NBA

NBA Superstar Russell Westbrook is channeling his inner Ken Burns ... 'cause the Wizards guard is working on a new documentary in hopes of educating people about the atrocities of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre.

The former MVP and History Channel announced Thursday they're working on a two-hour doc titled "Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre" (temporary title) ... with Brodie serving as executive producer and Marco Williams and Emmy-Award winner Stanley Nelson on as directors.

The documentary is said to take a deep look at the events of a century ago and how the impact is still being felt today ... in hopes to educate millions on a 100-year-old tragedy.

If you aren’t familiar with the story, here is a brief run down -- In May and June 1921, a race war erupted in Tulsa, OK after a 19-year-old Black man was accused of assaulting a 17-year-old white woman in an elevator.

Black men went to defend the man after some in the city wanted him lynched ... and an ensuing altercation with white people ignited a massive race war.

This led to one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history ... in which mobs of white residents attacked and ultimately destroyed the Greenwood District in Tulsa, OK, which at that time was the wealthiest black community in the United States -- AKA "Black Wall Street."

Many historians believe the massacre has since been underreported and even covered up ... and Westbrook -- who played in Oklahoma for the Thunder for 11 years -- says he had no idea about the incident until he arrived in OKC in 2009.

"The Tulsa Race Massacre was not something I was taught about in school or in any of my history books," Westbrook said in a statement. "It was only after spending 11 years in Oklahoma that I learned of this deeply troubling and heartbreaking event."

"This is one of many overlooked stories of African Americans in this country that deserves to be told. These are the stories we must honor and amplify, so we can learn from the past and create a better future."

Director Stanley Nelson added ... "The horrific story of the burning of Black Wall Street has long haunted me -- I’m grateful to be working on this film with such wonderful partners."

Big news for Toronto Raptors guard Terence Davis ... prosecutors have dropped the domestic violence charges against him stemming from an Oct. 2020 incident.

As we previously reported ... 23-year-old Davis was arrested after officials say he repeatedly punched his ex-GF in the face during an argument at the Beekman Tower hotel in NY.

Davis' ex-GF also told police he smashed her phone when she refused to stop recording him during the alleged incident.

Cops were called to the scene and he was ultimately booked for misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor criminal mischief charges.

But now, prosecutors have dropped the case against Davis, as first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Davis is a pretty good player -- he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2020 which is impressive considering he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

Draymond Green thinks it's complete "bulls**t" for an NBA team to bench a player while seeking to trade him ... just like the Cavs are doing to Andre Drummond.

Green's Golden State Warriors destroyed the Cavs on Monday in a 129 to 98 thrashing ... but it wasn't until after the game that Draymond REALLY went off.

"To watch Andre Drummond before the game, sit on the sidelines, then go to the back and then come out in street clothes because the team is going to trade him is bulls**t."

Here's the backstory ... it's no secret the Cavs are looking to move on from 27-year-old Drummond in favor of the new 22-year-old center Jarrett Allen.

The trade deadline is March 25 -- and Cavs GM Koby Altman has said Drummond would no longer be active for games until a deal is done.

FYI, Drummond is reportedly making $28.7 million this season as part of a 5-year, $127 million contract.

Clearly, Draymond feels it's unfair for Drummond -- a 2-time NBA All-Star -- claiming it's a disrespectful move that's also bad for Andre's mental health.

"When James Harden asked for a trade, and essentially dogged it -- no one's going to fight back that James was dogging it his last days in Houston -- but he was CASTRATED for wanting to go to a different team," Draymond said.

"And yet, a team can come out and say, 'Oh, we want to trade a guy,' and then that guy has to go sit?! And, if he doesn't stay professional, then he's a cancer?! And, he's not good in someone's locker room, and he's the issue."

"And, we've seen situations of Harrison Barnes getting pulled off the bench ... DeMarcus Cousins finding out he's traded in an interview after the All-Star Game, and we continue to let this happen. But, I got fined for stating my opinion on what I thought should happen with another player, but teams can come out and continue to say, 'Oh, we're trading guys, we're not playing you.' And yet, we're to stay professional?!"

Draymond continued, "At some point, as players, we need to be treated with the same respect and have the same rights that the team can have. Because as a player, you're the worst person in the world when you want a different situation."

Green says it's crazy that "a team can say they're trading you and that man is to stay in shape, he is to stay professional. And if not, his career is on the line. At some point, this league has to protect the players from embarrassment like that."

"And then, when Kyrie Irving says, 'Oh, my mental health is off,' everybody goes crazy about that too! Do you not think that affects someone mentally?"

"As much as we put into this game to be great, to come out here and be in shape, to produce for fans every single night, and most importantly, to help your team win, do you think that doesn't affect someone mentally?"

Green ended the conversation this way ...

Roses are red ...
Violets are grand ...
Hey, is that blood?!?!?!
Ayesha Curry just sliced open her hand!!!!

Yep, Steph Curry spent his Valentine's Day rushing his wife to the doctor Sunday night after she gashed her hand open in a freak champagne bottle accident!!!

Ayesha says she wasn't doing anything crazy with the champagne bottle -- something just went wrong, resulting in a wound that needed 4 stitches to close!

"It's important to know that I was not sabering a bottle of champagne when this happened to me," Ayesha says ... "I was opening it the normal way."

FYI, "sabering" is when you take a blade (like a sword or something) and run it along the champagne bottle, usually resulting in a cool explosion that rips off the neck of the glass. It looks cool but can be dangerous if done incorrectly.

The good news ... Curry says she hit the good people at Kaiser Permanente, who tended to her wound quickly so she could resume her V-Day plans, which mostly included watching movies with her NBA star husband.

NBA legend Bill Russell turned 87 on Friday -- and celebrated by blowing out a "small forest fire" on his birthday cake ... and the video is great!

The Hall of Famer -- who won 11 championships during his NBA career (eat your heart out Tom Brady!) -- had Shawn Kemp Jr. on standby with a fire extinguisher in case things got out of control ... but in the end, Bill handled it on his own!

With a few deep breaths, B-Russ took down all 87 candles ... and when asked how it felt to be 87, he replied, "I'll kick its ass!!"

Afterward, the Boston Celtics legend joked about the celebration.

"Whew, I made it to 87! I want to thank my wife for another amazing cake & the small forest fire upon it," Russell said.

"Thanks [Shawn Kemp Jr.] for standing by with the extinguisher just in case, next time bring a CPR kit."

Russell is one of the greatest players in NBA history -- an 11-time NBA champion, 5-time NBA MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star ... and the NBA Finals MVP Award is named after him.

WARNING: LOOK AWAY IF YOU'RE SQUEAMISH!!

Portland Trailblazers star Enes Kanter took an elbow straight to the face during a game Thursday night ... and the wound was so bad, he bled all over the court!!

The wild scene all went down late in the first half of Portland's game against the Philadelphia 76ers ... when Kanter and several others were trying to lock up a rebound.

As 28-year-old Kanter lifted off the ground, his face collided with teammate Robert Covington's elbow -- and he immediately reached for his forehead in pain.

The friendly-fire strike opened up a huge gash just above Kanter's left eye ... and he had to hit the locker room right away for treatment.

The good news? The Trailblazers training staff was able to put 3 stitches in the cut ... and Kanter then returned to the game -- and helped the Blazers win, 118-114!

"The eye is good, man," Kanter said afterward, showing off the stitches and swelling. "I'm a Turkish warrior. A little cut isn't going to keep me out."

Safety first!

LeBron James and his Lakers teammate, Anthony Davis, had a double date in L.A. on Thursday -- hitting the fancy Giorgio Baldi restaurant, while wearing their COVID masks!

The NBA superstars had the night off from the court -- so, they took their wives to dinner now that L.A. has allowed restaurants to re-open for outdoor dining.

On the way out around midnight, photogs asked both guys about everything from the Mark Cuban national anthem controversy to injury issues -- but mum was the word.

Honestly, it's just nice to see people going out to dinner again!

The Lakers -- 2nd in the Western Conference -- will take on the visiting Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center Friday night.

The Toronto Raptors better get comfortable in their new homes ... 'cause the team is officially finishing the 2021 season in Tampa due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Of course, that wasn't the original plan -- the team agreed to play the start of the season in Florida amid the coronavirus pandemic ... as Canada officials didn't want teams flying in from the U.S. and possibly spreading the virus.

At the time of the decision, there was hope things would clear up enough for the Raps to return to the 6 for the latter part of the 2021 campaign ... but that dream officially ended Thursday, with the team announcing they will play at Amalie Arena for the remainder of the season.

Team president Masai Ujiri released a statement on the decision ... saying, "Florida has been really welcoming to us and we’re so grateful for the hospitality we’ve found in Tampa and at Amalie – we’re living in a city of champions, and we intend to carry on the tradition of winning for our new friends and fans here."

"But home is where the heart is, and our hearts are in Toronto. We think often of our fans, of our Scotiabank Arena family, and all those we are missing back home, and we can’t wait until we can all be together again."

Mark Cuban has axed national anthems from the Dallas Mavericks' pregame routines this season ... saying Tuesday night, "It was my decision."

Cuban added in a message to the New York Times, "I made it in November."

The NBA owner declined to further explain the choice ... but it seems clear, Cuban is preferring to have his team avoid all the controversy that's come with the song's playing over the last few years.

You'll recall ... after Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the NFL's playing of anthems in 2016 to protest police brutality and racial injustice in America -- critics, including Donald Trump, slammed the move as unpatriotic.

Trump went so far as to say the NFL should fire any "son of a bitch" who participated in the demonstration.

The polarizing kneeling quickly spread to other sports ... and despite the NBA's longstanding stand-for-the-anthem policy, players and coaches alike knelt during the song's playing in the NBA bubble at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement this past summer.

League Commish Adam Silver gave teams the choice this season over how to handle the pregame song ... and, for now, Cuban appears to be the only owner who's nixed it from the in-game experiences.

According to The Athletic, the Mavericks -- who hadn't had fans in the arena until just this week when 1,500 vaccinated healthcare workers received tickets to a game -- have not played the anthem in any of their 13 preseason and regular-season games so far.

Seems New Orleans Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy wouldn't mind if his team took the same approach ... the 61-year-old said Wednesday morning, "This should happen everywhere."

"If you think the anthem needs to be played before sporting events, then play it before every movie, concert, church service and the start of every work day at every business," Van Gundy added. "What good reason is there to play the anthem before a game?"

FYI, Cuban has supported peaceful protests during the national anthems in the past ... saying to ESPN in June before the NBA's bubble restart, "If they were taking a knee and they were being respectful, I’d be proud of them."

"Hopefully, I’d join them."

The historic Krispy Kreme donut shop in Atlanta -- which is owned by Shaq and has ties to Martin Luther King Jr. -- was "gutted" in a massive fire Wednesday morning ... but the NBA legend has vowed to repair it.

The fire broke out at the Ponce de Leon Ave. location just after midnight while 2 employees were still inside the shop.

Both staffers were able to escape without injury, but the structure took heavy damage before Atlanta Fire Rescue was able to extinguish the blaze.

"A fast moving fire gutted the building this morning just before 1 am," Atlanta Fire Rescue said in a statement.

Video of the blaze is wild -- it's a miracle no one was hurt. 11Alive's Joe Ripley reports the back of the structure was badly damaged and the famous giant donut menu was melted.

Shaquille O'Neal bought the shop back in 2016 -- noting its importance to the community ... and to the country.

It first opened in 1965 -- one of the first Krispy Kreme shops outside of the company's headquarters in North Carolina.

In fact, after Martin Luther King, Jr. died in 1968, that specific shop donated 150 boxes of donuts to locate churches to feed the mourners who flocked to Atlanta to pay their respects.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Malik Beasley was just sentenced to 120 days in jail -- and banned from owning guns for life -- this after he pled guilty to felony threats for pointing a firearm at a family during a bizarre incident back in September.

Prosecutors in Hennepin County, Minn. say Beasley's Plymouth house was accidentally put on a "Parade of Homes" list in the fall -- which is essentially a tourist guide for impressive mansions in the area. The list caused vehicle traffic around Beasley's home to increase -- which really pissed him off, prosecutors say.

Officials say on Sept. 26, Beasley got so frustrated that he walked toward a visiting car that was near the end of his driveway and pointed a gun at it. Prosecutors say he then ordered the family inside the ride to scram.

24-year-old Beasley -- who cops say was also in possession of marijuana at the time -- was later arrested ... and ultimately charged with felony threats of violence and felony drug possession.

At a virtual court hearing back in December, Beasley pled guilty to the threats charge ... and in exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop the drug charge.

At the hearing, Beasley said of his actions, "I was not in my right mind. I’m ready to move on."

Beasley returned to virtual court on Tuesday for sentencing ... and the judge ordered him to spend 120 days at a jail facility known as "The Workhouse" at Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility.

As part of the sentencing, the judge ruled Beasley will NOT have to serve the time during the NBA season ... setting a tentative May 26 date to report to the jail.

The judge also said Beasley could end up being released on electronic home monitoring if COVID-19 precautions force that move.

Beasley was also ordered to complete an anger management program and was hit with a lifetime ban on owning firearms. Beasley was also ordered to not consume any alcohol or drugs, and complete random drug testing.

Prosecutors say Beasley read a statement at the hearing, telling the court, "I am not that person. I humbly apologize for my actions."

In a statement to NBA reporter Shams Charania, Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney, said, "We are very pleased with this outcome that will allow Malik to continue working on becoming a better person and making better choices."

The federal agency tasked with investigating the helicopter crash that killed Kobe and Gianna Bryant, along with 7 others, will announce their findings in a Tuesday meeting -- including the probable cause of the accident.

National Transportation Safety Board will meet virtually Tuesday -- and it will be open to the public, so we'll live stream the whole thing here.

The NTSB has been working on the case ever since the aircraft -- a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter -- crashed in Calabasas on Jan 26, 2020.

As we previously reported, the NTSB initially said preliminary findings showed no outward evidence of engine failure -- and months into the investigation, officials said the pilot may have been disoriented when the aircraft was caught in deep fog.

Autopsy results showed the pilot, Ara Zobayan, was NOT on alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash ... and NTSB investigators said Zobayan’s girlfriend told them he was in great shape before the accident.

The NTSB said in June it found evidence showing Zobayan thought he was ascending over the fog, when in reality, the helicopter was going downward at a high rate of speed.

In addition to revealing the likely cause of the crash, the NTSB is also expected to make flight recommendations for similar aircraft in the hopes of preventing another tragedy.

Along with Kobe and Zobayan, seven others -- including Kobe's daughter, Gianna, and friends Alyssa Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, John Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Payton Chester and Sarah Chester -- perished in the Jan. 26, 2020 crash.

#RIP

Want to see LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Nikola Jokic take on Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid next month??

Apparently, De'Aaron Fox doesn't ... 'cause the Sacramento Kings star ripped the NBA on Wednesday for reportedly trying to put together an All-Star Game this season in the middle of a pandemic.

"If I'm going to be brutally honest," Fox said, "I think it's stupid."

"If we have to wear a mask and do all of this for a regular game, then what's the point of bringing the All-Star Game back?"

The NBA, according to ESPN, is trying to lock in an agreement with the Players Association to hold the annual classic on March 7 in Atlanta.

If safe, it seems like a great idea -- the NBA routinely has the most entertaining All-Star Game of any of the four major sports.

But, Fox -- who has a shot at being selected this year -- clearly would rather not see it ... given all the risks of COVID involved.

"Obviously, money makes the world go round," Fox said. "So, it is what it is."

Fox, though, did say he'd play in the All-Star Game if selected ... but with a smile, he noted, "If you're supposed to be in it, and you're not hurt and you decide not to play, that's a hefty fine."

"So, hell yeah I would play in it."

A super-rare Michael Jordan signed basketball card just sold for over $1.4 MILLION at auction ... SMASHING the previous record price for an MJ card by over $500K!!

The piece is a 1997 Upper Deck Game Jersey Michael Jordan card -- one of only 23 ever produced.

The card is numbered 8/23 -- but more importantly, it features a clear signature and a piece of the actual jersey MJ wore during the legendary 1992 NBA All-Star game!

The card was graded by PSA (one of the top names in authentication and card grading) as a "Near Mint 7" ... and the signature quality was graded a "Near Mint 8."

The card -- which measures 3.5" by 2.5" -- hit the block at Heritage Auctions and after 61 bids, it sold on Feb. 4 for $1.44 MILLION!

The previous record price for a Jordan card was $915K -- also auctioned off by Heritage a few months back -- for the green-shaded 1997 Michael Jordan Metal Universe Precious Metal Gem card.

The price is shocking ... but it's not really surprising. The value of MJ items has EXPLODED since ESPN's series "The Last Dance" aired in 2020.

Everything from Jordan's old Mercedes-Benz to game-worn Nikes to canceled checks (yes, really) have sold for exorbitant prices.

Heritage says the record buyer of the MJ signed jersey card wishes to remain anonymous ... at least for now.

As for the 1992 All-Star game, Jordan was a starter for the Eastern Conference team  (along with Scottie Pippen, Isiah Thomas, Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing) ... scoring 18 points, and dishing out 5 assists.

The '92 ASG was special not only because it was jam-packed with future Hall of Famers ... it also marked the memorable return of Magic Johnson -- who retired after the 1991-1992 season after announcing he had HIV.

Lamar Odom has agreed to fight Aaron Carter in a celebrity boxing match in June, TMZ Sports has learned ... and the training is already underway!

41-year-old Odom will take on the 33-year-old Carter at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City on June 12 in a 3 round exhibition, Celebrity Boxing honcho Damon Feldman tells us.

Besides the age difference ... there's a significant height differential -- Odom is 6'10" and Carter is 6'1".

Odom obviously has a background as a professional athlete -- playing 14 seasons in the NBA.

He nearly died in 2015 from an overdose at a Nevada brothel -- and subsequently suffered several strokes and heart attacks. Some doctors didn't believe he'd fully recover.

Miraculously, Odom beat the odds and returned to the basketball court during a short stint with the BIG3 league in 2019.

Now, he's turning to boxing ... where he hopes to put a beating on Aaron Carter, who's also struggled with addiction. He sought treatment in 2017.

Both men have been busting their asses in the gym and we're told they're taking the fight very seriously ... no one wants to be the next Nate Robinson!

Sure, Aaron might appear to be the underdog -- but Carter tells TMZ Sports he "grew up street fighting" and he's ready for the challenge.

Damon Feldman -- who's been behind a ton of celebrity boxing events over the years -- says this fight has real potential to be the best one yet.

Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Anthony Edwards personally reached out to a young boy who tragically lost his family in a house fire ... inspiring the kid with a special message about hope.

12-year-old Taeden Johnson was wounded in the Jan. 27 blaze at the family's mobile home unit in Athens, Georgia. He raced to a neighbor's house at 3 AM to call 911, but emergency responders were unable to save his mom, 9-year-old sister and grandmother. The fire also destroyed all of Taeden's personal possessions.

Edwards -- the #1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft -- got wind of the story and immediately decided to help out.

Besides playing his college ball in Athens (at the University of Georgia), Edwards also lost both his mom and grandmother to cancer when he was just an 8th grader  -- and he clearly felt a connection to Taeden.

So, he got the kid's phone number and hit him up on FaceTime on Monday so they could talk ... and according to Taeden's mentor Zac Hendrix, the conversation was incredible.

"He just said, ‘Hey, Taeden, look man, I lost my mother, I also lost my grandmother at a young age and look where I’m at now. Never give up," Hendrix told OnlineAthens.com.

Edwards also told Taeden ... "Always give 110% to where you eventually want to go. Just follow your dreams and nothing will stop you from doing that."

The NBA star then instructed the 12-year-old to save his phone number and welcomed him to "reach out any time."

On another positive note ... Taeden has a GoFundMe page that has already racked up more than $209,000 in donations. The proceeds will go toward his college education, clothes and other needs.