NBA

Kyrie Irving showed appreciation for fans eager to meet him in Chicago this week ... by signing autographs and taking pics with a big crowd of supporters.

TMZ Sports is told ... Irving embraced the impromptu meet-and-greet and spent a moment with everyone in the crowd right outside the Nets' team hotel in the Windy City.

In the video, you can see Irving swarmed as he was presumably on his way to the team bus ... with the mob of fans handing the star point guard various items to sign.

As it turns out, we're told there was a group of Irving fans waiting outside the same hotel on Wednesday, and Kyrie promised that if they returned Thursday, he would stay and interact with as many people as time permitted.

Of course, the Nets were in Chi-Town to take on the Bulls at the United Center ... but Brooklyn fell to Chicago, 121-112, snapping a 12-game winning streak.

The Nets have been clicking on all cylinders since Kyrie returned from his suspension on Nov. 20 against Memphis ... reasserting themselves as a powerhouse in the East.

Tristan Thompson's mom has died suddenly ... and Khloe Kardashian is right by his side, offering comfort and support as he navigates a challenging time in his life.

Khloe and Tristan were spotted Thursday touching down in Toronto together in a private jet. TMZ broke the story ... just hours before they landed, Tristan's mom, Andrea, was rushed to a local hospital after suffering a heart attack at home.

Our sources say Khloe joined Tristan on the flight from L.A. to Toronto to comfort him in his loss. We're told Khloe was very close to Andrea, and like Khloe and the Kardashian family always do -- they'll support a loved one in their most difficult time of need.

As you know, Khloe and Tristan have two children together -- their 4-year-old daughter True and a baby boy born in August via surrogate.

Tristan Thompson's mom has died suddenly in Toronto ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us, Tristan's mom, Andrea, suffered a heart attack at home Thursday ... she was rushed to a local hospital where medical experts tried to resuscitate her, but she didn't make it.

Our sources say Tristan left Los Angeles as soon as he could to be with his family in Toronto.

Tristan posted a ton of photos with his mom over the years, it's clear they were very close. He also shared photos of Andrea with his kids -- including his daughter True, who he shares with Khloe Kardashian.

As you know, Khloe and Tristan have two children together, including a baby boy born in August via surrogate.

Aaron Rodgers appears to have a new woman in his life -- the Green Bay Packers superstar is reportedly dating Mallory Edens, the daughter of the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The rumors of the 4-time MVP's new romance started to pick up this week ... after the two were spotted sitting courtside together at the Bucks vs. Lakers game on December 2.

Of course, 39-year-old Rodgers is a minority owner of Milwaukee's NBA team ... and he's hit up Bucks games with Edens, 26, in the past as well. Things appeared to be platonic at the time, as the quarterback was dating actress Shailene Woodley.

Things have seemingly left the friend zone now ... as reports say they are now an item. Edens was also present at one of Rodgers' Packers games this season ... decked out in Green Bay merch.

Mallory is the daughter of Wes Edens, the billionaire businessman who is also co-owner of the Premier League club, Aston Villa. She is a model and social media influencer.

Rodgers previously dated Olivia Munn and Danica Patrick ... and was most recently linked to influencer Blu of Earth.

Fun fact -- Edens joined the "TMZ Sports" TV show back in 2019 ... where she talked all things Bucks and modeling.

She also made headlines back in 2019 ... when she shaded Drake by wearing a Pusha T T-shirt during the Bucks vs. Raptors Eastern Conference Finals.

The couple has yet to go "Instagram official" ... but now that the cat's outta the bag, it might speed up their process.

The Damar Hamlin incident has inspired the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans to make sure its community is prepared for all medical emergencies -- the teams just announced it is donating automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to local facilities throughout Louisiana.

The AEDs would be given to 40 New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) facilities and 27 Jefferson Parish Recreation Department (JPRD) facilities, including 35 parks, three baseball fields and two football facilities ... this according to a statement released on Thursday.

"In light of the horrible events involving Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin, we felt it was
urgent that we reach out to our local recreational facilities to determine their needs,"
Gayle Benson, owner of the Saints and Pelicans, said.

"NFL games have the most advanced medical staff and equipment on hand, and we believe this needs to be replicated as best as possible on the youth sports level."

As we previously reported, Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins during MNF ... and had to be rushed to a local hospital in an ambulance.

Hamlin remains hospitalized in the ICU at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, but two of the team of doctors assisting him, Dr. William Knight and Dr. Timothy Pritts, said Thursday the 24-year-old is "neurologically intact" and has been communicating with them through writing.

"The Saints reached out today wanting to discuss with us what our urgent medical
needs included relative to our youth facilities," said Larry Barabino Jr., Chief Executive
Officer of NORD. "We shared our plan with them and explained where we needed the
help."

"We are very grateful to Mrs. Benson and the entire organization. Putting 40 AEDs
around NORD facilities will give our families and our children comfort, knowing we can
be ready in case of an emergency."

Mario Brazile, Director of JPRD, said having the AEDs in its facilities will save lives ... adding that tragic events such as Hamlin's medical scare can serve as teachable moments for everyone.

Benson, principal owner of the Saints and Pelicans since 2018, said, "Hearing the news of Damar’s improvement from his doctors today was very heartening."

Despite all the controversy surrounding Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets star is still a fan favorite ... 'cause he's currently leading all Eastern Conference guards in NBA All-Star votes.

The league released the first return of fan votes on Thursday -- with LeBron James and Kevin Durant both leading their conference with over 3 million votes each.

What stood out, though, was the voting numbers for the guards ... with Irving currently sitting in the number one spot ahead of Donovan Mitchell -- who recently scored 71 points in a game -- and James Harden.

This comes after the 30-year-old received endless criticism for a tweet last October ... when Kyrie shared the link to a 2018 film that contained antisemitic content.

Initially, Irving -- who signed with the Nets in 2019 -- refused to apologize for the post. He was suspended by the organization. Nike even ended their longtime relationship with the hooper.

Irving eventually said sorry to the Jewish community in a lengthy post on social media ... saying, "I had no intentions to disrespect any Jewish cultural history regarding the Holocaust or perpetuate any hate."

But, given the voting tabulations, it seems that's all water under the bridge (or a vote against cancel culture). It doesn't hurt that the Nets are ballin'!

Since Ky's return from the suspension on Nov. 20, the Nets have won 18 out of their last 22 games and are currently tied for 2nd in the Eastern Conference.

Ja Morant has been sued, TMZ Sports has learned ... after he was allegedly involved in the attack of a minor during a basketball game in July at his Tennessee home.

The suit was filed in Shelby County in September. Court records show the case has since been sealed -- but we've learned it all stems from a July 26 incident at the NBA superstar's residence in Eads, Tenn.

According to police documents, a 17-year-old -- who filed the lawsuit on Sept. 9 -- told cops he was playing in a pickup basketball game with Morant at the house ... when the two got into a verbal altercation.

The plaintiff, according to the docs, said the argument became heated, and he threw a basketball at Morant -- "accidentally" hitting him in the face. The teenager said the Grizzlies point guard then approached him, put his chin on his shoulder, and asked a bystander "Should I do it to him?" The teen says Morant then struck him "with a closed fist, knocking him to the ground."

According to the docs, the 17-year-old said Morant then "continued sticking him while on the ground" -- and claims another man jumped in and began hitting him as well.

Officers in the docs say they noted the teenager had "a large knot" on his head.

In the docs, cops say Morant told them he did strike the teenager, but insisted he was acting in self-defense. Morant said the plaintiff threw the ball at him "intentionally" during the argument, and then "began to approach him as if he wanted to fight."

Police say Morant also told them "his brother" was involved in the altercation as well -- but the basketball player did not name the man.

Both parties, according to the docs, said the fight was broken up by spectators shortly after it began. Morant told officers the teenager "made verbal threats stating he'd 'light his house up'" as he was being escorted off the property. Morant "advised he and his family were put in fear by the statement."

According to the docs, police investigated the allegations for several weeks ... before they submitted the case to the district attorney's office on Oct. 4. Less than a month later, cops say the DA declined prosecution.

It's unclear what the plaintiff is seeking in the suit. Court records show Morant, as well as his childhood friend Davonte Pack, are listed as defendants.

We've reached out to reps for Morant for comment, but have yet to hear back.

Amazing moment in Memphis on Sunday night ... Ja Morant gifted a kid the shoes off his feet following a game -- and the act was so generous, it brought the youngster to tears!!

The emotional scene happened after Ja and the Grizzlies beat the Sacramento Kings, 118-108 ... when Morant saw 9-year-old Zander Carr holding a sign that read, "Ready to JAM out in my JA 1's #summer2023."

The 23-year-old NBA superstar took off his pink, Ja 1 Nike kicks ... and walked over to the kid -- who was already sobbing at the up-close site of the Memphis point guard.

Eventually, Ja signed the shoes and gave Carr a hug -- which turned the youngster into a complete puddle of emotions.

Check out the video the Grizzlies posted of the interaction -- it's pretty awesome!!

Carr's mom, Krissi, could be heard in the clip in complete disbelief ... telling Morant the game was her son's birthday present. The three ultimately posed for a photo ... before Morant headed back to the locker room.

FYI, the kicks Carr got are Ja's debut sneakers with Nike ... that were released on Christmas Day. Morant had dedicated the new signature sneakers to his 3-year-old daughter, Kaari, whose name is actually imprinted on the inner half of the shoe.

Retired NBA player Drew Gooden says the narrative that LeBron James led a bunch of nobodies to an Eastern Conference title in 2007 isn't entirely wrong ... admitting the King's supporting cast was the "least talented group" he's ever taken to the Finals.

TMZ Sports spoke with LBJ's old teammate at LAX recently ... and the veteran big man, who was a part of that '07 Cavs squad, says he understands why people criticize LBJ's teammates from that season, but he thinks they're missing the bigger picture.

"I think they might be halfway right on that one," said Gooden. "The reason why, I ain't gon' say scrubs, but you know what, I just want that to glorify how raw and talented LeBron James was at that age."

"You gotta give that man props, especially at that age, for doing what he did," he continued.

Remember, the Cavs won 50 games in 2006-07 ... with help from LBJ, Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Larry Hughes and Eric Snow as their core nucleus.

After defeating their archrival, the Detroit Pistons, in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavs punched their ticket to the NBA Finals, where Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker awaited them.

LeBron, who was only 22 and playing in his first NBA Finals, got swept by the Spurs ... a series many don't hold against the King when objectively evaluating his career, given the massive talent and experience disparity.

LeBron went on to reach the Finals four more times for the Cavs after winning 2 rings with the Miami Heat ... and secured Cleveland its first title in franchise history in 2016.

Gooden, who retired from the league in 2016, says even to this day, NBA fans will bring up his name whenever they're discussing how mediocre LeBron's teammates were that year.

Mark Jackson is champing at the bit for another shot at coaching -- the former player/TV analyst tells TMZ Sports that if teams are interested in hiring him, all they have to do is call!!

"I got my phone on," Jackson said when we spoke with him at LAX recently. "I'm more than available. They know how to find me."

"I look forward to that day."

Jackson's last stint as an NBA head coach was with the Warriors in 2014 ... where he spent three seasons with the team before he was replaced by Steve Kerr.

The Warriors improved each season with Jackson at the helm ... winning 121 games in the regular season and nine games in the postseason.

But, the Warriors opted to go a different direction and brought in Kerr as the team's next head coach ... which paved the way for Jackson to reunite with Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen as an ESPN broadcaster.

Mark has become a famous face and voice in the broadcast booth ... calling some of the NBA's biggest games over the years. However, Jackson's name is always mentioned whenever a coaching vacancy arises because of his success with the Dubs.

Forget champagne or a nice glass of vino ... LeBron James opted for hookah to celebrate Tuesday's win over the Magic -- and TMZ Sports has the vid of The King's smoke sesh.

James hit Barsecco in Miami in the hours after he and the Lakers dumped Orlando in Florida, 129-110 ... and you can see in footage we obtained from the popular lounge that he unwound from the big victory by blowin' some big clouds at the hot spot.

Witnesses tell us the NBA superstar got to the place at around 1:37 AM Wednesday morning ... and only stayed for a quick smoke -- leaving after about 15 or so minutes.

You can see in the clip, he was wearing the same outfit he wore to his postgame press conference Tuesday night -- a green and blue colored cardigan with plenty of jewelry on display.

Of course, James had to bolt from the place fairly early ... as the Lakers play again against the Heat in at FTX Arena on Wednesday night.

Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashian have their differences, but something clearly binds them ... their daughter, True.

Tristan posted this video of 4-year-old True, dancing up a storm in a kitchen. It's unclear if this was shot in Tristan or Khloe's house, but either way ... pretty cute.

They're dancing to "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back." Watch ... True shows off her vocals!

It's unclear what the child custody arrangement is ... but clearly Tristan was able to spend some holiday time with his daughter.

Our sources say Tristan and Khloe are getting along ... despite the fact she learned he had gotten another woman pregnant while lobbying her to go for a second child via surrogate -- which they did.

Luka Doncic went crazy on the court on Tuesday night -- and just minutes later, his teammates returned the favor ... dousing the Mavericks star in water following his historic game against the Knicks.

The 23-year-old Dallas point guard poured in 60 points -- and added 21 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and one block -- ultimately leading his team to a huge come-from-behind win over NY in Texas.

And, as he made his way into the locker room to get changed afterward, the Mavs let him know they appreciated the first-of-its-kind performance ... showering him with over a dozen water bottles.

Check out the footage the Mavs posted of the celebration ... Doncic was absolutely soaked -- but loved every second of it!!!

Of course, the party was well deserved ... no other player in NBA history has ever recorded a triple-double with 60-plus points, 20-plus rebounds and 10-plus assists.

Doncic said following the contest he was "tired as hell," but he did have enough energy to make his fans laugh -- quipping, "I need a recovery beer."

LeBron James fans are going to go crazy over this ... the shoes he wore during his first-ever H.S. championship are about to go up for sale -- but if ya wanna own 'em, there better be a whole lot of zeros in your bank account.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the black and white Jumpman Swift 6s that James wore when he won a state title as a freshman on the St. Vincent-St. Mary hoops team in Akron, Ohio are hitting the auction block in just a few weeks -- and they're so incredibly rare, they could land over $200,000 when the final gavel hits.

According to Heritage Auctions, which is hosting the impending sale, the sneakers were gifted to LBJ's stepfather, Eddie Jackson, back in 2000.

Jackson says 'Bron signed the kicks and handed them over following his huge game (25 points, nine rebounds) in the 1999-2000 Ohio High School Division III Championship against Jamestown Greenview.

James -- who was 6-foot-2 as a freshman -- added an inscription on both of the size 14 shoes, writing his jersey number "23" as well as "1999-2000 State Champs."

The auction house says the shoes will come with their original box as well.

The Js are obviously ultra rare -- they're one-of-a-kind after all -- but Heritage Auctions officials say they're also the earliest James game-worn material known in existence.

Too Short isn’t sweating the Golden State Warriors’ current slump in the season, and is advising all die-hard fans to follow his lead!!!

We recently spoke to the Oakland rap legend -- who made sure to rep in his authentic Warriors gear while offering his two cents on the Warriors season. Of course, things started a little rocky when Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole during practice before the season's official tipoff. They've since had some big-time losses on the court.

Short says the Warriors don’t get the credit they deserve for rising above injuries and regaining the crown last season ... and notes Kevin Durant's place in the dynasty rarely gets acknowledged.

The Warriors have one of the most tight-knit rapper fanbases in the league. Short, G-Eazy, Mistah F.A.B and his Mt. Westmore bandmate E-40 are among the familiar faces who can be seen in Chase Center on any given night!!!

The team is currently in 11th place and has a big Christmas Day matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies ... but Short says the NBA have playoffs for a reason and he's overly confident they can sneak in a repeat as champs with a late-season push.

Short may have the skills to moonlight as a sports analyst, but don't think he's abandoning rap. His Mt. Westmore album collab with 40, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube is hot off the streaming press --- and he's well aware of the firepower they possess.

Suck it trolls ... you're just jealous!!!

During a stoppage at the Sixers/Clippers game Friday, there was a show where fans dressed in onesies. One of the folks on the hardwood was masked in a blue dog head.

The guy -- Chris Girard -- then revealed himself, got down on one knee and asked one of the 76er dancers -- Jackie Murtha -- to marry him!

At first it was unclear if she even knew the guy, but judging by the kiss ... she did. Turns out it's his GF and she said yes.

Now that's where the shade comes in. As they embraced folks started scoffing, saying she was way out of his league. Social media was predictable ... "You know this gorgeous lady is not gonna marry that dork, but at least she didn't embarrass him," and "Make-A-Wish doing adults now?"

Girard clapped back at his trolls ... “DEAR COMMENT SECTION: I KNOW SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE. I AM JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE.”