Los Angeles Lakers

Ja Morant just ensured he'll take the Mamba Mentality wherever he goes forever now ... 'cause the NBA superstar just got a massive new back tattoo, featuring two Kobe Bryant tributes.

The Memphis Grizzlies point guard hit up Andres Ortega and his Onder Ink team to get the new tats ... and on Saturday, the artist flew to Miami to put the work down.

Ortega tells TMZ Sports ... Morant sat for 10 hours total -- while he and his team placed artwork all over the basketball player's back and torso.

The pieces came out great ... and there's now nods to the 23-year-old's life and hoops career all over his body.

On his back, Morant got the logos of his high school, college and NBA teams ... as well as his Nike logo and his jersey No. 12. He also got four aces, some dice, and the words "Life's a gamble."

In the Kobe portion of the ink, he got the Lakers legend's famous logo -- as well as his old No. 24 jersey number.

On his chest and stomach, Morant got his birth year, an eye, some doves, some crosses and a 100 emoji.

11:12 AM PT -- LeBron just posted a video of Bronny playing the piano, seemingly further confirming that his boy is doing alright.

LBJ wrote, "GRAND RISING!! God Is Great! @bronny YOU ARE AMAZING!!! Simple as that! Keep going Young 🤴🏾!!! We’re here right with you every step of the way!"

LeBron James took the whole fam out for dinner in L.A. Friday night ... and his son, Bronny, was right there by his side looking better than ever.

The Lakers legend was spotted heading inside Giorgio Baldi restaurant in Santa Monica with his wife, Savannah, and his kids Bryce, Zhuri and, of course, Bronny, who was the main attraction after his medical scare this week.

Check out these photos, obtained by TMZ, which show LeBron arm in arm with Bronny, who appears strong and alert.

This is great news after what happened Monday when 18-year-old Bronny went into cardiac arrest while working out at the University of Southern California's Galen Center.

TMZ broke the story ... and the 911 audio revealed just how frightening and chaotic the incident was for Bronny, who initially fell unconscious, but was awake by the time paramedics transported him to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for treatment.

Bronny, who signed on to play for USC's basketball team in the spring, felt well enough to be released from the hospital Thursday.

LeBron has said Bronny is doing well, although doctors are still trying to determine what caused the teen's health issue.

LeBron James has earned his spot in the rafters at Crypto.com Arena ... so says Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, who just revealed the team will retire his jersey after the future Hall of Famer's career is over.

Buss explained the decision in an interview with Sportskeeda ... saying, "The standard for having your jersey retired as a Laker is when a player is inducted into the Hall of Fame. I have absolutely no doubt that LeBron will make it into the Basketball Hall of Fame."

"When he does so, then we will retire his jersey. Knowing that he will make it into the Basketball Hall of Fame, he will have his Lakers jersey retired, no doubt about it."

Jeanie's confirmation means King James' number will hang among some of the greatest NBA players ever ... including Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O'Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.

But there's one big question -- which number will it be, or will he get the same treatment as Kobe, who has both Nos. 8 and 24 in the rafters??

"That would be a discussion for another time," Buss added.

It's a big honor for Bron ... but it also plays into the debate over whether James will get a statue in L.A. as well.

Remember, TMZ Sports recently spoke with Lakers legend James Worthy, who said he could see it happening ... depending on how the rest of his career plays out, and if he'll finish it in Purple and Gold.

Great news ... Bronny James has been discharged from the hospital -- and he's now back home resting comfortably.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Group doctor Merije Chukumerije announced the positive update in a statement just minutes ago ... revealing LeBron's oldest son has shown very encouraging signs of recovery the past few days after suffering sudden cardiac arrest during a workout at USC on Monday.

"Although his workup will be ongoing," said Chukumerije -- a team physician/consultant for the NBA, NHL and MLS, "we are hopeful for his continued progress and are encouraged by his response, resilience, and his family and community support."

The doctor added in his statement that despite Bronny's scary collapse ... he arrived at Cedars-Sinai "fully conscious, neurologically intact and stable." He called the overall treatment for the cardiac arrest successful.

As for Bronny's dad, LeBron said in a statement of his own on Thursday morning he, his son, and the rest of his family are "doing great."

LeBron James is breaking his silence on Bronny's medical scare ... assuring fans his family is "safe and healthy," and sharing his appreciation for all the support over the past few days.

"I want to thank the countless people sending my family love and prayers," the Lakers superstar tweeted on Thursday morning. "We feel you and I'm so grateful. Everyone doing great. We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love."

"Will have more to say when we’re ready," James added, "but I wanted to tell everyone how much your support has meant to all of us! #JamesGang👑"

Bronny initially suffered cardiac arrest on Monday ... while he was working out at USC. He was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center -- but, thankfully, he's been making steady progress ever since.

It's unclear what caused the issue and when Bronny will be able to return home -- but when he does eventually get out ... several people who have suffered similar medical emergencies have already said they'll be there for him if he needs them.

LeBron's former teammate, Ronny Turiaf -- who needed open-heart surgery in 2005 -- said he'd be "always available" to talk.

Shareef O'Neal, meanwhile, said he too would be down to chat with Bronny -- revealing Thursday he's already reached out to his good friend.

The sports world is sending its thoughts and prayers to Bronny James following his cardiac arrest Monday ... with Damar Hamlin and a bevy of others wishing their best for LeBron James' oldest son after his medical emergency.

Hamlin -- who suffered commotio cordis during a game in January -- took to Twitter on Tuesday to offer his support for Bronny and the rest of the James family ... saying he's available if they need anything from him going forward.

"Here for you guys just like you have been for me my entire process," the Buffalo Bills safety said.

NBA stars Trae Young, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson also took to Twitter to offer prayers for Bronny.

Magic Johnson, too, released a statement on the scary situation ... saying, "Cookie and I are praying for LeBron and Savannah's son Bronny after hearing he suffered a cardiac arrest. We are praying and hoping he makes a full and speedy recovery."

Metta World Peace added in a tweet of his own, "Prayers for Bronny. What a great kid. Come back stronger young fella. Get better and feel better."

We broke the story ... Bronny was rushed to the hospital after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a workout at USC early Monday morning. Thankfully, however, a rep for the James family said the 18-year-old is now in stable condition and recovering.

Lakers star Austin Reaves is shaking off rumors that he dated Taylor Swift ... saying straight up there's never been a love story between him and the pop singer.

The rumor initially cropped up a few weeks ago ... with some on the internet suggesting they had seen the basketball player with Swift while the two were at an Arkansas bar shortly after she had called things off with Matty Healy.

But, when Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson inquired about it all on the latest episode of the "All The Smoke" podcast ... Reaves said it just ain't true.

"I have never met her, never talked to her," the 25-year-old told the guys on the show. It's "all bulls***. I don't know her."

"I ain’t never talked to her," he added.

As for if Reaves would be down to date her at some point in the future ... Jackson actually tried to pry that answer from the hooper, but the media-savvy Reaves didn't want to indulge.

James Worthy hasn't tuned into "Winning Time" but not because he's against a series on the Showtime Lakers ... on the contrary, the hoops legend says he wanted to be involved, but showrunners never reached out.

"I haven't watched it because I wasn't involved in it," Worthy recently told TMZ Sports.

"And I was hoping that they would come to us and get some really good interviews and some really good one-on-one sit-downs because we were willing to, like, share a lot of stuff. That decade was iconic. And I just wish we could have been involved."

"Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" is an HBO drama based on the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Lakers squad. The show premiered in March 2022 and was renewed for another season which begins airing in August.

If you're wanting Lakers content, James, a 3x NBA champion, does have a suggestion that isn't "Winning Time ... Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers."

"I did the Hulu, the Legacy, which is the real deal. It's real footage with interviews of people who were there. So I understand satire, but I just think [Winning Time] could have been done really, really good. And I was disappointed that it wasn't."

We also asked James if he's discussed the HBO series with any of his former teammates.

"We never talked about Winning Time because we weren't involved in it. We talked a lot about the Legacy. So if you really want to know the truth, go watch Legacy on Hulu. Go watch the Legacy on Hulu, get the real deal."

LeBron James might be immortalized outside two arenas by the time his career is over ... so says Lakers legend James Worthy, who tells TMZ Sports he could definitely see the NBA superstar getting statues in Cleveland AND Los Angeles.

The three-time NBA champ spoke with us about the King's Purple & Gold legacy earlier this week ... and he said it's entirely possible James gets the bronze treatment outside Crypto.com Arena one day.

"It depends on what he does here out," Worthy said at the Teqball USA Pre-ESPY party. "Personally -- and I think he'd agree -- he hasn't been here long enough."

"But I think his overall greatness, when you have a player like LeBron, who breaks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's [all-time scoring] record in Los Angeles, does it as a Laker, then wins a championship as a Laker, you can't argue that he could get a statue in Los Angeles."

"And he could get one in Cleveland as well," Worthy added. "So, I don't know about Miami, but bringing one to Cleveland and Los Angeles, it's doable, in my opinion."

It's assumed LeBron will get a statue in Cleveland -- after all, he's by far the greatest player in franchise history and led the Cavaliers to their first championship.

There are currently six Lakers statues outside the arena ... including Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Kareem, Elgin Baylor and broadcaster Chick Hearn.

Entering the game for Magic Johnson's lavish European vacation ... number 23 -- Michael Jordan!!

The Jumpman joined the Lakers legend and his famous friends for dinner at Da Paolino Ristorante in Capri, Italy this week ... and the crew appeared to be in incredible spirits as the hot spot's staffers surrounded their table and broke out in song.

MJ was even handed a tambourine during the jam session ... and while he didn't sing along, the others appeared to know the words to Domenico Modugno's "Volare" as they showed off their pipes.

"Tonight we enjoyed an incredible dinner at the world-famous Da Paolino Ristorante AKA the lemon tree restaurant in Capri, Italy!" Magic said on Instagram.

"AND I got to hang out with my great friend and the greatest basketball player to ever live, Michael Jordan, and his wife Yvette, Sam and LaTanya Jackson, Judge Greg and Linda Mathis, and John and Vicki Palmer."

It looked like so much fun, even Jimmy Kimmel had a bad case of FOMO ... so he photo-shopped himself into one of the pics and joked about being present for the dinner.

It's been one helluva vibe for Magic's annual boat vacation with his buddies ... as they've made their way through paradise on the Phoenix2, a 296-foot ship that rents out for $1.2 MILLION a week!!

LeBron James made a HUGE announcement at the ESPY Awards Wednesday night ... telling the world he's staying put in the NBA.

The L.A. Lakers superstar strolled onto the stage to accept the ESPY for Best Record-Breaking Performance after surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar this year to become the league's all-time leading scorer.

During his acceptance speech, 'Bron revealed he ain't going anywhere after 20 seasons, amid talk of his retirement from the Association ... talk fueled by LeBron himself.

At the podium, 'Bron said, "I don’t care how many more points I score, or what I can or cannot do on the floor. The real question for me is: Can I play without cheating this game?"

He continued, "The day I can’t give everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today."

As we reported, 'Bron floated the idea he might call it quits on his storied career back in May after the Lakers were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

At the time, 'Bron told reporters, "I've got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me, going forward with the game of basketball."

Kobe Bryant will once again grace the cover of NBA 2K24, the video game maker announced ... the 4th time for the NBA legend!

2K -- first released in 1999 by Visual Concepts -- took to social media on Thursday, writing, "Sharing the Mamba Mentality with the next generation. Introducing our #NBA2K24 cover athlete, Kobe Bryant."

The game will come with two different covers ... a Kobe Bryant Edition and a Black Mamba Edition!

The KB version features a young Bryant, wearing number 8, flying through the air for a dunk. The BM edition features a veteran Kob, wearing his purple and gold away Lakers jersey.

"As we celebrate 25 years of NBA 2K with Kobe Bryant, we commemorate his legacy and the generational impact he has had on the game of basketball," the Prez of Visual Concepts said.

"While we mark the history of the franchise, NBA 2K24 also looks ahead to the future to bring an innovative leap in technology and the introduction of community-requested features like crossplay."

Kobe was last on the cover for the 2K21 edition ... following Bryant's tragic death in January 2020.

The NBA Hall of Famer was also featured on the special edition cover for NBA 2K17 ... and NBA 2K10.

Preorders for the game start Friday ... and the game drops at the beginning of September.

LeBron James traded in his signature Nike kicks for a polo and clipboard on Wednesday, coaching up son Bryce James at one of the most heralded H.S. hoops tourneys in the world!

It all went down Wednesday afternoon at Nike's Peach Jam in North Augusta, SC ... which features some of the best high school players from around the country, competing against each other.

16-year-old Bryce hoops for SVG -- Strive For Greatness -- and while LeBron isn't technically the head coach, he shared some of his wisdom with the squad as they took on the Florida Rebels.

And, the King wasn't alone ... 2x NBA champ Rajon Rondo was also there, assisting.

FYI, Bron and Rondo aren't the only big names around ... Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, Carmelo Anthony, and several other NBA stars also have teams.

Rivals reporter Krysten Peek even captured video of Bron drawing up a play during a timeout, while the former Celtics star coached up one of their players on the side.

SVG won their first game on Monday ... where 6'4" Bryce, who recently transferred to Campbell Hall from Sierra Canyon, dropped 12 points (on 4-of-9 shooting).

Someone who witnessed LeBron James break the NBA scoring record earlier this year is absolutely thrilled to have kept the ticket ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned it's now expected to fetch a few THOUSAND dollars at auction next month!!!

The $92 stub that was used by a fan to watch James pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at Crypto.com Arena back on Feb. 7 just hit the block this week ... and Heritage Auctions experts say it could ultimately sell for over $5,000.

The ticket for the historic Lakers vs. Thunder tilt is awesome ... it's from the 2nd row of section 209 -- and it was given a Mint 9 grade by PSA.

As for the potential sale price -- it seems steep, considering nearly 20,000 people were there and the game happened just a few months ago -- but as we previously reported, it's far from the only thing that night that is worth a ton to NBA collectors.

You'll recall ... Chris Ivy, the director of sports auctions at Heritage Auctions, told us back in February he believes 'Bron's game-worn jersey from the night could land $3 MILLION if it ever made it to the auction block.

Nike is gearing up to relaunch Kobe Bryant's line with the Swoosh, the sportswear giant's CEO announced to investors on Thursday ... and fans won't have to wait long, products are expected to drop before the end of August!

CEO John Donahue spoke on an earnings call this week, where he announced some seriously awesome news ... "It's going to be an exciting summer as we set the stage to relaunch the Kobe brand in advance of Kobe Day on 8.24," JD said.

Donahue, nor Nike, expounded further, so specifics surrounding Kobe's brand are still unclear.

A relaunch wasn't always a foregone conclusion. The longtime partnership between Nike and Kobe/KB's estate came to an end in April 2021 when a new contract could not be agreed upon.

Fast forward to March 2022 ... when Vanessa Bryant announced the estate reached a new deal with Nike, restoring one of the most successful partnerships in shoewear history.

At the time, Vanessa said of the new agreement ... "We're excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue! I am so proud that my husband's shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts and that the demand for his shoes remains so desired by his fans around the world."

Bryant continued ... "With this new partnership, fans will soon be able to have access to Kobe and Gigi Nike products for years to come and with Nike donating 100% of the net proceeds yearly for Gianna’s shoes to our Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation."

Since the reunion, the releases from Nike have been sparse. There were Kobe 4 and 6's released on a limited basis, but there haven't been any major drops.

Chill out with all the Draymond Green and LeBron James talk ... 'cause new Warriors point guard Chris Paul tells TMZ Sports he "absolutely" wants the 4-time NBA champ back on the team!

We caught up with CP3 at Fanatics' "Merch Madness" giveaway event on Tuesday ... just a few days after the 38-year-old guard was traded to Golden State in exchange for Jordan Poole.

"I'm excited," Paul said. "I know I've been the sworn enemy for a long time but I cannot wait to be there, and I cannot wait to get in the locker room with all those guys."

Of course, there's a chance one of those guys might be missing. Draymond Green isn't a lock to return after declining a $27.5 million player option, making him a free agent.

Even though he's only been on the team for a few days, CP3 says he "absolutely" wants Green back.

It won't be easy, though ... a lot of teams are reportedly interested in Draymond, including the Portland Trailblazers, Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings and LA Lakers.

King James and DG were recently spotted on vacay together in Europe ... and chances are Bron was doing some recruiting!