NBA

Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams says news of Bronny James' cardiac arrest rocked the hoops world ... telling TMZ Sports "the whole basketball community" is now reeling.

LeBron James' son was raced to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Monday morning after he collapsed on the court at USC's Galen Center ... and when Williams heard the news Tuesday -- he said everyone who's ever hooped was rattled.

"In the basketball community, it's all a family," Williams said out in Beverly Hills. "You know what I mean? No matter where you are, basketball brings you in as a family. So, it definitely hurt the whole basketball community when we heard that."

Williams said he'd continue to send prayers Bronny's way ... with the hopes that the teenager will make a speedy recovery.

Of course, the 21-year-old NBA player -- the 4th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft -- was far from only pro baller to send his thoughts to the James family ... everyone from Trae Young to Jalen Brunson to Jayson Tatum also expressed their well wishes.

Even Magic Johnson and Metta World Peace took to their Twitter pages to write notes of encouragement to LeBron's eldest child ... and LBJ's former teammate, Ronny Turiaf, said he'd be there once Bronny's released from the hospital to help guide him in his journey back to full strength.

As for how Bronny's currently doing, sources tell TMZ there's been enough positivity surrounding his recovery already that his parents are "relieved."

Ice Cube has a serious bone to pick with the NBA and Adam Silver ... saying the league talks a good game about equality, but when it comes to supporting a black-owned company --like Cube's BIG3 -- they've completely dropped the ball.

The rap legend and 3-on-3 league founder teed off on the commish while he was on Tucker Carlson's Twitter show ... calling out Silver for making it seem like the league is at the forefront of change -- when, in his opinion, it's not doing much at all.

He said, "The NBA is full of great slogans and they write 'Black Lives Matter' on the court and they do all those things, but pretty full of s*** when the rubber meets the road."

Cube believes promoting the BIG3 would be a layup for the Association to show they're really about the cause ... but instead, their grand gestures have resulted in no real action.

"I'm just saying it's easy for them to put that on the court. It takes a little more effort to really care to work with a league like the BIG3. You really gotta want to make a difference."

Cube has been in an ongoing feud with Silver ... claiming there are several NBA team owners who want to get involved in the BIG3, but the league won't let them.

He's even openly said "I don’t give a f**k about working with the NBA" ... but wants the league to quit trying to keep his organization from growing.

Bronny James is doing well enough after his health scare that his parents are "relieved," sources with knowledge tell TMZ Sports.

LeBron and wife Savannah put everything on hold Monday after Bronny suffered cardiac arrest while practicing at USC.

TMZ broke the story ... Bronny, who was unconscious, was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and taken to the ICU.

We're told Bronny is doing much better ... well enough that his parents are calmer. Not to say, of course, they're not anxious to know what caused Bronny's heart to stop, but they seem to have gotten enough reassurance from his doctors to tamp down the fear. One word used to describe them -- "optimistic."

One sign that must have reassured LeBron and Savannah -- Bronny was only in ICU for a short time.

LeBron and Savannah have yet to say anything publicly about Bronny's situation ... but his brother, Bryce, posted a pic with Bronny Tuesday and a heart emoji.

If and when Bronny James needs advice on how to come back from a scary heart issue ... Ronny Turiaf, one of LeBron's old basketball pals, tells TMZ Sports he'll be there no questions asked for the teenager.

Turiaf, of course, famously underwent open heart surgery back in 2005 ... after docs found he had an enlarged aortic root. The procedure was terrifying -- it lasted hours ... and the former NBA player didn't know if he'd ever be able to hoop again even when he made it through it successfully.

But, he went on to recover fully ... playing 10 years in the NBA -- including one championship season with LBJ in Miami in 2011-12.

Now, Turiaf tells us he's more than willing to provide a helping hand for James' oldest son when it comes time for the USC star to try to get back on the hardwood following his heart scare on Monday.

"If Bronny ever wants to talk, I'm sure that I'll be more than happy to talk to him," Turiaf said on Tuesday, the 18th anniversary of his own heart procedure. "If at any given time he wants to talk, I'm always available."

TMZ broke the story ... Bronny was raced to a local hospital on Monday after he collapsed during a workout on SC's campus. Thankfully, he was able to be treated following the cardiac arrest ... and now, he's out of the ICU and recovering.

While it's unclear what ailment ultimately caused the issue for Bronny ... Turiaf was optimistic it'll all work out going forward.

Shareef O'Neal just unleashed on a troll for blaming him for Bronny James' cardiac arrest ... calling out the distasteful comment in a fiery interaction on social media.

It all went down shortly after TMZ Sports broke the news of Bronny's medical emergency on Tuesday ... with one user referencing Shareef's own heart issues in an awful attempt to poke fun at the situation.

"Bronny started hanging with Shareef and now look," the tweet read. "@SSJreef stay yo ass away from him he’s destined for greatness not overseas 😆"

Shaq's son -- who had open-heart surgery to correct a right anomalous coronary artery in October 2018 -- got wind of the jab ... and he clapped back with a passionate response.

"That is very disrespectful of you to say," Shareef said in a since-deleted tweet. "I’ve been around Bronny for a very long time before this happened ... I’ll pray for you. You need help ... sick that you would even say something like that 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️#dummy."

Karl-Anthony Towns couldn't keep his lips to himself during a couples vacation with his NBA friends this week ... swappin' spit with Jordyn Woods in a steamy makeout sesh!!

The Minnesota Timberwolves star is getting in some R&R with fellow hoopers Paul George, Ivica Zubac, Patrick Beverley and their significant others in Mykonos ... and they looked happy as hell as they threw on their bathing suits and hit the water.

KAT and Jordyn -- who started dating in 2020 -- weren't shy one bit about their romance in front of the crew ... passionately kissing each other as they all hung out.

KAT and Jordyn weren't the only couple packing on the PDA ... 'cause Pat Bev and his girl, Mandana, were also inseparable during the beach day -- embracing each other as they showed off their fit figures.

As for Paul and his wife, Daniela, they were also looking cute as ever ... with the Clippers forward lifting her up in his arms as they shared a laugh.

The sports world is sending its thoughts and prayers to Bronny James following his cardiac arrest Monday ... with Damar Hamlin and a bevy of others wishing their best for LeBron James' oldest son after his medical emergency.

Hamlin -- who suffered commotio cordis during a game in January -- took to Twitter on Tuesday to offer his support for Bronny and the rest of the James family ... saying he's available if they need anything from him going forward.

"Here for you guys just like you have been for me my entire process," the Buffalo Bills safety said.

NBA stars Trae Young, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson also took to Twitter to offer prayers for Bronny.

Magic Johnson, too, released a statement on the scary situation ... saying, "Cookie and I are praying for LeBron and Savannah's son Bronny after hearing he suffered a cardiac arrest. We are praying and hoping he makes a full and speedy recovery."

Metta World Peace added in a tweet of his own, "Prayers for Bronny. What a great kid. Come back stronger young fella. Get better and feel better."

We broke the story ... Bronny was rushed to the hospital after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a workout at USC early Monday morning. Thankfully, however, a rep for the James family said the 18-year-old is now in stable condition and recovering.

Tristan Thompson almost got a front-row seat to a violent street fight over the weekend ... but thankfully for the NBA player, he hightailed out of the area just before the fists started to fly.

The wild scene all went down Saturday night at Papi Steak in Miami ... when the former Lakers center was outside of the restaurant with the hot spot's owner, David Grutman, and a few other men.

It's unclear what exactly was happening on the sidewalk or what Thompson's involvement in it all was ... but check out the video, it seems some of the people at the scene were angry about something -- and when Thompson sensed the apparent tension, he bolted.

"I'm gonna be in the car," he told the group of men as he walked away. "You guys figure it out."

The decision was clearly a good one ... 'cause just a minute later, a man in a blue shirt confronted a restaurant patron as he was leaving the eatery -- and then punches were thrown.

The guys traded blows right on the sidewalk for several seconds -- before the scuffle was all mercifully broken up.

Thompson's ride appeared to stay in the area during the entire fracas -- though it should be noted he was never once involved in any of the action.

It was all part of an eventful weekend in South Florida for Thompson ... who not only attended Lionel Messi's first game for Inter Miami on Friday night, but he also partied with his ex's sister, Kim Kardashian, afterward.

The Truth is ... Paul Pierce just might not have it anymore -- showing in the latest episode of "Stars On Mars" that his body is nowhere near as limber as it used to be when he was an NBA superstar.

The former Boston Celtics forward joined the existing cast on the popular Fox show this week ... and it didn't take long for him to provide some hilarious laughs on set.

As he was getting familiar with Lance Armstrong's workout routine ... he noticed Tinashe was getting in some yoga on a couple of mats nearby.

Intrigued by the stretch sesh ... 45-year-old Pierce thought he might be able to do it -- and, spoiler alert, he couldn't.

Check out the clip ... while Pierce was kind of able to bridge his body similarly to the pop singer's -- he eventually began shaking, before he crumpled to the floor.

Everyone got a huge kick out of it -- including Pierce himself, who let out a big laugh.

While Tinashe made it clear she's wary of the show's newest castmates ... it's gotta be hard to freeze out Pierce going forward after that display of athleticism.

Lakers star Austin Reaves is shaking off rumors that he dated Taylor Swift ... saying straight up there's never been a love story between him and the pop singer.

The rumor initially cropped up a few weeks ago ... with some on the internet suggesting they had seen the basketball player with Swift while the two were at an Arkansas bar shortly after she had called things off with Matty Healy.

But, when Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson inquired about it all on the latest episode of the "All The Smoke" podcast ... Reaves said it just ain't true.

"I have never met her, never talked to her," the 25-year-old told the guys on the show. It's "all bulls***. I don't know her."

"I ain’t never talked to her," he added.

As for if Reaves would be down to date her at some point in the future ... Jackson actually tried to pry that answer from the hooper, but the media-savvy Reaves didn't want to indulge.

Channing Frye had a "welcome to the NBA" moment before he even made it to the league ... 'cause he claims Richard Jefferson racked up a whopping $36,000 tab on his credit card the night before he was drafted!!

The pair of Cavs champions/former Arizona Wildcats detailed the 2005 rager on their "Road Trippin'" podcast this week ... when RJ invited Frye and his crew of 20-30 friends to go clubbing in the Big Apple.

The former No. 8 overall pick says the group included a ton of ex-Arizona guys like Gilbert Arenas and Luke Walton, Nets and Knicks players and fellow class of 2005 draftee "David Lee's punk ass" (RJ's words, not ours) ... but there was no issue with rolling deep, 'cause Jefferson had clout in the city after helping the Nets reach the NBA Finals.

"Richard, for lack of a better term, ran that demographic of New York," Frye says.

Once they got inside the club, it was bad news for Frye ... who willingly handed over his card to RJ after he asked him to "hold the table."

As it turns out, Frye says the massive group ended up partying on his dime the whole night ... with the final damage coming out to a mind-blowing $36,000!!

"They swipe it, they swipe it," RJ says. "He's just getting crushed. And this is kind of like a rookie hazing."

Channing rightfully freaked out over it all ... explaining, "The NBA money hadn't even got into the ozone yet, and my phone is blowing up."

"My s*** is still college s***, I don't even have an NBA check yet!!"

RJ insists he was looking out for his guy the whole night ... saying he was acting as a security blanket in case things went south.

Out with the old, in with the new!

That's what Spurs' Sandro Mamukelashvili did to his family's car ... replacing their old SUV, a black Nissan Murano with a brand new electric car ... and the surprise was captured on video!

The Spurs forward, who starred at Seton Hall University, re-signed with San Antonio (1 year, $2 million) in March -- and he's putting his money to good use ... copping a white electric Volkswagen ID4.

Sandro's family was extremely happy and even took the new whip out for a spin.

"Surprising my family with a new car," the 24-year-old wrote on Instagram. "I’m so blessed to be in this position. MAMU FAM 💪🏼❤️."

The story is extra sweet because the family has been through a lot. Sandro's dad Zurab is a cancer survivor ... and he was living overseas in Georgia while Mamu was hooping at The Hall. In 2020, when #16 ranked SHU was playing #21 ranked Butler at The Rock in Jersey, Mamu knocked down an incredible game-winning shot ... and it happened to be the first game his dad was able to attend in nearly a year.

"As soon as he drew up the play, I was like, “I’m gonna make this.” When I did, all I did was stare at my father the whole time," Mamu told the NY Post at the time.

"He was pointing at me, and I was pointing at him. I feel like it was one of the proudest moments he had."

Draymond Green says his mid-practice attack on Jordan Poole was not the result of one single comment ... claiming his former teammate was pushing his buttons way before the altercation.

The Golden State Warriors star addressed the October 2022 incident on Barstool Sports' "Pat Bev Podcast" this week ... and he explained he isn't the type of guy to just unleash at the drop of a dime.

"I don't just hit people," Green said. "Dialogue happens and dialogue happens over the course of time. You usually ain't just triggered by something like that fast to that degree. This is a team, ain't nobody on my team triggering me in an instant."

Green didn't disclose what was said prior to the punch, but insinuates Poole crossed the line.

"We know stuff that you don't say amongst men," he added. "We know things that you have to stand on. As I've admitted before, I was wrong in the way I handled it for the situation where we were."

Draymond went on to say he has no hard feelings toward Poole ... and wishes him well at his new home with the Washington Wizards.

Despite the olive branch, Poole's dad didn't seem to care for his comments on the altercation ... going off on Draymond in a fiery tweet late Tuesday night.

"I'm stand on this that's is some bs," Anthony Poole said. "Jp was his guy and he avoid me all last yr."

"He is a soft as bitch and I'm standing on this and he didn’t apologize to me and my wife. So he lame and me and him can meet anytime he want."

Lamar Odom is expanding his business portfolio ... his newest venture aims to find affordable living for seniors in California, and he's crediting his grandmother with the assist.

The former NBA star's manager tells TMZ ... Lamar is partnering with Regency Palms Senior Living in Oxnard and Long Beach to start Odom Senior Care, which provide affordable and luxurious care for seniors.

We're told Lamar's inspiration is his 96-year-old grandmother, Florence, who now lives alone in the same Bronx apartment she's called home for a whopping 70 years.

He decided to get into the senior living biz as a way to help folks ... after running into some obstacles earlier this year while trying to find a new home for grandma.

The major issue Lamar sees with the current landscape -- adequate senior living is just too expensive, and he's determined to change the status quo.

He already has the 2 facilities in SoCal, and plans to expand to reach his ultimate goal of providing seniors with pre-negotiated rates in 1,000 communities -- an ambitious aim, for sure, but one he hopes to achieve by year's end.

This move comes on the heels of Lamar successfully launching the Odom Recovery Group to help folks find sobriety.

Steph Curry's hot streak rolled right into Monday night ... 'cause just one day after he scored a huge win at a prestigious celeb golf tournament, he got an epic shout-out from Drake!!

The Golden State Warriors star was at Barclays Center in Brooklyn for Drizzy's "It's All A Blur" tour some 24 hours after he nabbed the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe ... and the rapper actually paused his show to give the hooper love.

Drake called Curry his "brother" and complimented his looks ... before he told the sold-out crowd to "make some noise" for the four-time NBA champ.

Drake also shouted out Ayesha Curry and Sonya Curry -- who had VIP seats right alongside Steph at the concert.

The Currys all seemed to love it -- arena cams caught them grinning ear-to-ear -- before Drake started spittin' on the microphone once again.

The moment was just one of many big ones for Steph in the last few weeks ... he's had a hell of a summer so far -- first appearing on The Match in late June, then hitting a hole-in-one on Saturday ... before earning the ACC crown on Sunday.

Things are only looking up from here too ... Steph revealed Monday his Gentleman's Cut Bourbon is launching worldwide later this month as well.

James Worthy hasn't tuned into "Winning Time" but not because he's against a series on the Showtime Lakers ... on the contrary, the hoops legend says he wanted to be involved, but showrunners never reached out.

"I haven't watched it because I wasn't involved in it," Worthy recently told TMZ Sports.

"And I was hoping that they would come to us and get some really good interviews and some really good one-on-one sit-downs because we were willing to, like, share a lot of stuff. That decade was iconic. And I just wish we could have been involved."

"Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" is an HBO drama based on the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Lakers squad. The show premiered in March 2022 and was renewed for another season which begins airing in August.

If you're wanting Lakers content, James, a 3x NBA champion, does have a suggestion that isn't "Winning Time ... Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers."

"I did the Hulu, the Legacy, which is the real deal. It's real footage with interviews of people who were there. So I understand satire, but I just think [Winning Time] could have been done really, really good. And I was disappointed that it wasn't."

We also asked James if he's discussed the HBO series with any of his former teammates.

"We never talked about Winning Time because we weren't involved in it. We talked a lot about the Legacy. So if you really want to know the truth, go watch Legacy on Hulu. Go watch the Legacy on Hulu, get the real deal."