Los Angeles Lakers

Shaquille O'Neal continues to give back ... this time the Big Fella refurbished a basketball court at a Boys & Girls Club in Los Angeles, and then spent the afternoon hangin' with the kids, and they were over the moon!

TMZ Sports was there at the BGC of Metro LA when the Hall of Famer, local officials, and Icy Hot (Shaq's longtime partner) reps opened the Comebaq Court ... an initiative launched by the Shaquille O'Neal Foundation which aims to fix courts and fields for kids across the country.

"I came here one time and I saw the court need to be refurbished," O'Neal told us on Thursday, adding, "I asked about the refurbish. They told me 'yes' and this is the result."

"If we can help one, if we can help 100, we can help 'em all"

FYI, this is Shaq's fifth Comebaq Court to date ... he also has fixed up courts in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey, in addition to several other places like Atlanta, Miami, and Las Vegas, where he's spent significant time.

And, there's more to come.

O'Neal may get most of the credit from the media, but Shaq is quick to recognize his less-famous partners who made this possible, including Icy Hot and various counselors who helped contribute.

"Those counselors, the one who volunteers every day, they actually should get most of the credit," Shaq said.

"If you need computers, you need laptops, fresh paint -- then you call Uncle Shaq."

The NBA legend made nearly $300 million over his 19-year career in NBA salary money alone. That's not counting all of the endorsements, and lucrative business moves O'Neal has made during and after his basketball playing days.

So, he's got the money, but this is about much more than writing a check. Shaq cares about the kids' well-being ... and that's awesome. At the end of the day, it's things like this that make Shaq one of the most lovable athletes of all time.

With the holidays coming up, we asked the 51-year-old what he was doing for Turkey Day... and in true Shaquille fashion he told us ... "I don't do anything in my house."

LeBron James didn't become the NBA's all-time leading scorer without his fair share of haters rooting against him, but he's still not above showing even them some love!!!

Take up-and-coming Detroit rapper Skilla Baby for example, who outed himself as a proud LBJ hater on a recent podcast appearance -- but King James is here for it.

Skilla started off by giving LBJ his props ... but soon flew off the handle with a laundry list of reasons he'd create a LeBron voodoo doll.

LeBron's "The Decision," his unpredictable jump shot and his penchant for playing with super-teams were all low points for SB -- but he really just sounded like a Pistons fan going hard for his team.

At any rate, LeBron got a kick outta SB's rant and quipped, "Crazy thing is I HATE ME TOO" with several 😂's.

Adam Silver is lovin' the NBA's new collaboration with Kim Kardashian's SKIMS underwear brand ... so much so the commissioner was actually wearing 'em when TMZ Sports spoke with him this week in NYC!

We caught up with the 61-year-old commish just days after the NBA announced its multi-year partnership with SKIMS MENS ... which Kardashian recently introduced.

In fact, KK used OKC star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as one of the models for the SKIMS MENS launch ... in addition to Neymar Jr. and Nick Bosa. The line did millions of dollars in sales in minutes upon launch.

But, is the product any good? Silver's clearly a big fan!

"Although I'm not going to show you, I'm wearing them right now," Adam told us.

"I strongly recommend them to everyone."

Silver even believes the undies could help the players perform better on the court.

"When guys are more comfortable, makes them play better," Silver said. "So yes, gonna have a direct impact on the game."

Speaking of playing better, LeBron James is fresh off a monster game ... scoring 35 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out 7 assists in 42 minutes against the Clippers.

Kayla Nicole might not be with Travis Kelce anymore, but she had no issue getting the best seats in the house when the Lakers hosted the Clippers on Wednesday -- enjoying the contest from a courtside view.

The model and fitness influencer appeared in great spirits as she celebrated her 32nd birthday a day early at Crypto.com Arena ... seemingly blocking out all the outside noise related to her ex's new relationship with Taylor Swift.

Of course, KN recently spoke out about Kelce's new romance ... saying she had to distance herself from the situation by unfollowing her good friends Patrick and Brittany Mahomes on Instagram to protect herself.

While Kayla and Travis' romance is dunzo, there was still love in the air at the game -- recently-married Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and comedian Jay Mohr couldn't help but share a kiss while LeBron James and Co. secured the 130-125 win in overtime.

The arena was packed with star power -- popular K-pop group LE SSERAFIM also got to check out the Purple & Gold in their custom L.A. jerseys ... and the Laker Girls paid tribute to the quintet by doing a dance to their hit song, "ANTIFRAGILE."

The ladies also had a special meet and greet with Laker legend Magic Johnson, who fanboyed out and asked for a pic outside the arena.

Chaewon, Kazuha, Eunchae, Sakura and Yunjin were really into the game ... going crazy for the home team after the final buzzer -- so it really was a "Perfect Night" for the group.

Actor Jeremy Renner proved once again he's doing well after his serious accident earlier this year ... smiling from ear-to-ear as he caught the action from the front row.

Other big names include Swae Lee, Latto, Mike WiLL Made-It, internet star Corinna Kopf, Jimmy Iovine and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who might be the only celeb who didn't go home happy.

Everyone in attendance didn't get to check out the Clips' newest star, James Harden ... who wasn't available to play following his big trade from the Philadelphia 76ers.

Puede que Kayla Nicole ya no esté con Travis Kelce, pero no tuvo ningún problema para conseguir los mejores asientos cuando los Lakers recibieron a los Clippers el miércoles, disfrutando de la competencia desde una vista privilegiada de la cancha.

La modelo e influencer de fitness parecía de muy buen humor mientras celebraba su cumpleaños número 32 un día antes en el Crypto.com Arena, aparentemente bloqueando todo el ruido exterior que ha provocado la nueva relación de su ex con Taylor Swift.

Por supuesto, Kayla habló recientemente sobre el nuevo romance de Kelce diciendo que tuvo que distanciarse de la situación y por eso tomó la decisión de dejar de seguir a sus buenos amigos Patrick y Brittany Mahomes en Instagram para protegerse.

Aunque el romance de Kayla y Travis ya se terminó, el amor aún estuvo presente la noche del partido, con los recientemente casados Jeanie Buss, propietaria de los Lakers, y el comediante Jay Mohr compartiendo un beso, mientras LeBron James y compañía aseguraban la victoria 130-125 en el tiempo extra.

El estadio estuvo repleto de estrellas. El popular grupo de K-pop LE SSERAFIM también pudo ver a los Purple & Gold con sus camisetas personalizadas de L.A., y las Laker Girls rindieron homenaje al quinteto bailando su canción de éxito, "ANTIFRAGILE".

Las chicas también tuvieron un encuentro especial con la leyenda de los Lakers Magic Johnson, que se hizo fan y les pidió una foto afuera del estadio.

Chaewon, Kazuha, Eunchae, Sakura y Yunjin realmente se metieron en el partido y enloquecieron de alegría tras el pitido final, así que fue una "noche perfecta" para el grupo.

El actor Jeremy Renner demostró una vez más que se encuentra bien tras su grave accidente a principios de este año, sonriendo de oreja a oreja mientras seguía la acción desde la primera fila.

Otros grandes nombres incluyeron a Swae Lee, Latto, Mike WiLL Made-It, la estrella de Internet Corinna Kopf, Jimmy Iovine y el propietario de los Clippers Steve Ballmer, que podría ser la única celebridad que no se fue a casa feliz.

Ninguno de los asistentes pudo ver a la nueva estrella de los Clips, James Harden, quien no estuvo disponible para jugar tras su gran traspaso desde los Philadelphia 76ers.

Magic Johnson acaba de unirse al club de las 10 cifras y entró en la prestigiosa lista como uno de los pocos atletas en lograrlo, así informa Forbes.

La célebre revista, que se enorgullece de estar al tanto de la fortuna de las estrellas, dice que su nuevo recuento sobre el grande de los Lakers lo ha convertido oficialmente en multimillonario. Según ellos, el patrimonio neto estimado de Earvin ronda los 1.200 millones de dólares.

Dicen que su riqueza masiva después del baloncesto es el resultado de una mezcolanza de inversiones que ha hecho a lo largo de los años y si usted sabe algo acerca de Magic, sabrá que es un gran hombre de negocios.

El tipo es propietario parcial de varios equipos deportivos profesionales, como los Dodgers, los Sparks, el LAFC de la MLS y, más recientemente, los Washington Commanders de la NFL. Sin embargo, estas inversiones no son las que lo hacen parte de la lista.

Al parecer, es la participación del 60% de Magic en una compañía de seguros de vida llamada EquiTrust, de la que se apoderó en 2015. La compañía ha estado en auge en lo que respecta a los beneficios desde entonces y ha vuelto a Magic aún más rico como resultado.

Hay más inversiones que Magic ha hecho que lo llevaron al borde del precipicio, tales como cadenas de cines, así como una asociación de Starbucks en la que entró hace un tiempo. También tiene una participación minoritaria adicional en una planta embotelladora de PepsiCo fuera de DC.

Por supuesto, también es un magnate de los medios de comunicación, por no mencioar que es una cara increíblemente reconocible en casi todas partes.

Como ya hemos dicho, el hecho de que Magic haya alcanzado esta cifra le sitúa en un grupo exclusivo de otros tres deportistas en la estratosfera de los multimillonarios: LeBron James, Tiger Woods y Michael Jordan. Ahora Magic está allí también y para ser honesto, fue un largo tiempo de espera.

Magic Johnson just joined the 10-figure club -- and he's in the prestigious company as only one of a few athletes to reach the achievement ... so says Forbes, anyway.

The famed magazine -- which prides itself on keeping tabs on stars' fortunes -- says their new tally on the Laker great has now made him an official billionaire ... and he's got change to spare with the title. According to them, Earvin's estimated net worth is around $1.2 bil.

They say his massive wealth post-basketball comes as a result of a hodgepodge of investments he's made over the years -- and if you know anything about Magic, that tracks.

The dude's a partial owner in a number of pro sports teams -- including the Dodgers, the Sparks, MLS' LAFC and more recently ... the NFL's Washington Commanders. Interestingly enough, though, these minority owner stakes aren't what make him rich-rich here.

Apparently, it's Magic's 60% stake in a life insurance company called EquiTrust ... which he snapped up in 2015. The company's been booming in profits since then -- and he's rolling in the dough as a result.

There are more investments Magic's made that tipped him over the edge ... including movie theater chains he's bought into, as well as a Starbucks partnership he entered into a while back. He's also got an extra minority stake in a PepsiCo bottling plant outside of D.C.

Of course, he's also a media mogul ... not to mention an incredibly recognizable face just about everywhere he goes -- which probably helps when he gets booked for appearances.

Like we said, Magic hitting this benchmark puts him in an exclusive group among 3 other athletes in the billionaire stratosphere ... that'd be LeBron James, Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. Now Magic's there too -- and to be honest, it was probably a long time coming.

LeBron James passionately defended Anthony Davis from the critics following the Lakers' win over the Suns on Thursday ... making it clear their locker room doesn't "give a s***" about the outside noise.

The King and Co. squeezed out a 100-95 win over Kevin Durant and Phoenix at Crypto.com Arena ... large in part thanks to AD's 30 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and three steals.

Of course, Davis received a bunch of negative reviews after disappearing in the second half of the Lake Show's season opener against the Nuggets ... when he went scoreless in the final two periods of the losing effort.

LBJ was asked about the hate directed toward his teammate following Thursday's tilt ... and he didn't hold back in his response.

"We don't give a s*** about criticism about AD," LeBron said. "We don't care. Nothing bothers us. AD doesn't care. I don't know if guys have figured that out. A.D. does not care."

"He's not on social media. So he doesn't see none of the crap. He rarely talks, unless it's us. So, we don't give a s*** about it and he definitely doesn't. He's going to do his job, but we happy to have A.D."

LeBron calmed down a bit after his fiery comments ... approaching Durant's mom, Wanda, and sharing a special moment with her.

Denver fans let LeBron James and the Lakers know who runs the NBA ... and they rubbed it in, chanting "Who's your daddy?!" while their Nuggets squad handed the Lake Show an L in the first game of the season!

The defending champs came out hot against the Lakers at Ball Arena on Tuesday and led as much as 18 points during the 119-107 win.

It was also the night the Nuggets team received their championship rings.

So, you can understand why the crowd of 19,842 was extra lit ... and late in the fourth quarter, they decided to take a shot at the Lakers.

"Who's your daddy?! Who's your daddy?!" the Nuggets fans yelled.

Jamal Murray heard the chants ... and the point guard's reaction was priceless.

In fact, the former first-round pick blamed his coach Michael Malone.

"This is you! This is your fault!" Murray said. "This is what you started!"

It was a good night for the 1-0 Nuggets ... Nikola Jokic, no surprise, had a terrific game, notching a triple-double with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists.

LeBron James pulled out all the stops for his first fashion statement of the 2023-24 season ... rocking over $28,000 worth of Louis Vuitton for opening night!!

King James -- who is entering his 21st season -- clearly wanted to come up with a special look for the Los Angeles Lakers opening game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena ... and he certainly didn't disappoint.

The 19-time All-Star forward is covered in Louis V ... from the $5k damoflage tweed chic collarless jacket and $1,250 pants to the $1,220 LV checker derby kicks.

He didn't stop there -- the Speedy Bandouliere 40 he's holding comes with an $11k price tag, and the briefcase will set the Average Joe back another $9,500.

So yeah, Bron's whole look is fit for a king.

BTW, some of those pieces LBJ is wearing are from Pharrell's men's Spring-Summer 2024 collection. The famous producer/rapper became the high-end brand's new men's creative director in February ... and debuted his items in Paris this summer.

James wasn't the only player showing up in style on Tuesday -- Michael Porter Jr. wore a signed Peyton Manning Broncos jersey ... and Peyton Watson was reppin' Deion Sanders with his own autographed "Coach Prime" gear.

High flyer Aaron Gordon also put his interesting taste on display ... going with a sleeveless burgundy blazer and shorts.

As for James' look ... anyone who wants to get their hands on the same items will have to wait just a bit -- pre-order sales start the first week of December.

LeBron James no escatimó esfuerzos para hacer su primera declaración de moda de la temporada 2023-24, luciendo más de $ 28.000 de Louis Vuitton para la noche de apertura.

King James, que está jugando su 21ª temporada, claramente quería llegar con un look especial para el partido inaugural de Los Angeles Lakers contra los Denver Nuggets en el Ball Arena, y ciertamente no decepcionó.

El delantero y 19 veces All-Star llegó cubierto de Louis V, desde la elegante chaqueta tweed de $5k sin cuello hasta los pantalaones de $1.250 pantalones y los zapatos de $1.220.

Y eso no fue todo, el Speedy Bandouliere 40 que está sosteniendo viene con una etiqueta de $11k y el maletín de otros $9.500.

Así que sí, el look de Bron es digno de un rey.

Por cierto, algunas de las piezas que lleva LeBron James corresponden a la colección masculina primavera-verano 2024 de Pharrell. El famoso productor y rapero se convirtió en el nuevo director creativo masculino de la marca de alta gama en febrero, y debutó con sus artículos en París este verano.

James no fue el único jugador que apareció con estilo este martes, Michael Porter Jr. llevaba una camiseta firmada Peyton Manning de los Broncos y Peyton Watson anduvo de representante de Deion Sanders con su propio atuendo autografiado de "Coach Prime".

Aaron Gordon también puso su interesante gusto en escena. El jugador usó un blazer sin mangas de color burdeos y pantalones cortos.

En cuanto al outfit de James, cualquiera quisiera tener esos mismos artículos en sus manos, pero tendremos que esperar un poco porque la pre-orden de venta comienza la primera semana de diciembre.

LeBron James certainly doesn't have writer's block -- the Los Angeles Lakers superstar just announced he's got another children's book on the way ... titled "I Am More Than."

The 4-time NBA champ teamed up with HarperCollins Publishers on the project ... to inspire young readers to understand they are more than just "one label, trait, or interest."

"'I Am More Than' is about believing in yourself and all the amazing things you're capable of, which no one else can define you," James said in a statement.

"I hope everyone that reads it feels inspired to be 'more than' in everything they do."

James is no stranger to the literature game -- his first kids book, "I Promise," became a New York Times best seller.

"It's been incredible to see students, teachers, and families respond to I Promise and its message of encouragement," the 38-year-old said.

"With the next book, we want to continue inspiring kids everywhere to keep dreaming big and not let anything hold them back."

The book -- slated to hit shelves on April 2 -- will feature illustrations from Nina Mata.

The future Hall of Famer also made a middle-grade level book called "We Are Family" this year with journalist and writer Andrea Williams.

LeBron James está expresando su apoyo a Israel mientras la guerra hace estragos en la región. El jugador dijo que está desconsolado por lo que está sucediendo y denunció los ataques de Hamás como "terrorismo".

La superestrella de la NBA publicó una declaración conjunta sobre el tema en su página de X, con su socio desde hace mucho tiempo, Maverick Carter, el miércoles por la noche, en la que dice: "La devastación en Israel es trágica e inaceptable".

"El asesinato y la violencia contra personas inocentes por parte de Hamás es terrorismo", dijo. "La familia SpringHill Company envía sus más profundas condolencias a Israel y la comunidad judía".

James añadió en su comunicado que ahora reza por la paz.

"Todos debemos trabajar para asegurarnos de que esta tragedia no propague aún más el odio, el racismo y el antisemitismo", dijo.

LeBron no es la primera celebridad que se refiere públicamente al conflicto. Kim Kardashian también lanzó una declaración el miércoles, en la que escribe: "¿Cómo puede alguien no estar devastado por estas imágenes horribles que nunca seremos capaces de no ver?"

LeBron James is throwing his support behind Israel as war rages on in the region ... saying he's heartbroken over what's happening -- while denouncing Hamas attacks as "terrorism."

The NBA superstar released a joint statement with his longtime business partner, Maverick Carter, on the matter on his X page on Wednesday night ... saying, "The devastation in Israel is tragic and unacceptable."

"The murder and violence against innocent people by Hamas is terrorism," he said. "The SpringHill Company family sends our deepest condolences to Israel and the Jewish community."

James added in his statement that he's now praying for peace.

"We all must work to ensure this tragedy does not spread even more hate, racism, and antisemitism," he said.

LeBron is hardly the first celebrity to speak publicly on the conflict -- Kim Kardashian released a statement of her own on Wednesday as well ... writing, "How can anyone not be devastated by these horrific images that we will never be able to unsee?"

Matt Barnes feels Damian Lillard getting traded to the Bucks -- instead of his preferred destination of the Heat -- is a blessing in disguise ... telling TMZ Sports he believes the All-Star guard has a better chance at winning an NBA title in Milwaukee than he would in Miami.

The "All The Smoke" podcast host and ex-NBA star gave us his take at the 5th Annual KiKi Shepard Celebrity Golf Classic last week ... and he says even though Lillard didn't end up in South Beach like he reportedly requested, he should be more than thrilled with the outcome.

"I'm excited for Dame," Barnes said. "Obviously he wanted to go to Miami. That didn't happen, but for him to have the opportunity to win, I think is the key and the goal and him teaming up with Giannis [Antetokounmpo] is definitely gonna give him a great opportunity to win a championship."

"I think probably even a better opportunity than he would had in Miami."

Of course, some fans might not agree -- the Heat have been to the NBA Finals twice since the 2020 season ... and Jimmy Butler is one of the best playoff players in the league.

However, Butler, coach Erik Spoelstra and the Heat came up short both times ... where the Bucks made the Finals and won in 2021 -- their first appearance in over four decades.

"Bucks are high," Barnes said. "It's gonna be a fun season."

Magic Johnson's newest purchase is leaving him quite unhappy -- at least, that was the case on Thursday night -- 'cause after the Commanders got dusted by the Bears, he laid into them on his X page.

The Lakers legend -- who helped Josh Harris purchase the Washington Football Team for $6 billion earlier this summer -- sounded off just minutes after his new squad lost 40-20 ... making it clear he's looking for more from his guys going forward.

"Tonight the Commanders played with no intensity or fire," he said bluntly.

The Commanders did look lifeless during the game's first 30 minutes ... allowing Chicago stars Justin Fields and D.J. Moore to run wild all over them in the first half.

And, while they did fight back a bit to make things somewhat interesting in the second half, they still lost by 20 -- something Magic's obviously fuming over.

"We didn't compete in the first half and got down 27-3 heading into halftime," said Magic, who watched the game from a FedExField luxury box Thursday night. "It was too big of a hole to climb out of and that is why we ended up losing 40-20."

The night at least wasn't all sadness for Magic ... he got to enjoy some pregame giggles with Amazon's "Thursday Night Football" crew, signing a bunch of gear for superfan Ryan Fitzpatrick on the pregame show.