Basketball

Dan Hurley went back to UConn ... so the Lakers should now turn their attention toward Sam Cassell -- so says Reggie Theus, who tells TMZ Sports the ex-NBA star would be an "excellent" choice for L.A.'s vacant head coaching job.

Theus -- a former NBA player and ex-coach of the Sacramento Kings -- said out at LAX this week that Cassell is "my guy" ... and would be his top choice to fill in for Darvin Ham now that Hurley is officially out of the picture in Los Angeles.

"I love Sam," he said. "I think he's been around -- he's earned his dues."

The cause of death for ex-NBA player Darius Morris has just been revealed ...  heart disease is the killer, with drug and alcohol use playing a big role.

Darius' official cause of death is coronary artery disease ... according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

According to the ME's death investigation summary, obtained by TMZ Sports, drug and alcohol use was a significant factor in Darius' death ... specifically, the effects of cocaine, hydrocodone and ethanol.

LeBron James has quite the bone to pick with a California car company ... publicly admonishing the joint for "lying" about hooking him up with a new set of wheels.

The Effortless Motors dealership in Riverside shared a clip of a new Bugatti being driven into the back of a truck on Wednesday ... featuring a caption claiming the Lakers superstar was its "biggest VIP customer" and congratulating him for "trusting" its business.

James himself eventually got wind of the post ... and was quick to call BS on the whole thing on Instagram.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Cameron Payne was arrested in Arizona on Friday morning, TMZ Sports has learned ... after cops claim he gave officers a false report.

According to the Scottsdale Police Department, authorities were called out to investigate a disturbance in Scottsdale at around 2:44 AM -- and came into contact with Payne and another individual.

It's unclear exactly what happened next -- cops did not give any further specific details -- although the SPD says Payne was arrested on the scene and booked on one charge of refusal to provide a truthful name and one count of false report to law enforcement.

Delonte West has resurfaced following his most recent arrest ... appearing completely strung out while walking through a parking lot in Virginia -- and the video is heartbreaking.

TMZ Sports has obtained footage of the former Boston Celtics guard roaming around Alexandria around 7 PM on Thursday ...wobbling and putting his hand to his head.

We're told West -- who was wearing a t-shirt, basketball shorts, slides and a red cap in the video -- frequents the area ... and it's not necessarily a great part of town.

12:45 PM PT -- Terrence Shannon Jr. breaks his silence on the not guilty verdict ... saying on Friday, he's thankful to those who stood by him during the case.

"I knew I was innocent of these horrible crimes and I had faith in God that someday everyone else would know that too," Shannon said on Instagram.

"I am so grateful to all of you for believing in me, especially my family, friends, and legal teams whose support kept me going.

Shannon said he's ready to move on from this and focused on "my path forward."

The Indiana Fever got a rare victory on Thursday, but Caitlin Clark clearly wasn't satisfied with her performance ... honing her craft with her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, right after the game.

The superstar rookie was caught on video working out on the Gainbridge Fieldhouse court after putting up only 7 points in the Fever's 91-84 win over the Atlanta Dream ... with her man offering up his assistance.

You can see the 6-foot guard taking several mid-range shots while McCaffery played defense ... perhaps to get the not-so-great shooting performance outta her system -- as Clark went 1-6 from three and 3-11 from the field in the contest.

Illinois basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr. has been found not guilty in his rape trial ... with the NBA prospect being acquitted of all charges on Thursday.

The decision was announced minutes ago ... with the jury coming to its conclusion after just over an hour of deliberation.

Shannon Jr. was accused of sexual misconduct following a trip to Lawrence, Kansas in September ... and was suspended from the Illinois basketball team after being charged with rape and sexual battery.

UConn men's basketball head coach Dan Hurley is opening up on his decision to reject the Lakers ... admitting the team succeeded in piquing his interest -- but ultimately, he has many more reasons to keep his current gig.

Hurley -- who just turned down a six-year, $70 million offer from Los Angeles -- spoke with reporters about his eventful week on Thursday ... and said the idea of taking the reins for the Purple and Gold was "obviously tempting" and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The opportunity to coach a future Hall of Famer in LeBron James wasn't lost on Hurley either -- in fact, he revealed he spoke with the four-time champion on the phone during the interview process.

Brian Windhorst basically dropped a Kendrick Lamar-esque diss track on Luka Doncic following the Dallas Mavericks' Game 3 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday ... going in on the NBA superstar for his "unacceptable" performance.

The Slovenian baller dropped 27 points before fouling out with four minutes left in the Finals matchup ... adding another chapter to his ongoing beef with officials as he visibly and audibly expressed his frustration with calls throughout the contest.

The ESPN analyst was clearly fed up with Doncic's on-court antics ... teeing off on the matter after the game.

Patrick Mahomes rocks a Kansas City Chiefs jersey on Sunday, but he's a Texas native at heart ... and that's why the 3x NFL MVP pulled up with his wife Brittany to cheer on the Dallas Mavericks for the pivotal third game vs. the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals!

The 3x Super Bowl champ was spotted courtside (where else?!) with Britt at American Airlines Center ... where the couple was all smiles for the cameras.

It's not the first playoff game the Mahomeses have attended ... they were also in the building for a Western Conference Finals tilt between the Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

9:16 AM PT -- The NBA will hold a moment of silence in Jerry West's honor prior to Game 3 of the Dallas Mavericks vs. Boston Celtics Finals matchup on Wednesday, TMZ Sports is told.

The NBA world is mourning the passing of one of its legends, Jerry West ... with Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa, among those expressing their grief shortly after the announcement.

"I am so deeply saddened at the news of Jerry's passing," Jordan said following the news on Wednesday.

If going up against little kids on the basketball court was an Olympic sport, Caitlin Clark would certainly make the team ... 'cause the Indiana Fever superstar blocked the hell outta a youngin' at a charity event!!

The hilarious highlight went down at Gainbridge's Habitat for Humanity event this week ... when CC playfully went 1-on-1 with a lucky fan in attendance.

In a clip from the gathering, the boy is shown dribbling up the court as Clark played D ... and even though he was barely 3-feet tall, he pulled up with a shot attempt over the 6-foot guard.

NBA legend Jerry West -- the inspiration behind the league's iconic logo -- has sadly died.

The Los Angeles Clippers said in a statement the Hall of Famer passed away on Wednesday morning with his wife, Karen, by his side.

No further details surrounding his death were released.

Team USA selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti is addressing the outrage over leaving Caitlin Clark off the Olympics roster ... saying it simply came down to putting together the best possible squad -- not the most popular.

Many considered the 2024 WNBA No. 1 overall pick's omission from competing in Paris a snub ... or at least called it a bad move, as Clark's presence in the sport has attracted a ton of new fans who could tune in to the Summer Games to watch the superstar in action.

Rizzotti defended the team on Tuesday ... and specifically spoke about Clark.

22-year-old Michael Jordan broke his foot in 1985 -- the most significant injury of MJ's career -- and now His Airness' Js from the fateful game are on the auction block!

Jordan's Chicago Bulls faced the Golden State Warriors on October 29, 1985 -- just three games into his second season as a pro -- when Michael, wearing the black and red Nike Air Jordan 1s, fractured the navicular bone in his right foot during the first half.

MJ left having played just 18 minutes, scoring 12 points. Chi-town won, 111-105, but lost their rising superstar.