NBA

LeBron James traded in his signature Nike kicks for a polo and clipboard on Wednesday, coaching up son Bryce James at one of the most heralded H.S. hoops tourneys in the world!

It all went down Wednesday afternoon at Nike's Peach Jam in North Augusta, SC ... which features some of the best high school players from around the country, competing against each other.

16-year-old Bryce hoops for SVG -- Strive For Greatness -- and while LeBron isn't technically the head coach, he shared some of his wisdom with the squad as they took on the Florida Rebels.

And, the King wasn't alone ... 2x NBA champ Rajon Rondo was also there, assisting.

FYI, Bron and Rondo aren't the only big names around ... Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, Carmelo Anthony, and several other NBA stars also have teams.

Rivals reporter Krysten Peek even captured video of Bron drawing up a play during a timeout, while the former Celtics star coached up one of their players on the side.

SVG won their first game on Monday ... where 6'4" Bryce, who recently transferred to Campbell Hall from Sierra Canyon, dropped 12 points (on 4-of-9 shooting).

The Victor Wembanyama effect is real -- the most hyped prospect since LeBron James isn't just generating an uptick in regular season tickets sales ... fans are paying big money to catch a glimpse of the 7'5" phenom in the SUMMER LEAGUE!

Wemby -- who sat out the Sacramento Summer League games earlier this week -- is expected to make his NBA debut in the Las Vegas Summer League on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets.

Ticket reseller Gametime, which specializes in last-minute tix, tells TMZ Sports they're seeing a "huge demand for tickets" ... and they're going for significantly more than other summer league games.

We're told ticket prices for most games are 40 around bucks, but for Wemby, prices start at $186!

"The top-priced seats are going for $617 per seat," a Gametime spokesperson told us.

It probably shouldn't come as a surprise... hype around the 19-year-old prospect, who became the first French-born player to be drafted first overall, has been insane.

He can run, jump, shoot, defend ... all of it, at his absolutely massive size (he has an 8-foot wingspan!)

Not even LeBron is immune to the hype around Wemby.

"Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, well he’s more like an alien," James said last season.

"His ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot step-back jumpers on the post, step-back 3s, catch-and-shoot 3s, block shots. He’s for sure a generational talent."

Wembanyama will have the eyes of the basketball world on him later this week ... but he won't be the only star playing in the game. Number two overall pick Brandon Miller (good enough to be the first overall pick in most drafts) will be across from Victor, playing for the Hornets.

Someone who witnessed LeBron James break the NBA scoring record earlier this year is absolutely thrilled to have kept the ticket ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned it's now expected to fetch a few THOUSAND dollars at auction next month!!!

The $92 stub that was used by a fan to watch James pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at Crypto.com Arena back on Feb. 7 just hit the block this week ... and Heritage Auctions experts say it could ultimately sell for over $5,000.

The ticket for the historic Lakers vs. Thunder tilt is awesome ... it's from the 2nd row of section 209 -- and it was given a Mint 9 grade by PSA.

As for the potential sale price -- it seems steep, considering nearly 20,000 people were there and the game happened just a few months ago -- but as we previously reported, it's far from the only thing that night that is worth a ton to NBA collectors.

You'll recall ... Chris Ivy, the director of sports auctions at Heritage Auctions, told us back in February he believes 'Bron's game-worn jersey from the night could land $3 MILLION if it ever made it to the auction block.

A couple of Nepo babies just got a taste of the limits of family fame ... because Bronny James and Shareef O'Neal were unceremoniously rejected from a hot Hollywood party.

Bronny, who's about to play at USC, and his pal Shareef showed up at Poppy Monday night, for Saweeties' birthday bash. You'd think they'd be a shoo-in given their famous fathers -- LeBron and Shaq, but it was embarrassingly not the case.

The 2 didn't get through the front door ... denied, denied.

On the other hand, it's possible their status isn't what torpedoed them. They were with a bunch of friends and no one got in.

Well, lots to do in Hollywood, so we're guessing their party went on.

The chain Nick Smith Jr. rocked to the NBA draft was SERIOUSLY iced out ... TMZ Sports has learned it featured a staggering 40 carats of VS diamonds!!

We're told the former Arkansas Razorbacks point guard hit up Courtney Roy of Clarity Custom Jewelry to get the piece made just before the big event ... and as you can see, the jeweler certainly delivered.

Roy -- who also made pieces for Cassius Stanley and Jacob Evans -- tells us he spent about two weeks carefully crafting the bling ... not only decking it out in the diamonds but adding 14k of white gold to it as well.

The piece features Smith's "NS" initials ... and sits on a Cuban link chain -- and the 19-year-old hooper was clearly happy with the piece.

Smith Jr. wore it on stage with Adam Silver with pride just after the Charlotte Hornets took him with the 27th overall pick.

Magic Johnson may hate the show, but Larry Bird is gonna be THRILLED with the next season of "Winning Time" ... so says actor Newton Mayenge, who tells TMZ Sports he thinks the Celtics legend will love his portrayal in the project.

It's no secret -- some ex-Lakers superstars aren't too pleased with HBO's hit series that documents the Showtime era ... with Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar publicly ripping it to shreds.

We spoke with Mayenge -- who plays former NBAer Jim Chones on the show -- about the backlash from the OGs ... and while he says the WT actors would love their support and approval, they still have a job to do.

"It was a love story for them," Mayenge tells us. "If they don't necessarily see it that way, it's unfortunate, but we gotta continue to move forward."

Season 2 will focus on the Lakers' rivalry with the Boston Celtics, which means Larry Legend will play a huge part ... and Mayenge had nothing but praise for the guy tasked with the role.

"My castmate who plays him, Sean Patrick Small, he was born to play Larry Bird, first and foremost," Mayenge says.

"He freaking killed it. My personal opinion is Larry's gonna love it because once again, it's a love letter to him as well."

In fact, Mayenge even praises Small's hoop skills ... saying the guy "embodies" the Hall of Famer on and off the court.

Michael Jordan has never been one to mince his words, and he's sticking true to form when asked about his son, Marcus, dating Larsa Pippen.

The G.O.A.T (to most) was spotted leaving dinner at Matignon in Paris Sunday when he was asked about 32-year-old Marcus' relationship with 48-year-old Pippen.

At first, MJ just laughs -- but the photog doubles down asking if Jordan approves -- to which Michael offers a resounding "No!" The photog asks again, and MJ just shakes his head no.

Obviously, MJ's take is much different than the story Larsa recently told a few months ago on "The Tamron Hall Show." When asked about her dynamic with Marcus' family, she said, "I feel like, we've spent holidays together and it's good. We're in a great place."

Of course, Marcus and Larsa have been dating for quite some time now. Larsa admitted when they first got together she had him saved in her phone under a different name to prevent anyone from finding out about the couple.

Charles Barkley is doing his part in end-running the United States Supreme Court's decision outlawing affirmative action in college admissions ... he's amending his will to provide scholarships for Black students.

Barkley says he'll leave $5 million to his alma mater, Auburn, adding, “That’s just my way of trying to make sure Auburn stays diverse. After that ruling yesterday, my phone was blowing up. I was talking to my friends and said, ‘I need to make sure Black folks always have a place at Auburn.’”

Black students comprise just over 5% of Auburn's student body.

As you know, SCOTUS gutted affirmative action Thursday, ruling that using race as a factor in deciding who gets into a school violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. The way the ruling is written ... it could have far-reaching implications, including in the area of employment.

Victor Wembanyama has talent that would dominate in any era ... so says Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, who tells TMZ Sports the French superstar would be able to hold his own against the iconic "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons!!

The San Antonio Spurs' top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft is widely considered the best prospect since LeBron James ... with a skill set that's never been seen from a guy officially listed at 7 feet, three and a half inches tall.

While the 19-year-old can defend, shoot, dribble and pass like a seasoned vet ... Wemby's not the most muscular dude in the world, and some critics are worried about how he'll hold up against the bigger-framed guys in the Association.

All that concern can be put to rest, 'cause when we spoke with Zeke out in NYC this week, we asked how he thought Wemby would fare against the grittiest lineup of all-time -- the 2-time champion Bad Boy Pistons -- and he said, "He would actually be able to stand up [to us]."

It's pretty shocking, considering players like Zeke, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman and Rick Mahorn made life a living hell for the biggest stars of the late 1980s and early '90s -- just ask Michael Jordan.

Safe to say Isiah thinks the giant hooper has a bright future in the league ... adding, "He's gonna be fine, very excited to have him in the NBA. He's going to be great."

There's more -- Thomas has also been in the headlines recently ... after Chris Paul claimed he played a role in the trade that sent him from the Phoenix Suns to the Washington Wizards.

Damian Lillard is throwing in the towel in Portland -- the guy just requested a trade from his longtime team, the Trailblazers, and word is ... he wants to go southeast.

News broke Saturday that the PG asked Portland brass for a one-way ticket out of the franchise, and per NBA insider Shams Charania -- he's angling for a deal to be made with the Miami Heat specifically. Woj is reporting the Blazers will try to accommodate him.

Now, while Dame has apparently made his desired landing spot clear ... what remains to be seen is if he actually ends up going there. Woj is also reporting that other interested parties include the Clippers and 76ers ... that the Blazers will get as much as they can for DL.

In other words, if the Heat turn out to be a team that can't give them the most bang for their buck (draft picks/young players) ... they'll go elsewhere, and Dame could end up back in the west again, despite a reported interest in moving to the East Coast. Business 101.

Now, while a lot of Blazers fans are lamenting losing the bona fide face of the franchise -- who's been incredibly loyal to Portland for years now -- this is actually a move many anticipated in the wake of the team drafting Scoot Henderson recently ... an up-and-coming point guard who has a lot of potential and who the Blazers clearly want to replace Dame.

Many took that pick as a not-so-subtle message to Dame ... namely, it's time for you to go big dawg. For a minute, there was an unspoken game of chicken going on as to who'd blink first. As it turns out, Dame pulled the trigger and got the message -- time to move on.

Another element at play here that's made it difficult for the Blazers to sign other good players over the years is the fact that he signed a cash-rich supermax deal with the team a few years ago ... and while he's said he was dedicated to bringing them a championship, the reality is -- that was likely never going to happen with their salary cap issues.

Andre Johnson and Adrian Peterson, along with other current and retired NFL players tried to take each other's heads off in an intense game of volleyball ... and let's just say Eric Reid is probably sorry he didn't bring his football helmet!

But, it was all for charity ... and that's gotta ease (some of) the pain.

The Ultimate Most Dopest Dodgeball Charity Challenge went down last week in Texas ... pitting 4 teams, captained by Alex Bregman (the MLB star couldn't be there, but his wife Reagan held it down) DeAndre Hopkins, Chester Pitts, and reigning Super Bowl champ Justin Reid.

The captains all played for charities near and dear to their hearts. Cecil Shorts III, Tank Dell, DJ Reader and a bunch of other guys also participated.

Pitts and Reid's team were the last teams alive ... and Eric Reid was the last man standing on his squad. Despite fighting like hell against multiple players from Pitts' team, Eric was taken out by a line drive throw from Andre Johnson.

To add insult to injury, someone on Johnson's team fired another ball a split second later, and it smacked ER directly in the side of the face/head. Thankfully, Eric was okay (you don't play 7 NFL seasons if you aren't tough)!

FYI, headshots are usually illegal in dodgeball, but it technically wasn't the shot that eliminated Reid.

It was a rough day to be a Golden State Warrior on Thursday ... while Klay Thompson and Steph Curry were bad on the golf course, Draymond Green showed he's got ZERO skills when it comes to chugging beer!

The comically awful showing from the NBA stars all went down during the eighth iteration of The Match at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas ... when the Splash Brothers were trying to beat Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce in the annual charity golf event.

Thompson and Curry struggled mightily against the Kansas City Chiefs superstars ... losing the contest in just 10 holes.

But, perhaps the bigger story happened earlier in the evening ... when Kelce gave Green a booze-slugging contraption and 12 ounces of Coors Light.

The tight end tried his best to get Green to pour it out properly down his throat -- but check out the video ... Green was awful!!

The 33-year-old got more of it on his shirt than in his mouth -- and Kelce was cracking up over it all!!

To his credit, Green was a good sport about the snafu ... though he did try to blame Kelce's device for the mishap.

For Kelce's part, he showed he had absolutely no issues with the thing just a few minutes before Green's debacle ... slamming a Silver Bullet in less than four seconds.

The day -- despite the Warriors' worst efforts -- was still a good one nonetheless ... it showed Mahomes is truly good at everything, AND it raised a ton of cash for various charities.

Good work, guys!

Nike is gearing up to relaunch Kobe Bryant's line with the Swoosh, the sportswear giant's CEO announced to investors on Thursday ... and fans won't have to wait long, products are expected to drop before the end of August!

CEO John Donahue spoke on an earnings call this week, where he announced some seriously awesome news ... "It's going to be an exciting summer as we set the stage to relaunch the Kobe brand in advance of Kobe Day on 8.24," JD said.

Donahue, nor Nike, expounded further, so specifics surrounding Kobe's brand are still unclear.

A relaunch wasn't always a foregone conclusion. The longtime partnership between Nike and Kobe/KB's estate came to an end in April 2021 when a new contract could not be agreed upon.

Fast forward to March 2022 ... when Vanessa Bryant announced the estate reached a new deal with Nike, restoring one of the most successful partnerships in shoewear history.

At the time, Vanessa said of the new agreement ... "We're excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue! I am so proud that my husband's shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts and that the demand for his shoes remains so desired by his fans around the world."

Bryant continued ... "With this new partnership, fans will soon be able to have access to Kobe and Gigi Nike products for years to come and with Nike donating 100% of the net proceeds yearly for Gianna’s shoes to our Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation."

Since the reunion, the releases from Nike have been sparse. There were Kobe 4 and 6's released on a limited basis, but there haven't been any major drops.

Lamar Odom is worried for Bam Margera ... worried he's keeping bad company.

As we first reported ... Bam was detoxing in San Diego earlier this month with Lamar's help, but he left early, and given Bam's track record, Lamar is concerned.

Lamar clearly thinks Bam is hanging with the wrong crowd, saying, "Who you surround yourself with is critical. We are the company we keep."

Bam actually stayed with Lamar last weekend after leaving the detox center, but he bounced and Odom thinks that's more than problematic.

Lamar thinks there's a card his friends and family can play that could get Bam's attention ... namely his ability to see is son, Phoenix.

Remember, Bam threatened to smoke crack until he died if he couldn't see his kid, so that could be a pressure point that works.

Lamar says he's going to try and track Bam down and encourage him to go to rehab at the Odom Recovery Group.

Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley are gonna love this -- Kenny "The Jet" Smith has landed back on the beaches of Miami ... and he brought along the stunning Aline Bernardes for another relaxing day in the sun.

The "Inside The NBA" cohost and his lady first made waves back in May when they were spotted out in Florida together ... which, naturally, had his TV buddies cracking jokes left and right for the next few days.

Luckily for Smith, the NBA season is over ... so he can enjoy his free time with the model without worrying about the guys cracking jokes in front of a national audience.

Smith and Bernardes appear to be really into each other -- they were closer than ever as they rocked their swimsuits and went for a soak in the water on Thursday.

While their first trip to the beach was pretty chill, there was more PDA this time around -- Aline wrapped her arms around the NBA champ as they walked deeper into the ocean.

It looks like the return to the beach was entertaining for both ... they smiled from ear-to-ear throughout the day.

San Antonio Spurs guard Devonte' Graham has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving while impaired stemming from his July 2022 arrest ... TMZ Sports has learned.

According to a spokesperson for the Wake County District Attorney's Office, Graham entered the plea during a court hearing on Tuesday after cutting a deal with prosecutors.

We're told the speeding charge that Graham was also facing in the case will be dismissed as part of the deal.

A sentencing hearing for Graham has now been slated for next month.

The 28-year-old NBA player was initially hit with the two charges back on July 7, 2022 ... after authorities in Raleigh, North Carolina say he had been doing 63 MPH in a 40 MPH zone while intoxicated at around 3 AM.

Police at the time said after pulling over Graham for speeding, breath tests revealed he had a BAC of .11.

Graham -- a former second-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft -- had been playing for the New Orleans Pelicans at the time of the arrest ... but he was traded to the Spurs roughly seven months later as part of a deal for Josh Richardson.

Graham went on to play in 20 games for San Antonio, averaging 13 points per game.