NBA

A signed ticket from Kobe Bryant’s epic last NBA game ever -- when Mamba dropped 60 points -- just sold for over $40K at auction!!

The April 13, 2016 game will never be forgotten ... Bryant had one of the greatest final performances in sports history.

Then 37-year-old Mamba single-handedly delivered his Los Angeles Lakers team to victory over the Utah Jazz -- scoring 15 of the team's final 17 points.

Kobe -- who knocked down big shot after big shot -- finished the game with 60 points ... capping off his 20-year, Hall of Fame career.

A ticket from the game (section 302, Row 2W, Seat 2) was on the auction block at Goldin Auctions ... and after 42 bids, it ultimately sold for $40,590.

The identity of the buyer is not known.

What's interesting ... the Staples Center attendance for Kobe's last game was listed at 18,997. Now, all those tickets obviously weren't adorned with Kobe's signature.

Michael Jordan’s signed, game-worn Air Jordan 1’s are on the auction block ... but the coolest part about the kicks is the backstory -- ‘cause MJ used the J’s to recruit an H.S. hooper to UNC.

According to MEARS Auctions -- the peeps behind the sale -- there was a grandma in the mid-1980s who had a grandson who could ball his ass off.

He was one of the best players in the nation, and tons of schools -- including Jordan's alma mater, the University of North Carolina -- pulled out all the stops while recruiting him.

Legendary UNC coach Dean Smith personally visited grandma -- who was very tight with her grandson -- and he didn't hesitate to use his secret weapon ... Michael Jordan.

Of course, Jordan was a superstar at UNC. In 1981, he was the ACC Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore, he hit the NCAA Tournament-winning shot against Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown squad.

MJ left Chapel Hill after his junior year ... and was the 3rd overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft (s/o Sam Bowie 😬).

Coach Smith arranged a meeting between granny and MJ ... and in early 1985, she traveled to Chi-town for a Bulls game.

After the game, grandma was escorted to a private area of Chicago Stadium ... where Jordan -- still in his white and red uniform -- approached her.

Michael pitched grandma on the awesomeness of UNC ... passionately explaining why her grandson should play in Chapel Hill.

Before MJ bounced, he removed his Air Jordan 1's -- left shoe size 13, right size 13.5 -- signed both sneakers, and gave them to grandma.

Now, the AJ 1 ain't just any old shoe ... it's one of the most iconic ever created, and is credited in part with giving birth to sneaker culture.

Grandma held on to the kicks for 35 years ... before passing away. The sneakers were then gifted to an unknown person -- who put them on the block at MEARS.

Unfortunately, the consignor does not want the identity of the player revealed ... but we do know that MJ's hard sell did NOT work.

The grandson ultimately decided to play ball at another university.

Now you can own the historic pair of J's -- with the crazyyy backstory -- if ya have the money.

Auction ends this Saturday ... best of luck!!

The NBA All-Star Game did NOT turn into a super-spreader for COVID-19 ... with league officials saying there were ZERO new cases throughout the weekend.

Remember, there was great concern over hosting all the league's best players in one city during a global pandemic ... with players from LeBron James to De'Aaron Fox expressing their concerns leading up to the event.

But, the league says all the festivities went off without a hitch in Atlanta ... announcing all testing for players, coaches and officials came back negative throughout the weekend.

In fact, the Association says all participants were tested 3 TIMES to make sure there were no on-court infections, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

As for the game, Team LeBron beat Team Durant 170-150 in a crazy, highlight-filled matchup ... with Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo taking MVP honors after going 16-for-16 from the field.

COVID-19 protocols did play a bit of a role in the game, as Sixers stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons were pulled before tip-off due to contact tracing.

Now, the players have a few days off before the second half of the season picks up later this week.

Hopefully, the trend continues the same for the rest of the season.

Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades AND the NBA Dunk Contest ... 'cause Blazers guard Anfernee Simons took home the top honors Sunday night after nearly kissing the rim!!!

The 21-year-old edged out Knicks rookie Obi Toppin and Pacers rookie Cassius Stanley to win it all during halftime of the All-Star Game ... showing off his INSANE hops in the process.

Simons' first dunk may have been the most creative of the night -- he grabbed the ball off a mini hoop 2 feet higher than the rim and brought it home for the slam.

There was a bit of controversy in the first round -- many believed Stanley's between-the-legs slam deserved a better score ... but ultimately, scored lowest out of the first three dunks.

Simons' second dunk was a tribute to one of his idols, Tracy McGrady -- throwing on a T-Mac throwback Raptors jersey for a one-bounce 360 dunk, which was good enough to earn him a spot in the finals.

Simons secured the win after his lips came within inches of the rim on his last attempt ... and even though his goal was to actually make contact with the rim, but at least it was enough to take home the hardware.

"In practice, I never actually kissed the rim, but I was like ... 'I gotta commit to it,'" Simons told the media after the contest.

"I tried to put a mouthpiece in last-minute, but it didn't fit in my mouth. I just scratched, and I'm just going to emphasize the smooch face so people know I'm next to the rim and trying to kiss it."

LeBron James was just asked if he would get a COVID-19 vaccine when he's able to -- and rather than firmly come out and say yes, he waffled ... which is startling.

King James did a 20-minute-plus interview Sunday for NBA All-Star Weekend ... and at one point he was asked how he's been able to stay COVID-free and relatively healthy throughout the pandemic. Bron chalked it up to luck and faith ... saying he just follows the protocols handed down by the league to a T, going straight home after he plays in games/practices.

Another 'rona question was raised at the very end of the interview ... a reporter asked if he himself would get vaccinated whenever that became an option, and whether he'd encourage everyone in the Players Association to do the same. He also referenced Adam Silver's recent remark that he was gonna leave it up to NBA players and not make it mandatory.

Silver said ... "My hunch is that most players ultimately will choose to get vaccinated. They have to make personal decisions at the end of the day."

In response, LeBron said this about his own decision on the vaccine ... "That's a conversation that, you know, my family and I will have. And, probably pretty much keep that to a private thing." He said he was aware of Silver's comments, but insisted it was something to be discussed among the family and not in public, and that's where he was going to keep it.

That's fascinating, considering LeBron is by far one of the most influential people in the world ... and perhaps the second or third most influential African-American. The fact he's wishy-washy on whether he'll get it speaks volumes, and could well influence others in the community.

Of course, vaccinations have been a major issue in the Black community ... as many simply don't trust it -- due to a number of historical atrocities perpetuated onto African-Americans and other factors as well. But, many prominent Black role models have been trying to convince the Black community this vaccine is safe and worth taking ... like the late, great Hank Aaron.

Bobby Shmurda's getting back to work for NBA All-Star Weekend in Atlanta ... and he's set to bank big bucks for his first performances since getting sprung from prison.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... after the rapper takes the mic Friday night for his triumphant return at Compound nightclub in the ATL, he'll walk away with $125,000.

Bobby's hosting the event -- dubbed his "Welcome Home Party" -- with 50 Cent, but it's just one of several gigs he has on the books for the hoops and hip-hop weekend.

We're told Shmurda's also signed on for smaller, private events that will ultimately bring his haul to more than $300K for a few days' work.

Of course, Bobby's not the only rapper taking advantage of the All-Star festivities. Our sources say his pal Rowdy Rebel -- who was also released from prison early this year -- will make $59k for his show at Halo Lounge.

Likewise, Lil Durk's set to score $100k for his Saturday night gig at Opera Nightclub.

Karl-Anthony Towns' newest car purchase features an incredible tribute to his late mother ... with the NBA star having her signature embroidered into the headrests.

KAT's mother, Jackie, tragically passed away back in April 2020 after a lengthy battle with COVID-19.

The Minnesota Timberwolves center's GF, Jordyn Woods, revealed his new red Maybach in an Instagram video Thursday ... showing off the touching honor to Jackie in the interior of the high-end whip.

"Baby boys new car 😍," Woods said. "Proud of him. One of the most intelligent and hardest working people I know!!"

The car appears to be a Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600, which reportedly comes with a $200k price tag ... that is, without all the bells and whistles that KAT likely added.

It's been a tough year for KAT, to say the least -- several family members have died from COVID, including his mother.

Karl and his father Karl Sr. later tested positive for the virus -- but they have both since recovered.

Plus, Karl was also hit by a drunk driver before the 2020-21 season ... he recovered from that as well.

So, yeah ... we're happy to see KAT happy. You deserve it. Enjoy the new car.

NBA star Donovan Mitchell says the refs straight-up "screwed" the Utah Jazz out of a win Wednesday night against the 76ers ... slamming the officiating as "f**king ridiculous."

The All-Star guard was booted from the game in the final minute of the Jazz's 131-123 loss to Philadelphia in OT ... after receiving two technical fouls for arguing with refs over calls.

Mitchell was LIVID as he headed to the locker room ... unleashing his frustrations on a nearby water cooler as he left the court.

After the game, Mitchell continued to blast the refs ... saying, "It's tough to go out there and see how we fight and compete, and to have a game like that taken from us."

"This whole refereeing stuff ... We're nice, we don't complain, like, we don't get frustrated, we fight through things, and the fact that we continually get ... screwed, in a way, by this. You know?”

Spida -- an MVP candidate for the Western Conference-leading Jazz -- had a fantastic game leading up to the ejection with 33 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists ... and feels the Jazz should have gone home with the W.

"We won this game, in my personal opinion," Mitchell said. "But like I said, I’m going to give them credit. They won. Whatever. Cool."

"But it’s been a consistent thing, and the question is, ‘Can we do it? Can we sustain it? Are we for real #1? And, yeah, the hell we are. And it’s getting f**king ridiculous that this is what is happening."

Jazz big man Rudy Gobert had Mitchell's back after the game ... telling the media he hopes the refs are embarrassed by their performance.

"I think it's disrespectful, to be honest, to the game of basketball and to our team, and hopefully, they're going to watch the game when they get home," Gobert said.

"Hopefully, they feel ashamed when they watch the game."

It’s a good bet Mitchell and Gobert can expect a letter in the mail from the league in the near future.

Blake Griffin is officially a free agent -- the 6-time All-Star has agreed to a contract buyout with the Detroit Pistons ... and now the big question is: where's he gonna go next?!

31-year-old Griffin -- the #1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft -- can now join any team he wishes ... and there are some serious contenders reportedly interested in adding Griffin for a playoff run.

One of those teams?? The Los Angeles Lakers, a squad that's already stacked ... but could really use the depth in the hunt to repeat as NBA champions in 2021.

There are 3 other teams that have expressed interest in Griffin -- the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets, according to reporter Marc Stein.

Of course, Griffin hasn't played for the Pistons since Feb. 12 ... when Detroit announced he would remain inactive while they explored trades and the possibility of buying out his contract.

Considering Blake has a player option worth nearly $39 million for next season, it's no surprise Motor City couldn't find a suitable offer.

Griffin played in L.A. for 9 years with the Clippers ... but there's a real possibility he could return to his old home as a Laker this time around.

"Yeah, it's over guys!!!"

Giannis Antetokounmpo had an epic reaction to Team LeBron's stacked lineup for the All-Star Game ... declaring an early victory while chowing down on some delicious lemon pepper wings!!

LeBron James' starting 5 is about as dominant as you can get -- with the Lakers superstar adding the Greek Freak, Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic to his team Thursday night.

The Milwaukee Bucks star wasn't able to watch the ASG draft since he was on the court against the Grizzlies at the time ... but he was brought up to speed in a postgame interview after the close win over Memphis.

"That's the starting 5?!," Giannis asked, surprised. "Yeah, it's over guys!"

"Me, Lebron, Luka, Jokic and Steph?! Man, that's a good starting 5. That's a good starting 5!"

Side note -- this is all happening while Giannis is eating some of the most beautiful chicken wings you'll ever see. Why?? 'Cause he's in Memphis and that's what you do.

Back to the All-Star draft -- Giannis joked about being the first player picked out of the pool for the game ... asking if he gets any kind of special treatment.

"Do I get a hat? Do I get something? Do I gotta wear the suit now being number one overall?" Antetokounmpo joked ... before getting real for a sec.

"It's a compliment. I'ma just go there, have fun, try to represent the city the right way. Try to get a win for team Lebron and just have fun."

This marks the first time Giannis isn't a captain during the "draft-era" of the All-Star Game ... with Kevin Durant taking over duties in 2021.

KD's lineup is pretty scary, too -- with Bradley Beal, Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and Jayson Tatum.

Scary situation for Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine -- cops were called to his home Thursday night after an allegedly obsessed woman showed up at his door and refused to leave.

Our law enforcement sources tell us ... 25-year-old LaVine was at his residence when the woman arrived.

We're told Zach did not know the woman -- but she had traveled from another state demanding to have a conversation with the young superstar.

When asked to leave the property, we're told the woman refused -- so cops were called.

Once help arrived, we're told officers took her to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation -- she was not formally arrested and has not been charged with a crime.

We reached out to LaVine's camp -- so far, no comment.

It's been a big week for LaVine -- who was just named to the NBA All-Star team for the first time in his career.

The Big Ticket will not become the Big Owner -- Kevin Garnett's investment group is out of the race to buy the Minnesota Timberwolves, the ex-NBA star announced Thursday.

As we previously reported, billionaire Glen Taylor -- who has owned the team since 1995 -- began listening to offers to sell the team back in July 2020 ... with KG "seriously interested" in taking over the reins with a group of investors.

But, that dream is officially dead ... with Garnett sounding off on the outcome in a fiery Instagram post.

"Sooo just got the news that this process in trying to acquire the TWOLVES IS OVER for me n my group," KG said. "Thx Glen for being yourself n what I Kno you to be!!! GOOD LUCK n aww the best with WHAT WE BUILT."

Remember, KG -- easily the best player in franchise history -- HATED Taylor for years ... but extended an olive branch in hopes of working together to rebuild the organization.

But, that strategy ultimately didn't work ... and Garnett says he's "not hurt, just disappointed" in losing out on the opportunity.

"Crazy that some of these players that helped build these fuxin Franchises like a home but can never own them, only rent them," he said.

"GTFOH ISHHH IS A JOKE ... Fux em doe ... your loss."

Garnett seems to be holding out hope on being an owner in the future, however ... listing cities like Las Vegas and Seattle as possibilities.

As for the Wolves?? He's taking the Chris Brown approach.

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game will feature a special court designed to honor historically black colleges and universities ... and the first images look amazing!

NBA officials previously announced the March 7 event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta will be dedicated to "elevating Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and COVID-19 equity."

In other words, the league wants to help get resources to HBCU students and staff who have been impacted by the pandemic.

And, to put a spotlight on the issue, the league reached out to several HBCU alumni to create custom artwork for the court.

The final product is pretty cool -- it celebrates the culture of HBCUs ... from the spirited marching bands to the focus on education and more.

As part of the festivities, the official student marching bands from Grambling State and Florida A&M will perform during player introductions.

The NBA has also committed $500,000 in scholarship funding to both the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and the United Negro College Fund.

There's an additional $750,000 in funding that will be awarded to the organizations based on various challenges taking place during the game.

For example, whichever team is leading at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarter will be awarded $150k (for each quarter) to donate to one of the orgs.

And, get this ... the 3 main officials working the All-Star Game are all HBCU graduates -- Tom Washington, Courtney Kirkland and Tony Brown.

IT'S TIME TO PLAY THE GAME!!!

Wrestling legends Triple H and The Big Show showed up to Cleveland Cavs practice on Wednesday ... oh wait, that's Dylan Windler and Damyean Dotson!!

The Cavs players channeled the iconic superstars as they made their way to the court for practice ... and the results are nothing short of amazing!!

Here's how it went down -- Windler posed behind the rising door as Triple H’s introduction music blasted over the speakers ... and as he makes his entrance, he takes a sip of water and does the signature spit-water splash!!

Not to be outdone, Dotson followed up by hoisting a championship belt while Big Show's intro music plays ... and ends up tossing his practice jersey to hype up his teammates!!

It clearly worked -- the players are seen laughing and cheering as the intros unfold.

If you're wondering why this happened, JaVale McGee -- who documented the whole ordeal on IG -- explained these guys do it all the time when they shoot against each other during their pregame routines.

If anyone is looking to hire a 2-time All-Star, Luka Doncic is putting his résumé on display ... with the Mavs superstar creating his very own LinkedIn page -- and it's as awesome as you'd think!!

The 22-year-old former Rookie of the Year's profile surfaced on the job-focused social media site this week ... and it's laden with nuggets that would make any company wanna add the hooper to their team.

For instance, Luka's experience section includes guard/small forward for the Dallas Mavericks (duh) ... as well as "Global Chief Hydration Officer" for BioSteel -- a company he announced a partnership with this week.

Things get good when we get to the "Skills" section of Luka's profile ... which includes basketball (duh, again), hydration and fitness.

As for other skills listed?? Magic ... which makes sense. After all, have you SEEN this guy play?!

The biggest flex of all comes in the "Honors and Awards" portion of the page ... which lists all of the baller's accomplishments so far in his young career -- 2-time All-Star, All-NBA First Team, NBA Rookie Of The Year, EuroLeague 2010–20 All-Decade Team, EuroLeague champ and MVP.

Yeah, not too shabby.

It's not the first time a huge name like Luka has ventured on to the site -- athletes like Shaq, Julian Edelman and Brandon Marshall have famously logged on in the past.

Vanessa Bryant is opening up about her life after the deaths of Kobe and Gianna -- admitting, "This pain is unimaginable [but] you just have to get up and push forward."

"Lying in bed crying isn't going to change the fact that my family will never be the same again," Vanessa told People.com ... "But getting out of bed and pushing forward is going to make the day better for my girls and for me. So that's what I do."

Vanessa has kept very busy in the year after Kobe and 13-year-old Gianna passed away in that tragic helicopter crash -- taking the reigns on various projects Kobe had been working on in both entertainment and charity.

She worked with author Ivy Claire to complete Kobe's novel for young adults, "Epoca: The River of Sand" -- which dropped back in December.

And, she's been a force with Kobe's non-profit organization -- relaunching it as the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, with the mission of helping "underserved athletes and women in sports."

Vanessa says Kobe and Gianna serve as her inspiration to "keep going" -- "They inspire me to try harder and be better every day. Their love is unconditional and they motivate me in so many different ways."

Now, as Vanessa moves forward with her 3 daughters -- 18-year-old Natalia, 4-year-old Bianka and 1-year-old Capri -- she leans on her family to "give me strength."