NBA

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas used an anti-gay phrase during his postgame interview on Thursday night ... and hours later, he apologized for it -- saying he "definitely didn't intend to offend anyone."

Thomas muttered the expression while on the Barclays Center court speaking with a TNT reporter ... after the Nets had beaten the Chicago Bulls, 116-105.

The media member asked Thomas about comments that his new teammate, Spencer Dinwiddie, had said earlier this week about the Nets needing some help in the looks "department."

"I seen it," Thomas said of Dinwiddie's remarks. "But I was like, 'Man, he just talking.' We already had good-looking dudes."

The 21-year-old then added, "no homo."

The reporter was immediately caught off guard by Thomas' words ... saying, "Surely the league office will enjoy that one."

Thomas took to Twitter to issue a mea culpa a short time later.

"I was excited about the win and was being playful," Thomas said. "I definitely didn't intend to offend anyone, but realize that I probably did. My apologies again. Much love."

Months after best buds Ben Affleck and Matt Damon hit the set of their new movie, AIR, portraying Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro, the trailer for the highly anticipated biopic documenting the rise of Nike just dropped!

The upcoming movie, also starring Jason Bateman, Viola Davis, Marlon Wayans and Chris Tucker, is based on Knight and Vaccaro -- who brought Michael Jordan to the Swoosh.

Nike was launched in 1972 (Knight started another running company in the 60s), and was the opposite of the powerhouse it is today. The business began to grow, but really exploded when Vaccaro, played by Damon, got Jordan to sign with Nike.

Davis plays Michael's mom, Deloris Jordan.  Tucker plays Howard White, a Nike exec.

It's not the first time we've seen the guys in character ... back in June, we got photos from the set. Jennifer Lopez was even there supporting her man, Ben.

Back then, the guys received a mixed reaction ... but now that the trailer's out, fans seem excited about the movie!

But, they're not alone. We spoke with the real life Sonny Vaccaro last year, and he was pumped for the film.

"I'm 83 years old. It was complete surprise to me. It's an unbelievable honor and I believe in what they're going to do is going to be the truth on the film," Vaccaro told us last October.

"This is the best thing that I could have ever imagined."

It's obviously not the first time Damon and Affleck have teamed up together for a movie ... they've done it a bunch, including in the critically acclaimed "Good Will Hunting."

The signed, game-worn jersey from Kobe Bryant's 2007-08 NBA MVP season -- the only year he won the award during his career -- just sold for $5.8 million at an auction!!

Sotheby's tells TMZ Sports ... the Bryant jersey set a new record for Kobe-related sports memorabilia sold at auction, and is the second-most valuable basketball jersey to ever hit the market.

Bryant wore the jersey for 25 games in '07-'08 ... averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists while leading the Lakers to the NBA Finals for the first time since Shaquille O'Neal left.

Kobe also wore the jersey the same evening he was awarded the regular season Most Valuable Player Award on May 7, 2008 ... and during Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

"This jersey is iconic in a way we seldom see in sports artifacts," said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's Head of Streetwear and Modern Collectables.

Experts initially expected the jersey to sell for anywhere between $5-7 million.

Sotheby's recently sold LeBron James' 2013 Game 7 NBA Finals jersey for $3.7 million in January -- and Kobe's MVP season jersey is in that same rarefied air.

Jalen Brunson had the best reaction to his old college teammate, Josh Hart being traded to the Knicks ... 'cause he absolutely freaked out -- yelling, "OH S***!!!"

The Portland Trail Blazers traded the former Villanova guard to the Big Apple on Wednesday ... in exchange for Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, and a 2023 first-round pick.

Brunson was back at Villanova's campus -- where he played from 2015 to 2018 -- to have his #1 jersey retired when the deal went down ... and as soon as someone showed him the news on their phone, he threw up his arms in excitement.

"OH S***!!!," the point guard yelled. "YES!!!"

FYI, Brunson and Hart won the 2016 NCAA championship together ... so it was only fitting Jalen was back in Wildcat territory when he learned about the reunion.

Unclear how Reddish feels about his now-former teammate being this excited ... but Cam barely got any playing time since he joined the Knicks last January, and only started 8 games this season.

Blazers superstar, Damian Lillard had good things to say about his new teammate after the trade, ... saying, "I've always liked Cam Reddish a lot."

"He's one of those guys you just always look like, 'Man, if he gets to the right place, could it just click?' Could you see something come out of it?' I take a lot of pride in pouring into guys [like him], especially in a situation like this."

Hart -- who's shooting 50% from the field -- is nice on defense, plus he's a rebounding machine, averaging 8.2 per game.

Kyrie Irving's first-ever Mavericks jersey won't have a place in a museum or a Hall of Fame -- no, it'll be somewhere in one of Floyd Mayweather's mansions ... 'cause the new Dallas star gifted the boxing legend with it following his debut on Wednesday night.

Floyd was one of the first people Irving sought out after he helped the Mavs beat the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena for the first time since he was traded on Sunday ... and as soon as the two athletes got within feet of each other on the court, they shared a lengthy embrace.

The guys exchanged words too -- and it all seemed somewhat emotional.

Finally, Irving passed off his jersey to Floyd -- who was with buddy Jona Rechnitz -- before he took off for the locker room.

Mayweather was pumped for the one-of-a-kind piece of NBA memorabilia -- he showed it off to cameras at the arena ... before he eventually headed home.

Of course, the guys have developed quite the bond recently -- after initially meeting years ago, Floyd has been in Irving's corner constantly.

In fact, back when Irving was going through his COVID-19 vaccine controversy with the Brooklyn Nets, Floyd released a video defending the basketball player's decisions.

Clearly, Irving hasn't forgotten the support.

Kyrie Irving isn't the only superstar getting shipped out of Brooklyn -- the Nets just are now trading Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster deal, according to multiple reports.

The shocking news just broke minutes ago ... with Shams Charania reporting the Suns will send Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and more draft compensation to the Nets in exchange for the 13-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion and T.J. Warren.

The deal comes just days after Kyrie Irving requested a trade of his own ... which resulted in a transaction with the Dallas Mavericks.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports the Nets will receive the Suns' unprotected picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029. Woj also reports new Suns owner Mat Ishbia pushed to have the deal done Wednesday night.

This will be KD's fourth franchise -- after playing for the Sonics/Thunder, Warriors and Nets.

Russell Westbrook's days as a Laker have come to an end -- L.A. just finalized a trade to send the superstar point guard to the Utah Jazz in a three-team deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Lakers are sending Russ and a 2027 first-round pick (1-4 protected) to the Jazz in exchange for D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt, according to Shams Charania.

Meanwhile, Utah's Mike Conley Jr. will join Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert in Minnesota ... as well as a second-round pick.

The Lakers acquired Russ in 2021 in a trade with the Wizards ... which sent Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to Washington in exchange for the 2017 MVP.

Westbrook's last game with the Purple and Gold was Tuesday night against the Thunder ... when LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

Russ' tenure with the Lakers had its fair share of ups and downs -- the former triple-double machine struggled to find his role during his two years playing alongside James and Anthony Davis.

First-year head coach Darvin Ham decided to bring Westbrook off the bench three games into this season ... a role he's flourished in, averaging 15.9 points per game to accompany 7.5 assists per game.

Westbrook has a legitimate case to win the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award, but the Lakers are opting to move in a different direction ... despite his steady production with the team's second unit.

There are reports Westbrook's arrival in Utah will end in a buy-out ... which will allow him to join a team elsewhere.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was NOT pissed off LeBron James broke his all-time scoring record, despite what many basketball fans have said, according to Cap's close friend, teammate, and fellow Lakers great James Worthy, who tells TMZ Sports his buddy handled the situation with grace.

Of course, 38-year-old James toppled KAJ's near-long-held record (nearly 4 decades) ... and 75-year-old Abdul-Jabbar was on hand, sitting in the first row, to watch history in the making.

However, many NBA fans commented on Kareem's demeanor, noting the 19x NBA All-Star looked unhappy to be there.

So, we asked Worthy, a 3x NBA champion who was sitting with Abdul-Jabbar Wednesday night, if Kareem was bothered Bron broke his record.

"Not at all," James answered, with no hesitation.

"I mean, Kareem was overwhelmed and for those of you who knew Kareem 30 years ago, Kareem has come full circle in life and really is enjoying himself and enjoying just living. I mean, he said that records were meant to be broken. I don't think he thought anybody would break it but I think Kareem handed it over with grace."

Now, as for Worthy ... he admits, as much as he likes LeBron, that he was a bit bummed to see the record change hands.

"I was a little sad to see the record being broken 'cause I just love Kareem. He's my best friend on the team. I'm sure somewhere down deep in his heart, he's had it for so long that it becomes a part of you that you never think it's gonna leave you. Not to be able to say that again, it's probably something that he'll miss, but his body of work will never be forgotten."

LeBron James' childhood basketball coach says he's "honored" to be a part of the superstar's journey to becoming the top scorer in NBA history ... telling TMZ Sports he couldn't be happier for the King.

Dru Joyce -- who first noticed LeBron's potential at just 10 years old -- played a huge part in shaping the 4-time NBA champ's career ... coaching James and the "Fab Five" to a state championship at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary in 2003.

We spoke with Coach Dru about LeBron passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring list ... and he couldn't help but reminisce about their earliest memories together.

"It was an honor to know the little kid who used to be at my house, days on end, and young man I watched him grow into in high school, to now reach this historic moment in professional basketball ... I don't have the words to describe it."

"It's a special feeling, and to know we've been a part of the journey, it makes it even more special."

Joyce even recalls advice he gave LeBron at an early age ... and praised how James was already mature enough to make the right adjustments and get better -- parts of his game Coach notices he still uses to this day.

Joyce also sends a special message directly to LeBron ... saying, "You're the greatest of all time. It's a special time, and the way you've gone about it makes it even more special."

"Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this journey. I've enjoyed it -- much love. I'm kind of taken for words, but 28 years ago, I just remember knocking on your door ... and little did I know where this journey was going to take us. So proud and happy to be part of that journey."

As for LeBron, he also spoke about his journey to the top of the scoring list ... referencing the famous Cedar Point amusement park to get his point across.

The jersey LeBron James wore to break the NBA's all-time scoring record is worth a fortune, according to an auction expert ... who tells TMZ Sports it could rake in over $3 MILLION if it ever hit the block.

The L.A. Lakers superstar rocked the uniform against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night ... getting the 36 points he needed in it to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's mark of 38,387.

Chris Ivy, the director of sports auctions at Heritage Auctions, tells us the James-used threads could easily fetch seven figures on the block ... especially after his Game 7 jersey from the 2013 NBA finals sold for $3.7 mil in a Sotheby's Auction a few weeks ago.

"I believe this jersey is just as historic and desirable, if not more so," Ivy tells us. "So I would estimate it at more than $3 million."

Of course, it's unclear what will ever come of the jersey -- James wasn't asked about what he'll do with it following the game.

The 38-year-old, though, did speak on the historic night following the game, calling it all "so surreal."

"This was not a goal for me," James said. "That's why it's probably so surreal and just so weird to me because I never talked about being an all-time scorer in NBA history."

The celebration of LeBron James' new scoring record Tuesday night didn't end at Crypto.com Arena .... several of the Lakers star's teammates -- as well as a host of other celebs -- were seen hitting an L.A. hotspot after the game to keep the party for the King rollin'.

Patrick Beverley, Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant were all spotted following L.A.'s loss to the Thunder, piling into The Fleur Room in West Hollywood to honor LBJ and his new all-time NBA points mark.

Bron's agent, Rich Paul, as well as Karrueche Tran, Kelly Rowland, Jimmy Iovine and Corey Gamble were also seen making their way into the venue.

James and his wife, Savannah, eventually got there as well -- and the two gave emotional speeches to the crowd in attendance.

Savannah spoke first, congratulating her hubby on all his hard work. James then took the mic, and dedicated the accomplishment to his family and friends.

The fiesta seemed like a blast ... there was a custom cake with LeBron's face all over it -- and even a stuffed goat!!!

Of course, LBJ and the guys had plenty of reason to celebrate despite the 133-130 defeat ... 'Bron broke a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar record that had stood since 1984.

James needed 36 points heading into the night to get the new all-time mark of 38,388 -- and he got them before the 3rd quarter ended with a fadeaway jump shot.

A-listers were all over the arena to watch the historic moment -- everyone from Jay-Z to Bad Bunny to Usher, Floyd Mayweather and Dwyane Wade had courtside seats.

All of the celebs appeared to be in awe after James scored the bucket -- Usher and Floyd, who were sitting next to each other, were all smiles. Jay-Z was, too.

'Bron addressed the crowd in the seconds after breaking the record -- thanking everyone for helping him in his career. He ended his speech in fitting fashion, exhaling, "F***, man."

LeBron James is officially the NBA's all-time leading scorer ... the Lakers superstar passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points logged in league history on Tuesday night.

James accomplished the feat against the Oklahoma City Thunder ... in front of a Crypto.com Arena crowd that featured a slew of celebs and former athletes -- including Abdul-Jabbar himself.

Jay-Z, Floyd Mayweather, Dwyane Wade, Shannon Sharpe, Usher and Bad Bunny were all there too.

LBJ needed 36 points to pass Kareem heading into the game ... and after scoring 20 in the first half, he got the rest in the third quarter.

A fadeaway jumper earned him the record -- and the game was stopped so James could be honored. During the break, James was swarmed by his family members and friends -- as a hype video for James played on the arena's jumbotron.

Commissioner Adam Silver also spoke at center court following the record-breaking basket ... telling LeBron, "You are the NBA's all-time scoring leader. Congratulations." Abdul-Jabbar then passed a basketball to the future Hall of Famer, and gave him a hug.

James wiped away tears, before he took the mic and thanked the crowd in attendance. He finished his thank you speech by saying, "F***, man!"

The record is a monumental one -- after Kareem set it in 1984 ... many believed it would never be touched again. But James got the 38,388 that he needed in the 1,410th game of his career -- accomplishing the feat in 150 games less than KAJ did.

James was as consistent as one could possibly be in his chase for the record -- never averaging less than 20.9 points per game in a season. In fact, in his 20th NBA season this year, the 38-year-old is averaging 30 points per game.

Flying commercial is so Super Bowl 56 -- if you want to travel to Arizona for Sunday's big game in style, there's an absolutely incredible vacay package that comes with PJs, meet and greets with Shaquille O'Neal and Rob Gronkowski, and unlimited booze -- and it'll only cost you a MILLION DOLLARS!

It's all part of an extravagant SB package put together by Medium Rare, aptly named the "Over the Top Package" ... and it costs a pretty penny.

So, what do you actually get for a million freakin' bucks?

-Access to a private jet -- to and from Arizona -- for you and 11 buddies!
-Meet and greet with Shaq, Gronk and Guy Fieri ... as well as a private deck at all four events, including SI The Party with Machine Gun Kelly and The Chainsmokers.
-Unlimited vodka and champagne
-Security detail
-Fleet of SUVs
-VIP bathroom (this may be the best perk)
-Spa day (recovery after all the vodka and champagne)

Of course, Super Bowl week is as much about the events as it is the football game on Sunday afternoon ... and imagine how much you can flex on Instagram.

All it costs is $1,000,000.

Kyrie Irving's only been a Dallas Maverick for a couple days, but he's clearly feeling right at home with his new team ... throwing alley-oops and buzzin' around the court in his practice debut on Tuesday.

The point guard -- who was just traded from Brooklyn to Big D on Sunday -- was reportedly the first player at the workout ... and it didn't take long for him to flash his signature skills.

Irving, rockin' a blue Mavericks shirt and black sweats, put on a show in 5-on-5 drills in a gym at USC ... as he continues to prep for his first game with Dallas against the Clippers on Wednesday.

In footage filmed inside of the venue, you can see the eight-time All-Star's already getting along with his new teammates ... even at one point throwing a smooth alley-oop pass to JaVale McGee.

Of course, while Dallas fans are pumped for the acquisition, his former teammate, LeBron James, was upset over it all ... admitting earlier this week to ESPN he was disappointed the Lakers couldn't trade for the 30-year-old.

Irving addressed LeBron's comments and more after his workout Tuesday ... saying he's got love for LBJ, but his focus is now on his future with the Mavs.

"Unfortunately, the Lakers, they’re doing what they're doing," Irving said. "That's it.”

As for the trade as a whole, Irving said he simply felt disrespected in Brooklyn ... and wanted to change the narrative going forward.

"I just know I wanted to be places where I'm celebrated," Irving said, "not just tolerated or kinda dealt with in a way that doesn't make me feel respected."

Ja Morant is downplaying reports that he and his friends got into an altercation with Indiana Pacers team members after a game last month ... saying the story is basically fake news.

The Memphis Grizzlies star spoke with the media on Tuesday -- the first time since The Athletic released a report claiming Morant's friends confronted "members of the Pacers traveling party" near the team's bus following a matchup at FedEx Forum on Jan. 29.

The report also stated someone in an SUV, which Morant was in, pointed a red laser at them ... and the Pacers team members believe it was attached to a gun.

The 23-year-old denied the allegations when he spoke with reporters at practice ... saying, "All that stuff pretty much false."

"It’s been proven. That’s all I got to say on it."

Morant emphasized how he doesn't care about the rumors going around ... and he won't entertain a report that's fishing for "likes and clicks."

"At this point in my life, I'm protecting my energy," Morant said. "Not responding to nobody else. Not entertaining nobody else."

The reporters attempted to get more from Morant on the situation ... but he refused.

He did provide one update from that game, though ... tweeting on Sunday that his friend, Davonte Pack, has been banned from home games after a verbal altercation with Pacers players.

LeBron James admits he's "disappointed" the Lakers didn't reunite him with his old teammate Kyrie Irving ... saying Monday he thought a trade for the point guard could have given him the chance to win multiple championships in L.A.

LBJ sat down for an interview with ESPN's Michael Wilbon ... and when the topic of Kyrie came up, it wasn't hard to see the King was heartbroken the Lakers got beat out by the Mavericks in a swap for the Nets superstar.

"Definitely disappointed," James said. "I can't sit here and say I'm not disappointed."

James called Irving someone he knows he has great chemistry with -- and someone who "can help you win championships."

The 38-year-old, though, said he's already getting over it ... telling Wilbon, "My focus has shifted back to where it should be, and that's this club now and what we have in the locker room."

As we previously reported, Irving was sent to Dallas on Sunday after he requested a trade last week. As part of the swap, Dallas sent over Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a first-round pick and a handful of second-rounders.

L.A. reportedly tried hard to get into the mix for Irving -- as did the Heat, Suns and Clippers.

James and Irving previously had success in Cleveland, when they went to four consecutive NBA Finals. They won a title in 2016 after overcoming a 3-1 deficit against the Warriors.

After news broke that Irving was on the move from Brooklyn to Dallas, James sent out an eyebrow-raising tweet that said, "Maybe it's me."

It's unclear who or what James was referring to, though the timing was interesting. But, either way, the four-time time NBA champion says he's moving past the disappointment of it all.