NBA

Soccer superstar Vinícius Júnior will be among the G.O.A.T.s when he sweats it out at home from now on ... 'cause he just got an incredible new mural of his favorite athletes inside his gym!!

TMZ Sports has learned -- the 22-year-old Real Madrid winger hit up famous artist René Mäkelä for a truly one-of-a-kind art piece inside his home ... which features realistic images of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and fellow Brazilian footballers Ronaldo and the late Pelé.

We're told Vini Jr. idolizes these superstars ... and ya gotta assume staring at the legends will provide some extra motivation during workouts.

Dubbed the "Idols Wall," the whole thing stands almost 23 feet wide and over 7 feet tall ... and was made with oil and acrylic paint.

It's a very fitting piece for the guy -- Vini Jr. is one of the best young stars in the sport ... and he's fresh off his first World Cup appearance for Brazil.

As for the artist, Mäkelä has worked with a ton of big celebrities in the past ... including Madonna, Chris Brown, Cam Newton, Manny Machado, Jarvis Landry, Matt Kemp and more.

Now's your chance to cop an incredibly rare pair of Jordans -- originally created a few years back to commemorate Biggie's birthday -- and now the kicks are hitting the auction block, but they won't come cheap!

The Air Jordan 13s were designed in 2017 to honor what would've been Notorious B.I.G's 45th trip around the sun ... but the sneakers were never released. They remained locked away ... until now.

23 pairs of the AJs will be auctioned off at Sotheby's ... sizes 7 to 13. The auction tells us they expect each pair to sell between $2,300 to $5,200! There's no reserve price, meaning bidding starts at $1 (and goes way up from there).

As for the design of the sneakers ... the 13s are black with a hint of red. The silhouette of the Brooklyn rapper is stitched on the tongue.

They also feature the words ... "it was all a dream" and "if you don't know, now you know" on the inside of the tongue, which, of course, are some of Biggie's most iconic bars from his 6-time platinum hit "Juicy".

As for why they picked 23 pairs to auction, and chose to auction the sneakers now ... we're told it's to honor Michael Jordan's jersey number and mark the 50-year anniversary of hip hop music.

"This auction marks the only opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts alike to acquire these special limited-edition sneakers that bring together the legacies of the greatest athlete of all time with the greatest rapper ever," Sotheby's exec Brahm Wachter said.

Proceeds from the online auction, which ends February 3, will go towards the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation ... an organization that helps inner-city kids excel in school by providing sponsorships and grants, among much more.

Notorious B.I.G. -- who was shot and killed in Los Angeles in 1997 -- is considered one of the greatest rappers of all time and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.

Shannon Sharpe offered a mea culpa Monday morning, apologizing for getting into an altercation with several Grizzlies players and Ja Morant's dad near his floor seats at the Lakers game Friday night, saying he takes full responsibility for his actions.

"I want to apologize for my behavior," Sharpe said this morning on "Undisputed," adding ... "For the last six and a half years, I've preached accountability and responsibility. And I take full responsibility for what transpired. It does not matter what Dillon Brooks said or how many times he said it."

"Me being the responsible person. Me having the platform that I have and having so many people look up to me, I was wrong. I should have lowered the temperature in the arena. Instead, I turned the temperature up, and I let it get out of hand."

Sharpe then apologized to Jeanie Buss, the Lakers organization, and their fans for "any harm or unwanted attention" he may have caused. The FS1 commentator also apologized to the Grizzlies, Dillon Brooks, and Morant, whom he raved about after witnessing him play in person.

Of course, sitting courtside for the Grizzlies-Lakers game Friday night, Shannon got into a heated back-and-forth with Brooks, causing Ja and Steven Adams to come to Dillon's defense.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer was also jawing with Ja's dad, Tee, "saying, "I bet you won't," multiple times as security, arena staffers, referees, and players tried to separate them.

Despite the chaotic scene, Sharpe returned to his seat a quarter later to finish watching the game -- and even made amends with Tee later in the night.

Basketball's King apparently has the Midas Touch when it comes to pickleball too ... 'cause Major League Pickleball founder Steve Kuhn tells TMZ Sports LeBron James' recent investment in the league brought BILLIONS of eyeballs to the sport!!!

LBJ -- alongside Kevin Love and Draymond Green -- bought a team in the MLP back in Sept. 2022 ... and Kuhn tells us immediately afterward, interest in the org. absolutely exploded.

"This year, stories about Major League Pickleball hit 11 billion eyeballs," Kuhn said, "and the LeBron announcement alone was four billion."

Of course, the sport had been on the rise even before LeBron got involved ... the unique, tennis-like game is widely considered the fastest-growing activity in America.

And, while LeBron's inclusion in the action was huge for the league ... he's hardly the only sports superstar to jump into the mix. Everyone from Tom Brady to Drew Brees to Patrick Mahomes, Naomi Osaka and Kevin Durant have bought into the MLP as well.

Even LeBron's best buddy, Rich Paul, is an investor -- and he told us earlier this month he could see it all eventually becoming a huge deal in the U.S.

As for if the NBA and NFL players would ever get ON the pickleball court ... Kuhn -- like the rest of us -- is hoping that happens soon.

Shannon Sharpe and Ja Morant's dad, Tee, got into a heated altercation at the Laker game Friday night ... with both sides needing to be separated before eventually making amends.

It all went down during the first half of the Lakers' home matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com Arena ... when the focus shifted from the court to the crowd.

Memphis guard Dillon Brooks and the FS1 commentator -- who had courtside seats for the game -- had been jawing back and forth during the contest ... when Dillon's teammates Steven Adams and Morant inserted themselves into the picture.

Adams can be seen barking at Sharpe ... as everyone else tries to restore some semblance of order. As the chaos ensues, Shannon and Tee got into a war of words, too.

In the video, Shannon appears to yell "I bet you won't" at Tee multiple times as staffers, security and referees get between them.

Shannon was then escorted out of the seating area and into the tunnel.

After the commotion, Shannon spoke to ESPN's Dave McMenamin at halftime and said it all started after he told Brooks he couldn't guard LeBron James.

"I said he was too small to guard LeBron. He said, 'F*** me,'" Sharpe told Dave. "I said, 'f*** you back.'"

Sharpe claims that's when Brooks came after him ... followed by Ja and his father, which led to him responding the way he did.

"They didn't want this smoke," said Shannon. "They do all this talking and jockeying, and I ain't about that jockeying."

"I wanted anything they had. Don't let these fools fool you now."

Too $hort is all for setting great examples for younger rappers and hopes his recent trip to the White House offers some inspiration to whoever needs it!!!

We linked with Short Dog in D.C. this week fresh outta the Oval Office and as expected, he said the experience was nothing short of greatness.

Short, along with E-40, Mistah F.A.B. and Sway Calloway got to meet their fellow Oakland native, Vice President Kamala Harris ... and the rap legend says he couldn't be more proud of his hometown.

The Golden State Warriors broke their boycott of the White House in light of Donald Trump no longer being the commander-in-chief and $hort says, as a lifelong fan, he was happy to support the team in person.

He has nearly 40 years in the rap game so Short knows a thing or two about perseverance ... so, we switched gears to football to ask him about Tom Brady possibly, finally retiring. Maybe.

Too $hort is in the camp of folks who say TB12 isn't hanging up his cleats just yet.

Brady and the Buccaneers just got embarrassingly bounced outta the NFL playoffs by the Dallas Cowboys -- but, Short says Tom will give us another pump fake "retirement" and be back on the field for next season.

A Michael Jordan 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey Patch Autograph Card sold for $840,000 at auction Thursday evening ... becoming one of the highest-priced MJ cards ever!

Officials at PWCC tell TMZ Sports the card, which features a swatch from His Airness' 1992 All-Star Game jersey, as well as an MJ autograph, is now the sixth-highest selling Jordan card in card collecting history.

And, it's not hard to understand why ... aside from the patch and signature, there just aren't many cards out there. In fact, only 23 cards were produced (a nod to MJ's jersey #). This card was graded mint/near mint (BGS 8) by Beckett. The autograph received a perfect 10 score.

"It's a piece of history in that it was the very first time you could pull a game-used and autographed Michael Jordan card out of a trading card pack," PWCC exec Jesse Craig said of the rare card.

During the 1992 All-Star Game, Jordan put up stellar numbers ... leading all players in minutes (31) and scoring a team-high of 18 points and five assists.

Magic Johnson, who returned to the court after retiring in 1991, guarded MJ one-on-one ... in one of the most iconic moments in NBA All-Star game history.

In a battle of MJ vs. MJ, it was Magic who got the best of Michael ... his team went on to win 153-113, and Johnson won the All-Star Game MVP, scoring 25 points and dishing nine assists.

But, Jordan got the last laugh ... the Bulls won their second consecutive championship after defeating the Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals.

Paul George needed an assist off the court on Thursday ... asking his 9 million Instagram followers to help identify a young man who allegedly hit his car and drove off.

The Los Angeles Clippers small forward shared a photo of the driver on social media, saying the kid pulled off without providing his information after hitting his brand-new whip.

"This kid hit and run my brand new car today," the 32-year-old said in the since-deleted post, "Then dipped without giving me his driver's license. If you know him, tag him 😩😩😩😩😩"

"Anybody know who this kid is. DM me."

The method might have worked ... George's wife Daniela -- who married the 7-time All-Star last June -- wrote on her IG story hours later, "GOT HIM!!! TY IG."

She has also deleted the IG post.

The location of the crash and whether cops were involved is unknown, but we're working on it.

NBA superstar Luka Doncic's new MASSIVE whip came with a hefty price tag ... 'cause TMZ Sports is told the Dallas Mavericks hooper paid more than a quarter million bucks for his fully decked-out Hellfire Apocalypse truck!!!

The 3-time All-Star had social media buzzing when he showed up to American Airlines Center for Wednesday night's matchup against the Atlanta Hawks in his new 6-wheeler ... and as it turns out, it's even more epic than you could imagine.

The folks at Apocalypse Manufacturing tell us Luka reached out to get a truck of his own after seeing their vehicles all over TikTok ... and the finished product was personally delivered to him in Texas.

AM says Luka is now the proud owner of the most fully-loaded Hellfire ever built ... and it comes with thermal and night vision cameras, a locomotive five blast train horn, nitrous kit, 850 horsepower and even a built-in safe!!

And, in case Luka wants to have a jam session before his games, he can use his 10,000-watt custom audio system!!!

The truck has six 10-ply, 40-inch tires ... and 22-inch anthracite rims.

Just look at the thing in action -- the car looks like a cartoon bull with the way it can shoot smoke out of its grill!!!

Luka's new wheels didn't come cheap -- we're told he paid more than $250k for the whole thing -- but considering the guy has made over $69 million in five seasons, he can most certainly afford it.

Ex-NBA All-Stars Tony Parker and Joakim Noah teamed up with some of the fastest athletes on the planet for a game of pickup basketball on Thursday -- Formula 1 superstars Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly!!

The cool moment went down as part of the league's festivities in Paris this week ... with the guys tossin' the rock around with actor Darko Perić.

Of course, the Ferrari and Alpine drivers are phenomenal on the track ... but as for the hardwood?? Not so much. In fact, Pierre -- who's become tight with Michael Jordan recently -- hilariously gets away with a clear double dribble.

But it was all in good fun ... and no one appeared to be taking it seriously. After all, everyone was wearing street clothes.

As for the REAL ball going on in Paris, the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls are currently going at it ... with big names like Magic Johnson and Lil Baby in attendance for the matchup.

Walter White and Jesse Pinkman took a break from cooking meth to enjoy the Houston Rockets game on Wednesday ... and they got a special surprise from the mascot -- who threw on a pair of glasses and tighty-whites for the occasion!!

"Breaking Bad" stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul were posted up courtside to check out the home team's matchup with the Charlotte Hornets ... and when the VIP guests waved hello to the crowd via the scoreboard, Clutch showed up in one of Walt's most recognizable looks from the series.

Cranston hilariously reacted to the stunt by shielding his eyes ... and Paul was loving it, clapping as the bear showed off his getup.

Cranston and Paul -- who joined forces with their own mezcal after the show ended in 2013 -- were in town to promote the Dos Hombres brand ... and got a massive ovation from the fans in attendance.

Unfortunately for the home team, the Hornets handled the Rockets like Heisenberg did Gus Fring in the 122-117 loss.

As it turns out, the guys are rumored to reprise their roles in a Super Bowl commercial, too ... so Walt and Jesse are popping up all over the sports world.

Yo Gotti and Angela Simmons hit the FedEx Forum last night for their first outing as an official couple, and got to witness a first for his hometown team ... the Memphis Grizzlies.

TMZ got pics of the duo snuggling courtside inside the arena, clearly enjoying each other's company and rocking matching diamond-encrusted watches.

We're told things are going extremely well for them as a couple, and she even got to meet some of his friends during their trip back to Gotti's home turf.

As for the historic part of their date ... Ja Morant and the Grizzlies earned a franchise record 11th straight win last night, reinforcing their dominance atop the Western Conference alongside the Denver Nuggets. Perfect way to introduce Angela to the 901!!!

Angela and Gotti have been rumored to be dating for months, but finally went IG official on New Year's Eve.

Rap fans are enthralled by their relationship ... seeing as how he famously manifested things on his 2016 classic track "Down in the DM," where he copped to shooting Angela a few messages on Instagram.

Sequels to beloved hip hop classics are typically frowned upon, but not the new "House Party" ... so says one of the OG film's stars Christopher 'Kid' Reid, and he's giving LeBron James props for keeping the brand strong.

We caught up with Chris out in Santa Monica, where he joked about his cameo in the reboot being a bit on the "Where's Waldo?" side.

That aside, Chris notes how LeBron -- whose SpringHill Company acquired the rights for "House Party" -- has always shown love to his iconic group Kid 'n Play.

Back in 2009, LeBron and Rich Paul starred in a State Farm commercial based around RP's car getting burglarized, with the crooks leaving only a Kid 'n Play CD ... setting the stage for LeBron and the State Farm agent to do the group's iconic dance from the original film.

And then in 2013, LBJ gave his sons Bronny and Bryce the trademarked Kid 'n Play haircuts shortly before they were basketball phenoms in their own right.

The first "House Party" dropped in March 1990 -- paving the way for loads of hip hop cinema. Chris tells us the new generation of actors is doing a bang-up job carrying the torch ... and gave us his best Whitney Houston impression to hammer home his point!!!

Chris also revealed his famous high-top fade only cost him $25 back in the day -- a far cry from $1k, $500, and $420 that Diddy, Kanye, and Lil Baby are reported to be paying their barbers.

NBA champion and former coach Chris Ford -- credited with making the first three-point basket in league history -- has died, his family announced Wednesday. He was 74 years old.

"Chris was beloved by his family, friends, and teammates," his family said in a statement. "He had a great love for his family, the city of Boston, the fans, and the entire Celtics family. He always showed humility and respect for all those that were fortunate enough to be a part of his life."

The C's also addressed Ford's passing ... saying, "The Boston Celtics sends their deepest sympathies to the Ford family and their many friends."

The Pistons selected Chris in the second round of the 1972 NBA draft ... and he spent his first seven seasons with Detroit before joining the Celtics.

Chris played the final four years of his career with Boston ... and was a vital member of the 1981 team that won a championship over the Houston Rockets.

Ford won two more NBA titles with the Celtics in 1984 and 1986 as an assistant coach ... and became the eleventh head coach in franchise history in 1990.

As head coach, Ford led his former teammates Larry Bird, Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale to the playoffs several times.

Ford also coached Bird, Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing in the 1991 All-Star Game.

The Golden State Warriors made their triumphant return to President Biden's White House Tuesday -- after twice spurning President Trump -- where they celebrated winning the NBA title last summer.

The Dubs were in D.C. to play the hometown Wizards Monday night at the Capital One Arena ... before pulling up on #46 Tuesday afternoon to commemorate their fourth championship in eight years. The Warriors beat the Celtics in 6 games during the 2022 NBA Finals.

Of course, it's the first time Curry and the Warriors have been back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue since Barack Obama was president. The team publicly feuded with Trump after their championships in 2017 and 2018.

Despite it being a tradition to go to the W.H., the Warriors spurned Trump, refusing to go to the White House. Trump also disinvited the team.

Vice President Kamala Harris, a Warriors fan, opened things up ... recalling when the team gifted her a custom #49 jersey, in honor of her becoming the 49th VP in U.S. history.

Harris then introduced POTUS, who raved about the franchise's success ... led by Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and head coach Steve Kerr.

Speaking of Steph ... the reigning NBA Finals MVP said a few words, too -- before presenting Biden and Harris with a signature #46 and #1 Warriors jersey.

Curry and Biden stood side by side, posing for photos with the jerseys ... as photographers snapped pics of the two as the other players, coaches and executives stood in the background.

Ja Morant's MVP-like performance on the court this year has the NBA suspicious ... 'cause the league is drug testing the Grizzlies star for the 7th time this season!!!

The 23-year-old guard could only laugh on social media ... explaining he was about to get tested AGAIN.

"Been drug tested like 6 times this season," NBA All-Star said on Twitter.

"Walked in the arena & found out I got another one today 😂🙄"

Of course, Morant's been playing at an incredible level -- averaging 27.5 points and 7.9 assists per game -- and although the drug tests are random, according to the NBA, many players ain't buyin' that at all.

In fact, the 7th test comes days after Morant destroyed Pacers' big man Jalen Smith with a monstrous poster dunk. He also had 23 points and 10 assists in Saturday's win.

The NBA even praised the 6-foot-3 guard for what it called the "dunk of the year."

Ironically, fans joked with Morant after the big jam, saying the league would probably test him after that dunk.