Basketball

Caitlin Clark clearly ain't all that upset about missing out on the Paris Olympics ... check out how she looked on Wednesday -- the only thing she was sweatin' was the sweet Mexican sun!

The 22-year-old sharpshooter -- who just missed the cut last month for the Team USA Olympic roster -- headed south this week with a few of her Indiana Fever teammates to get some much-needed R&R as the WNBA put a pause on its season for the Games.

Clark, Lexie Hull and Katie Lou Samuelson all jetted off to Cabo ... and as you can see, it wasn't long before the ladies threw on bikinis and hit the water.

A 13-year-old basketball player viciously stomped on his opponent's head in the middle of a game over the weekend ... and now, the whole incident is under police investigation.

It all went down during a matchup between Payton's Place and Tumakbo United organizations at the College of Alameda in California on Sunday ... when the players were battling for possession of the ball.

During the action, a 13-year-old athlete for Tumakbo United fell to the ground as he tried to maintain control over a defender ... when out of nowhere, another Payton's Place player got involved and forcefully used his foot to put the kid's head to the hardwood.

The WNBA's growing popularity is resulting in some seriously historic merchandise numbers for the organization ... and Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese deserve a ton of credit, 'cause the two superstars lead the entire league in sales.

Fanatics -- the W's official retail partner -- tells TMZ Sports it has seen a 500% surge in business during the first half of the season when compared to the same time period in 2023.

In fact, there's been an 1,000% increase in player-specific merch sales, and Clark and Reese are Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.

Gilbert Arenas went on a rant filled with xenophobic tropes following Team USA's win over South Sudan ... and he's now facing backlash for the remarks, including from Joel Embiid, who's calling the comments "disappointing."

The former NBA star unleashed the offensive tirade on Saturday ... just after LeBron James and Co. squeaked by South Sudan in an Olympics tuneup, 101-100.

James' squad was supposed to win big at O2 Arena in London -- they were, after all, 43-point favorites -- but instead, they needed a last-second layup from the Lakers superstar to get them by.

The Olympic gold medal that Clyde Drexler won as a part of the famed 1992 "Dream Team" can now be all yours ... and while you don't have to be a baller like The Glide to get your hands on it -- ya better have some deep pockets!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the piece of basketball history just hit the block at Goldin Auctions on Monday -- and with a starting bid of $250,000, it's expected to fetch a small fortune when the final gavel comes down.

Unclear why Drexler parted ways with the piece -- but he did fill out a letter of authenticity back in April proclaiming he had no intentions of fighting to get the prize back at any point in the future. He also stated in the LOA that he'll never seek a reproduction of it through the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The medal is now being sold by a consigner.

The college football season hasn't yet started ... but Carson Beck's already winning -- the UGA star quarterback just confirmed he's dating Hanna Cavinder!!!

The 22-year-old signal-caller -- who many believe could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft -- subtly shared the news on his Instagram page on Monday ... showing off a photo of him holding hands with the Univ. of Miami college basketball player.

The pic was all part of a batch of summer photos Beck had recently collected ... and, fittingly, he captioned it by writing "gvo" -- good vibes only.

LeBron James can add yet another accomplishment to his extensive résumé -- the Lakers superstar was just revealed as a flag bearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics ... becoming the first Team USA men's basketball player to receive the honor.

King James -- who was nominated by Stephen Curry and the rest of the national team -- got word of the selection on Monday ... and he said it's something he isn't taking lightly.

"It's special in the fact that you get an opportunity to represent your country in another fashion," Bron said.

"Parks and Rec" star Aubrey Plaza entered WNBA All-Star Weekend with two healthy knees ... but she left it with just one after an unfortunate mishap amid all the festivities.

According to the All-Star Game's broadcaster, Ryan Ruocco, Plaza suffered a torn ACL while playing in a spirited game of "Knockout" at the Phoenix Mercury's practice facility just hours before Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and A'ja Wilson tipped off their Team WNBA vs. Team USA exhibition clash.

Plaza still somehow mustered up the strength to catch the game at the Footprint Center ... although she needed an ice pack and a crutch to get through the night.

Kobe Bryant fans have an opportunity to get their hands on a truly rare piece of memorabilia ... the Black Mamba's Staples Center locker -- and it could sell for over a million bucks!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the locker -- which was set to be destroyed during renovations at the Staples Center in 2018 -- was saved by a maintenance worker who realized it belonged to the Hall of Famer.

The worker kept it in storage for years until an American collector, who had the locker nameplate, purchased it to reunite the two pieces.

NBA guard Cameron Payne dialed 911 just before he was arrested in Arizona last month ... and in a tense conversation with dispatch, he said his name was "Terry Johnson."

The chat with the Scottsdale Police Department -- which lasted more than five minutes -- happened on June 14 at around 2:30 AM ... after the 29-year-old hooper said he had gotten into a verbal dispute with his girlfriend.

Initially, you can hear in audio of the call -- obtained by TMZ Sports -- that Payne wanted officers to come to his house ASAP. But, in an ensuing back and forth with dispatch, Payne pled with the official to drop the matter.

Caitlin Clark is opening up on her decision to pass on the WNBA's three-point competition on Friday ... saying it all came down to getting some much-needed rest.

The Indiana Fever star is notably not among the sharpshooters taking part in the long-distance All-Star Weekend event ... and many wondered why the league's biggest star declined to be involved when it could have been an opportunity to get more eyeballs on the organization.

Clark provided some answers earlier in the day ... explaining she's been playing non-stop for a long time -- and she wants to put her energy into helping her Fever teammates, rather than prepare for the contest.

Brittney Griner made a special announcement Friday ... she and her wife, Cherelle, have welcomed their first child!!

The Phoenix Mercury star dropped the exciting news on CBS Sports' "We Need To Talk" ... prior to the WNBA's All-Star Skills Challenge and 3-Point contest in Phoenix, Arizona.

"He's here," the Phoenix Mercury center said. "Seven pounds, eight ounces."

The kickoff to the WNBA All-Star Weekend's festivities looked more like a fashion show ... as Caitlin Clark, A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum and all the ladies pulled up to the party's Orange Carpet dressed like models!!

The superstars donned their finest 'fits and headed over to the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona on Thursday night ... to officially let the world know their league's annual midseason showcase is starting.

One by one, they strutted their stuff in front of media members and cameras ... and they looked gooooood.

Alec Baldwin is gearing up for a lawsuit, Joe Jonas is opening up on his new music and Mojo Muhtadi is paying it forward ... all this on today's TMZ TV Hot Takes.

First up on "TMZ Live" Harvey and Charles break down a legal threat from Alec ... aimed at the New Mexico sheriff and special prosecutor involved in his manslaughter case from the "Rust" shooting.

The vibes were certainly high for Cameron Brink after undergoing surgery to fix her busted ACL ... 'cause the WNBA star shared a clip right from the hospital bed -- and she was SO chill.

The L.A. Sparks rookie -- who suffered the injury back in mid-June -- recently went under the knife to repair the ailment ... and it appears she was drugged out to the max for the procedure.

The video is great ... with 22-year-old Brink giving her family and boyfriend an update on how she was feeling.

In less than three months in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark has already rewritten one of the league's most prestigious records.

On Wednesday night, the Indiana Fever star set the new mark for assists in one game ... after she tallied NINETEEN total against the Dallas Wings.

The previous record belonged to Courtney Vandersloot, who logged 18 two times -- once in the regular season in 2020 and once in the postseason in 2021 -- when she was with the Chicago Sky.