike WiLL Made-It, la estrella de Internet Corinna Kopf, Jimmy Iovine y el propietario de los Clippers Steve Ballmer, que podría ser la única celebridad que no se fue a casa feliz.

Ninguno de los asistentes pudo ver a la nueva estrella de los Clips, James Harden, quien no estuvo disponible para jugar tras su gran traspaso desde los Philadelphia 76ers.

Legendary college basketball coach Bob Knight has passed away, his family announced Wednesday. He was 83 years old.

"It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family," a statement by Knight's loved ones said. "We are grateful for all the thoughts and prayers, and appreciate the continued respect for our privacy as Coach requested a private family gathering, which is being honored."

"We will continue to celebrate his life and remember him, today and forever as a beloved Husband, Father, Coach, and Friend."

Knight -- AKA "The General" -- is one of the most successful coaches in NCAA history with 902 Division I wins ... leading the bench for three programs (Army, Indiana and Texas Tech) from 1963-2008.

Knight was a three-time champion as the Hoosiers' head coach ... winning it all in 1976, 1981 and 1987. He also went to the Final Four five times during his time in Bloomington.

Before becoming a coach, Knight played at Ohio State, where he helped the Buckeyes win a national championship in 1961.

At 24 years old, Knight took over at Army ... where he would coach future Duke Blue Devils legend Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K also served as Knight's assistant before going to Duke.

Knight became the Hoosiers' head coach in 1971 ... spending 29 seasons with the program, including 24 NCAA tournament appearances and 22 20-win seasons.

The Hoosiers went a perfect 32-0 en route to a national title in the 1976 season ... the most recent team to ever do so.

Knight also coached Team USA to an Olympic gold medal in 1984.

Knight -- known for his hot temper -- infamously got ejected during a game against Purdue in 1985 after getting angry over a foul call.

Knight's time in Bloomington ended in controversy -- after he was captured on video choking former player Neil Reed in 1997, the school implemented a zero-tolerance policy toward the coach ... and he was fired after student Kent Harvey accused Bobby of grabbing him by the arm for referring to him as "Knight."

Knight was hired as the Texas Tech head coach in 2001 ... where he would lead the Red Raiders to a Sweet 16 appearance in 2005.

He retired from Texas Tech in 2008 ... and his son, Pat, took the reins.

Knight coached several future NBA stars during his career ... including Isiah Thomas and Mike Woodson.

After retirement, Bobby worked for ESPN as an analyst until 2015.

Knight was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 ... and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Knight was hospitalized back in April with an "acute illness" ... and the Indiana program asked his supporters to pray for him.

El legendario entrenador de baloncesto universitario Bob Knight ha fallecido, anunció su familia el miércoles. Tenía 83 años.

"Es con el corazón encogido que compartimos que el entrenador Bob Knight falleció en su casa de Bloomington rodeado de su familia", decía un comunicado de los seres queridos de Knight. "Estamos agradecidos por todos los pensamientos y oraciones, y apreciamos el continuo respeto a nuestra privacidad, ya que el Coach solicitó una reunión familiar privada, la cual está siendo honrada".

"Seguiremos celebrando su vida y recordándole, hoy y siempre como un querido Esposo, Padre, Entrenador y Amigo".

Knight  —AKA "The General"— es uno de los entrenadores más exitosos en la historia de la NCAA con 902 victorias en la División I, liderando el banquillo de tres programas (Army, Indiana y Texas Tech) de 1963-2008.

Knight fue tres veces campeón como entrenador jefe de los Hoosiers, ganándolo todo en 1976, 1981 y 1987. También fue a la Final Four cinco veces durante su tiempo en Bloomington.

Antes de convertirse en entrenador, Knight jugó en Ohio State, donde ayudó a los Buckeyes a ganar un campeonato nacional en 1961.

A los 24 años, Knight se hizo cargo del Arm, donde entrenaría a la futura leyenda de los Blue Devils de Duke, Mike Krzyzewski. El entrenador K también sirvió como asistente de Knight antes de ir a Duke.

Knight se convirtió en el entrenador en jefe de los Hoosiers en 1971, pasando 29, incluyendo 24 apariciones en el torneo de la NCAA y 22 temporadas de 20 victorias.

Los Hoosiers lograron un perfecto 32-0 en su camino hacia el título nacional en la temporada de 1976, el equipo más reciente en lograrlo.

Knight también entrenó al equipo de Estados Unidos que ganó la medalla de oro olímpica en 1984.

Knight, conocido por su temperamento, fue expulsado durante un partido contra Purdue en 1985 tras enfadarse por una falta.

El tiempo de Knight en Bloomington terminó en controversia luego de que fue capturado en video estrangulando al ex jugador Neil Reed en 1997, la escuela implementó una política de tolerancia cero hacia el entrenador y fue despedido después de que el estudiante Kent Harvey acusó a Bobby de agarrarlo por el brazo por referirse a él como "Knight".

Knight fue contratado como entrenador en jefe de Texas Tech en 2001, donde llevaría a los Red Raiders a una aparición Sweet 16 en 2005.

Se retiró de Texas Tech en 2008 y su hijo, Pat, tomó las riendas.

Knight entrenó a varias futuras estrellas de la NBA durante su carrera, incluyendo Isiah Thomas y Mike Woodson.

Tras su retirada, Bobby trabajó para ESPN como analista hasta 2015.

Knight fue incluido en el Salón de la Fama del Baloncesto en 1991 y en el Salón de la Fama del Baloncesto Universitario en 2006.

Knight fue hospitalizado en abril con una "enfermedad aguda" y el programa de Indiana pidió a sus seguidores que rezaran por él.

Marcus Jordan is hoping his basketball G.O.A.T. father comes around to accept his relationship with Larsa Pippen ... revealing he wants Michael to be his best man when he gets married.

The Hall of Famer's son opened up about his future plans to get hitched to Scottie Pippen's ex-wife on the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast this week ... saying while it's still early on in the process, he knows who he wants by his side at the alter.

"Look, I was the best man at [Michael's] wedding and the best man at my brother's wedding, and so obviously we'll keep that tradition going," Marcus said. "It's my thoughts on it."

It's an interesting choice ... considering MJ famously said earlier this year he was not a fan of the coupling, but Marcus later insisted the Chicago Bulls legend was only joking -- claiming his father does, in fact, approve.

Regardless, Larsa said she was "traumatized" and "embarrassed" by MJ's comments ... saying she didn't find it funny at all.

Of course, the elephant in the room is the fact Marcus' pops and Larsa's ex don't see eye-to-eye anymore ... as Scottie has been public about feeling slighted and glossed over in Jordan's "Last Dance" documentary.

He hasn't shied away from dissing his former teammate ever since ... even stating LeBron James is the greatest NBA player of all time -- not MJ.

Worth noting -- it's unclear if Larcus are even engaged yet ... as the 32-year-old reiterated that their marriage plans are "in the works," but admitted they've had discussions about whether the nuptials will be televised.

Ex-NBA player Joe Smith's wife says their issues run much deeper than her OnlyFans career ... admitting they've also struggled with finances, mental health and infidelity over the years -- but she's confident she won't have to hire a divorce lawyer anytime soon.

Kisha Chavis joined Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live" to address the now-viral video of the former No. 1-overall pick finding out about her NSFW side hustle ... and she admits it's just the tip of the iceberg.

As it turns out, the two have been together for nearly 13 years -- Kisha says she was an established singer overseas before getting with Joe ... and she thought their pairing had all the makings of a power couple, but it didn't go as planned.

Kisha explains they fell on hard times -- Joe was out of the league ... and while she created several new money-making opportunities, the COVID-19 pandemic left a major impact on their cash flow.

Kisha believes Joe fell into a depression after going from a top pick in the NBA to being jobless ... and instead of taking matters into his own hands and creating a second career for himself, he did nothing.

As a result, she resorted to what she had to do -- claiming it was a decision she made to improve their lives.

"I'm just sorry that he can't understand that ... it wasn't a selfish decision," Kisha says. "It was a decision that I made. I made an executive decision when my man wasn't taking the lead. I really love Joe."

Kisha claims she's had her account for more than a year ... and Joe didn't find out about it until a "friend that he's been entertaining" brought it to his attention.

She also says Joe got so pissed after finding out about it, he's currently living elsewhere.

Despite all their issues, Kisha makes it clear she wants to work on their relationship ... and believes he will have a change of heart.

Two former Sacramento Kings dancers are suing the team ... alleging one of the org's choreographers was a total creep who prevented them from making this year's dance squad.

The two dancers -- ID'ed only as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 -- filed the lawsuit against the NBA franchise in a California court on Tuesday.

Doe 1 said in the suit she was hired by the Kings in 2022 ... and a short time later, she noticed a pattern of misconduct from team choreographer Matthew Day.

According to the woman, Day would inappropriately touch dancers as he worked with them, "causing emotional discomfort." She said she went to HR over it ... but she claims in the suit "no changes were made."

Doe 1 alleged Day's unprofessional behavior continued as he remained employed by the team ... claiming Day sent her various messages on Instagram, including some that contained "flirtatious comments and emojis." She said in the suit she never engaged "in any flirtatious behavior in response."

Doe 2, who was also hired by the Kings in 2022, listed similar allegations against Day in the suit.

Both Doe 1 and Doe 2 said when they attempted to rejoin the team for the 2023-24 season ... Day was on the judges panel, much to their surprise.

And, when the two were not picked for the team following auditions -- they said in the lawsuit they were sure it was retaliation for their complaints against Day.

Both are suing the Kings and Day for unspecified damages.

Luka Doncic can apparently sink baskets with his hands AND his head ... 'cause check out this trick shot he made Monday night -- he used his noggin and got nothing but net!!

The Dallas superstar and his teammate, Dwight Powell, were messin' around before the Mavs took on the Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum in Memphis ... when they decided to put on a little show for the fans in attendance.

First, Powell threw a basketball off Doncic's shoulder ... and then he headed it back to Doncic so the point guard could finish off the Globetrotters-esque play with a header of his own.

And, after the ball crashed through the hoop ... the crowd roared, and Doncic celebrated for several moments as if he had just hit a game-winner!

Doncic then tagged Real Madrid -- the football club affiliated with his former basketball team -- clearly wanting them to take a look at his soccer skills.

Of course, this isn't anything too new for Powell and Doncic ... the guys have hit similar shots in the past, including one time last year when Powell threw down a dunk courtesy of a pass off Doncic's dome.

James Harden is going going, back back, to Cali Cali -- the NBA superstar was shipped to the L.A. Clippers in a blockbuster deal late Monday night ... officially ending all his drama with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The trade went down while many on the East Coast were catchin' Zs -- Harden, P.J. Tucker and Filip Petrusev will join the Clips in exchange for Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Kenyon Martin Jr. and some draft picks -- including two first rounders.

The transaction was pretty much inevitable -- 34-year-old Harden made it clear he didn't want to play in Philly anymore ... claiming he felt Sixers GM Daryl Morey was a "liar."

The Beard sat out all preseason ... and when he finally showed up ahead of the season opener, the team told him to turn around and head home.

He did not play a single minute for the Sixers this season.

The Clippers will now have Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Harden and Russell Westbrook for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.

It's a bit of a homecoming for Harden -- he grew up in SoCal ... playing high school ball at Artesia in Lakewood.

Ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas seemed thrilled with the move -- saying, "CHEF HARDEN BACK HOME," on X.

Could Flavor Flav do the national anthem at an NBA game again?? Yeahhhh boyyyyyeeeeeee -- 'cause the rap legend tells TMZ Sports he's gotten offers from two more teams after singing at the Milwaukee Bucks game on Sunday!!

The iconic Public Enemy hype man got on the mic and belted out the "Star-Spangled Banner" ahead of the Bucks' home loss to the Atlanta Hawks ... and footage of the rendition quickly went viral.

As it turns out, it was a bucket list moment for Flav ... who explained he always wanted to give it a shot in honor of his family members who fought in the U.S. military -- some who passed in the line of duty.

"When I sang that national anthem, I was singing it for them because they're not here to sing it for themselves," Flav told us. "I did that in honor of my family and also for a lot of other people's families, too, that fought for this country."

Flav -- who got the opportunity thanks to Bucks prez Peter Feigin -- received mixed reviews on the internet ... but he said the positive feedback far outweighs the negatives, and the only thing that really matters is that he had fun doing it.

"I ain't gonna lie, I was kind of proud of myself after I did it."

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer revealed he also got a lot of love from two of his famous fans -- Anthony Anderson and Flo Rida ... who both told him he crushed it!!

Flav said he never gets nervous before taking the stage ... but admitted he had a few jitters before venturing into this new territory.

Ex-NBA player Joe Smith is not a fan of his wife's latest business venture ... absolutely losing it after finding out she has an OnlyFans account.

Smith's partner of five years, Kisha Chavis -- a former adult actress who went by the name Yasmine Pendavis -- shared footage of his reaction to discovering her XXX subscription-based profile ... and he was PISSED.

"Just finding out you got an OnlyFans page all these years," Smith said in the clip ... adding she should have had a conversation with him before hopping on the platform.

"That's bulls***," Smith -- the No. 1 overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft -- said. "That's f***ed up, Kish. I'm telling you, that's f***ed up."

Kisha then defends herself ... claiming she isn't doing any work with other people, so it's "my body, my f***ing choice."

She also said she tried numerous times to come up with a solution to her financial status together ... but ultimately decided to revisit her former career path.

"You knew who the f*** I was when you met me ... I thought I would never have to go back to anything like this again. But, unfortunately, that's not the case right now."

It's worth noting -- Smith reportedly made $61 million in his career ... but only pocketed around $18 mil after taxes and agent fees, among other expenses. He has since opened up about his money problems.

Smith said he doesn't care how much money she's making on OF -- it doesn't change the fact that she was doing it behind his back ... and he sees it as a smack in the face.