NBA

Drake might be wearing Gradey Dick's jersey after all ... 'cause after the Toronto Raptors rookie gave Drizzy a shout-out at the NBA Draft, the rapper followed him on IG -- and Dick is hyped!

ICYMI, Toronto selected the former Kansas guard with the 13th overall pick in the draft on Thursday, which went down in Brooklyn, New York. Dick, while meeting with reporters, said his first mission as a Raptor was to become besties with Drake.

"Gotta get out there, see Drake. I haven't seen him a bunch, but I'm looking forward to that," the 19-year-old said at the press conference.

"[Becoming boys with Drake], that's the goal. I need him to wear my jersey. That's my priority."

Well, Drake got the message ... and since Dick's jersey won't be on sale yet, the Toronto rapper and Raptors super fan followed him on Instagram for the time being.

Dick was stoked and showed fans that the Champagne Papi verified account was officially one of his followers.

"Come on," Dick said. "Champagne Papi!!!"

It's safe to say Dick, who spent one season with the Kansas Jayhawks, had a GREAT Thursday ... Dream of being an NBA player fulfilled, and a follow from Drake.

Memphis Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman says he feels Ja Morant's 25-game suspension was "appropriate" ... telling reporters the face of the franchise needs to make some major changes during his time away from the team.

Kleiman answered several questions about the All-Star guard's punishment following Thursday's NBA Draft ... and while he claimed the two sides maintain a solid relationship, he made it clear the organization is "disappointed" in his recent actions.

"I think the discipline from the NBA was appropriate," Kleiman said.

"I think the thing to focus on at this point is ... what's Ja going to commit to moving forward? What are the steps that he's prepared to take for the NBA to grant the ability to rejoin the team after serving the suspension?"

The 23-year-old was hit with the ban after he flashed what appeared to be a gun for the second time in two months ... which, according to video obtained by TMZ Sports, he claimed was actually a lighter.

The National Basketball Players' Association ripped the suspension shortly after it was announced last week ... calling it "excessive and inappropriate."

But, Kleiman believes the league made the right call ... and the team has had good conversations with its star player about what he needs to do in order to get back on the court.

"I think there's a lot of healthy dialogue there," he added. "I think everyone did acknowledge early on that this was going to be ongoing and Ja wasn't just going to become the best version of himself overnight. I think there's many really serious steps that he needs to continue to take."

Ja apologized for the second gun video after the NBA's decision was handed down ... and he vowed to be a better role model to his fans.

The San Antonio Spurs just made the easiest decision in franchise history ... taking international sensation Victor Wembanyama with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The 19-year-old French big man was the most hyped prospect since LeBron James ... in large in part due to his 7'5" frame, smooth ball-handling skills and impressive shooting ability.

In fact, Wemby was a massive betting favorite to have his name called first on Thursday at -50000 odds (you'd have to bet $50k just to win a hundred bucks).

Wembanyama was a star for the LNB Pro A's Metropolitans 92 this past season ... racking up 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3 blocks a game.

The selection was pretty much set in stone after the ping pong balls landed in the Spurs' favor at the Draft Lottery last month ... which was unofficially dubbed the Wemby Sweepstakes.

Wemby is already a massive star in the States ... as there have been massive crowds following him throughout NYC this week.

The rest of the draft will get a bit more interesting ... with stars like Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller slated to round out the top 3.

One thing's for sure ... Wemby won't have to pay for a meal in San Antonio again.

Gradey Dick is not in Kansas anymore ... but the former Jayhawk is still paying homage to his home state nonetheless at the 2023 NBA Draft -- rockin' a "Wizard Of Oz" inspired suit!!

The shooting guard pulled up to the annual event at Barclays Center on Thursday looking just like Dorothy's famous red shoes ... and he told media members at the venue that there was absolutely no coincidence there.

"So, I'm from Kansas," Dick said while showing off the 'fit. "Dorothy has her little slippers, I got my Dorothy suit!"

Dick paired the shiny blazer with a matching turtle neck, some black slacks, some Christian Louboutin red bottom shoes and some sunglasses.

He also revealed he got a custom chain made for the momentous occasion too!!

It won't be long before you'll get to see the outfit on television -- many draft experts expect him to go within the top 12 picks later tonight.

As for the rest of the draft's prospects ... they didn't go quite as outlandish as Dick -- though they still looked stylish.

Victor Wembanyama -- the projected first overall pick -- wore a classic all-forest green suit, while UConn's Jordan Hawkins -- who won the NCAA title in April -- also kept it lowkey, wearing a crisp black suit and tie.

Meanwhile, Villanova's Cam Whitmore -- who's projected to go in the first round -- also wore a black suit ... but paired it with some custom kicks that have his high school and college jerseys painted on the side.

Bronny James will honor his dad, LeBron James, during his freshman year on the USC Trojans hoops team this fall ... wearing jersey number 6, the same number as his pops.

The University of Southern California confirmed the jersey number news on Thursday, sharing a photo of Bronny in the cardinal and gold threads.

Remember, the former Sierra Canyon star wore 0 during his high school career, explaining it was a tribute to his favorite NBA player, and his dad's former teammate, Russell Westbrook.

Bronny also previously wore #23 in honor of his dad.

Of course, King James first wore #6 in Miami in 2012, before ultimately switching back to 23, and then returning to 6, which he now wears for the Lakers.

But, Bron isn't the first great player to rock the digit ... Julius Erving, Ben Wallace, and Bill Russell also wore the number. In fact, the NBA retired #6 leaguewide after Russell passed away last July, a way of honoring the 11-time champ.

LeBron James put down the basketballs this week and grabbed a handful of Rihanna's pregnant belly instead -- and the adorable moment was all captured on video!!!

The King has been in France the past few days enjoying a little vacation during the Lakers' offseason ... and while at the Louis Vuitton show in Paris -- he ran into his longtime friend, Rihanna.

The two shared a warm embrace ... and at one point during the hug, LBJ couldn't help but give a squeeze to the most famous stomach on the planet at the moment.

Check out the footage, Bron palmed it like a basketball for several seconds -- and the "Work" singer was loving it!!

RiRi grabbed James' hand and appeared to thank him for some kind words he was whispering ... and it was all a super sweet moment.

Of course, the meetup was just one of many memorable occasions LeBron's gotten to experience this week ... he was able to dine with Draymond Green just a few days prior -- and he even received some serious praise for the 'fit and grill he rocked to the LV show.

Listen up, future NBA rookies ... Dwyane Wade is offering some advice heading into Thursday night's draft -- telling TMZ Sports every guy who's about to head to the Association NEEDS to make their finances a priority.

Wade doled out the guidance in front of Dash Radio in Hollywood this week ... saying it's absolutely critical for rookies to be able to manage their money effectively.

In fact, the future Hall of Famer said it's the No. 1 thing he knows now that he wishes he had known way back when he was getting drafted into the NBA in 2003.

"Try to get you somebody in your life that really knows finances," the 41-year-old said. "Somebody who, hopefully, you can build a relationship with. Hopefully, you can build a trust with eventually."

Wade took his counsel a step further ... saying the guys should do everything they can to learn about their upcoming NBA checks on their own as well.

Of course, Wade is one of the best people rookies can hear the tips from ... he played in the league for 16 seasons -- and piled up nearly $200 MILLION in contracts alone.

The greatest basketball player of all time is NOT Michael Jordan OR LeBron James, according to future top lottery pick Brandon Miller, who says his NBA G.O.A.T. is none other than ... Paul George!

The former Alabama hoops star revealed his all-time favorite when asked about the MJ-LBJ G.O.A.T. debate during his pre-NBA Draft press conference on Wednesday, shocking mostly everyone.

"I actually don’t think LeBron is the G.O.A.T. of basketball," the 22-year-old said. "My G.O.A.T. of basketball is Paul George. I grew up watching him."

This comes after Miller met with Jordan several times ... as he's projected to be a top-three selection, and the Charlotte Hornets have the 2nd overall pick.

"My first time seeing him in person," Miller said. "It's definitely exciting."

Obviously, not exciting enough to earn a spot as the greatest hooper ever.

Of course, PG13 has a nice resume, and over his 13-season career, has been one of the best two-way players in the league. Still, the statement caused a lot of basketball fans to scratch their heads.

Some actually roasted Miller for his statement on social media ... with one fan saying, "He automatically drops to like 10th overall pick now".

But, it's more a subjective question, as opposed to objective (though, stats/career achievements do play a part), and there's nothing wrong with having your own opinion. In fact, Miller's such a huge fan of George that he even mimics the 8-time All-Star on the court.

"I think I compare myself to Paul George a lot due to the fact he takes pride in the defensive side," Miller told HoopsHype. "I steal some of his moves and put my own twist to it."

4:04 PM PT -- It's a good thing Wemby is a great basketball player, 'cause the prospect's first pitch was quite the stinker ... flying waaaay outta the strike zone and past the catcher.

Wemby was a good sport over it all ... smiling as he made his way to home plate after the toss.

It was pretty expected, though -- after all, baseball ain't the biggest sport in France.

Keep your head up, buddy!!

Future NBA star Victor Wembanyama is throwing the first pitch at the New York Yankees game on Tuesday ... and the giant hooper showed off just how massive he is prior to the ceremonial toss by covering a baseball with his whole hand!!

The soon-to-be San Antonio Spur shared a snap of himself holding a baseball leading up to the big moment ... and the 7'5" athlete made the damn thing look more like a golf ball.

"Lmaooooo," Wemby said on Instagram ... fully aware that he is a freak of nature.

The French superstar was friendly as usual with fans before the game ... signing autographs as he rocked a Yankee jersey and a pair of unreleased Nike x Drake kicks.

As we previously reported, Wemby touched down in the States on Monday ... and was bombarded by supporters, which was a glimpse of what the rest of his life will look like.

The game starts at 4 PM PT ... and Wemby will take the mound prior to the Yankees' tilt against the Seattle Mariners.

There's now really no way Michael Malone ever forgets this year's NBA championship ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the Nuggets head coach just got a tattoo on his shoulder commemorating the title!

The 51-year-old newly crowned champ hit up Mike Diaz's Triple W Tattoos shop in Colorado on Tuesday to get the work done ... ensuring he'll always remember his 2022-23 squad.

The piece is hilarious ... it features an image of the Nuggets' first-ever mascot, Maxie the Miner, holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

And, check out Malone's smile after he sat for the tat -- he loved it!!

Diaz tells us ... the body art is Malone's second-ever -- and the first one he's gotten in a couple decades -- proving this was not a decision the Nugs' head man took lightly.

Malone, though, wasn't the only member of the NBA champions to put title ink on his skin Tuesday ... Diaz also tatted the same Maxie image on Denver assistant video coordinator Connor Griffin. The artist says he's planning to tat up assistant coach Ryan Bowen on Wednesday as well.

As for how the Nuggets coaches got a hold of Diaz -- he went viral earlier this postseason when he offered Denver fans $52.80 flash tattoos (in honor of the Mile High City) during the team's series against the Lakers ... and Malone and his guys clearly appreciated the support.

Zion Williamson can breathe a sigh of relief for now -- his alleged former fling just had her Twitter account suspended after threatening to release a sex tape involving the NBA star.

As we previously reported, an adult model named Moriah Mills has gone scorched earth on the New Orleans Pelicans forward ever since he revealed he was having a baby with his girlfriend earlier this month ... claiming she, too, was in an intimate relationship with him at the same time -- and she was blindsided by the news.

Moriah aired out her frustrations with the 22-year-old on social media ... spilling tea about alleged wire transfers and moving plans ... as well as some other REALLY X-rated claims.

The whole Twitter spat lasted two weeks before Elon Musk's company pulled the plug on Tuesday ... with her page that sports more than a million followers getting scrubbed from the platform.

Moriah previously claimed Zion was begging her to stop posting ... which she didn't until she literally could not anymore.

LeBron James and Draymond Green were spotted enjoying the fruits of their labor in Europe over the weekend ... and the timing is pretty interesting, considering the Warriors star is slated to test the market in free agency in a matter of days.

The NBA stars both rocked bucket hats and sunglasses as they shared a meal and chatted with restaurateur Samy Sass in a pic posted to Instagram ... which also showed Draymond holding a cigar in his hand.

The duo of 4-time NBA champions have been friends off the court for years and there is a ton of mutual respect between the two ... so it's not necessarily earth-shattering to see them hanging out.

But the timing is something of note, as many believe Green and James -- who share agent Rich Paul -- could end up on the Lakers together next season.

Green -- who will hit free agency after declining his $27.5 million player option to stay with the Dubs -- has had nothing but high praise for the King over the years ... going as far as to say he's the greatest player of all time over Michael Jordan.

Maybe it was just two friends chilling during the offseason ... or perhaps it was much more.

NFL star Maxx Crosby just got a permanent reminder to chase greatness daily ... getting pictures of Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, and Kobe Bryant tattooed all over his torso!!

The Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher got the work done last week ... hitting up Andres Ortega at Onder Ink for the massive piece, and check out the images of the artwork -- it came out awesome.

Just above his right hip, Crosby got a shot of Jordan in the middle of a free-throw stroke. To the left of that, the football player had an iconic snap of Ali put down. And, just above his left hip, Crosby also got a photo of Kobe mid-celebration inked too.

Ortega tells the reasoning for the trio of tats was simple ... Crosby wanted to make sure he always keeps his focus on his journey to being one of the best ever -- hence why he also got the words "Be Legendary" put near his rib cage as well.

The homages to the sports icons, though, were far from the only tats he got ... Ortega also put a sweet tribute to Crosby's baby daughter on his chest, before rounding out the nod to the newborn with diamonds and a rose.

In total, Ortega says it took about 11 hours to complete.

1,500 entrepreneurs in Florida got quite the stylin' and profilin' surprise from WWE legend Ric Flair ... who shocked the audience, crashing longtime friend Magic Johnson's keynote speech to the packed crowd!

63-year-old Johnson spoke about building a billion-dollar empire and the importance of charity at the RiseCon conference in Tampa Friday morning ... but his speech was interrupted by a familiar voice and famous phrase.

"There's only one man at the top," 74-year-old Flair yelled when he hit the stage, as many in the crowd gave their best "woooooo!"

The WWE Hall of Famer continued ... "The limousine ridin', kiss stealin', wheelin' dealin', son of a gun that's having a hard time holding these crocodiles down, woo!"

Ric continued, taking a shot at the 5x NBA champs rival, Larry Legend.

"By the way, I hated Larry Bird. You beat him in college. You kicked his ass in the pros. You're the man! You're the man!"

The surprise was arranged by RiseCon CEO Vick Tipnes through agent Darren Prince, who reps both men.

Of course, outside of his incredible accomplishments on the basketball court, Magic is one of the most successful retired athletes turned business tycoons.

Aside from Johnson, the 3-day event, designed to "maximize every area of your life," featured other stars like David Goggins, who may be the toughest man on the face of the Earth, 4x Mr. Olympia winner Jay Cutler, and author, trainer, and motivational speaker Tim Grover, who trained Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, also spoke.

Victor Wembanyama mania is in full effect -- the future No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft was mobbed by fans as he touched down in the U.S. on Monday ... and the scene was crazy!!

The 19-year-old French phenom is at the center of the basketball world ahead of Thursday's festivities ... and all signs point to the San Antonio Spurs taking him as soon as they're on the clock.

Wembanyama immediately got a taste of what it will be like to be a celebrity in America when he landed at JFK airport ... being met with a large group of supporters.

Fans brought basketballs, magazines, and custom jerseys in hopes of getting an autograph from the 7'5" hooper ... and based on the footage, he was patient enough to sign as much as he could before heading into a sprinter van.

"I don't know how they knew what flight I was on, but it's fun," Wembanyama said of the impromptu meet-and-greet. "It's different, seeing that you can have such impact on people."

The woman who accused Conor McGregor of rape was seen on video with the UFC star at a club table just minutes after she says the sexual assault happened.

The footage, obtained by TMZ Sports, was shot at around 12:40 a.m. on June 10 inside the Kaseya Center in Miami ... roughly half an hour or so after the woman claims he attacked her inside of a bathroom following Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

In the clips, you can see McGregor and the woman appearing to exchange words while holding drinks ... before Conor eventually leaves the area.

According to the woman's attorney, Ariel Mitchell, the video shows her client and McGregor were "visibly awkwardly interacting with each other" -- something she alleges the two were not doing prior to their restroom encounter.

"My client has always stated that there would be video of before and after, and in those videos she emphasized that the difference in the interactions between them would be visibly noticeable," Mitchell said in a statement to TMZ Sports. "This again is another video that supports what my client has been saying and supports what she told the police since the inception of this incident."

McGregor's attorney, meanwhile, says the footage shows what he's been claiming all along ... that the allegations are false.

"While the claimant's story has changed yet again," Barbara R. Llanes said in a statement, "our account of the evening has never changed. This video only reinforces our position. We look forward to the swift conclusion of the investigation."

Previous video that we obtained showed McGregor and the woman had been interacting at the club throughout the evening. In one vid, he was seen flexing with her as music blared. In another, the 34-year-old was seen grabbing the woman by her hand and leading her into a bathroom.

The woman has claimed while inside of the restroom ... Conor kissed her without her consent, forced her to perform oral sex, and attempted to sodomize her.

McGregor has been adamant that the woman's claims are "no more than a shakedown."