Byron Scott Fine With 'Winning Time' Getting Canceled ... 'I Wasn't A Big Fan'
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Byron Scott won't be shedding any tears over "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" getting shelved anytime soon ... 'cause the Lakers champ tells TMZ Sports he wasn't tuning into the series anyway.
We caught up with Byron just days after HBO announced the fate of the show based on the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers after just two seasons ... and asked him if he was bummed the storyline never got the chance to shine a light on his tenure with the purple and gold.
Safe to say he's not losing any sleep over it ... 'cause Scott told us straight up, "Nah, I'm good."
"I wasn't a big fan of the show because I know a lot of it was fabricated in certain ways just to make it more interesting for the fans which is cool, that's TV. That's Hollywood. That's what they do."
Scott -- who won 3 NBA championships with the Lakers -- said he, Magic Johnson and his former teammates don't even discuss the show ... and if it's ever brought up, it's their wives doing the talking.
Of course, it's no surprise the real Showtime Lakers are saying "good riddance" to the series -- Magic, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have all spoken out against it.
Byron -- who entered the picture (for real) in 1983 -- said he didn't feel as strongly about it as his teammates ... admitting he didn't care all that much.
We also asked Byron who he'd want to play him if any production companies decide to give the Showtime Lakers another shot on the screen ... and his answer's pretty great!!
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Byron Scott Todo bien con la cancelación de 'Winning Time" ... No era un gran fan
Byron Scott no va a derramar ninguna lágrima por "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty", serie de televisión que fue archivada en el corto plazo. Esto, porque el campeón de los Lakers le dice a TMZ Sports que no estaba sintonizando con ella, de todos modos.
Nos pusimos al día con Byron días después de que HBO anunciara el destino de la serie basada en Los Angeles Lakers en los años 1980, después de dos temporadas. Le preguntamos si estaba deprimido de que la historia no hubiera tenido oportunidad de brillar.
Podemos decir con seguridad que no es algo que le quite el sueño, porque solo nos dijo directamente: "Nah, estoy bien".
"Yo no era un gran fan de la serie porque sé que gran parte de ella fue hecha de cierta forma solo para hacerla más interesante para los fans, lo cual está bien, así es la televisión. Así es Hollywood. Eso es lo que hacen".
Scott, que ganó tres campeonatos de la NBA con los Lakers, dijo que él, Magic Johnson y sus ex compañeros de equipo ni siquiera hablaban de la serie y si alguna vez salió a colación fue porque sus esposas estaban hablando de ella.
Por supuesto, no es de extrañar que los verdaderos Lakers de Showtime digan "adiós" a la serie: Magic, James Worthy y Kareem Abdul-Jabbar se han manifestado en contra.
Byron Scott, que entró en escena (de verdad) en 1983 dijo que no se sentía tan mal al respecto como sus compañeros de equipo, y admitió que no le importaba mucho.
También le preguntamos quién le gustaría que lo interpretara si alguna productora decide darle a los Lakers otra oportunidad en la pantalla, ¡¡¡y su respuesta es bastante genial!!!
Larsa Pippen, Marcus Jordan We're A Couple Of 'Traitors' ... Join Reality Show
Pippen and Jordan are teaming up to win it all again ... but it ain't MJ and Scottie -- it's Larsa and Marcus on a reality TV show.
Larsa Pippen and her boyfriend, Marcus Jordan, have signed on for season 2 of the Peacock series, "The Traitors" ... a competition where 20 contestants try to smoke out the backstabbers of the group in hopes of securing a $250,000 prize.
The couple is already on location in Scotland for filming ... and they're basically treating the business trip like a vacation as well, posting several selfies together on social media during their downtime.
The addition of Larcus to the competition will be interesting -- they're the first public couple to be on the show together, which could cause some problems with fellow contestants who may not like their established alliance.
The entire cast has not been announced yet, but it will consist of other famous faces in reality TV and other industries, according to People, who first broke the news.
"Survivor" star Cirie Fields won it all the first time around ... securing the quarter milli after outlasting names like Brandi Glanville, Rachel Reilly and Cody Calafiore.
Larsa and Marcus -- who started dating last year -- are used to having cameras in their faces ... as they've documented parts of their relationship for "Real Housewives of Miami."
Air Jordan may not approve of his son's relationship with his wingman-turned-nemesis' ex-wife... but if Marcus is able to go the distance and win a huge chunk of change, maybe he'll come around??
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Shaquille O'Neal Deion Reminds Me Of Phil Jackson ... Best Coach In College Football
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Deion Sanders just received about the highest praise a coach could get ... courtesy of Shaq, who tells us Coach Prime reminds him of 11x NBA champion Phil Jackson during the epic rivalry game with Colorado State this weekend!
"When they were down 15, there was a camera that panned to Deion's face, and it reminded me of Phil Jackson. And I've always said, if the general doesn't panic, the troops don't panic," O'Neal told Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (full interview airs on Tuesday's show on FS1).
Of course, Sanders' squad was down double digits to Colorado State Saturday night ... when the Buffaloes stormed back late in the 4th quarter, ultimately winning 43-35 in double OT.
Deion's demeanor on the sideline brought back memories for Shaq.
"I know exactly what the [Colorado players] are going through because when you are standing in front of someone that has an impressive resume, and you're trying to get to the level he get to, everything you say is golden. I felt that way when Phil Jackson first came to the Lakers," the NBA legend explained.
"Before [Phil] got there, me and Kobe, we got swept all the time. But when he came there and stepped in the locker room and we saw he didn't panic, so it taught us not to panic. We know that this guy knows what he's talking about."
Coach Prime's team, which won a total of 1 game last season (1-11), is now 3-0 ... and they're ranked 19th in the country.
Given the job he's done so far, Shaq believes Sanders is the best coach in the sport.
"Deion right now is the best coach in college football. You heard it here first."
We also talked to O'Neal about The Event on October 7, Shaq's third annual fundraiser ... which has raised more than $6 MILLION for children in need in Atlanta and Las Vegas!
In addition to Diesel, The Event -- hosted by The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation -- will also feature performances by John Legend and Jennifer Hudson. Ray Romano will also be in the building for the Joel McHale-hosted event.
Tickets are now on sale!
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LeBron James I 'Love' Diddy's New Project ... Backseat Jam Session
LeBron James is giving his personal review of Diddy's new project ... and it's safe to say the rap mogul got the King's approval -- 'cause Bron actually took the time to learn the lyrics!!
Well ... some of them.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is infamous for his backseat jam sessions whenever new music drops ... and it was only a matter of time before he gave his two cents on the Bad Boy founder's latest effort -- "The Love Album: Off the Grid," which dropped last week.
Bron went through three of his favorite tracks -- "Pick Up," "It Belongs To You," and "Brought My Love" ... vibin' out as each tune blasted in his Maybach.
James even tried his best Jacquees-esque falsetto at one point ... singing along until a fast-cadenced part of the song seemed to catch him off-guard.
The four-time champ rolled with the punches, though ... pretending to crush each word. In reality, it was more like the time he tried to do karaoke to a 6lack song.
"Man O Man!!!!!!!," James captioned his vid ... calling the project "an ABSOLUTE FKN STONE COLD VIBE!!!!!"
Never change, LeBron.
Lamar Odom Al volante en accidente de carro Destroza su Mercedes
Es probable que Lamar Odom vea subir mucho la factura del seguro de su carro, pues acaba de estrellar su Mercedes contra dos coches aparcados en un accidente en la madrugada.
Un representante de Lamar le dice a TMZ, que él estaba al volante cuando se metió en un accidente de carro alrededor de las 3 AM del lunes en una zona residencial cerca de su casa.
Nos dicen que Lamar estaba conduciendo a casa de un amigo en Northridge cuando se le cayó el teléfono dentro de su Mercedes, se agachó para recuperarlo, perdió el control y se estrelló contra un par de carros aparcados en la calle.
El representante de Lamar dice que su Mercedes blanco golpeó a otro coche blanco, que chocó contra otro coche aparcado delante de él.
Los airbags de Lamar se desplegaron, y por suerte él no resultó herido ni necesitó asistencia médica, aunque estaba un poco aturdido y su Mercedes; destrozado.
Se llamó a la policía de Los Ángeles, pero esta no realizó un informe policial después de atender la escena. Nos han dicho que los oficiales hablaron con Lamar y le preguntaron si había estado bebiendo, a lo que Lamar respondió que no y les dijo que se encuentra sobrio y que es dueño de centros de rehabilitación.
Los policías no realizaron ninguna prueba de alcoholemia.
Lamar luego le explicó a los policías cómo ocurrió el accidente. Los propietarios de los carros impactados salieron de sus casas y Lamar les dio la información de su seguro.
Afortunadamente, nos dicen que no había nadie dentro de los carros aparcados en el momento del accidente. Aunque el Mercedes de Lamar fue remolcado y su seguridad lo llevó a casa.
Después de ver que todos intercambiaron información, la policía se fue.
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Lamar Odom Behind The Wheel In Car Crash ... Smashes Up His Mercedes
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Lamar Odom is likely to see his car insurance bill go way up ... he crashed his Mercedes into two parked cars in an early morning accident.
A rep for Lamar tells TMZ ... Lamar was behind the wheel when he got into a car crash around 3 AM Monday in a residential area near his home.
We're told Lamar was driving home from a friend's place in Northridge when he dropped his phone inside his Mercedes, reached down to retrieve it, lost control and smashed into a pair of cars parked on the street.
Lamar's rep says his white Mercedes hit another white car, which bumped into another car parked in front of it.
Lamar's airbags deployed, and he wasn't injured and didn't need medical assistance ... though he was a little shaken up and his Mercedes is now mangled.
Cops were called but LAPD did not take a police report after responding to the scene. We're told officers spoke with Lamar, asking him if he had been drinking, to which Lamar said no and told cops about being sober and owning rehab facilities.
Cops did not perform a field sobriety test.
Lamar, we're told, then explained to LAPD how the accident happened ... and the owners of the impacted cars came out of their homes and Lamar gave them his insurance information.
Fortunately, we're told no one was inside the parked cars at the time of the crash ... though Lamar's Mercedes was towed and his security drove him home.
In the end, cops left after seeing everyone exchange information.
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Fernando Tatis Jr. Honoring Kobe During L.A. Series ... With Custom Cleats
Fernando Tatis Jr. will evoke the Mamba Mentality when the Padres visit the L.A. Dodgers this week ... 'cause the MLB star copped some custom Jordans in honor of Kobe Bryant.
TMZ Sports has learned ... El Niño hit up Stadium Custom Kicks to get some special cleats for San Diego's upcoming series at Dodger Stadium ... requesting a tribute to the late Lakers legend.
Tatis -- who signed a $340 million deal with SD in 2021 -- is now the proud owner of a truly one-of-a-kind, purple and gold pair of Jordan 1s ... decked out in around 4,750 crystals.
The cleats also feature Bryant's two retired jersey numbers on the heel -- No. 8 and No. 24.
It's fitting for Tatis to rock the Kobe kicks in the series, which kicks off Monday night ... considering Bryant hit up several Dodger games during his time in Los Angeles. He also threw the first ceremonial pitch in 2000.
In fact, Bryant's oldest daughter, Natalia, did the exact same thing earlier this month ... throwing the first pitch to Mookie Betts.
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TRISTAN THOMPSON Solicita la tutela de su hermano menor tras muerte de su madre
Tristan Thompson ha tomado el relevo como cuidador de su hermano menor, tras la repentina muerte de su madre, y ahora está tomando medidas para hacer oficial su tutela.
En documentos legales obtenidos por TMZ, Tristan le está pidiendo a la corte ser el tutor de Amari Thompson. Los documentos afirman que Tristan asumió las responsabilidades de cuidado de Amari, de 17 años, tras la muerte de su madre Andrea en enero.
Los documentos también afirman que el padre de Tristan y Amari, Trevor, ha estado ausente de la vida del hermano menor, lo que deja a Tristan como el miembro más cercano de la familia y capaz de proporcionar el cuidado que necesita.
Amari tiene varios diagnósticos médicos que le incapacitan para cuidar de sí mismo, y Tristan tendrá que ayudarle con su día a día, así como con sus citas médicas.
Es más, los documentos dicen que Amari va a recibir aproximadamente 103.475 dólares como resultado de la muerte de Andrea, y será Tristan quien protegerá esa herencia de pérdidas o daños.
Como informamos, Khloe Kardashian y su familia corrieron a reunirse con Tristan en Canadá después de la muerte de Andrea. Khloe también abrió su casa temporalmente a Tristan y Amari después de que Tristan tuviera problemas con su techo causados por malas condiciones climáticas.
Tristan Thompson Files for Guardianship of Younger Brother After Mom's Sudden Death
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Tristan Thompson has taken over as caregiver for his younger brother in the wake of his mom's death, and is now taking steps to make his guardianship official.
In legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Tristan's asking the court to become guardian of Amari Thompson. The documents state Tristan took over the responsibilities of care for 17-year-old Amari after their mother, Andrea, died in January.
The documents also state Tristan and Amari's dad, Trevor, has been absent from Amari's life -- leaving Tristan as his closest family member who is able to provide the care he needs.
Amari has several medical diagnoses that leave him unable to care for himself -- and Tristan will need to help him with his day-to-day as well as with his medical appointments.
What's more, the documents say Amari is set to receive approximately $103,475 as a result of Andrea's death ... and Tristan will protect that inheritance from loss or injury.
As we reported, Khloe Kardashian and her family raced to join Tristan in Canada after Andrea's death. Khloe also opened her home temporarily to Tristan and Amari after Tristan had issues with his roof caused by poor weather conditions.
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Kobe Bryant Nikes UConn, USC, UK, LSU, Duke & Oregon ... Selected To Wear Signature Shoes
Expect to see Bronny James and Paige Bueckers in a fresh pair of Kobe Bryant kicks this season ... 'cause six bigtime NCAA hoops powerhouses were selected as "Mamba Programs" and will be wearing the NBA legend's Nike sneakers on the court this year!
Vanessa Bryant made the announcement via social media on Tuesday ... listing the universities that were picked as the first group to represent her husband's Nike brand.
"So excited to see their players wearing Kobe and Gigi’s NIKE shoes this upcoming season," Vanessa wrote in the caption.
No mid-majors here.
The selected schools were USC -- where LeBron James' son Bronny is playing -- as well as Kentucky, Oregon, Duke, LSU, and UCONN, the team Gigi supported.
"We are grateful for the amazing support of these prestigious universities (in no particular order) towards the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation - to further the legacies of Kobe and Gigi!" Bryant added.
Vanessa didn't disclose which Kobe's the teams will rock, but the Swoosh recently relaunched Bryant's line with the release of the Protro 8 "Halos" ... which hit the market on what would've been KB's 45th birthday (August 23).
Vanessa -- who married Bryant in 2001 -- reportedly helped design the Halos ... and has said many more styles are coming soon!
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Snoop Dogg Hail MC Shaq... Greatest 'NBA Rapper' Ever!!!
Snoop Dogg is proclaiming Shaquille O'Neal to be the best NBA player to ever release hip hop music ... this, after getting wind of The Big Aristotle's latest rap collab!!!
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As we told you last week, Shaq linked up with L.A.-based group Coyote for their single "3 Lokos" ... the first of a newfound partnership.
Shaq told the artists he wanted to bring "'90s energy" to the song ... which clearly struck a chord with Snoop to the point he crowned the big man with such a big honor!!!
Shaq's place in hip hop is indeed solidified ... having his 1993 debut album "Shaq Diesel" go platinum while earning respect from many established rappers at the time.
The NBA legend also brought 3 championships to Los Angeles with the Lakers in the early '00s ... undoubtedly an extra reason to get Snoop's top pick. 😉
NBA rappers have gotten a lot more competitive since Shaq's era and Damian Lillard, will likely have something to say about Snoop's taste ... he's long touted himself to be the best NBA player to ever clutch a mic.
He just dropped his new album with co-signs from Rick Ross and Lil Wayne and even performed during the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, where he also played.
They just may have to battle at half-court for the title!!!
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Lamar Odom I Hired My Kids To Work For Me ... Company Vacation's 1 Perk
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Lamar Odom's keeping it in the family ... he hired his son and daughter to work for his substance abuse treatment company, and he treated them to a company getaway.
Sources close to Lamar tell TMZ ... he's focused on strengthening his bond with his kids, and that includes getting his son, LJ, and daughter, Destiny, jobs at Odom Recovery Group.
Lamar's son is a marketing consultant ... we're told he's basically been mirroring Lamar, learning the ins and outs of the company so he can be Lamar's backup when needed.
Meanwhile, Lamar's daughter is a client representative ... she's responsible for taking down patients' information and making sure they're all set up when they start their recovery journeys. We're told both kids even participated in a commercial for the company, which will air on Hulu in various locations.
In recognition of their hard work on the job, we're told Lamar took his newest employees on a little vacation in Orange County, spending a few nights at an oceanfront property in Newport Beach.
Not a bad work perk!!!
The job opportunities and company vacations are all part of Lamar's attempt to reconnect with his kids ... and we're also told they've all been living under the same roof since the end of May.
Lamar definitely needs the help at his company ... Odom Recovery Group keeps expanding, he's added 14 new rehab centers to his portfolio and it's all hands on deck at work, with his baby mama Liza also helping out on the job.
The new treatment centers Lamar's family is helping him manage include ...Restoration Recovery in Sacramento, Compassions in Laguna Hills, Inner Minds Health in San Bernardino and Vanity Wellness Center in Woodland Hills.
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Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss Says 'I Do' to Comedian Jay Mohr Married on Malibu Beach!!!
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Jeanie Buss is usually rocking power suits in business meetings, but over the weekend -- she was decked out in all white on the beach ... this after getting married, TMZ has learned.
Sources with direct knowledge tell us the Lakers owner got hitched to comedian Jay Mohr Sunday during a small, intimate ceremony in Malibu -- where about 20 close friends and family members in attendance ... and the bride and groom looking happy as can be.
As you can see in this photo, Jay was over the moon when Jeanie said "I do" ... sweeping her off her feet and holding his bride up with a gorgeous backdrop behind them. BTW, our sources say there weren't any famous people in attendance ... meaning no players.
That's reflected in the vibe here -- super casualchill, but Jeanie looks great in her gown -- which is quite traditional. It's a great ending for a couple who's been together for years now.
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While she first went public with their relationship just in 2021 ... we know she and Jay had quietly started dating as early as 2017 -- this after she broke it off with one-time fiancé Phil Jackson in 2016. Since then, Jeanie and Jay have been inseparable -- and very in love.
They announced their engagement in December 2022 ... and now 9 months later, they're man and wife.
Congrats, you two!
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Shaquille O'Neal Drops New Music W/ L.A. Rap Group ... '3 Lokos' 🎙🎧
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Shaquille O'Neal is back in the rap game!
The basketball legend linked up with an L.A.-based rap group for a new song and music video, and it slaps.
TMZ Sports talked to Coyote -- made up of rappers Ladies Love Guapo and Ricky Blanco -- and they tell us The Big Aristotle was a fan of their work going back some time, and they developed a relationship. The guys began talking about hopping on a track together
"[Shaq] was like as long as it's some hardcore stuff, I'm down. So we made a hardcore hip hop '90s-type song and we're like 'Bro, let's send it to Shaq,' and he got on it, did his thing, he spit like 32 bars. He went off!" Ladies Love Guapo told us.
The guys say O'Neal loved the beat and a few hours later, voila ... his verse was in their inbox.
"4 hours later he FaceTimes us and he shows us his verse and he went crazy! He's rapping better than 90% of rappers out there."
Shaquille even pulled up for the music video shoot in Los Angeles ... shot in the city where he delivered three championships.
"3 Lokos" is the first song Coyote ft. Diesel are releasing ... but it won't be their last.
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In fact, Blanco says they already have a second song they've recorded with Shaq, and plan on dropping more music in the near future ... including rapping on a beat that O'Neal produced.
Aside from being one of the greatest hoopers of all time, Shaq's had an impressive career in the booth. He's been on tracks with legends like Jay-Z, Nas, and Biggie.
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USC HC Andy Enfield 'Hopeful' Bronny Returns To Court ... Following Cardiac Arrest
Bronny James is already back in the USC classroom just a month after going into cardiac arrest, according to head hoops coach Andy Enfield ... who's hoping his star freshman makes a return to the hardwood very soon!
Enfield met with reporters on Monday and provided an update on the star 18-year-old freshman hooper ... and it's positive news!
"The good thing is [Bronny's] doing extremely well and he's in class right now. And we all love him," Enfield said.
"I think everybody is hopeful that Bronny will return to the court. We just have to be patient and take it step by step."
Whether he returns to the court or not, Enfield made it clear James' well-being is most important, and they plan to take things slowly.
"Our goal is to support Bronny in any way we can academically, athletically, and be patient with how things develop in his return."
Of course, the James family made a major revelation on Friday, announcing Bronny's cardiac arrest resulted from an "anatomically and functionally significant Congenital Heart Defect."
It sounds scary ... but it's actually good news, according to doctors, who say the birth defect can be treated.
"We are confident in Bronny's full recovery and return to basketball in the near future," the James statement read.
Despite not playing basketball, we've seen Bronny out, living his life. In fact, he recently hit up a Dodgers game and Drake concert with LeBron.
James was a 4-star recruit coming out of Sierra Canyon in L.A. ... where he was regarded as one of the top 50 high school basketball players in the country.
The USC season starts on November 6 ... just under 70 days away! 🏀