NBA

Terrell Owens wants the "ring culture" crowd to take a seat ... telling TMZ Sports championships shouldn't account for everything when it comes to respecting an athlete's greatness.

We caught up with Owens on the heels of 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony announcing his retirement last week ... and the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver told us although the Syracuse legend never won an NBA ring, he's still an all-time great.

Of course, T.O. and Melo have something in common -- both were among the best in their respective sports during their playing days ... but were never able to reach the pinnacle before walking away for good.

With that being said ... we asked T.O. about the folks trying to discredit ringless résumés ... and he feels it should have zero impact when it comes to legacy.

"Not everybody gets to win a championship," Owens said at LAX. "That's not the defining thing. Obviously, as an athlete, you want to compete. You obviously want to win a championship, but sometimes that's not in everybody's cards."

T.O. defended Melo ... saying his body of work in the pros playing most notably for the Nuggets and Knicks "speaks for itself" and warrants respect.

FYI -- former NY Giants running back Tiki Barber was one of the biggest talking heads to compare Melo to T.O. given how their careers played out ... saying, "Obviously one of the all-time greats. You're not even questioning his skill. You don’t question T.O.'s skill. But, you do start to question the winning. Did he ultimately win?"

Owens didn't take the comment as a diss ... and went on to say despite not winning championships, they'll both have some bling that holds a lot of weight when it's all said and done.

Gunna is back in the public eye after taking a plea deal in the ongoing YSL RICO case ... but Boosie Badazz doesn't want to see him prosper any further.

TMZ Hip Hop obtained footage of Boosie's upcoming appearance on "The Big Homies House" podcast with Kodaq and Jojo ... and the Louisiana rapper didn't hold back from revealing his ill will for Gunna, even wishing he never sells another record again!

Boosie says the "pushin P" rapper would be better suited to continue his rap career in another country outside the U.S., and used the recent backlash from in-house YSL producer Wheezy to justify his point.

Wheezy, who produced several songs on Gunna's last album, including the trendsetting record "pushin P," recently distanced himself from Gunna over respect for Young Thug ... who's been dealing with loads of courtroom drama.

Boosie also dismissed the notion that Thug is fine with Gunna resuming his daily life ... and painted him as a turncoat from day one who was waiting on his chance to squirm free when things got tough.

Gunna was spotted at the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics Game 6 on Saturday, clearly immune to the criticism that Boosie and others have been hurling his way since he was released from jail last December.

Famed Harlem Globetrotter hooper Angelo Sharpless did his best Shaquille O'Neal impersonation over the weekend ... shattering a backboard after throwing down a monster dunk, and the wild moment was caught on video!

In the video, posted by Sharpless on social media, Angelo receives an outlet pass on a fast break, takes a few dribbles ... and blasts off, jumping from the low post area, nearly cocking the ball back to his head, and delivering an absolute hammer of a dunk.

The aftermath of the damage was telling -- the backboard's glass was shattered, and the rim was broken, as the crowd watched in disbelief.

Of course, Angelo's ferocious dunk was reminiscent of Shaq, who was known to have destroyed several backboards playing for the Orlando Magic, adding to his rep as an unstoppable force on the court.

Sharpless, a 6-foot-4 forward from Plymouth, NC, played his college ball at Elizabeth City State University ... and says he was inspired by Hall of Famer Magic Johnson and Carmelo Anthony growing up.

Angelo may not have Shaq's size, but he's still a force on the court, with career accolades including winning the CIAA Conference Player of the Year and CIAA Rookie Player of the Year.

Jimmy Butler had one more opponent to go up against after beating the Boston Celtics on Monday -- the Miami Heat star came face-to-face with a bumblebee during his postgame press conference ... and his reaction is hilarious!!

It all went down shortly after the Heat finished off the Cs in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to avoid becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 lead ... but before he could put his focus on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, Jimmy had a much bigger problem on his hands.

As the series MVP was answering a question about his upcoming matchup in the NBA Finals, he abruptly paused his response to address an intruder.

"Oh my God, y'all saw that?!" a shocked Butler asked as he put his hands up in defense. "Goddamn bumblebee."

To Butler's credit, he quickly regained his composure to finish his answer ... but understandably, that was the end of his media availability.

It wasn't the only viral moment of Butler's night -- he was also spotted rejecting the Eastern Conference Finals Championship trophy from his teammate, Bam Adebayo ... appearing to say "I'll hold the next one" during the postgame ceremony.

LeBron James has tons of free time now that he's out of the playoffs, including family time -- which he soaked up this weekend with yet another graduation drop-in.

The Lakers superstar attended Chaminade High School's ceremony Saturday in West Hills, CA -- where his "nephew," Auston Mims, was all set to walk across the stage in a cap and gown as part of the Class of 2023. Mims played football there, and LBJ is close with the kid ... having attended games of his in the past. Although it's unclear if they're actually related.

Auston appears to be the son of LeBron's longtime friend and business partner Randy Mims. In any case, Bron was front and center to watch Auston receive his high school diploma.

Check out these videos, obtained by TMZ, where you can see the King is trying to lay low as the names are called, checking out his phone and keeping his head down. In these clips, he seems to be alone ... but eyewitnesses tell us he was actually there with family and friends.

Of course, he totally stands out -- at about 6'9", no less -- so, eventually, he parked it and had a seat. That didn't stop people from approaching him and fanning out a bit, though.

At one point, a young guy walking by spotted him ... and tapped him on the shoulder for a little handshake -- which Bron obliged and reciprocated. There was even an adult who came over to say hello ... but it kinda seems like LBJ just wanted to keep to himself here.

Anyway, this is the second graduation (that we know of) that LeBron's gone to in recent weeks. Remember, he was just at his own son's Thursday ... and was one proud papa.

The backdrop of all this is the question of whether he's going to hang it up on the court and retire from basketball. He suggested he might in his Game 4 loss presser ... noting he had a lot to think about in the offseason. Stuff like this might be at the forefront of his thoughts.

Fact is, if he was still playing ... it's possible he might have missed these types of moments. Certainly possible, but if a game was scheduled to be played on a Saturday ... it'd probably be tough to do both. Lucky for him, he was able to catch all the big days this year.

Boston Celtics fans were partying like they won the championship Saturday night ... celebrating in the streets of Beantown after the team's miraculous buzzer-beater win against the Miami Heat.

Local Boston reporters captured video of fans honking their horns, dancing, and even climbing street poles moments after the Celtics big win.

If you think the celebration is over the top ... then you probably weren't watching the game. Trailing by one with less than a second left on the game clock, Derrick White tipped in the go-ahead shot to save the Celtics season.

The Celtics are now on the brink of making NBA history ... becoming the first team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series, and the city is feeling it!

No question the Celtics will be feeding off fan energy ... star forward Jayson Tatum told the press, "I've never been so excited to go back to Boston in my life."

Gilbert Arenas is believing the hype around future NBA star Victor Wembanyama ... telling TMZ Sports the French hooper is a "generational game-changer" ... but there's one thing that could keep him from his full potential -- his feet.

We spoke with Agent Zero about the most hyped prospect since LeBron James, and he says if the 19-year-old possesses the basketball I.Q. like fellow international stars Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Dončić ... he will thrive in the league.

But while Gilbert says Wembanyama checks off so many boxes, the one thing that concerns him is the 7'2" giant's dogs ... admitting foot issues could potentially impact his promising NBA career.

"That's the only thing I think will slow him down is [his] feet," Arenas said. "Other than that, as long as he's healthy, I don't see anyone stopping the progression in his dominance."

While Wemby has had a number of injuries in his short career, he hasn't had any foot ailments as of yet. But unfortunately for big men, foot injuries have historically been a pain in the ass -- just ask Yao Ming, Joel Embiid, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Chet Holmgren to name a few.

Aside from Wemby's feet, Gil isn't worried that Victor's thin frame will affect him in the pros ... explaining he's been playing against people stronger than him his whole life and turned out fine.

The Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery ... meaning they can select Wembanyama with the first pick in June -- and it sounds like Arenas thinks San Antonio will be getting a future all-time great if they take Victor.

LeBron James' team may have been eliminated this week, but he still has something to celebrate ... his son Bronny is now a graduate of Sierra Canyon School.

LeBron and his wife Savannah James, along with Bronny's grandma Gloria, were front and center on Thursday at the graduation ceremony.

As we reported, Bronny has tapped USC for his next move. The high school basketball star clearly has his sights set on following in his dad's very large footsteps -- as in joining the NBA.

The proud papa posted, "Continue to fly high,” with a crown emoji.

As for LeBron ... he seemed to leave the retirement option open but most people think he's just signaling to the Lakers .... get better players.

Lamar Odom is adding another assist to his stat line -- the ex-NBA star is stepping up to help a local rehab center that fell on hard times recently ... by raising money to keep it from closing its doors forever.

TMZ Sports is told ... Lamar's recent decision to acquire three California treatment centers has garnered the attention of several facilities in serious need of assistance after being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We're told Lamar met with the family-owned Wavelengths Recovery out of Huntington Beach back in April ... and he felt compelled to partner with the center to help keep its lights on for good.

To get the ball rolling, Lamar has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for food, payroll, renovations and more ... and plans to hold a silent auction, with all profits going toward Wavelengths.

As we previously reported, the 2-time NBA champion recently launched the Odom Wellness Treatment Centers to fight substance abuse ... a cause he has vowed to fight for following his near-fatal overdose in 2015.

Odom previously invested in facilities in San Diego, El Cajon and Lemon Grove ... and he's determined to help save as many lives as possible.

In fact, he even offered his services to "Jackass" star Bam Margera back in April ... although it's unclear if the two were able to connect.

Glen "Big Baby" Davis isn't ready to give up on first-year head coach Joe Mazzulla just yet ... telling TMZ Sports if the Celtics are able to come back and beat the Heat and advance to the NBA Finals, he deserves to keep his job.

We got Davis out at LAX just hours before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals tips off at the TD Garden in Boston ... and the NBA champ said Mazzulla's future with the team is contingent upon whether or not he can rally Boston from down 3-1 to beat Miami in the ECF.

"If you pull this off, you get to stay," Davis said. "If you don't, you're outta there buddy."

FYI -- no team has EVER been able to come back from trailing three games in NBA playoff history ... but after winning Game 4 on Tuesday, the Celtics are hanging on by a thread.

Davis also weighed in on why the Celtics have been inconsistent this season ... and he's pointing the finger at former head coach Ime Udoka, who was suspended by the team following an infidelity scandal last year.

"It f***ed the whole team up," Glen said. "They just had to go get another coach. It kind of f***ed 'em up a little bit."

Udoka, who was engaged to Nia Long, was suspended by the Celtics for the entire 2022-23 season ... even after the first-year head coach led the Cs to the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Although Udoka is no longer with the team, Davis still views the 2-seeded Cs as a good team ... but said Boston's dynamic duo of Jayston Tatum and Jaylen Brown needs to play better.

"Jayson Tatum. Jaylen Brown. They better get that s*** in order, got dammit -- at least a good fight," Davis said. "We can come back. I truly believe. Miami hasn't been good all year. They haven't been consistent. They're playing well right now. We just gotta get on the same level."

Nike might not be distancing itself from Ja Morant over his recent gun-flashing incident after all -- the shoe giant just released his latest signature sneaker on Thursday ... and it sold out in minutes.

The scheduled Ja 1 "Hunger" colorway drop was seemingly up in the air after Nike erased all his shoes off its site last week ... which led to speculation about whether the brand was potentially going to suspend the sale -- or even its relationship with the All-Star guard altogether -- due to his off-court issues.

Luckily for sneakerheads, the kicks still dropped on Nike's SNKRS app ... and quick-acting fans were able to purchase them for $110 before they sold out, as reports claim there was an incredibly small supply.

Despite all the controversy, the shoes were clearly a hot commodity ... with a ton of people going to Twitter to express their frustrations over missing out on the drop.

In fact, one fan tweeted a photo claiming their size was sold out within three seconds of launching on the app.

Of course, hopeful buyers can always go to reseller sites like GOAT and StockX ... but they'll end up paying a bit more than the retail price. Right now, the shoes are selling for around $200.

Nike has been radio silent following Ja's second video ... which is a stark contrast from the Swoosh's statement in support of its athlete following his initial incident in March.

Ja signed a multi-year deal with Nike in 2019 ... and was introduced as its first Gen Z signature athlete.

Houston Rockets star Jalen Green wants his fans to know he's no Ja Morant ... assuring his followers he didn't have a gun as he vibed out to NBA YoungBoy on Instagram Live on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old guard was riding in his car and listening to the rapper's "Bitch Let's Do It" as thousands of fans tuned in ... and given the eerie similarities to Ja's most recent gun-flashing video, plenty of users begged Green to not pull out a weapon.

"Don't flash no gun," one follower said ... as another added, "Don't pull a Ja and pull the gun out."

Jalen noticed the comments and laughed ... before putting all concern to rest by letting everyone know he wasn't strapped.

"Everybody's commenting, 'Don't pull no pistol out,'" Green told a passenger in the car. "They wildin', my n****, man."

"I don't got no gun."

The clip comes as Ja faces serious backlash for his second gun-related video in three months ... which has resulted in a suspension from all Grizzlies activities and an NBA investigation.

Hours before Green's live stream, Morant posted a cryptic message on his Instagram ... which had fans concerned over his well-being and led to cops making a welfare check on the All-Star.

Tina Turner's death sent shockwaves throughout the sports world ... with several legendary athletes paying tribute to the iconic singer.

Magic Johnson shared a few words shortly after the news broke ... praising her as a performer and sharing a throwback picture together.

"Rest in peace to one of my favorite artists of all time, the legendary queen of rock n' roll Tina Turner," Johnson tweeted. "I’ve seen her many many times and hands down, she gave one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. She always gave you your moneys worth."

LeBron James and Lisa Leslie also mourned Turner's passing ... with Leslie calling her "a true icon." James added ... "Rest in Paradise Queen Tina!!!!"

Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith also paid homage to Turner ... sharing a snap of her with a pair of heart and prayer hands emojis.

WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair acknowledged Tina's legacy ... posting a picture of the legendary musician with the caption, "RIP."

Another WWE great, The Iron Sheik, shared his condolences, too ... writing, "Tina Turner I love you with all my heart. The song The Best is true for you. God bless you forever I love you."

Kyrie Irving sneakers could return to a store near you soon ... 'cause the NBA superstar just teased a new deal is on the horizon after his fallout with Nike.

The 8-time All-Star revealed it might not be long before fans can get their hands on some new Kyrie kicks ... discussing the matter during an Instagram Live session on Wednesday afternoon.

"I'm really excited," the 31-year-old said. "I will be signing my new shoe deal very, very soon. I'm 'bout to blow this stuff out the water. I'm so excited about it."

Is it SIA Collective? Musiq Soulchild did tell us he heard Kyrie was talking to the new shoe company last December ... but Irving mentioned no names during the stream.

Uncle Drew was with Nike dating back to 2011, but the Swoosh cut ties with the hoop star after his controversial tweet sharing an antisemitic film in 2022.

The point guard -- who last played for the Dallas Mavericks -- also said to be on the lookout for his free agency decision ... and urged fans not to listen to analysts, TV personalities, or sports influencers who claim they know his next move.

"I'm a free agent this summer, but I am in no rush to make a decision," Irving said.

"When they speak on my name and they're talking about potential teams that I'm going to, can y'all please, respectfully, I'm asking, please stop paying attention to that."

Of course, many speculate Irving could join his old teammate LeBron James in Los Angeles, especially after the guard was spotted sitting courtside at a recent Lakers playoff game.

Despite the rumors, Irving swore up and down no one knows what he's going to do -- just him.

Police tell TMZ Sports officers did a welfare check on Ja Morant following his cryptic social media posts on Wednesday ... and, thankfully, they discovered he is not in any danger.

A spokesperson for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office said cops went to the NBA star's home in Tennessee shortly after Morant shared the concerning messages on his Instagram page ... and they say he told them simply "that he is taking a break from social media."

"He is fine," the spokesperson added.

In Morant's posts, he shared pictures of him with his mom, dad, and daughter ... before writing a caption that said nothing more than "bye." The posts were deleted a short time later.

Of course, given the turmoil that's surrounded him since he was seen brandishing a gun on video for the second time in less than three months ... his fans expressed big worry for the 23-year-old basketball player.

Fortunately, though, seems everything is OK.

Morant has said very little publicly since the second gun video was posted ... releasing just one statement that read, in part, "My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself."

An NBA investigation into the clip remains ongoing.

Ja Morant has fans concerned over a cryptic note shared to his social media account on Wednesday ... after the Memphis Grizzlies star showed love for his family before simply saying, "bye."

The messages were quickly deleted from the All-Star's Instagram page just minutes ago ... but screenshots have been shared all over, which have sparked thoughts and prayers being sent from his supporters.

Ja posted four different Instagram stories ... with tributes to his mom, dad and daughter before sharing the farewell note.

It's unclear if the post is a goodbye to social media or something much more serious ... as there's speculation he could be on hard times following his second gun-flashing video in just a few months.

23-year-old Morant was suspended last weekend after the second video surfaced ... and the NBA is currently investigating the matter. There's belief he could be facing a lengthy punishment from the league.

Commissioner Adam Silver said he was "shocked" by Morant's actions ... and while the league's still looking into the video, he's "expecting the worst."

We've reached out to reps for Morant, as well as local authorities -- so far, no word back.