NBA

Barack Obama says the loss of Kobe Bryant and his daughter hit extra-close to home because he himself, as a father, has been a champion of his own kids in and out of sports.

44 spoke Saturday at a brunch hosted by the NBA for All-Star weekend, and while talking to a room full of journalists ... BO said he knew Kobe's death was still fresh on the minds of several people in the NBA family -- and rightly so, as he too seemed stunned by it.

In a video posted by CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Barack says ... "That loss is something that I know many are still grappling with -- particularly, Kobe because he was with his daughter and those families and those children. And, those of us who have had the joy and privilege of being parents, and taking our kids to ball games, and rooting for our children and then seeing our dreams and hopes passed on to them ... nothing is more heartbreaking."

He goes on to offer his and Michelle's condolences to the NBA family, not just over Kobe but also for former NBA commissioner David Stern -- who died of a stroke earlier this year.

At the time of Kobe's death, Obama remembered him with kind words too ... writing, "Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day."

Kobe was 41. His daughter, Gianna, was just 13.

Vanessa Bryant just shared an emotional Valentine's Day message to Kobe ... saying to the Mamba, "To my forever Valentine, I love you so much."

"Missing you so much on your favorite holiday," she said in the social media post. "Te amo per sempre."

Along with the emotional message to the Lakers legend ... Vanessa also posted a throwback photo of the two, with Lauryn Hill's famous love song "Tell Him" playing in the background.

"Kisses to you and Gigi in heaven," Vanessa said. "Happy Valentine’s Day, my babies. With all my love, your boo-boo."

Kobe -- who passed away along with his daughter, Gianna, less than 3 weeks ago in a tragic helicopter crash -- would have surely loved the message.

Remember, Bryant is a HUGE Lauryn Hill fan ... even posting a picture with the Grammy winner and Vanessa back in 2018.

"@vanessabryant surprised me with a date night to see my sister Lauryn Hill at The Hollywood Bowl," Bryant wrote at the time. "Loved catching up with her. My wife is winning the battle of best date night ideas.. FOR NOW"

A public memorial for Bryant and his daughter is set to take place at Staples Center on Feb. 24. Vanessa is expected to attend.

What does the greatest basketball player on planet earth eat to maintain his god-like physique??

A crap ton of french toast smothered in syrup!!! So says Tristan Thompson ... who claims LeBron James has "the worst f*cking diet ever."

TT revealed Bron's eating habits to The Athletic ... saying it's unbelievable how much he can scarf down without losing his chiseled look.

"Ask him what he eats for breakfast. He has like five french toasts, drowns it in syrup with strawberries and bananas," James' old teammate says.

But, that's just the beginning -- "Then he has like a four-egg omelet and then he goes and just f*cking dunks on somebody. It doesn’t make sense."

Of course, there are reports that LBJ spends more than a million dollars a year on his fitness -- from trainers to a chef to massage therapists.

Spending that huge amount of dough must explain why James can eat whatever the hell he wants ... and those who don't focus so much on fitness can't keep up.

"I remember one year I tried to eat like he ate and it just didn’t work out," TT says. "I started gaining weight and said, 'F*ck this.' I mean it works for him. He loves sweets. He loves sweets. He eats desserts and French toast. It’s crazy how his body just burns it."

"He’ll come with his one-week diet, vegan crap, but he literally eats like it doesn’t make sense. He’s really a specimen. He eats like sh*t."

A one-of-a-kind basketball card with an NBA logo patch from Michael Jordan and LeBron James' jerseys just sold for $900,000!!

Yes ... that's no typo. This is legitimately the most expensive basketball card, EVER.

TMZ Sports has learned Ken Goldin from Goldin Auctions sold the card at a private sale this week ... and he tells us it was a historic purchase.

The 2003-2004 Upper Deck "Exquisite Collection" card is awesome ... and features actual NBA patches from game-worn Bron and Jordan jerseys.

Only one of these exists in the world.

The $900K sales price blows the previous record out of the water ... a 1969-1970 Topps Lew Alcindor card that went for just over $500K in 2016.

This is the best video you'll see all day ... nearly 200 students from LeBron James' I Promise school network found out they were getting FREE college tuition, and the moment's awesome!!

The junior class from Bron's program was told they were going on a college visit to Kent State University in Northeast Ohio ... but when they arrived on campus, they got a whole lot more than a tour.

School officials revealed that all 193 kids would have all 4 years of their schooling paid for ... as well as, 1 free year of room and board.

Naturally, the kids freaked out!!

It's not something to take lightly ... tuition for in-state students is around $11K a year. 193 students attending for 4 years costs over $8 million.

While the school won't have to front all that money ... it's still a huge chunk of change.

It's not just a handout for the students ... they have to maintain a good standing with the school by attending class, getting good grades, and volunteering in the community.

Most dudes wouldn't be too happy to leave South Beach ... but Justise Winslow tells TMZ Sports that ain't the case -- saying he's elated to join the Memphis Grizzlies!!!

Of course, Winslow played his whole career with the Heat before getting shipped off to Elvis' old stomping grounds as part of the Andre Iguodala deal.

We spoke with the 23-year-old over the weekend about the move ... and he's stoked for the fresh start.

"It's great!," JW tells us. "I love it here! Everybody's been very receiving and excited for me, so I just continue to try and get healthy and make an impact."

It's gonna be a minute before Winslow takes the court for the Grizz -- he's currently recovering from a back injury that's kept him out for a chunk of the season. But it's clear he's excited to join his team on the court when he's ready.

Masai Ujiri ain't in the clear yet from his altercation with a police officer at a 2019 NBA Finals game ... the Toronto Raptors president is now being sued over the incident.

The alleged victim, identified as Oakland police officer Alan Strickland, just filed docs in federal court claiming Ujiri owes him cold-hard cash after he says Ujiri attacked him.

The Sheriff's deputy claims Ujiri shoved him and hit him in the face and chest in the moments after the Raptors won the NBA championship vs. Golden State on June 13, 2019.

The officer at the time claimed he suffered a concussion and a jaw injury in the altercation.

But, Ujiri was able to avoid a criminal case, with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office announcing in October it would NOT be pursuing charges against the 49-year-old.

"Mr. Ujiri attended a meeting with the District Attorney's Office focused on matters that we believe merited constructive, structured mediation and conflict resolution and were better handled in a setting outside the courtroom," a spokesperson said.

But, clearly, the officer wasn't willing to let Ujiri off that easily ... in the new lawsuit, Strickland says he's seeking damages in excess of $75,000.

Strickland is also going after the Raptors AND the NBA in the suit.

We've reached out to the NBA and Toronto Raptors for comment. A rep for the Raptors ownership group told us they were aware of the lawsuit, but had no comment.

So far, no word back from the league.

Kobe Bryant's youngest daughter is already learning to stand up on her own two feet -- and her mom, Vanessa, is right there capturing every adorable moment of it on camera.

7-month-old Capri Kobe is the star of Vanessa's most recent IG post, impressively attempting to get up from the floor with the help of her aunt -- Kobe's sister, Sharia Washington. It's so freakin' cute, honestly ... the joy both Vanessa and Capri share is a sight to behold.

VB captioned the video, "My Koko Bean. She looks just like my Gigi. ☀️💗auntie Ri-Ri. #7months." You hear Vanessa cheer the kid on as she gets up twice in a row from a seated position ... the baby loves the encouragement, giggling and eager to try it again.

As tragic as the loss of Kobe and Gigi must be on the Bryant family right now, it's great to see Vanessa in good spirits. She's been fairly open on social media thus far, capturing Gigi's jersey retirement as well as capturing the Lakers' tribute in Staples Center.

It's only a matter of time before someone turns Kobe Bryant's story into a major Hollywood blockbuster ... according to Ron Howard, who says the guy had a life fit for the big screen.

Howard is one of the most powerful people in the movie industry -- he recently worked closely with NBA superstar Dwyane Wade for a new documentary that's about to drop.

So, we had to ask if he'd consider working on a Black Mamba project at some point down the road and Howard says he's definitely intrigued.

"If given the opportunity under the right set of circumstances, sure. Without a doubt," Howard said.

One of the biggest issues surrounding a possible Kobe movie is the timing -- Ron says working with the family would be crucial, but they're still reeling from the tragedy and need to grieve before jumping into a movie.

Ron says whoever ultimately tells Kobe's story needs to be especially sensitive about that.

Besides being one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Howard says Kobe was a great guy, an emerging artist and a promising entrepreneur who was about to do some BIG things before his tragic death.

As we previously reported, Kobe was a part-owner of the UFC, was deeply involved in the tech industry and was making big moves in entertainment after winning an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball."

RIP.

Kenny Smith says the timing of Gayle King's questions about Kobe Bryant's rape case was WAY OFF ... telling TMZ Sports her interview with Lisa Leslie was "insensitive."

King has been the center of criticism ever since the interview aired earlier this week ... with people upset that she grilled Leslie about Bryant's 2003 rape case that was later dismissed.

The backlash has gotten so extreme ... Oprah claims her friend is getting death threats as a result, despite the majority of the interview being positive.

We spoke with Smith about the whole situation ... and he thinks it was inappropriate to bring up that part of Kobe's past so quickly after his tragic death.

"It's unfortunate that during this time of grieving, I think the timing of the interview totally was off," Smith said at LAX.

"With everyone still grieving ... to have an interview that was led in that direction, I think the timing was insensitive."

Smith applauds Leslie's responses to the tough questions ... but wishes she wasn't in that position to begin with.

The Kobe and Gigi Bryant public memorial has been set for Monday, Feb. 24 at Staples Center -- with organizers expecting a MASSIVE turnout, and Vanessa Bryant just announced it.

The date (2/24) is significant -- #24 was Kobe's jersey number and #2 was the number his daughter, Gigi, wore. Worth noting, Vanessa's IG post announcing the event has 24 butterflies.

We're told the event will take place in the morning -- because the Clippers have a game against the Memphis Grizzlies later in the evening. Our sources say the Clippers had to sign off, because, technically, they have Staples rented for the whole day.

We're told owner Steve Ballmer, and head coach Doc Rivers gladly agreed because there's such solidarity and love for Kobe and his family. Plus, the significance of the 2/24 date was not lost on them.

The other issue will be crowd control around Staples. When Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle's memorials were held there ... all the surrounding streets were shut down to anyone who didn't have a ticket. You simply couldn't get near the arena. They haven't announced yet how it will work for Kobe and Gianna's memorial.

Event organizers had been discussing a venue for days -- going back and forth between Staples and The Coliseum over concerns about the size of the crowd.

Staples -- where Kobe played for most of his 20-year NBA career -- only holds about 20,000 people. The Coliseum in Downtown L.A. holds closer to 80,000.

As for the event itself, we're told several high-profile people will speak about Bryant -- but organizers are still nailing down the official list.

Kobe and Gigi passed away in a helicopter crash on Jan 26 in Calabasas, CA., along with 7 others.

The Lakers held a massive tribute for all of the victims before and during the Lakers' January 31 game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Not only was the arena filled with fans -- all wearing Kobe shirts -- but outside, hundreds of people packed the surrounding area to remember the Lakers legend.

Did you know Quavo can SERIOUSLY ball?!?!?!

It's true ... the Migos rapper hit the court with a bunch of other A-list celebs (including Justin Bieber and Drake) on Thursday ... and the dude put on an absolute clinic!!

Huncho scored from all three levels -- his left-handed jumper was as buttery as an NBA pro's -- and his passing was top notch too!!

It's unclear why all the guys were together for some run at the famous court at Summit NYC in New York City ... but the clips from the games were pretty legendary.

Quavo stole the show scoring 15 points in this vid alone ... but Bieber put his skills on display too -- looking like a mini-Steve Nash!!

Drake also hit some 3s, Sheck Wes knocked down his shots ... and good times appeared to be had by all.

"This game is better than the 2020 NBA Celebrity Game!!!" said NBA skills coach Chris Brickley, who witnessed the game with his own two eyes.

Yeah, heads up, LeBron and Giannis ... good luck topping this next week.

Andre Drummond says he's learned a very important lesson about the NBA -- "there's no friends or loyalty."

The 6'11" All-Star -- who's been with the Detroit Pistons since he was drafted in 2012 --ripped the team moments ago after learning he was just traded to the woeful Cleveland Cavaliers, the 2nd worst team in the NBA.

"If there’s one thing I learned about the NBA, there’s no friends or loyalty," Drummond said.

"I’ve given my heart and soul to the Pistons, and to be have this happen with no heads up makes me realize even more that this is just a business!"

Drummond added, "I love you Detroit. You will always have a special place in my heart! But on to the next @cavs hope your ready! Let’s finish the year off the right way."

The 26-year-old center is a stud -- he's a 2-time All-Star who's currently leading the league in rebounds. In fact, he went off Wednesday night against the Suns scoring 31 points and 19 boards in that game.

Anthony Davis' tribute tattoo to Kobe Bryant was revealed this week ... and you can see in a new detailed photograph of the artwork, the piece is pretty amazing.

Remember, just days after Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, tragically passed in a helicopter crash ... both AD and LeBron James went under the needle for Kobe-inspired ink.

LeBron revealed his tat before the Lakers' game last Friday ... showing off artwork that featured a black mamba, Kobe's numbers, two roses and a "Mamba 4 Life" inscription.

But Davis hadn't publicly released his art until just this week ... when his tattoo artist showed off the piece on social media.

The ink is beautiful ... featuring a black mamba circled around Bryant's famous brand logo.

Awesome gesture from PGA Tour star Justin Thomas -- the golfer is auctioning off his custom Kobe Bryant wedges ... and says the proceeds will go to the families affected by Bryant's tragic helicopter crash.

Thomas paid tribute to the Black Mamba often this past weekend at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Ariz. ... even rocking a Bryant high school jersey while playing.

But, his best Mamba ode came courtesy of the clubs he used to shoot ... 'cause each of Thomas' wedges had some cool Kobe-isms etched into the iron.

"Mamba Mentality," "Black Mamba," "Kobe Bean Bryant" and "81 Points" were inscribed on his Titleist Vokeys for the four-day tourney.

Now, Thomas -- who finished third in the event -- says a lucky fan can have them for a price ... and says all the money will go toward The MambaOnThree Fund.

Of course, that's the charity Vanessa Bryant set up to help the families of those killed in the tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. on Jan. 26.

Thomas was particularly hit hard by the tragedy ... he's been a noted HUGE Kobe fan throughout his career, famously yelling "KOBE!" before tough shots in the past.

Dennis Rodman says he's heartbroken over Kobe Bryant's death -- calling the guy "a mini-Michael Jordan" -- but he tells TMZ Sports the NBA should NOT change its logo to honor him.

"That's a tough one," Rodman said outside of Staples Center on Tuesday ... "Kobe has the charisma for the signature of a logo, but I'm holding my vote on that one."

Of course, tons of people have been in favor of the change -- celebs from Snoop Dogg to Julian Edelman have tweeted their support for it -- and an online petition earned more than 3 MILLION signatures last week.

On top of that, Paul Pierce recently told us he's all for the league making Mamba the logo and retiring both of his jersey numbers.

But, Rodman says Jerry West has just meant too much to him and too much to the game to pull him off the Association's iconic trademark, telling us, "I'm a good friend of Jerry West."

"He's been a mentor of mine for a long, long time," Rodman says ... "[It should] stay the way it is."

Don't get it twisted ... Rodman says he's been torn up ever since he learned of Kobe's tragic helicopter crash on January 26 -- telling us KB was one of "the most" exciting and inspirational people "in the world."