NBA

Huge moment at the U.S. Open in New York ... where Colin Kaepernick and Kobe Bryant were spotted together in the stands to watch Naomi Osaka do her thing!

Kobe spotted Colin in the stands at Louis Armstrong Stadium and went over to say hi ... and when CK realized what was happening, he sprung up from his seat with a huge smile on his face!!

The guys did the ol' bro hug and talked for a bit before going back to watching the match.

And, get this ... Naomi's rap star boyfriend, YBN Cordae, was sitting right by the guys when the whole thing went down.

We also noticed Kap and Kobe were surrounded by security -- for obvious reasons.

Dwight Howard is breaking his silence on Shaq's most recent barbs ... firing back at the big man's criticism by saying, "It's irrelevant to what I'm trying to do."

The Big Diesel has taken a couple shots at the newest Lakers center the past few days ... he shaded Howard to TMZ Sports on Monday and purposely misspelled his name in a tweet Wednesday. It's a beef that's more than 10 years old.

Howard finally responded in an Instagram Live post late Wednesday ... saying, "It's okay, I'm not here to talk about Shaq. What he said, what he did. It's irrelevant to what I'm trying to do."

"So, don't talk to me about what anybody else said about me. My focus is on one thing."

The two NBA superstars have had a history of going at each other's necks ... it all seemed to start in 2007 in an All-Star Game dance battle -- and continued with a feud over the "Superman" nickname.

Seems Shaq's all kinds of down for keeping the beef alive. As for Dwight, pretty clear the dude just wants to move on and focus on basketball.

He's 7'1" ... but somehow Shaquille O'Neal managed to squeeze himself behind the wheel of an insanely tiny Smart car in NYC ... and it looks like a scene straight outta "The Simpsons."

The NBA legend was leaving a Steady App event in Manhattan on Tuesday and appeared to be in a rush to get to his whip.

The camera guy was clearly on the lookout for the usual massive SUV or some other giant car that could comfortably fit the Big Man.

Instead, Shaq opened up the door to what appears to be a Smart EQ Fortwo Prime Coup -- stuffed his body into driver's seat ... and somehow managed to get both of his massive feet in driving position.

It's not the first time Shaq has crammed himself into a micro-car ... he was spotted in an itty-bitty mobile back in 2008 ... but he was a lot thinner back then and the car had no top!!!

No word on where Shaq was headed ... but we hope he got there fast!!!

NBA players have had similar problems in the past ... like when 7'6" Yao Ming struggled to fit in the front seat of an SUV back in 2014. Hey, it's hard being tall!!!

"They treated us like s**t over here so we don’t care for them much."

That's Oakland A's star closer Liam Hendriks talking about Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors ... and yeah, dude clearly HATED being neighbors with the former NBA champs!!!

Hendriks -- who's been an absolute beast for the A's on the mound this year -- just did an interview with The Athletic, and when it came to the Warriors, dude didn't hold anything back.

"When the Warriors sucked and the A’s were good, the A’s would give them tickets," Hendricks said.

"When the Warriors became good they decided to cut all ties and become a**holes. So, no love lost for them leaving."

In fact, Hendriks says even the Warriors' parking lot attendants treated him like dirt after the Warriors got good, saying, "I got told I’m not as important as a player for the A’s as a fan for the Warriors is."

"He wouldn’t let us out of the F Lot. We’re trying to get out and he wouldn’t let us out."

Good news for Hendriks ... the Warriors are no longer the A's' neighbors -- they're moving into a swanky new place in San Francisco next season.

And, if ya think Hendriks will miss them even a tiny bit ... you'd be dead wrong!!!

Iso Joe has been straight-up KILLIN' IT in the BIG3 this season ... and his old employer has taken notice, 'cause Ice Cube tells TMZ Sports NBA scouts have been coming to watch Joe Johnson!!

The ex-NBA star was just named the 3-on-3 league's MVP ... and it was an absolute no-brainer. The guy led the league with 21.9 points a game and 3.9 assists a game for the Triplets.

Johnson was a helluva NBA player too ... he was a 7-time All-Star and, at one point in his 17-year career, averaged at least 20 points a game in 5 straight seasons.

We spoke with Cube about JJ's dominance in his league ... and he says it's gotten the attention of at least 2 NBA teams -- the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans.

As we previously reported ... Mavs owner Mark Cuban was front and center at the BIG3 Ballout in Dallas earlier this month ... and the dude must've liked what he saw.

So ... what happens if the Association steals his best player?? Cube ain't mad at all!!

"That's fine!" the rap legend says. "That's what it's all about. It's all about showing these guys can still play at a high level. And, if the NBA come calling, we're with that. We will definitely welcome that."

"Our players should go and play in the NBA if they can."

Bug - 1, JaVale McGee - 0

The 7-foot-tall L.A. Lakers center posted hilarious footage of his battle with the flying insect in his driveway on Tuesday ... but he's insisting this wasn't no regular bug. Suuuuure.

"Got in a fight today w the biggest flying insect I’ve ever seen!" JaVale said. "I know you guys are gonna say 'your 7foot! Dont be scared of a bug!'"

He continued ... "Well this wasn’t some ordinary bug! This bug had timberlands on, and two cuban links... he was his own man and probably had a family to feed."

The vid is hilarious ... seriously, the guy BOOKS IT when the flying bug attacks.

A romantic rafting trip turned bloody for NBA star Kevin Love and his model girlfriend, Kate Bock -- when the couple fell overboard and she bumped her head ... requiring staples to close to wound!

The two were rafting in Wyoming when things went south ... they were riding in the front of the inflatable raft (without helmets) when they were ejected from the boat.

They were smiling in the water -- but when Kate was pulled back into the boat, it was clear she suffered a head wound ... so they wrapped her in gauze and raced her to a nearby hospital.

Kate -- who's modeled for everyone from Sports Illustrated to Victoria's Secret -- required a few staples to close the wound ... but she's brushing the whole thing off as no big deal.

Despite a bloody hat, Bock and Love were in good enough spirits after the accident to trek out to dinner at a local sushi joint ... and even smiled for a selfie!

BTW -- the rafting company claims it was the first head injury they've witnessed in 34 years. Of course.

Love and Bock have been together for years. They also have the most adorable dog. Shout-out to Vestry.

As for Bock's rafting career ... she says she WILL hit the waters again someday.

We believe in you, Kate!!

It's like it's 2008 all over again ... 'cause Shaq and Kobe are going at each other's necks ... with O'Neal firing back at Bryant's "lazy ass" comments, saying if Mamba wasn't a ball hog, he'd have more titles!!

"U woulda had twelve [rings] if u passed the ball more especially in the finals against the pistons #facts," Shaq says.

He added, "You don't get statues by not working hard."

Of course, Kobe went in on The Big Aristotle's effort in an interview earlier this month with Patrick Bet-David at the 10th Annual PHP Agency Convention in Las Vegas, saying if Shaq had Bryant's work ethic, "I woulda had f*cking 12 rings!"

"He'd be the greatest of all time," Bryant said ... "He'd be the first to tell you that!"

During the interview, Kobe doubled and tripled down on his comments -- insisting he wasn't saying anything publicly that he hasn't already said to Shaq privately.

But, the Black Mamba kinda backtracked on his words on Wednesday ... saying, "Don’t get it confused. He was still the #MDE" (AKA Most Dominant Ever).

So, water under the bridge ... or are we getting another Shaq vs. Kobe diss track!?

Kobe Bryant says he woulda been in Bill Russell territory if Shaquille O'Neal wouldn't have been such a "lazy ass" during their Lakers days ... claiming, "I woulda had f*cking 12 rings!"

Mamba spilled his guts about his relationship with Shaq during an interview earlier this month with Patrick Bet-David at the 10th annual PHP Agency Convention in Las Vegas.

Bryant was asked about how Shaq would have been remembered had he had Kobe's legendary work ethic ... and Kobe's answer was captivating.

"He'd be the greatest of all time," Bryant said ... "He'd be the first to tell you that!"

"I wish he was in the gym! I would've had 12 f*cking rings!"

Kobe says he's not saying anything publicly he hasn't already said to Shaq in private -- "Me and Shaq sit down all the time and I say, 'Dude if your lazy ass was in shape ...'"

Kobe also talked about his legendary fistfight with Shaq (when Kobe was 19) and how NOT backing down from O'Neal was a key moment in their relationship.

"He told me that day was a big turning point for him."

Ya gotta hear the other stories about Shaq and Kobe -- from the trash talk to the arguments over passing the ball ... it's pretty hilarious stuff.

This AMAZING video will hit you right in the feels.

Dominique Wilkins' daughter, JoJo, isn't letting her disability keep her from following in the NBA legend's footsteps ... draining buckets from her wheelchair in an inspirational video.

JoJo -- who has spina bifida -- hit the Human Highlight Film's awesome personalized court to put up some shots on Tuesday ... and her proud dad shared the footage.

"When most people see my daughter JoJo, they see a wheelchair. When I see her, I see POTENTIAL, STRENGTH and BEAUTY!"

"She’s just like every else. We all have challenges. They just come in different forms."

Bronny James is 14 years old and already cooler than you'll ever be ... 'cause the basketball royalty got an epic shout-out in Drake's newest music video!!!

The 6 God somehow got his hands on LeBron James Jr.'s Strive For Greatness AAU team jersey ... and decided to wear it in his new "Money In The Grave" video with Rick Ross, which dropped on Monday.

Of course, Aubrey is no stranger to rockin' rare threads -- he had a Zion Williamson Spartanburg Day School jersey when the baller was still a 16-year-old H.S. phenom.

Drake also trolled Steph Curry during Game 1 of the NBA Finals by wearing his dad Dell's Raptors jersey, so the guy is clearly looking to make a case for toughest jersey collection out there.

Wearing the jersey for a music video is a MUCH bigger deal, though ... and King James took notice, commenting "So Tough!!!" with a bunch of fire emojis.

Bronny's gotta run for class office with all this clout.

By the way, Bronny's only a FRESHMAN at Sierra Canyon High School in L.A. -- where he's teammates with Dwyane's Wade's son, Zaire, and a bunch of other high school phenoms.

DeMarcus Cousins didn't let a torn ACL hold him back on the biggest day of his life ... so says Matt Barnes, who tells TMZ Sports the NBA superstar was dancing and in great spirits at his wedding over the weekend!!!

The 29-year-old Lakers center married his longtime girlfriend, Morgan Lang, in Atlanta on Saturday -- just 2 weeks after seriously injuring his left knee in a Vegas training sesh.

The event looked like NBA All-Star Weekend with huge stars like Barnes, Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and more in attendance.

As for the dancing, Boogie didn't do anything stupid -- he was cautious -- and left the wild dance moves to his new wife!!!

You can see in the footage ... Cousins was moving nice and slow during his first dance with his wife. There will be plenty of time for Boogie to boogie after he gets healthy.

We talked to Barnes about DC's morale during his big day ... and while Matt says he's sure the guy is frustrated about the recent bad luck, Cousins didn't show it on Saturday.

"He's been through a lot of late, so I'm happy to see him smile, be able to take his mind off his injury and enjoy his day," Barnes told us at LAX.

BONUS -- Matt Barnes had a BIG problem on the day after the wedding ... he had a bunch of weed but didn't want to take it to the airport.

What ensued is one of the funniest scavenger hunts we've ever seen -- and Barnes posted a road map to his stash on social media!!!

Good luck!!!

NBA star De'Aaron Fox is shedding some light on why he parted ways with Team USA -- telling TMZ Sports it's NOT because he's injured!!!

The 21-year-old withdrew from Team USA earlier this month -- joining guys like Trae Young and Kyle Lowry who also recently backed out.

There have been questions surrounding Fox's move ... some people think he was nursing a secret injury, others say he wants to focus on the next NBA season. There's even a theory he was cut.

So, when we saw the Sacramento Kings star at LAX, we had to ask for the REAL reason he left.

"That's for me to know," Fox coyly told us ... adding, "I'm completely healthy."

So, the mystery continues ...

The battle continues ...

Shaquille O'Neal is throwing shade at Dwight Howard again ... proving that a Lakers jersey won't protect DH from the wrath of the Diesel.

Shaq and Dwight have been going at it for years -- some people trace the feud back to a 2007 dance battle ... when a young Dwight tried to eat Shaq's metaphorical heart (don't worry, Shaq battled back and took his head).

Over the years, the shots continued ... with Dwight even trying to use Shaq's famous "Superman" moniker at one point. That didn't go over well with O'Neal.

So, when we saw Shaq at Papa John's in ATL -- where he was giving away free pizza to kids -- we had to ask how he felt about the Lakers signing D12 in the wake of Boogie Cousins getting injured.

"Who?!? I don't know him," Shaq cheekily told us ... trying to turn the focus back on the food.

Point is ... Shaq's a Lakers legend with his own statue on the side of the Staples Center -- so if Dwight wants to win back Lakers Nation, he's gotta figure out a way to win over Shaq, quickly.

DeMarcus Cousins is gonna wanna watch this ...

Ex-NBA superstar Steve Nash STRONGLY believes Boogie can recover from his ACL injury and dominate in the NBA again ... and he's got the pump-up speech to help him bounce back!!!

"He shouldn't retire," Nash told us after leaving a pickup soccer game in L.A. ... "He's still a young guy."

Nash acknowledges DC's had a "horrible run" when it comes to injuries, but says the 29-year-old Lakers star has a "fighting spirit"

"He's a competitor. He's gone through a lot already. He can do it."

Cousins suffered his latest injury during a training session in Las Vegas earlier this month ... and footage obtained by TMZ Sports shows it was non-contact situation.

DC has dealt with injuries before ... he had a quad injury during the playoffs and dealt with an Achilles injury before that.

Nash says Cousins has proved he has what it takes to battle back -- and he hopes the guy will do it again.

Lance Stephenson is clearly emotional about his old pal Sebastian Telfair getting sentenced to 3.5 years in prison ... telling TMZ Sports, "That's like family right there."

Telfair -- a 1st round pick in the 2004 NBA Draft -- was found guilty of felony weapons possession stemming from a crazy 2017 arrest where cops say they found an arsenal of weapons, ammo, bulletproof vest and weed. He's currently serving out his sentence in a NY State Prison.

28-year-old Stephenson tells us he grew up playing ball and training with 34-year-old Telfair ... and still strongly believes his old friend is a good person who can get his life back on track.

"I know he's a good kid," Lance says ... "He's got great spirit. I know it's very tough on him and his family."

Lance added, "I'm trying to support as much as I can but it's very hard. That situation's very tough."

"I'm praying for him too. I think he'll be alright."

Telfair was facing up to 15 years behind bars, so he got off relatively easy -- but during the sentencing hearing, he begged the judge for even more leniency.

"Please don’t take me from the society right now," Telfair told the judge ... "I’m 34. I can go play in China for another six years, take care of my family."