NBA

Mark Cuban ain't losing sleep over the controversy in the NBA over the term "owner" -- telling TMZ Sports, "It's not that big a deal."

"If you run a company, own a company, start a company ... you decide [on what to call yourself]," Cuban told us.

Of course, Cuban purchased the Dallas Mavericks back in 2000 and is still listed as "owner" in the team's 2018-19 media guide.

The issue ... several players, including Draymond Green, have voiced concern over the term -- essentially saying it's racially insensitive in a league comprised of mostly black players.

Several teams have moved away from the term -- including the Philadelphia 76ers and the L.A. Clippers -- and even NBA Commish Adam Silver has said he's sensitive to the issue.

In fact, Silver told TMZ Sports the league office is no longer using the term "owner" -- opting for the term "governor" instead. Though Silver made it clear there is no hard rule banning the term in the NBA.

Phoenix Suns baller Kelly Oubre Jr. traded his jersey for some oversized white robes on Sunday ... and it was all in the name of FASHION!!!

The 6'7" hooper was front and center at the Pigalle Paris Spring/Summer show at Paris Men's Fashion Week ... as part of the brand's collab with Converse.

The event had pretty much everything you could ask for -- people in silver head caps, creative director Stephane Ashpool in a wolf mask ... and of course, the prettiest player in the NBA.

Oubre is easily one of the most stylish players in the league ... and always takes advantage of every opportunity to show off his unique swag.

Wave Papi thanked Ashpool for the opportunity ... saying "Thank you my brother @stephane_ashpool for allowing me to be apart of your vision. Thank you for bringing ART back to Fashion. Amazing Show."

Paul Pierce loves everything about the Boston Celtics' top draft selection Grant Williams -- telling TMZ Sports straight-up," That's a great pick!"

Boston picked the forward from Tennessee with the 22nd pick in the 2019 NBA Draft -- and they're expecting big things from the 6'8", 236 pounder.

Besides being a stud in college, where he was a 1st team All American and a 2-time SEC Player of the Year ... he's also been praised for being super smart -- something that runs in his family.

In fact, Grant's mother, Teresa Johnson, is an engineer for NASA -- one of the first black, female engineers to ever do it ... amazing.

This is why Grant confidently shot down Kyrie Irving's flat-Earth theory in a video that's going viral -- where the NBA rookie tells it like it is ...

"Kyrie's 'Earth is flat' theory is scientifically not true," Grant said ... "That's just not true at all."

By the way, Kyrie is still technically on the Celtics -- so things could get weird in the locker room.

Then again, Kyrie is expected to leave when free agency begins in a few weeks ... so crisis averted?!

Charles Barkley HATES LaVar Ball -- blasting the Big Baller as an "idiot" who should never be allowed on television again!

"Wherever LaVar Ball is, there's a village missing an idiot," Barkley said ... "We should just keep LaVar off television. That would be the best way to be."

Barkley's newest anti-LaVar stance comes in the wake of another Ball controversy -- he's been under fire for comments he made on-air to ESPN's Molly Qerim ... comments ESPN deemed "completely inappropriate."

Sir Charles clearly feels LaVar's antics are HURTING his sons -- especially Lonzo Ball, who just got traded to the New Orleans Pelicans -- and he wants LB to cut it out.

"It's really unfair to his son. His son is a good player and a nice kid."

When asked if LaVar can get a fresh start in Louisiana ... Charles said, "He's an idiot in all 50 states."

Charles also talked about Zion Williamson -- who a lot of people have compared to Barkley.

"He's a lot more explosive than I am," Barkley said ... "A lot more explosive."

"He's not as good of a basketball player as I am right now but he's got great potential and a great future."

Zak Bagans doesn't just collect haunted items for his museum -- he also goes the macabre route ... like adding the brothel bed connected to a death and an infamous overdose.

The "Ghost Adventures" star tells TMZ ... he's acquired the bed and bedroom furniture of Bunny Ranch and Love Ranch owner Dennis Hof, which eerily includes the mattress Hof died on. Which also happens to be the same mattress Lamar Odom was on when he overdosed 3 years prior, in October 2015.

Bagans says they never swapped out the mattress in the Love Ranch room, and now folks at the legal Nevada brother believe it's cursed ... and that's where Bagans steps in.

We're told the bed set is being donated to The Haunted Museum in Las Vegas, where, as we've reported ... Bagans displays spooky stuff like the "Devil's Rocking Chair" and a dybbuk box, along with creepy items like Ted Bundy's glasses.

Zak tells us the Love Ranch wants him to replicate Hof's entire bedroom, which as you can see ... maintained the same set up over the years, including when Odom OD'd in it.

We're told people at the ranch say Hof would have enjoyed his legacy being carried on this way ... because "that's how he was."

Now we just have to wait and see if Zak's new bedroom exhibit starts showcasing any signs of paranormal activity like that freaky rocking chair.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver says moving away from the term "owner" makes sense -- telling TMZ Sports, "We moved away from that term years ago."

We broke the story ... multiple NBA teams (including the Clippers and 76ers) have stopped using the title owner because they feel it's racially insensitive in a league where the majority of the players are black.

When we saw Silver out in NYC, we asked if he supported the decision and how the league office is handling the issue.

"I don't want to overreact to the term because, as I said earlier, people end up twisting themselves into knots avoiding the use of the word owner," Silver said ... "But, we moved away from that term years ago in the league."

"We call our team owners 'Governor of the team' and 'alternate Governor.'"

Silver says the word owner has sometimes slipped through in an NBA memo -- but general rule in the office is to no longer use that term ... adding, "I'm sensitive to it and I think to the extent teams are moving away from the term, we'll stick with using Governor."

As for the feedback from the players, Silver says he's heard from both sides -- "Players have gone both ways. I think a few players have actually spoken out and said the greatest thing that ever happened was when Michael Jordan was able to call himself an owner."

Cameras caught the moment when Dikembe Mutombo's fancy Rolls-Royce was smashed in Sunday night ... and the video appears to show a person messing with the NBA legend's car for several minutes.

The incident took place at Landmark Diner in the Atlanta, Georgia area on Father's Day ... when cops say the windows on Mutombo's 2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom were damaged by a vandal.

In the video, obtained by TMZ Sports ... you can see a person back into the parking spot next to Mutombo's car around 10:30 PM -- and then get out and appear to damage the pricey ride.

We're told Mutombo's car was hit along with several others in the parking lot that night ... and the Atlanta Police Department is currently conducting an investigation into the incident.

For their part, the restaurant's general manager says he's tired of the criminal acts ... and is vowing to hire private security.

Anthony Davis WILL bring L.A. another championship ... so says Zach Randolph -- who tells TMZ Sports, "The Lakers are going to be on top again."

Of course, LeBron's squad just picked up AD from the Pelicans in a trade that sent just about everybody in L.A. to New Orleans for the All-Star center.

But, Z-Bo thinks that's the move that'll shift the power in the NBA to the City of Angels ... telling us out at LAX this week he expects the Lakers to win it all very soon.

In fact, Zach sure seems like a guy who'd now be interested in playing alongside AD and Bron!!!

As for Randolph's old Grizzlies teammate, Mike Conley ... Zach says he's stoked for his friend to join up with Donovan Mitchell in Utah ... saying, "the sky is the limit for him" with the Jazz.

How does it feel to have LeBron James rock a pair of shoes you created???

You'll probably never know, but someone who does is "Fear Of God" shoe designer Jerry Lorenzo, who said he was totally humbled to see the King rocking his creations.

If you don't know who Jerry is, you probably dress like trash, seriously. Dude is one of the most sought after designers in all of fashion, with everyone from Justin Bieber to Kevin Hart rocking his threads.

We got Jerry at LAX and asked him how it felt to see LeBron rocking a pair of unreleased lime green Nike Fear Of God 1's recently, shoes Jerry sent to James personally.

"Humbling moment, had no idea he was gonna wear them."

Rock them LeBron did at his Memorial Day get together this past May, and Jerry says even though his brand is one of the most sought after in the world, it still meant a lot.

"My shoe is centered around basketball, right now he's the greatest player in the world. I just send them and hope that he would wear them one day."

Wanna feel old? Just watch these young NBA Draft picks struggle mightily to identify what rap group Andre 3000 and Big Boi were in together ... it'll get ya right in the wrinkles.

This is actually hilarious ... ESPN put together a BTS web segment called "Name the 90's," in which a handful of players from the 2019 NBA Draft class were asked to identify people, items and shows from that glorious decade. Safe to say, they all had a hard time.

Guys like Coby White (Bulls), Jarrett Culver (Timberwolves) and Rui Hachimura (Wizards) shuffled through a bunch of cards with photos of stuff like a Super Nintendo, an Easy-Bake Oven, a fanny pack, Tia and Tamera Mowry, Destiny's Child and, of course, OutKast.

That last one really tripped up the young bucks, as most couldn't even say A3 or BB's names. Darius Garland (Cavs) is the ONLY one who said OutKast outright, and Coby did say the MCs' names correctly -- assuming we heard him correctly (Andre 2000???).

Funny enough ... almost all the players were quick to ID Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell's classic 1997 flick, "Good Burger" -- without skipping a beat, really.

Jrue Holiday -- New Orleans Pelicans

Justin Holiday -- Memphis Grizzlies

Aaron Holiday -- Indiana Pacers

Yes, all THREE of Toya and Shawn Holiday's sons are CURRENTLY on NBA rosters -- it's an AMAZING feat -- and now, they've got some advice for LaVar Ball on how to make it happen for him!!!

Crazy part is ... Toya and Shawn actually KNOW LaVar and his family because of the UCLA connection -- where Aaron and Jrue played their college ball.

Remember, Lonzo played at UCLA ... and so did LiAngelo (for a short time).

So, how did Toya and Shawn help their kids make it all the way to the pros?

"We didn't get the 3 in there. They got THEMSELVES in there from their talent and hard work," Shawn tells TMZ Sports ... "We just kinda coached them."

Toya noted, "It's by God's grace."

But, when it comes to LaVar -- who's been highly criticized for the way he's managed his sons' careers -- the Holidays SUPPORT everything he's doing.

"I think as parents, you know your children. He has to do what he has to do to get his children there."

Former NBA #1 overall pick Larry Johnson says he LOVED seeing Zion Williamson cry after being the top pick, because he wanted to show the same emotion when he was drafted, but felt like he couldn't.

Larry was taken with the top spot in the '91 draft, and when we talked to him in NYC he told us he understood completely the rush of emotions Williamson felt after hearing his name.

"That's the same way I felt."

The difference? Larry says he was drafted at a time when showing emotion like many of the young men did on this year's draft night was so frowned upon, you simply couldn't do it.

"It was 90, 20-30 years ago, so you tried to hold your emotions back. I was like, let that go, bro, you're good."

Interesting to hear Johnson talk openly and honestly about how concepts of masculinity have changed over the years, and how he's happy about it.

The finger wag celebration is BACK ... 'cause NBA rookie Mfiondu Kabengele says he got approval from his Hall of Fame uncle Dikembe Mutombo to use his signature block celebration!!!

... well, sort of. He's just gotta keep his wallet nearby.

TMZ Sports spoke with the 6'10", 250 lb. ex-Florida State star one day after getting drafted by the L.A. Clippers ... and he says he can't wait to get to L.A. and meet his new teammates and coach Doc Rivers.

But, being the relative of one of the all-time greats -- with an equally great trademark celly -- we had to ask if he's gotten Dikembe's approval to use the signature wag.

"I think so, but I gotta pay him every single time when I do it, so I gotta be extra careful with it," Kabengele says.

Now, he could be joking ... or maybe Mutombo's showing his nephew some tough love -- after all, rookies gotta learn, right?

Kobe Bryant has a new lady in the family -- his wife, Vanessa, gave birth to daughter #4 ... and her middle name is "Kobe."

"So thankful for our newest baby blessing," Vanessa said in a statement ... "Capri Kobe Bryant."

Yes! Baby Mamba has a Mamba middle name!!!

40-year-old Kobe also spoke out ... saying, "We are beyond excited that our baby girl 'Koko' has arrived #BryantBunch #4princesses #blessed."

Capri Kobe Bryant joins 3 older sisters ... Natalia (16 years old), Gianna (13 years old) and Bianka (2 years old).

Congrats!

Kobe isn't the first NBA star to give his name to a baby girl -- Iman Shumpert named his daughter Iman Jr. when she was born back in 2015.

Zion Williamson left the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn on Thursday like he was President of the United States -- only more popular -- flanked by police and swarmed by fans ... and we've got the crazy video.

Of course, Zion was the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft and he'll be headed to New Orleans to lead the Pelicans ... but he still got mad love from the fans in Brooklyn as if he was playin' for the Nets.

You can see Zion is with his mom, step-dad and little brother as they leave the arena -- while everyone else in the area gathered around to catch a glimpse of the most hyped NBA rookie in years.

Regarding Zion's family, he's VERY close with his mom and credits his step-father for essentially raising him since he was 4 years old.

Zion's biological father, Lateef Williamson, was a college football player who attended N.C. State before transferring to Livingstone -- where he met Zion's mom Sharonda Sampson, a track athlete at the school.

Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram ... Magic Johnson says the move to ship them out of L.A. in order to bring in Anthony Davis is TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!

The NBA legend was leaving Staples Center on Thursday night when he praised Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka for putting the Davis trade together ... saying the Lakers are close to being title contenders.

"I'm very happy," Johnson told TMZ Sports ... "We gotta keep going, fill the roster out. It's gonna be good!"

Oh, and the fact Johnson is specifically dropping Rob's name is a huge deal -- considering Magic accused Pelinka of trashing him behind his back when he was still working for the Lakers.

When asked if the Lakers gave up TOO MUCH to bring in AD, Johnson replied, "Always remember, it takes a lot to get a superstar. I'm just happy he's here."

"I don't even want to get into how much, it don't matter. He's here. It's gonna be jumping at the Staples Center. We're putting ourselves in line to win championships, that's what it's all about."

We also asked Johnson if the Lakers were going to get Kawhi Leonard -- he replied, "We'll see."