Los Angeles Lakers

Jay Williams says he's seen Andrew Bynum's recent workout video -- and he's impressed -- but tells TMZ Sports it might be too little, too late for the big man's NBA comeback dreams.

FYI -- Bynum's been training like crazy in hopes of getting a tryout with a team in need of a 7-footer ... even though it's been 4 years since he last suited up for a pro team.

Williams -- who went to the same New Jersey H.S. as Bynum -- says the ex-Laker looks in amazing shape ... but questions whether he'll be able to adjust to today's game with big men like Anthony Davis and Boogie Cousins pulling up from three.

But, Williams doesn't close the door on Bynum's goals, he actually thinks he CAN pull off the comeback ... but he's keeping it real for the 30-year-old.

File this under:

WHY HASN'T IT HAPPENED?!!

Here's Shaunie O'Neal -- Shaq's ex-wife -- telling the world that Kobe freakin' Bryant has PERSONALLY offered to train her kids in basketball ... but for some reason it hasn't happened yet.

What?

We got Shaunie at LAX, and asked her about her son, Shaqir, being teamed up on the court with LeBron James Jr. at Crossroads school in Santa Monica.

We wanted to know if LeBron would be personally training the two boys, and while Shaunie couldn't answer that, she did tell us about another Laker great who's offered.

"Kobe always offers ... we're just so far from each other, but he always offers."

33,643 career points (3rd of all time), 2 NBA Finals MVPs, 5 championships. That's what Shaunie won't travel down the 5 freeway to have her kid get trained up by.

We at TMZ Sports demand somebody fix this.

Zip, zero, zilch, bupkis ... according to Bill Simmons, that's how many championships the great LeBron James will win as a Laker ... and Bill ain't playing around.

We got Simmons -- an NBA expert -- at LAX, and asked him a couple questions in his wheelhouse about the Association, including when he thought the Lake Show would be back in the finals.

Good news for L.A. fans, he said two years, and he said they'd get there with some combination of Jimmy Butler and Damian Lillard on the team.

The bad news came when we asked how many rings LeBron James would win in a Laker uniform, and Bill said not one, not two, not three, but NOT ANY ... holding up a zero to our camera.

Do the math. That means Bill thinks a team with LeBron, Damian, AND Jimmy Butler can't win a championship?

LeBron James says white people were an acquired taste for him ... because he didn't always feel like he wanted to be around them.

James' conversation show, "The Shop," premiered on HBO Tuesday night and, while flanked with stars like Jon Stewart, Odell Beckham Jr. and Vince Staples, LBJ talked about life at his mostly white, exclusive, private school in Akron, Ohio.

LeBron candidly admits that when he first got to Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary, he had no intention of communicating or befriending his caucasian classmates.

"Took me a while to adjust to it ... I was like, I'm not f*cking with white people, that was my initial thought to white America."

James explains where these ideas came from ... telling the guys his upbringing conditioned him to be distrustful of white people, which represented oppression to him since he grew up disadvantaged.

Didn't take long for it to change ... Maverick Carter, James' business partner and bestie since high school, chimed in explaining that by the end of the year everyone was friends, hanging out and going to the same parties.

Not one ... not two ... but THREE championships is what it'll take for LeBron James to get a statue among the legends outside Staples Center, so says ex-L.A. star Devean George.

We got the former Laker out at LAX when we asked an interesting question ... what would it take for LBJ to be bronzed like Shaq, Magic, Kareem and Jerry West??

"I think one [championship], I think it would be no consideration," George says.

"Two, probably no consideration. Three, I think they might be like, 'Should we talk about it??'"

Insanely high standards right?! But, George might be on to something ... 'cause between the four players immortalized outside Staples -- THEY'VE GOT 14 LAKERS RINGS!!!

Kobe Bryant's career was so amazing he never has to pick up a basketball again ... but if he does, former NBA star Glen "Big Baby" Davis hopes it's with the Ice Cube's BIG3 basketball league.

Mamba's reps told TMZ Sports he had no plans to play in the BIG3, this after a league honcho said he had on a "credible source" that Kobe was considering it.

We got Baby (a BIG3 player) out in L.A. and asked him if he thinks Kobe made the wrong choice, and he clearly DOESN'T, saying Kobe has accomplished so much he doesn't need roundball anymore.

The Big Ballers ain't gonna like this ...

Ex-NBA star Al Harrington says the Lakers made a HUGE mistake in the 2017 NBA draft ... because he thinks they should've taken Jayson Tatum.

You know how it went ... the Lakers took Lonzo Ball with the #2 pick, while Tatum fell to the Boston Celtics at #3.

Thus far, it's been a win for the C's, as JT was a finalist for last year's Rookie of the Year award, and Lonzo had a solid but inconsistent season.

Harrington says he LOVES Tatum's game ... and thinks if you re-drafted the class today, he'd go #1.

"Yes, the Lakers made a horrible decision ... That kid is the goods."

Harrington says it's not just the game either, telling us he likes what Tatum has between the ears.

"That kid wants to be great, you know what I'm saying ... sky's the limit for son."

Straight from the Mamba's mouth ... Kobe Bryant says he's NEVER returning to pro basketball.

The NBA legend set the record straight in an interview with Rich Eisen ... saying "I will never come back to the game. Ever. I am here to show people that we can do much more than that."

Of course, Black Mamba already has an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball" ... and has a bunch of other projects geared towards connecting youth to sports.

"There's about a 0-percent chance I come back and play," Bryant says.

There were rumors Kobe could come back to the Lakers when LeBron James decided to move to L.A., and most recently about joining Ice Cube's BIG3 league when co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz said he was told by a source that Kobe was gonna play next season.

But, Kobe's rep chimed in on his hoops future to TMZ Sports ... saying "NOT True. 100% not happening."

Regardless, Cube told us on Wednesday he was still hopeful Bryant would take the BIG3 bait.

BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz is NOT throwing in the towel on Kobe Bryant playing in his league next season -- telling TMZ Sports he trusts his source.

After Kobe's rep shot down Jeff's previous claim that he'd be suiting up for the 2019 season, we saw JK out in NYC ... and he made it clear he's not backing down.

"There's no mix-up. Someone who's a good source, who I'm not gonna reveal, says he's gonna play."

Jeff acknowledges Kobe's been telling people it's not true -- but Kwatinetz doesn't believe it's a hard pass ... at least not yet.

"Every year we have guys who say they're not gonna play who end up playing," Jeff said ... adding, "I don't know that he's not coming. I'll know in February. I think that's the truth."

Jeff also said he's spoken with Jason Terry -- who said he WILL play next season.

"I'm the source on that one because he told me himself."

As we previously reported, Molly Carter -- who runs Kobe, Inc. -- told TMZ Sports he's "100%" not playing in the BIG3. Vanessa Bryant also claimed Kobe is done playing basketball.

Lamar Odom got emotional while wishing happy 40th birthday to Kobe Bryant Thursday -- thanking his good friend for sticking with him through thick and thin ... even during his darkest hours.

Remember, Kobe was one of the first people who rushed to the hospital to meet with Lamar following his overdose at a Nevada brothel back in 2015.

In fact, Kobe bolted from a Lakers preseason game early right when he heard the news and was with Lamar hours after the incident.

Kobe continued to support Odom during and after his recovery -- and Odom hasn't taken his friendship for granted.

"There are no words in this world that can describe the mad love I have for you," Lamar wrote.

"I appreciate you Bean, you have been there for me in my most dark times until today and I hope till the end of times."

"We shined together in my most glorious times and those are like a tattoo in my heart . I can never repay you back for the unconditional love but I can tell you how much I appreciate you."

Ice Cube knows the chances of Kobe Bryant playing in the BIG3 next year are slim to none -- but ya can't score if you don't shoot!!

Cube's BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz got everyone's hopes up on Tuesday when he told the media that a "credible source" informed him Mamba was joining the 3-on-3 league in 2019.

Kobe's people quickly shot that down -- so, when we saw Cube in NYC early Wednesday morning, we asked him to clear everything up.

Cube told TMZ Sports he hadn't spoken to Kobe yet, but says when it comes to a basketball comeback, "I think he's done."

Still, he left the door open a crack ... and even pitched Kobe about why he should add BIG3 to his resume.

Kobe hasn't played pro basketball since he retired from the NBA at the end of the 2015-16 season -- and his wife, Vanessa Bryant, was adamant he ain't EVER coming back.

Shaquille O'Neal doesn't seem convinced, however, recently telling TMZ Sports his former Lakers teammate was coming back for one last hurrah with LeBron James.

Don't hold your breath ...

Kobe Bryant playing in the BIG3 next year is "100% not happening" ... so says the woman who runs Kobe's company.

Rumors started swirling Tuesday when BIG3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz told reporters on a conference call that he heard from a "credible source" that "Kobe is going to be playing next year."

Of course, Ice Cube and several BIG3 players including Stephen Jackson and Allen Iverson have called for Kobe to join the league -- because it would be awesome -- but Bryant had always said he's retired from basketball.

In fact, when rumors swirled that Kobe was considering coming back to the Lakers for one last season with LeBron James, Vanessa Bryant was adamant he's DONE with hoop.

So, when Kwatinetz suggested Kobe was down for some 3-on-3, we reached out to Molly Carter -- the Chief Marketing Officer at Kobe Inc. -- who told us straight-up, "NOT True. 100% not happening."

Here's proof they DO make bikes big enough for Shaquille O'Neal!!

The NBA Hall of Famer felt the urge to go on a bike ride during his vacation in Nassau, Bahamas on Wednesday ... so he ducked into a local shop and asked for the biggest 2-wheeler they got.

The shop delivered -- and Diesel was so happy, the 7'1" giant took the whip out for a quick cruise around the neighborhood ... while wearing some amazing floral-pattern shorts!

As we've previously reported ... Shaq loves his 2-wheelers, but usually has to get them customized to fit his gigantic body size.

"Shut Up and Dribble" could turn into "Shut Up and Pay Me" for LeBron James.

Despite the fact he's launching a new Showtime series using the 'S.U.A.D.' title, we've learned someone else has already moved on locking down the trademark to use the phrase on clothing.

Of course, LeBron LOVES to turn his projects and catchphrases into fashion items -- we've seen him do it with "Strive For Greatness" gear and just the other day he rocked a shirt that said "I Promise," the name of his new school in Ohio.

So, it seems obvious he would try to get the rights to "Shut Up and Dribble" too.

The problem ... a guy in Jersey named William DelGrande applied for the trademark back in February ... just a few days after FOX News' Laura Ingraham used the phrase to scold LeBron for getting involved in politics.

DelGrande doesn't own the trademark outright -- at least, not yet -- but he's got a big head start on LeBron ... which gives him an advantage if James makes a claim.

The good news ... DelGrande says he's willing to drop his claim -- for the right price.

Don't get it twisted, DelGrande isn't looking for a 7-figure deal -- telling TMZ Sports he'd wave the white flag for a "reasonable price."

If anyone thought LeBron James was going on the California Diet to get all skinny now that he's a Laker, YOU'RE WRONG, 'cause here's a pic that proves his muscles are still of the Ohio corn-fed variety.

Here's LeBron shooting around with his teammates in purple & gold practice gear, and the dude looks MASSIVE.

Along with Bron, Brandon Ingram and some team trainers were also in the building watching King James work. It's the first time we've seen Bron in his Lakers practice gear since he signed his contract.

With all the big Hollywood deals he's been making lately -- along with launching a school in Ohio -- it's good to see him making time for some hoop.

Everyone knows LeBron's a workout warrior, and with the way people have been coming at him lately, it might be a good idea to break out the guns and show he's ummm ... different.

If you wonder how he does it ... check out the INSANE video below.

LeBron James is clearly unmoved by the criticism of his new I Promise school in Ohio -- at least judging by his shirt.

After Bron announced the opening of the district school in Akron, reports came out showing James is not covering the full operating costs of the school ... only around 25%. The rest is covered by taxpayers.

Don't get it twisted, Bron's coming out of pocket roughly $2 MILLION per year (amazing), but the school will reportedly cost around $8 mil per year to run.

Some critics went in on LeBron for putting such a heavy burden on the school district -- others praised LeBron for his generosity and commitment to education.

Despite the drama, LeBron went out in Hollywood Wednesday night wearing an "I Promise" shirt -- showing his full support for his passion project.