NBA

Shaquille O'Neal blew into Nashville for a DJ gig Friday and ended up surrounded by cops ... but it's not what you might think.

A bunch of uniformed members of the Nashville Metro PD congregated around the NBA legend and posed for a pic with Shaq after he spun some records at Skydeck nearby.

Check out the video shot by popular downtown Nashville hot dog stand operator Frederick Barr. The smiles on the officers' faces tell the story.

Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett is breaking his silence on his little brother's death ... saying Nathan's passing is "a lot tougher" than any other loss he's experienced in his life.

The NBA player was emotional when he spoke about his late 19-year-old brother with reporters at Friday's practice ... his first time rejoining the Raptors since the family tragedy.

"I’ve had some people in my life, but this one hit a little harder for me," Barrett said.

"This one is definitely a little different, it’s a lot tougher, and I just think that you’ve gotta push forward every day, gotta be able to try to figure it out."

The Barrett family released a statement earlier this month ... saying Nathan was surrounded by family members and loved ones at the time of his death, although additional details have not been made public.

Nathan was also an athlete -- he followed in his brother's footsteps by playing basketball at Montverde Academy. However, he changed course and was pursuing a career as a pilot.

"If I know my brother, he would want me to be here, to be playing," Barrett added, "to try to continue to make the Barrett legacy grow."

Philadelphia 76ers hooper Kelly Oubre Jr. and his head coach, Nick Nurse, are gonna have to write out a check to the NBA -- the two were just fined $50,000 each for going ballistic on referees after their 108-107 loss to the Clippers on Wednesday.

The matchup ended in quite the controversy -- the Sixers forward drove to the basket to attempt a game-winning bucket ... and despite making contact with Paul George, a foul wasn't called.

Oubre and Nurse were irate over the no-call after the buzzer -- Oubre even flipped the bird at the officials ... and Sixers staffers had to step in to keep the two from going further.

Many believe Oubre also pointed at each official and called them a "bitch."

Tsunami Papi admitted after the game he knew a fine was coming … and he was right -- 'cause the league handed down the punishment for "verbally abusing and directing an obscene gesture" at the officials.

Nurse's fine was for "aggressively pursuing and verbally abusing game officials."

Oubre shared his regret over his actions ... saying, "I want to apologize for just losing my cool … I just ask for forgiveness. It wasn't cool, so I'll take whatever penalties come with that."

While the financial punishment is nothing to scoff at, ex-NBA player Lou Williams predicted KO would actually get a heftier fine … saying, "This is $25,000 per bitch, without a doubt."

NBA center Isaiah Hartenstein is opening up on how people react when they find out he's actually Black ... saying the experience is like something straight out of a "Key and Peele" sketch.

The 25-year-old hooper's teammates, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, got right to the point when they invited him on their "Roommates" podcast this week ... when the former asked Hartenstein straight-up, "Are you Black?"

The six-year vet broke it all down ... explaining his dad, Florian, is Black.

"You know how it's like lightskin? I'm brightskin," Hartenstein said. "I'm above lightskin."

The 7'0" big man went on to point out there's one big difference he notices after folks learn he's Black ... and he compared it to the famous skit from the Comedy Central show, when Jordan Peele's Barack Obama character bases his handshake approach on race.

"When they find out I'm Black, it changes," Hartenstein added. "The whole vibe changes -- it goes from, 'Hey Zay, how are you doing?' to 'Yo, Zay, what up, man? You good?'"

A hefty fine is surely coming Kelly Oubre Jr.'s way -- the Philadelphia 76ers hooper absolutely unloaded on referees over a blown call at the end of Wednesday's game ... appearing to call them a bunch of bitches.

The Sixers' 108-107 loss to the LA Clippers ended in controversy ... when KO drove the lane in hopes of getting the lead in the final seconds of the contest, but made contact with Paul George instead.

Oubre and Sixers coach Nick Nurse were both LIVID over the non-call after the buzzer ... yelling at officials and needing to be restrained.

The internet lipreaders seemed to figure out what Oubre said in the confrontation ... claiming Oubre pointed at Kevin Scott, Brandon Adair and JB DeRosa individually and said, "you're a bitch, you're a bitch, you're a bitch."

It didn't stop there -- some believe Oubre even started talking about their relatives ... also referring to them as bitches.

Some on the internet have felt the 28-year-old's frustration was perhaps warranted ... as Scott admitted after the game a foul should've been called on the play.

Despite being technically right, Oubre expressed remorse for his actions in the locker rooms ... saying, "I want to apologize for just losing my cool, because that's something I try to work on each and every day, and try to represent God in the best way I possibly can, and that wasn't it."

"So I just ask for forgiveness."

10:00 AM PT -- Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore are adamant they were not the reason for the failed deal, releasing a statement through their spokesperson on Thursday afternoon that read, "We have fulfilled our obligations, have all necessary funding and are fully committed to closing our purchase of the team as soon as the NBA completes its process."

"Glen Taylor's statement," the two continued, "is an unfortunate case of seller's remorse that is short sighted and disruptive to the team and the fans during a historic winning season."

Alex Rodriguez won't be the majority owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx after all ... the orgs' owner just announced the former MLB star's bid to buy the teams has fallen through.

Glen Taylor, the current honcho of the NBA and WNBA squads, announced the news in a statement on Thursday morning ... explaining Rodriguez and former Walmart CEO Marc Lore's effort to become new majority owners collapsed after the two missed a key deadline this week.

"Under terms of the purchase agreement," Taylor said in the statement, "the closing was required to occur within 90 days following the exercise notice issued by Lore and Rodriguez. That 90-day period expired on March 27, 2024."

"Under certain circumstances, the buyer could have been entitled to a limited extension. However, those circumstances did not occur."

Rodriguez and Lore had previously bought 40 percent of the teams in prior sales. The most recent agreement between the two and Taylor was set to give them an additional 40 percent of the franchises.

Taylor said despite the failed pact, he'll still work with Lore and Rodriguez to "ensure our teams have the necessary resources to compete at the highest levels on and off the court."

As for going forward, Taylor doesn't appear to have plans of re-entering into talks with the two about a purchase ... saying, "The Timberwolves and Lynx are no longer for sale."

The Wolves currently have one of the best teams in the NBA, holding a 50-22 record. The Lynx -- who've won four WNBA titles -- are slated to begin their season this summer.

Draymond Green issued a mea culpa for his actions on his "The Draymond Green Show" Thursday morning ... admitting, "I said what I said. I deserved to get kicked out at that point."

"It just can't happen," he added.

Draymond Green was ejected from yet another NBA game Wednesday night -- this time for screaming at a ref -- and Steph Curry was so upset that it happened again, he got visibly emotional on the floor.

The latest DG meltdown happened early in the first quarter of the Warriors' matchup with the Magic in Orlando ... after Green was furious with official Ray Acosta over some foul calls.

Green went up to the ref and began screaming in his face ... and, initially, Acosta appeared to be set to let it all slide with a technical call.

Ice Cube clearly thinks Caitlin Clark can succeed in the Big3 ... but one man who's convinced she can't is ex-NBA star Kenyon Martin, who said Wednesday she wouldn't be able to score a single point in the 3-on-3 league.

The Iowa Hawkeyes star received a $5 million offer to join Cube's hoops org. on Wednesday ... but when Martin was asked how he thinks she'd fare if she accepted the deal -- he made it clear, he thinks it'd be a mess.

"It's a step under prison ball," the former NBA player said of the Big3's action on Gilbert Arenas' "Gil's Arena Show." "Could you imagine her getting stuck down on Reggie Evans?"

Shaquille O'Neal might think Ice Spice is "so dam fine," but he swears he wasn't trying to rizz up the rapper with his Instagram caption after the Super Bowl .... claiming he was just trying to be nice!!

The 52-year-old Hall of Famer explained what happened on his "Big Podcast With Shaq" this week ... saying he ran into IS when he hopped over to Taylor Swift's Allegiant Stadium suite during halftime of the big game.

Shaq shared a pic of his meet-up with Swift, Spice and others ... and he raised a ton of eyebrows when his caption praised the "Think U The S*** (Fart)" MC's beauty.

Draymond Green has found himself at the center of more criticism over his on-court antics ... this time, the Golden State Warriors star is getting backlash after wrapping his arm around Patty Mills' neck and forcing him to the ground.

The incident went down during the first quarter of the Dubs' road matchup against the Miami Heat on Tuesday ... when Green got tied up with Mills as he moved through the paint to try to defend Bam Adebayo's shot.

A nearby official immediately blew his whistle ... and the play was reviewed to see if Adebayo's attempt happened prior to the the common foul.

7:30 AM -- Ice Cube is now speaking out on the offer ... saying it was a no-brainer to pitch Caitlin Clark to his organization.

"Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3," he said minutes ago on X ... while also pointing out the league has a track record of breaking barriers with female coaches like Nancy Lieberman and Lisa Leslie.

"With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes," Cube added.

The BIG3 founder also thinks his org. will be a better alternative for WNBA athletes to make money during the offseason ... so they don't have to take their talents to "often dismal and dubious foreign countries" to earn a living.

"And they should have more than just one professional option in the US at a time when American pro sports leagues are being infiltrated by autocratic, anti-women regimes such as Qatar," he said. "Our pathbreaking offer to Caitlin Clark demonstrates that BIG3 now offers another choice for athletes."

Caitlin Clark is in line to make more history -- the NCAA phenom could become basketball's first-ever $5 million woman, if she accepts a massive deal from Ice Cube's Big3 league ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Ex-NBA tough guy Matt Barnes met his match this week ... coming face-to-face with a pesky opossum that entered his home -- and the video of the standoff is riveting.

The 44-year-old hooper documented the whole thing on his Instagram page ... showing his elaborate plan to get the creature out of his kitchen.

Barnes -- who's in the process of moving -- had a bunch of boxes set up in hopes of leading the opossum toward the door.

The guy even tried throwing various fruits at it ... but the intruder refused to budge.

Barnes then grabbed a golf club ... with the intent to "put a pitching wedge up his ass."

The 6'7" champ did everything he could to keep a distance ... hopping around on the countertops and spraying the rodent with water, which only made it more of a challenge as it scurried further into the home.

At one point, MB even pondered lighting a joint to get the critter high ... but elected against it.

Eventually, Barnes' nemesis decided it was time to go back outside ... bolting for the door and off the property.

"I'll fight anybody, but I don't f*** with animals," Barnes said. "That's for g**damn sure."

The interaction received a ton of responses from Barnes' followers ... including Deion Sanders, Jon Jones, Gilbert Arenas, Terrell Owens and more.

Bronny James might not have broken any scoring records during his freshman season at USC, but Metta World Peace isn't worried one bit about LeBron's son's potential at the next level ... telling TMZ Sports the young hooper has a promising future in the NBA.

Bronny's hopes of playing alongside his pops took a hit this season ... with critics pointing out his stats (4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game) don't necessarily scream top draft prospect.

Metta came to Bronny's defense when asked about the 19-year-old's impending decision to either stay in school or enter the draft this week ... saying, "He's only a freshman."

"A lot of people was talking about his numbers, but name a freshman that never averaged more than 4 or 5 and then had no chance going pro? Freshman numbers are freshman numbers."

Metta -- who played college basketball at St. John's in the late '90s -- believes Bronny already has some qualities that make him a pro, especially his selfless plays on the court ... but he just has to develop and mature a little more.

"I think he has a shot to be a really good point guard. A starting point guard," the former NBA star said. "Maybe even All-Star!"

Of course, LeBron thinks so, too ... even going as far as saying his son is better than some of the current NBA players he's been watching, calling it "lightweight hilarious."

12:14 PM -- LeBron James was clearly watching every second of the first-round matchup ... 'cause the Lakers superstar was quick to congratulate his former coach on the 71-67 upset win over BYU.

"YEAAAAHHHH @DruOnDemand LFG!!!! Go Dukes @DuqMBB," Bron said on Thursday.

As the saying goes ... it's gotta be the shoes!!

The Duquesne basketball team got a sweet surprise before their first-round game in the NCAA Tournament ... brand new LeBron James XXI kicks -- from the King himself!

The Lakers superstar had the white and light blue sneakers delivered to the 11th-seeded team this week before Thursday's game against 6th-seeded BYU ... in the tourney's East Region.

The players were HYPED when they saw the new shoes ... and were super appreciative of the gift.

FYI, the LeBron 21s "Blue Diver" dropped this month ... with Air Zoom cushioning and a glow-in-the-dark outsole. The shoe was modeled after an Oyster shell.

There's a deeper meaning ... and it's a tribute to Bron's daughter, Zhuri, and how the proud dad protects his daughter just as a shell shelters a pearl.

You're probably asking, why Duquesne? Well, James' former high school basketball coach is their current HC ... Keith Dambrot, who has been the coach of the Dukes since 2017.

The special delivery comes on the heels of Duquesne's biggest basketball game in decades ... they haven't been in the NCAA tourney in 47 years, and last made a trip to the Final 4 in 1940, 84 years ago.

Metta World Peace says St. John's was snubbed by the NCAA Tourney committee, but he isn't trippin' ... 'cause the former Red Storm star says the squad will be dancing next season!

TMZ Sports talked to the Queens-born, ex-SJU and NBA star after St. John's was left out of the 68-team field, despite finishing with a 20-13 (11-9 in the Big East) record. St. Johns won 6 of their last 7, with the one loss coming to UCONN, the number 1 overall seed.

Still, the Big East, one of the most talented and competitive conferences in the sport, was disrespected ... only receiving 3 bids, while SJU and Seton Hall were shafted.

"Rick Pitino is getting it going back in the right direction," Metta told us earlier this week. "It was unfortunate, but I think next year, they'll go to the NCAA tournament."

Of course, if anyone can do it, it's Pitino. The legendary coach, who just finished his first season in Queens, has been to seven Final Fours ... and won two NCAA titles. He has over 850 collegiate wins. Rick's also spent time in the NBA, with coaching the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics.

Speaking of coaching, Metta -- who played at St. John's from 1997 to 1999 -- is no stranger to the sidelines himself. MWP has served as an assistant for Cal State L.A.'s women's basketball team.

The Detroit Pistons will be without Ausar Thompson for the rest of the season ... after it was revealed the rookie guard is receiving treatment for blood clot issues.

The Pistons announced the unfortunate news ahead of their game against the Pacers on Wednesday ... saying Thompson will not play tonight or the last 13 games of the regular season due to the medical situation.

The good news?? The 6'6" athlete is expected to recover and return in time for next season.

Detroit released a statement on Thompson's status ... saying, "Under the guidance of Pistons team physician Dr. Ramsey Shehab of Henry Ford Health, Thompson has been cleared to resume conditioning and will begin non-contact basketball activities at the conclusion of the regular season with a gradual ramp up over the summer months in preparation for a full return next season."

Thompson last played on March 9th ... scoring 4 points in the Pistons' 124-142 loss to the Mavericks.

In 63 games this season, the former No. 5 overall pick averaged 8.8 points and 6.4 rebounds. He also became the youngest player (20) to earn at least 5 blocks in their first NBA game.

The Pistons also announced Isaiah Stewart is also out for the season with a right hamstring strain he suffered during Monday's game.