NBA

Gilbert Arenas is issuing a direct mea culpa to Luol Deng for his xenophobic comments about South Sudan's men's basketball team ... this after the African former NBA star released a powerful statement addressing the whole ordeal.

As we previously reported, Arenas faced a ton of backlash for going on an offensive rant on Saturday ... shortly after LeBron James and Team USA squeaked by South Sudan prior to the Olympics. Celtics legend Paul Pierce also found himself in hot water for making similar remarks during an appearance on "Undisputed."

The ex-Bulls and Lakers forward -- who serves as the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation -- broke his silence on both Arenas and Pierce's controversial words directed at his native country's team ... saying he wasn't upset or angry by their words, but more "disappointed" it came from two former colleagues he's always respected.

2:45 PM PT -- TNT isn't going down without a fight ... saying it will take appropriate action after the league "grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights" regarding their relationship moving forward.

"We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do so, and do not believe the NBA can reject it," the company said in a statement.

The NBA just announced it has reached a media rights agreement with Amazon Prime Video for 2025 and beyond ... saying Warner Bros. Discovery's bid simply wasn't up to snuff.

The deal means the upcoming 2024-25 season will be the league's last with TNT ... bringing the beloved "Inside the NBA" program to an end.

"Warner Bros. Discovery's most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video's offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon," the league said in a statement.

Team USA's starting Olympics flag bearer lineup is set ... two days after the Americans picked LeBron James to be the male one -- they announced Coco Gauff will be the female one.

The two will hold the Stars and Stripes high and proud at the Games' opening ceremony festivities on Friday in France ... and when the tennis star learned of the honor on Wednesday, she was pumped.

After some initial shock, she told TODAY she had "no words, honestly."

Gilbert Arenas went on a rant filled with xenophobic tropes following Team USA's win over South Sudan ... and he's now facing backlash for the remarks, including from Joel Embiid, who's calling the comments "disappointing."

The former NBA star unleashed the offensive tirade on Saturday ... just after LeBron James and Co. squeaked by South Sudan in an Olympics tuneup, 101-100.

James' squad was supposed to win big at O2 Arena in London -- they were, after all, 43-point favorites -- but instead, they needed a last-second layup from the Lakers superstar to get them by.

The Olympic gold medal that Clyde Drexler won as a part of the famed 1992 "Dream Team" can now be all yours ... and while you don't have to be a baller like The Glide to get your hands on it -- ya better have some deep pockets!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the piece of basketball history just hit the block at Goldin Auctions on Monday -- and with a starting bid of $250,000, it's expected to fetch a small fortune when the final gavel comes down.

Unclear why Drexler parted ways with the piece -- but he did fill out a letter of authenticity back in April proclaiming he had no intentions of fighting to get the prize back at any point in the future. He also stated in the LOA that he'll never seek a reproduction of it through the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The medal is now being sold by a consigner.

LeBron James can add yet another accomplishment to his extensive résumé -- the Lakers superstar was just revealed as a flag bearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics ... becoming the first Team USA men's basketball player to receive the honor.

King James -- who was nominated by Stephen Curry and the rest of the national team -- got word of the selection on Monday ... and he said it's something he isn't taking lightly.

"It's special in the fact that you get an opportunity to represent your country in another fashion," Bron said.

Kobe Bryant fans have an opportunity to get their hands on a truly rare piece of memorabilia ... the Black Mamba's Staples Center locker -- and it could sell for over a million bucks!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the locker -- which was set to be destroyed during renovations at the Staples Center in 2018 -- was saved by a maintenance worker who realized it belonged to the Hall of Famer.

The worker kept it in storage for years until an American collector, who had the locker nameplate, purchased it to reunite the two pieces.

NBA guard Cameron Payne dialed 911 just before he was arrested in Arizona last month ... and in a tense conversation with dispatch, he said his name was "Terry Johnson."

The chat with the Scottsdale Police Department -- which lasted more than five minutes -- happened on June 14 at around 2:30 AM ... after the 29-year-old hooper said he had gotten into a verbal dispute with his girlfriend.

Initially, you can hear in audio of the call -- obtained by TMZ Sports -- that Payne wanted officers to come to his house ASAP. But, in an ensuing back and forth with dispatch, Payne pled with the official to drop the matter.

Bronny James is getting buried on social media over his less-than-stellar Summer League performances to kick off his Lakers career ... but he's got at least one BIG supporter standing firm in his corner -- Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal.

It's no secret -- LeBron James' eldest boy isn't necessarily taking the Association by storm after going No. 55 overall to the Purple and Gold last month ... averaging just 4.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals in four appearances -- not to mention going 0-15 from three-point range.

While those kinds of numbers won't garner a ton of praise, it seems some haters are going extra hard on the 19-year-old hooper due to his famous pops and claims of "nepotism."

Steph Curry and Drake have a lot in common these days ... both dudes are really tired of hearing Kendrick Lamar's smash hit, "Not Like Us."

The Golden State Warriors superstar made his disdain for the tune known while he and Team USA were gearing up for a pre-Olympics tilt with Serbia in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday afternoon.

As the point guard was settling in for the matchup, the PA announcer blared K. Dot's Drake diss track ... and almost immediately, Curry groaned.

11:38 AM PT -- Kobe's wife, Vanessa Bryant, just addressed Joe's passing ... sharing her condolences and reflecting on his relationship with the family.

"We hoped things would've been different," Vanessa said on Tuesday. "Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet and nice to be around."

"Kobe loved him very much."

The Las Vegas heat wasn't enough to stop Jordyn Woods, Karl-Anthony Towns, Paul George and his wife Daniela from gettin' lit in Sin City ... the foursome partied all weekend long, and we got the pics!

Woods -- who has been dating KAT since 2020 -- posted BTS photos and videos of the weekend in America's Playground ... and revealed the couple was hanging with PG and wifey.

And, the ladies were stunning ... Woods wore a glitter champagne-colored dress while Daniela -- who married the Sixers forward in 2022 -- wore a revealing white satin dress.

Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis is welcoming his new teammate, DeMar DeRozan, to the squad with open arms ... telling TMZ Sports he's totally stoked about the new addition.

We caught up with the three-time All-Star at LAX fresh off the three-team deal that went down this week ... which sent Harrison Barnes to the San Antonio Spurs and Chris Duarte and two second-round picks to the Chicago Bulls -- and, of course, DeRozan to Sac-Town.

It's safe to say the league's back-to-back rebounding leader approves of the deal ... 'cause he couldn't say enough good things about it.

Tara Davis-Woodhall is on her way to the 2024 Olympics ... and there's one athlete she really wants to meet -- LeBron James -- telling us she must meet the NBA superstar who changed the world of sports!

TMZ Sports spoke with the track and field athlete this week before she heads to the City of Light for her second Olympics ... where Tara's stoked to compete for the gold medal.

Business aside, she's also hyped to meet some of the other elite athletes from around the world ... especially King James, who's playing in his third Olympics with the U.S. Men's National Basketball team.

Britney Spears was being used by her ex, Hoda Kotb wants a shot at Kevin Costner and Glen "Big Baby" Davis is getting ready to do a bid ... all this on today's TMZ TV Hot Takes.

First up on "TMZ Live" Harvey and Charles break down Britney's break up with her ex, Paul Soliz.

Jaylen Brown and Kysre Gondrezick sure look like an item ... the two pro basketball players pulled up to the ESPYs together arm-in-arm -- and even appeared to get ready for the event inside the same hotel room.

The annual sports award show is going down Thursday evening at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles ... and the Boston Celtics star and the WNBA player were seen preppin' for the event at Pendry West Hollywood.

Check out a photo TMZ Sports obtained of the two on a balcony just hours before they hit the ESPY red carpet together ... they seemed to be sharing the same room as they got dolled up.