Basketball

Mac McClung's vert may be just a smidge less next dunk contest ... 'cause the high-flying hooper just got his whole arm tatted in NYC!

TMZ Sports has learned the 25-year-old guard hit up tattoo artist Michelle Santana out in SoHo after peeping some of her work on social media.

We're told McClung wanted an arm sleeve with sentimental meaning ... so the two got together at Bang Bang Tattoo and created a showpiece.

The New Orleans Pelicans were swept in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs ... but Master P knows the secret to getting the team on track, telling TMZ Sports he'd transform the team into a championship contender if he were on the coaching staff!

We caught up with the king of New Orleans and his hoops star son, Mercy Miller, at LAX recently and asked him about the Pels’ disappointing end to the season at the hands of the number one seed OKC Thunder.

While many fans have suggested the team move on from Zion Williamson, and some of the other key pieces, P says he’s optimistic about the future of NOLA hoops.

Matt Barnes says the Los Angeles Lakers' coaching vacancy is a tough gig, but thinks JJ Redick would be able to handle the pressure ... telling TMZ Sports the former sharp-shooter has a "great basketball mind."

The Purple and Gold are looking for their next head coach now that Darvin Ham is out after two years ... and they're in desperate search of someone who can get them back in perennial title contention.

Barnes told us at LAX this week he doesn't have a clear favorite to take over the clipboard in L.A. ... but when we asked about Redick's name being thrown around as a potential candidate, he was all about it.

How do you top the 'Greatest Roast of All-Time??' How about going at another GOAT -- 'cause comedian Chris D'Elia tells TMZ Sports a roast of LeBron James would be a worthy follow-up to Tom Brady's night of hell.

But, don't get your hopes up, folks ... 'cause he doubts that'll ever happen.

We talked to D'Elia all about the successful Netflix special at LAX this week ... and picked his brain about the rules of roasting -- after all, he DID crack jokes at a guy named Justin Bieber's expense back in 2015.

"We killed [Reggie Miller at The Garden.] The whole crowd, 20,000 people. 'F you, Reggie.' I ain't gonna lie, I might have been in on the chat."

That's New York legend, and forever Knicks superfan, Fat Joe ... recounting the insanely loud chant directed at the Pacers legend as game 2 came to a close, and the NY K took a 2-0 series lead.

58-year-old Miller was part of the ESPN broadcast ... and the Hall of Famer wasn't shy, continually taking jabs at Knicks fans throughout the game, reminding the MSG faithful that he "owned" NYC.

Will Caitlin Clark's star power carry over to the WNBA? One home (exhibition) game in and we have our answer. A big hell yes!

22-year-old Clark officially suited up in front of the hometown fans for the first time as an Indiana Fever player Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis ... as the squad took on the Atlanta Dream, beating them 83-80.

The game didn't count ... so it's all the more astounding that 13,028 fans showed up to watch Clark and her teammates, nearly triple the Fever's regular-season attendance numbers from the 2023 season, where they averaged 4,067 a game.

Either someone was REALLY excited about the Mavericks' big win, or they forgot to clear their phone of some freaky content before Luka Doncic's postgame interview ... 'cause loud sex noises interrupted the whole presser -- and the NBA superstar's reaction was priceless!!

The hilarious moment went down just seconds into the Dallas baller's Q&A following the Mavs' Game 2 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday ... when out of nowhere, moaning rang through the room.

Doncic's eyes got super big and he put his head down to cover his face as a reporter said, "Okay, umm ... okay, moving on."

A cryptic death post, a royal public appearance and a history-making award. Check out the hottest takes from Thursday.

On "TMZ Live," Charles and Derek discuss the cryptic death post Drake put on Instagram Thursday.

No more flying with the normies for the WNBA -- the league just announced it will provide full-time charter flights for all 12 teams starting this season.

The news comes weeks after WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert revealed the league was on the verge of launching a program so players could travel more privately and comfortably.

Now, it's officially official.

1:29 PM PT -- Glen "Big Baby" Davis isn't crying over his lengthy prison sentence ... going to Instagram Live to crack jokes at his own expense -- but also pointing out there are a few positives that'll come out of his time behind bars.

Davis made the funnies in the video (watch for yourself and you'll know why we won't spell one out for you) ... while stating this is God's way of getting him to stop scarfing down hamburgers and Cheetos all day.

Sounds like we will be able to take the "Big" out of his nickname by the time he gets out of the slammer.

Patrick Beverley will be sidelined to start the 2024-25 season -- the current Bucks guard has been suspended four games for throwing a ball at fans twice during Game 6 of Milwaukee's first-round matchup against the Indiana Pacers last week.

The NBA just announced Pat Bev's punishment on Thursday ... saying he will not be paid for the four games he will miss for "forcefully throwing a basketball multiple times at spectators" with about two and a half minutes left in the 120-98 loss ... but also for his interaction with reporter Malinda Adams.

NBA spokesperson Tim Frank admonished Beverley for booting Adams from his postgame interview over not subscribing to his podcast ... saying, "Patrick Beverley’s behavior towards ESPN producer Malinda Adams was unacceptable, unprofessional and failed to meet the standard that NBA players consistently meet in their interactions with the media."

There were nearly 20,000 people screaming the f-word at Reggie Miller on Wednesday night ... but just in case he didn't hear it, Knicks star Josh Hart told him all about it -- repeating the obscenity to the Indiana legend on a hot mic!

The hilarious moment happened at the end of New York's playoff victory over the Pacers ... when fans at Madison Square Garden ribbed Miller, who was helping broadcast the game for TNT, with a "F*** you, Reggie" chant.

The Knicks supporters -- still clearly salty over the way the Hall of Famer tortured them during his playing days some three decades ago -- really let the former Pacers sharpshooter have it ... filling MSG with the shout loudly for several moments.

Action Bronson says the best way to enjoy his KnicksTape is blunted on reality ... totally enhancing his courtside experience!!! 😵‍💫

We caught Mr. Bam Bam Baklava at LAX proudly waving the NYK banner, and he owned up to his viral moments of being completely blitzed inside Madison Square Garden.

No regrets for the Queens MC ... Action tells us that being stoned while sitting so close to the team's huddle gives his brain the 3D effect -- it's like Knicks HC Tom Thibodeau is drawing up plays from a spaceship!!!

Cops are now looking into the Patrick Beverley ball-throwing incident ... confirming to TMZ Sports on Wednesday the NBA player is currently under police investigation.

A spokesperson for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department tells us ... officers did end up taking a case report on May 2 after Beverley hurled a basketball not once, but twice, at Indiana fans toward the end of the Bucks' playoff game with the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

According to the rep, the report has since been forwarded to detectives, who are now trying to gain access to more video from the arena ... as well as interview the involved parties.

A racist posterboard featuring images of LeBron James and monkeys was somehow put on display at a school art exhibition over the weekend ... and officials are now investigating how in the world the offensive piece was allowed to make it there.

The project -- a parody of a cereal advertisement called "Monkey Premium" -- was done by a New Hartford Central School District student in New York ... and then showed off in a school gymnasium at the New Hartford Festival of the Arts event on Saturday.

It had a headline of "Eat Monkeys, Jump Like Monkeys!" ... with a picture of James mid-flight in his Lakers uniform next to a bowl of cereal.

Los Angeles Lakers big man Christian Wood's ex, Yasmine Lopez, is accusing him of brutally attacking her in a physical encounter earlier this month, TMZ Sports has learned ... but his circle is adamant she's making the whole thing up in retaliation.

Wood was recently granted a three-year restraining order and sole custody of their 10-month-old son ... after he accused Lopez of abusing and stalking him, damaging his property (including two luxury vehicles) on multiple occasions, and keeping their child from him.

The social media influencer filed for a domestic violence restraining order of her own this week ... accusing the 28-year-old pro of grabbing her by the legs and dragging her -- with their child present -- on May 2.