Basketball

12:14 PM -- LeBron James was clearly watching every second of the first-round matchup ... 'cause the Lakers superstar was quick to congratulate his former coach on the 71-67 upset win over BYU.

"YEAAAAHHHH @DruOnDemand LFG!!!! Go Dukes @DuqMBB," Bron said on Thursday.

As the saying goes ... it's gotta be the shoes!!

The Duquesne basketball team got a sweet surprise before their first-round game in the NCAA Tournament ... brand new LeBron James XXI kicks -- from the King himself!

The Lakers superstar had the white and light blue sneakers delivered to the 11th-seeded team this week before Thursday's game against 6th-seeded BYU ... in the tourney's East Region.

The players were HYPED when they saw the new shoes ... and were super appreciative of the gift.

FYI, the LeBron 21s "Blue Diver" dropped this month ... with Air Zoom cushioning and a glow-in-the-dark outsole. The shoe was modeled after an Oyster shell.

There's a deeper meaning ... and it's a tribute to Bron's daughter, Zhuri, and how the proud dad protects his daughter just as a shell shelters a pearl.

You're probably asking, why Duquesne? Well, James' former high school basketball coach is their current HC ... Keith Dambrot, who has been the coach of the Dukes since 2017.

The special delivery comes on the heels of Duquesne's biggest basketball game in decades ... they haven't been in the NCAA tourney in 47 years, and last made a trip to the Final 4 in 1940, 84 years ago.

Metta World Peace says St. John's was snubbed by the NCAA Tourney committee, but he isn't trippin' ... 'cause the former Red Storm star says the squad will be dancing next season!

TMZ Sports talked to the Queens-born, ex-SJU and NBA star after St. John's was left out of the 68-team field, despite finishing with a 20-13 (11-9 in the Big East) record. St. Johns won 6 of their last 7, with the one loss coming to UCONN, the number 1 overall seed.

Still, the Big East, one of the most talented and competitive conferences in the sport, was disrespected ... only receiving 3 bids, while SJU and Seton Hall were shafted.

"Rick Pitino is getting it going back in the right direction," Metta told us earlier this week. "It was unfortunate, but I think next year, they'll go to the NCAA tournament."

Of course, if anyone can do it, it's Pitino. The legendary coach, who just finished his first season in Queens, has been to seven Final Fours ... and won two NCAA titles. He has over 850 collegiate wins. Rick's also spent time in the NBA, with coaching the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics.

Speaking of coaching, Metta -- who played at St. John's from 1997 to 1999 -- is no stranger to the sidelines himself. MWP has served as an assistant for Cal State L.A.'s women's basketball team.

A.J. Hoggard's NCAA tournament run didn't get off to the best start -- the dude accidentally played the first few minutes of Michigan State's game Thursday with his shorts on backward!!!

Eagle-eyed fans noticed the wardrobe mishap just seconds into the Spartans' tourney-opening game against Mississippi State ... pointing out that his uniform certainly looked different from his teammates'.

You can see in images from the game's broadcast, while every other MSU player on the floor had a Spartan on the left side of their leg and a design on the right ... but Hoggard's were flipped.

Thankfully, it seems somebody informed the senior of the issue after just a few minutes on the court ... because following a break in the action, the direction of his shorts suddenly changed.

Doesn't seem it had any effect on his game, though ... the point guard balled out in the first half, piling up five points, two rebounds and five assists -- as MSU leads Mississippi St., 31-24, at the break.

The Detroit Pistons will be without Ausar Thompson for the rest of the season ... after it was revealed the rookie guard is receiving treatment for blood clot issues.

The Pistons announced the unfortunate news ahead of their game against the Pacers on Wednesday ... saying Thompson will not play tonight or the last 13 games of the regular season due to the medical situation.

The good news?? The 6'6" athlete is expected to recover and return in time for next season.

Detroit released a statement on Thompson's status ... saying, "Under the guidance of Pistons team physician Dr. Ramsey Shehab of Henry Ford Health, Thompson has been cleared to resume conditioning and will begin non-contact basketball activities at the conclusion of the regular season with a gradual ramp up over the summer months in preparation for a full return next season."

Thompson last played on March 9th ... scoring 4 points in the Pistons' 124-142 loss to the Mavericks.

In 63 games this season, the former No. 5 overall pick averaged 8.8 points and 6.4 rebounds. He also became the youngest player (20) to earn at least 5 blocks in their first NBA game.

The Pistons also announced Isaiah Stewart is also out for the season with a right hamstring strain he suffered during Monday's game.

The "Love & Basketball" story between Angel Reese and Cam'Ron Fletcher is no more ... 'cause the LSU women's hoops star just revealed she's single.

Rumors of the couple calling it quits started to swirl recently ... when fans realized the two college basketball players scrubbed each other from their Instagram profiles.

Reese confirmed the speculation on Tuesday during a Q&A with her 2.7 million fans on Instagram Live ... saying, "Yeah, I'm single."

"I don't got no man. Don't attach me to no man. That's all I'mma say. That's it."

Even though the 21-year-old is on the market, Reese says she's not looking to jump back into a relationship just yet ... claiming her attention and energy is primarily on school, basketball and herself.

"I do what's best for me, that's it," the LSU forward said. "I'm the catch! Let's not get it twisted."

The women's NCAA tournament starts on Friday ... so Reese, who's averaging 19 points and 13.1 rebounds a game this season, can focus on another title run for the LSU Tigers.

Fletcher -- who transferred from Kentucky to FSU in 2021 -- suffered a season-ending injury last December. He averaged 6.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in seven games.

Big win for Michael Jordan -- Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan have officially called it quits after more than a year together ... and we're told all signs are pointing to it being a permanent split this time around.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Scottie Pippen's ex-wife and MJ's son have been broken up for a couple of weeks now ... and unlike the brief "pause" in their relationship back in February, there's no hope of patching things up in the future.

The two had a pretty rocky romance ... and ultimately, they decided it was time to call it a day. With that being said, it's impossible to say for sure we'll never see these two together again ... especially considering their track record of being on and off.

We're told 49-year-old Larsa and Marcus, 33, haven't been on speaking terms since the split ... and they're both focused on doing their own thing.

The signs were there -- Larsa and Marcus unfollowed each other recently ... and the oft-paparazzi'd duo haven't been shot in public together in weeks.

Of course, many considered the coupling to be a bit odd -- Michael and Scottie have had a longstanding feud after winning six NBA championships together with the Chicago Bulls ... and Larsa is a decade and a half older than Marcus.

MJ even voiced his displeasure over the relationship back in July 2023 ... and Marcus insisted his pops was just joking, but a lot of folks didn't believe it.

Larcus (RIP to that nickname) were first spotted together back in September 2022 -- they initially swore up and down they were just friends ... before ultimately caving in and admitting they were, in fact, a couple.

Things eventually got serious between the two ... and Marcus even teased a wedding date was "in the works."

LeBron James and JJ Redick started a basketball podcast together ... and Draymond Green doesn't like it!!!

He's joking, of course (probably 😅).

"I must say I'm a little upset LeBron is like going on a podcast and still hasn't been on the Draymond Green Show," the 34-year-old said, "but when it's your own thing you kinda can't say anything."

The Golden State Warriors star has obviously heard about King James' new pod with Redick, titled "Mind The Game," which will focus on the X's and O's of basketball ... and he ain't happy!

Green -- who is good friends with LBJ -- has his own show, "The Draymond Green Show," on IHeartPodcast and The Volume ... and he's none too pleased that James hasn't appeared on his show, which launched in 2021.

But, Draymond's willing to overlook it for the time being.

"I'll live with it for now. Pick the bone with him that I gotta pick with him later!"

Perhaps until April 9 when the Warriors go to the Crypto for a tilt with the Lakers, their final meeting of the season.

All jokes aside, Green is excited to watch the show!

"I love a great basketball conversation and you don't get to have those often with many people and you definitely don't get to watch them often," Green said.

In their debut episode, James and Redick debated the qualities of a great basketball player, and a bunch more. The ep generated over 1.3 million views, and counting.

Jalen Green has been playing at a crazy high level, and the Rockets hooper says there's a reason ... he's motivated by his family, just weeks after announcing GF Draya Michele was pregnant!

The Houston star scored 42 points on Tuesday in a 137-114 win against the Washington Wizards, tying his career-high ... and after the game, he was asked what was responsible for the surge in production.

"My family," the 22-year-old shooting guard said. "My baby, so yeah."

The Rockets are in the midst of a six-game winning streak, and Green's exploits on the court (he's averaging nearly 28 points during the stretch) line up almost exactly with Draya announcing she was expecting a baby.

Fans wondered if Jalen, the former 2nd overall pick who's 17 years younger than Michele, was the father. His comments last night would seem to put that question to bed.

Draya -- creator of the Mint Swim fashion line -- is beyond excited for their bundle of joy, saying, "We are overjoyed to share our love for you, little girl," the 39-year-old said on Instagram.

"I’m am excited to speak words to the daughter I never thought I’d have. We are anxious about your arrival, but take your time — this world can be tough."

"But know you are being brought into a space of love, security, and adornment."

Michele already has two sons ... one child with former Dallas Cowboys CB Orlando Scandrick. This will be Green's first child.

Shohei Ohtani's wife couldn't contain her excitement when the MLB superstar earned the first hit of his Dodger career ... cheering on her man from the stands throughout his big debut!!

Mamiko Tanaka -- who was recently revealed as the Japanese athlete's partner -- was present for L.A.'s season opener against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea on Wednesday ... and there was plenty to be happy about.

Ohtani logged the first hit of the contest in the third inning ... hitting a line drive to right field for a single.

The broadcast quickly cut to Tanaka -- à la Taylor Swift at a Kansas City Chiefs game -- and she was shouting and clapping with fellow family members and friends as Ohtani reached first base.

The vibes continued in the 8th inning ... when Ohtani's second hit of the night brought home a run.

She was spotted high-fiving with fans decked out in Ohtani merch ... and had a huge smile on her face.

The $700 million man ended up going 2-5 from the plate on the day ... securing an RBI and a stolen base en route to the Dodgers' 5-2 win over the division rival.

As we previously reported, Tanaka is quite the sports star in her own right -- she played several years of professional basketball in Japan.

Angel Reese is the latest celebrity victim of artificial intelligence gone bad after several nude images of the LSU hoop star hit the internet ... photos she's adamant are FAKE!!!

The 21-year-old college basketball star addressed the controversy on social media on Tuesday, writing point blank, "Creating fake AI pictures of me is crazy and weird AF!"

Despite the invasion of privacy (even though the pics are fugazi), the SEC Player of the Year is taking an upsetting situation and making the best of it ... all while making it clear she'd never pose nude on social media.

"Like i know im fine & seem to have an appeal to some but im literally 21 and yall doing this bs when i would neverrrrrr"

Of course, Angel has tons of fans ... and many ran to her defense.

"It's only bored people sweet Angel, put your eyes on the goal and that's a championship," a supporter responded on X.

Speaking of championships ... Reese, averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds, is preparing for March Madness. Her LSU squad is a three-seed in the Albany bracket, where they're hoping to run the table. The Tigers' first game is against 14-seeded Rice ... a contest they're heavily favored to win.

Louisiana State Univ. is looking to go back-to-back after winning a Natty last year under legendary coach Kim Mulkey.

Angel was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Sadly, for all the possibilities that come along with AI, there's also this ... and Reese isn't the first to have to deal with fraudulent images flooding the internet. In fact, Taylor Swift and Bobbi Althoff went through a similar situation recently.

Even Anthony Edwards was blown away by his dunk of the year candidate on Monday ... giving a hilarious reaction to the replay of the insane slam right after the game.

The Minnesota Timberwolves star set the internet on fire with his emphatic dunk over Utah Jazz player John Collins in the third quarter of the home contest ... taking a pass from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and leaping over the 6'9" big man to rattle the rim.

Ant gave his immediate take on the jaw-dropping highlight shortly after the T-Wolves' 114-104 win ... and he didn't hold back.

"Aaaeeuuuuaahhhhhh!!!! Little ass n****!!" Ant said on camera. "Oh my God."

"Ay, that's my best dunk of my career, I'm not gonna lie."

Ant explained he dislocated his finger during the wild attempt ... so he wasn't really able to react the way he wanted to after the dunk.

BTW -- Ant was actually fouled on the play ... and there was fear he wasn't going to be able to make it to the charity stripe for his and-one attempt, but he managed to fight through it.

Paul Pierce is just the latest celebrity to fall prey to Los Angeles' burglary epidemic ... the former NBA superstar's home was broken into Friday night, and the perpetrators got away with luxury watches and over $100k in cash.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports the 46-year-old 10x NBA All-Star's pad was hit when Pierce wasn't home, and a mind-boggling amount of personal treasure was stolen.

Amongst the burglarized items were expensive watches, 6 figures in cash, and a safe ... which police are currently trying to track down.

As for the criminal investigation, we're told cops have been combing through video from the scene, hoping to find a critical piece of evidence that'll crack the case.

No arrests have been made.

While he's the latest, he's not the first big-named star to have their personal spaces violated, and their belongings stolen ... it's been an issue in the City of Angels for years.

Post Malone, Bella Thorne, Yasiel Puig, Rihanna, Quentin Tarantino, Drake and so many other stars have fallen victim.

In fact, the LAPD recently talked about "burglary tourists" from South America who travel to Los Angeles solely to target luxurious mansions.

Police say the rings sometimes use high-tech equipment like jammers to bypass security systems.

It's unclear if one of these rings is behind the Pierce burglary.

Evan Fournier's decision to go all David Beckham after losing to the Miami Heat just set him back a huge wad of dough -- the Detroit Pistons player was fined $25k for the move.

The moment went down shortly after the home team lost in devastating fashion ... with Bam Adebayo chucking up a game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer to secure the 104-101 win.

As the victors celebrated at center court, Fournier -- who had 18 points in the losing effort -- was in a much worse mood ... taking the game ball and punting it to the rafters.

NBA executive VP and head of basketball ops Joe Dumars announced the hefty fine on Monday ... specifically stating it was for "kicking the game ball into the spectator stands."

It was just another lowlight for the Pistons -- they currently sit almost last in the Eastern Conference with a 12-55 record.

SKIMS, de Kim Kardashian, está cada vez más metida en el baloncesto, esta vez la marca se ha asociado con seis de los mejores jugadores de baloncesto universitario del mundo para servir como modelos para su línea masculina antes del Torneo de la NCAA.

La multimillonaria empresaria compartió un video en Instagram el día después del Selection Sunday, anunciando la campaña.

El clip muestra a varios de los mejores jugadores de la CBB vistiendo la nueva línea de Kim K, incluyendo al escolta de Arizona Caleb Love, Paxson Wojcik de UNC, y Donovan Clingan, quien ganó un título nacional con UCONN la temporada pasada.

Hunter Dickinson -que se transfirió a Kansas desde Michigan esta temporada- y el guardia de Duke Jared McCain también están involucrados.

Esta es la última incursión de Kim en el deporte, recordemos que recientemente se asoció con estrellas de la NFL, la NBA y la MLS, como Nick Bosa, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander y Neymar Jr.

Kim también contó con Patrick Mahomes, Brittany Mahomes, y sus dos hijos en la promoción de su atuendo de Navidad 2023.

Kim Kardashian's SKIMS is getting deeper into basketball ... this time the brand is partnering with six of the top college hoopers in the world to serve as models for their men's line ahead of the NCAA Tournament!

The billionaire entrepreneur shared video on Instagram the day after Selection Sunday ...  announcing the campaign.

The clip features several of the best CBB players wearing Kim K's new Men's Terry loungewear, including Arizona guard Caleb Love, Paxson Wojcik from UNC, and Donovan Clingan ... who won a National title with UCONN last season.

Hunter Dickinson -- who transferred to Kansas from Michigan this season  -- and Duke's guard Jared McCain are also involved.

It's just Kim K's latest foray into sports ... remember, she recently teamed up with stars from the NFL, NBA, and MLS, including Nick Bosa, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Neymar Jr.

Kim also featured Patrick Mahomes, Brittany Mahomes, and their two kids ... promoting their 2023 Christmas attire.

The Orlando Magic realized it made a huge mistake on Sunday ... after its social media team posted what it felt was an innocent jersey swap between Gradey Dick and Anthony Black -- before catching on to the wildly inappropriate message the exchange spelled out.

The two rookie hoopers met up on the court to show love to each other following the Magic's 111-96 win over the Toronto Raptors ... and after talking for a bit, it appeared a lightbulb went off in both Black and Dick's heads.

The 2023 lottery picks decided to gift each other the jerseys off their backs as part of the common NBA tradition ... but it was clear they had an elaborate plan to crack a quick joke using their surnames.

The broadcast cameras caught Black running over to a photog to make sure they captured the swap ... and when he posed alongside Dick, he positioned himself to his left so their last names read ... well, you get it.

Black had a smirk on his face as he held Dick's jersey ... and his buddy was also smiling from ear to ear.

The Magic innocently published a shot of the exchange on X ... but after a bit, it was deleted due to the influx of users reacting to the viral moment.