Los Angeles Lakers

The L.A. Lakers got a visit Monday night from a fan that was so furry and so cute -- even the game's broadcasters just had to take a paws to stop and recognize him!!

The Lake Show's No. 1 K9 supporter was none other than Brodie The Goldendoodle -- a doggo who's gained so much notoriety over the past few years, he's garnered 1 million followers on Instagram.

Somehow, the pup scored one of the best seats in the house for L.A.'s contest against the Knicks at Crypto.com Arena -- snagging a chair that was actually so good, it might have been better than Timothée Chalamet's.

And, the ball of fuzz certainly took advantage of the center-court spotlight ... dancing his tail off so hard during a break in the action, he actually caught the attention of ESPN play-by-play man Mike Breen.

"That's Brodie," Breen said on live television as the dog waved its legs in the air. "I've never seen this in 30-plus years!!"

Brodie, of course, is used to the limelight by now ... the 3-year-old's owner and he have trekked all over the country together while hitting sporting events sporadically.

In fact, he's been a star at Marlins games and Heats games in the past -- though apparently he's big into L.A. too ... 'cause he rocked an Austin Reaves shirt for most of the Lakers' contest vs. NY.

But, Monday did have a bit of a ruff ending for Brodie ... as LeBron James and co. couldn't get him a win, falling to the Knicks, 114-109.

The Los Angeles Lakers have officially hung up a banner to celebrate their In-Season Tournament Championship ... and, as expected, it was met with some serious mixed reviews.

The team revealed Monday night the flag will stay in the rafters at Crypto.com Arena for the foreseeable future ... something that ain't exactly sitting right with plenty of fans of the storied NBA franchise.

After all, the team's won SEVENTEEN world championships -- and as you can hear in video from the pregame banner-raising ceremony prior to the contest against the Knicks, when L.A. officially hung the IST title keepsake, Lakers supporters didn't seem thrilled.

There was merely a smattering of applause ... and even LeBron James and his teammates didn't look all that pumped while watching the festivities from the court.

Of course, there were some who liked it, including Metta World Peace -- who told TMZ Sports last week he was definitely in favor of keeping the memento at the Lakers' home facility.

Several celebs in attendance at the game didn't seem to mind it much either ... Timothee Chalamet was all smiles in his courtside seat -- although his New York ballcap showed he probably could care less what L.A. does when it comes to decorating its arena.

Kevin Bacon, Dustin Hoffman, Mookie Betts and several other A-listers were there too ... and while it's not entirely clear what their stances were on the banner -- we take it they probably don't care much either way.

Let the haters hate, but Metta World Peace is all about the Lakers honoring their In-Season Tournament win with a banner ... telling TMZ Sports the accomplishment now gives L.A. bragging rights over the Boston Celtics!!

The Purple and Gold are reportedly hanging a memento in the Crypto.com Arena rafters to commemorate their recent title ... which was met with mixed reviews, considering the tourney doesn't hold nearly as much weight as winning the Finals.

We spoke with Metta -- a 2010 NBA champ -- about the move ... and he tells us he's a big fan!!

MWP explains he thinks being the first-ever IST MVP means a lot for LeBron James' legacy ... and while he still considers himself a Michael Jordan stan, he praised the King for maintaining his dominance at 38 years old.

In fact, Metta says he sees LeBron playing at least 25 seasons ... which should earn him George Washington's spot on the quarter!!

Adele dejó Las Vegas para pasar el rato con su novio Rich Paul, y tenía una buena razón ya que es su cumpleaños, lo que significa que toda la tripulación Klutch Sports apareció en el lugar.

La cantante estaba con LeBron James, Anthony Davis, entre otros para la fiesta de cumpleaños número 42 el sábado por la noche. Todo courrió en un lugar West Hollywood, donde todo el mundo se presentó fuera de una salida hacia el final de la noche.

Como se puede ver, el mayor reclamo de Rich Paul a la fama King James estaba al frente y al centro, liderando la enorme manada de gente fuera ... trajeado y calzado con su esposa, Savannah, muy de cerca.

Antony estaba con su propia esposa también, y lo mismo para Kevin Hart, que también estaba por ahí.

En cuanto a Adele y Rich, estaban hombro con hombro y parecían vestidos para impresionar, aunque no se veían tan alegres como uno se podría imaginar.

De todos modos, está claro que todavía están unidos, esto después de una larga residencia de Adele en la ciudad del pecado durante la mayor parte de este año y que está programado para continuar en 2024.

Usted recordará que constantemente se refirió a sí misma como la "esposa" de Rich en el desierto, pero no está claro si realmente están casados, o si era solo un lapsus linguae.

Adele ditched Las Vegas to hang with her boyfriend Rich Paul -- and she had a good reason ... it's the dude's birthday, which means the whole Klutch Sports crew tagged along.

The singer was rolling deep with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and other Klutch clients for the super agent's 42nd born-day party Saturday night ... which went down at a WeHo venue -- where everybody filed out of one exit towards the end of the night, it seems.

As you can see, RP's biggest claim to fame King James was front and center, leading the huge pack of people outside ... suited and booted with his wife, Savannah, close behind.

AD was with his own wife too, and ditto for Kevin Hart ... who was in the mix as well.

As for Adele and Rich, they were shoulder-to-shoulder as they left the joint ... and both looked dressed to impress, albeit not looking nearly as cheerful as you'd think while walking out.

Anyway, they're clearly still going strong ... this after a lengthy residency for Adele, who was in Sin City for a majority of this year -- and who's actually scheduled to head back in 2024.

You'll recall, she constantly referred to herself as Rich's "wife" out in the desert ... but it's unclear if they're actually hitched, or if it was just a slip of the tongue/term of endearment.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar took a nasty spill at a concert in Los Angeles -- and the NBA legend ended up in the hospital with a broken hip, TMZ has learned.

His rep, Deborah Morales, tells us ... Kareem was attending the show Friday night -- but it was unclear who was performing and where. Anyway, the former Lakers star center accidentally fell to the floor, shattering his hip.

Paramedics quickly responded and transported Kareem to the hospital for treatment.  His condition was not disclosed.

Morales said Kareem was "deeply appreciative" of the support he received from the Los Angeles Fire Department on site and the "amazing medical team and doctors at UCLA Hospital who are taking great care of (him)."

Based on what his rep is saying, it sounds like Kareem is going to be OK.

Draymond Green would be breathing a lot easier today if Shaquille O'Neal were running the NBA ... 'cause the Lakers legend says he'd only suspend DG two games if league punishments were up to him.

O'Neal made the declaration while speaking with Babcock and Charles on "TMZ Live" on Thursday -- less than 24 hours after Green was banned by Adam Silver indefinitely for smacking Jusuf Nurkic in the head during an altercation in the Warriors vs. Suns game.

Shaq says he believes Green had no bad intentions when he flailed his right arm into Nurkic's face -- explaining he's buying the Warriors star's explanation that he was simply trying to sell a call.

"I don't think Draymond said, 'Hey, I'm going to punch this guy just 'cause he's pulling my jersey,'" Shaq said.

The Diesel went on to tell the guys that he believes the play was merely a flop gone wrong.

Of course, Silver and the NBA apparently disagree ... because they've banned Green from suiting up for Golden State for the foreseeable future.

It's pretty crowded up in the Crypto.com Arena rafters already, but the Los Angeles Lakers will have to make some room -- the team is reportedly expected to hang a banner in honor of winning the In-Season Tournament.

The Purple and Gold -- who already have 17 championship banners above their home court -- will announce the newest addition to the collection as a tribute to LeBron James and Co. beating out the competition in the first-ever regular season event, according to multiple reports.

To avoid confusion, the IST banner won't look like the Lakers' usual gold cloths with purple lettering -- insider Chris Haynes says it will have a different shape and color, and each year will be added to it whenever they win the NBA Cup.

Of course, the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers to win it all on Saturday ... and the postgame ceremony was comparable to an NBA Finals victory -- with everything from confetti to champagne celebrations and special merch.

Many were wondering if the Lakers would find the victory worthy of getting the same treatment as the other titles ... and now we have answers.

Bronny James just made his college basketball debut ... and his dad, LeBron, had a front-row seat for the special moment.

The 19-year-old USC hooper entered Sunday's home contest against Long Beach State around the 13-minute mark in the first half ... and the Galen Center erupted as James stepped onto the court.

Of course, the former Sierra Canyon standout's college career was put on hold after he suffered cardiac arrest during a workout back in July ... but as we previously reported, he was given the green light late last week to finally suit up for games.

LeBron -- who vowed not to miss Bronny's first game, even if it conflicted with his Lakers schedule -- held up to his promise ... getting a courtside seat and documenting his son's entrance on his iPhone.

He also said following the Lakers' In-Season Tournament championship win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday he was looking forward to being in L.A. for the game ... so we take it it was one helluva weekend for the James Gang.

The classic "$500k or a dinner with Jay-Z?" debate just turned into "$25k or dinner with Jerry West?" ... 'cause that's what one lucky bidder shelled out for an evening with the Logo at a big charity event.

TMZ Sports has learned ... a special one-on-one with the Pro Basketball Hall of Famer was one of the big auction items at a gathering for the Aiming High Foundation this week ... with an anonymous bidder winning the RSVP with a massive, quarter-hundred thou donation.

Not only did the winner get a din-din with West, but two VIP passes to an upcoming L.A. Clippers game were also included in the bundle.

The Aiming High Foundation -- founded by celebrity agent Darren Prince -- raises funds for those seeking help with mental health and substance abuse issues ... so the money is going to a good cause!!

Prince's clients like Brande Roderick, Jesse Metcalfe, American Idol star Nutsa and influencer Rudy Mawyer were also present at Komodo in Miami ... so it sounds like it was quite the shindig.

The hype for Bronny James is REAL ... the college basketball player is already sellin' out games just like his pops, and before his big USC debut.

Bronny and the rest of the USC Trojans are going up against Long Beach State on Sunday, but good luck gettin' a ticket -- 'cause every single one has already been snatched up!

Sunday's game marks the first time Bronny's hitting the court as a college athlete, and LeBron told reporters on Thursday how excited he was for his boy's big milestone ... saying it's a match he's incredibly looking forward to.

LeBron even claimed he'd miss his own Lakers game if it fell on the same night as Bronny's ... luckily, it doesn't.

TMZ broke the story, Bronny suffered cardiac arrest during a workout on campus back in July, and ended up spending a couple of days in the hospital ... and was cleared last month to get back on the court.

The New Orleans Pelicans are trying like hell to get Zion Williamson to work on his fitness, but the franchise player is tuning them out -- this according to a new report.

The 2019 No. 1 overall pick appeared gassed throughout the Pels' In-Season Tournament semifinal game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday ... something many analysts pointed out as a reason why it was a 133-89 blowout in favor of LeBron James and Co.

Of course, Zion's size has always been a hot topic since he entered the league ... and the team even reportedly implemented a weight clause in the five-year extension he signed last season that would penalize him if the sum of his weight and body percentage surpassed 295.

FYI -- Zion reportedly weighs in at 284.

According to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, the Pelicans have continuously told Williamson he has to work on his diet and conditioning ... but simply put -- he "doesn't listen."

LeBron James and the Lakers punched their tickets to the In-Season Tournament championship Thursday night, but there was a different matchup the NBA superstar said he was pumped about -- Bronny's first-ever game at USC.

King James addressed the big news of his eldest son being slated to make his big debut this weekend with reporters on Thursday ... and he explained how it'll mean "everything and more" to see his kid fully return from his cardiac arrest in July.

"Looking forward to that for sure," LBJ said after the Lakers routed the New Orleans Pelicans in the semis in Vegas. "Super excited for that moment."

Bronny is expected to play in USC's home game against Long Beach State on Sunday ... after completing his first full-contact practice on Thursday.

LeBron explained he is excited to see Bronny run out on the court with his teammates following his medical clearance ... but also when he enters the game -- whenever that may be.

"It's a big milestone for our family, for sure," LeBron said. "It's another step for him on his journey in his basketball career. Looking forward to it."

Of course, LeBron previously stated he was willing to miss one of his own games in order to be there for his son ... so we take it he will be front and center to soak it all in on Sunday.

LeBron James is fed up with the lack of change to America's gun laws after the recent mass shooting on UNLV's campus ... saying it's "ridiculous" to see yet another tragedy unfold somewhere people should feel safe.

LeBron and the Los Angeles Lakers are slated to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans in Vegas for the semi-finals of the In-Season Tournament on Thursday ... and when speaking with media members, the four-time champ expressed his frustrations with hearing about yet another act of gun violence.

"It just goes back to what I said before about guns in America," LeBron said Wednesday. "I think it's such a longer conversation, but we're the only ones who keep dealing with this same story, this same conversation every single time it happens, and it just continues to happen."

"The ability to get a gun, the ability to do these things over and over and over, and there's been no change is literally ridiculous. It makes no sense that we continue to lose innocent lives, on campuses, on schools, at shopping markets and movie theaters and all type of stuff. It's just ridiculous."

67-year-old college professor Anthony Polito is accused of opening fire on UNLV's campus ... killing three people and wounding a fourth. Investigators are reportedly looking into whether a recent job rejection played a role in the act.

LeBron -- who has been outspoken against gun violence in the past -- believes lawmakers are asleep at the wheel ... claiming firearms have become even more accessible throughout the country.

"The fact that we haven't changed anything -- it's actually been a lot easier to actually be able to own a firearm, it's stupid."

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes ... the Laker game!!

Fresh off exchanging "I Dos" in Mexico over the weekend, newlyweds Vanessa Hudgens and MLB player Cole Tucker decided to stop by Crypto.com Arena to catch the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns game on Tuesday ... and the married couple looked as happy as ever!!

The duo showed up to the venue in pretty casual 'fits ... with Tucker rocking a white crew neck and snapback, and Hudgens electing for a long coat and red ball cap.

As we previously reported, the actress and athlete had their closest friends in Tulum for the occasion ... with the whole crew celebrating their vows on the beach.

There were a ton of other celebrities in attendance for the Lakers' In-Season Tournament win over the Suns ... including Kim Kardashian, Flea, Druski, Rich Paul and Floyd Mayweather.

The A-listers picked a good one, as the home team won, 106-103 ... eliminating Phoenix from the tourney.

Jay Williams has no issue with Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka going off on LeBron James in the middle of a game ... telling TMZ Sports trash talk is all part of the nature of the sport.

ICYMI, Udoka -- who became Houston's head coach in April -- got into a heated confrontation with James during the Rockets vs. Lakers game on Dec. 2 ... appearing to tell the NBA superstar and his team to "stop crying like bitches."

Udoka was ejected from the game and later criticized for his manner as a coach ... but when we asked Williams about the clash while he was out at LAX this week, he defended the former player.

"Basketball to me is what you see at Rucker Park," Williams said. "Basketball to me is what you see at the Dyckman [Park]. It's what you see on Venice Beach."

"That's the world it comes from, that's where it's rooted from and people get things twisted. Ime Udoka was a player."

Of course, Udoka played for seven seasons in the NBA from 2004-2011 ... meaning he competed in the same era as LeBron.

That's where that aggression toward LBJ came from, Williams believes ... and it also shows why Ime acts differently from other coaches in the NBA.

"For me, I like people that engage and trash talk like that, 'cause it comes from a place -- you can tell there's history there," Williams said.

"I'm sure there'll be some type of fine for crossing the line, but you don't think subtle trash-talking like that exists? What do you think Gary Payton did his entire career? What do you think Draymond Green does?"

Williams added ... "One of the things that makes Ime different is that he's involved in the trenches of the game as a player."