NCAA

Billionaire dude Alec Gores says Barack Obama's "NBA Junior" idea ain't gonna work ... and if the NBA and NCAA want to fix college basketball there's only one way -- PAY THE PLAYERS!!

Gores is worth a cool $2 bil so, when we got him out on the town in L.A., we wanted to know if he thought it was time for another billion dollar entity -- the NCAA -- to break bread with their players.

"Absolutely they should pay," Gores said ... "It will reduce corruption, they should get paid. Period, end of the story."

Obama has floated the idea the NBA should create a junior league for younger players -- and when we asked Gores about that he showed the ex-Prez absolutely ZERO love.

"No. I don't like that."

Forget Mel Kiper or Todd McShay, it's time for Johnny Manziel's draft analysis -- on a street corner in West Hollywood.

Manziel was leaving Craig's with his fiancee Bre Tiesi (in a sick car, BTW) and we asked him who should go #1 in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Johnny is clearly a fan of Saquon Barkley -- the star running back from Penn State -- with Manziel telling us ... "He's a beast. I'm pulling for him."

Remember Mustafa Shakur?

He was a BEAST at the University of Arizona back in the day -- and now he's going to bat for hoops coach Sean Miller ... telling people to STOP assuming he's guilty of paying recruits!

"I think we have to go by innocent until proven guilty," Shakur says ... "can't assume anything!"

Miller has adamantly denied discussing plans to pay $100,000 to Deandre Ayton -- despite an ESPN report that the conversation was captured on an FBI wiretap.

Shakur not only praises the university for sticking by Miller -- but also says the scandal could actually MOTIVATE the team to kill it in the NCAA tourney.

We'll see ... in the meantime, check out this Shakur highlight.

DeAndre Jordan says the NCAA should absolutely pay its players ... and if they do, a crappy salary won't cut it.

We got DJ out at Poppy over the weekend, and the Clippers All-Star didn't shy away from our question about pay for play ... joining guys like Carmelo Anthony and Lonzo Ball who've called for change in college hoops.

As for how much they should rake ... DeAndre didn't go full LaVar, but he did call for them to earn more than millions of Americans do every year.

University of Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller just came out swinging against allegations he tried to pay a top recruit $100,000 to play for him ... saying, "I have done nothing wrong."

Miller appeared at a news conference Thursday to address reports that FBI wiretaps show he discussed making a $100,000 payment to lock up high school phenom Deandre Ayton.

"I have never paid a recruit to come to Arizona," Miller said ... who adds he also never DISCUSSED paying a recruit.

In short, Miller says the allegations are inaccurate, false and defamatory.

"I have never knowingly violated NCAA rules while serving as head coach at this great program."

Miller says he was approached with the suggestion of paying a recruit at one point during his career at U of A ... but he did NOT agree to pay the recruit and that player did not end up at the school.

Let's stop pretending D-1 college basketball players are just student athletes -- they're PROS who deserve to get paid already ... so says Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin.

Bevin just WENT OFF about the current state of college basketball -- slamming the way the NCAA treats players ... and explaining why the concept of amateurism in top-tier college sports is a lie.

"It's a multi-BILLION industry in America, college athletics ... and yet we're pretending these kids are just student athletes? Come on."

That said ... Bevin is a huge fan of college basketball and sports in general -- he just wants the players to be treated fairly.

"I firmly believe that for top-tier D-1 programs, these kids should get paid. They're professional athletes, for us to pretend otherwise is ridiculous."

He also referred to the top-tier programs as the "minor leagues of professional sports."

Charles Barkley says college basketball is still GREAT because it helps black kids get a free college education -- and he dismisses the NCAA recruiting scandals as a few bad apples.

"The NCAA has some issues," Barkley told Adam Glyn in NYC ... "but what about all those kids who got to go to college for free?!"

"There's a few guys who are corrupt, I understand that. But, I always look at the big picture."

"I want all them young black kids getting their free education!"

The NCAA has been under fire recently after several high-profile players and programs were allegedly involved in schemes to pay players ... sometimes the payments reached 6 figures.

As for how Barkley would fix the system -- he says it's not as simple as just saying, "Pay the athletes."

"I don't know how to pay 'em. Who do you pay? Do you pay the basketball team? You pay the football team? You pay the girls teams? It's not that simple."

Shaquille O'Neal and his family were so excited for Shareef to commit to UCLA last night -- they made a victory family dance video!!!

We told you first ... Shareeef was leaning toward signing with the Bruins after decommitting from the University of Arizona following a recruiting scandal involving the head coach.

Well, Tuesday night, Reef -- one of the best high school hoops players in the country -- made it official ... and his mother Shaunie couldn't be happier (he'll be close to home!).

Then ... the family dance party broke out.

Shaq also posted a message about his son's decision -- "My baby @shareefoneal decided he’s gonna be a Bruin."

"Me and your mom @shaunieoneal5 are proud of you dude. This is the first of many steps to fulfill your dreams. #prouddad."

Here's a reason to 8-clap ... Shareef O'Neal is "leaning toward signing with UCLA" after pulling his commitment to the University of Arizona ... sources tell TMZ Sports.

O'Neal -- the high school superstar son of Shaquille O'Neal -- decommitted from Arizona over the weekend after reports surfaced that Arizona coach Sean Miller was caught on an FBI wiretap discussing making a $100,000 payment to a huge recruit.

Shareef is one of the best high school players in the country -- and the move made top programs around the country salivate at the mouth hoping to score a top prospect who has absolutely NO REASON to be involved in a pay-for-play scandal (his family's got way too much money for that).

Multiple sources connected to O'Neal tell us he's been considering a couple different schools -- mostly Pac-12 programs -- but right now, UCLA is in the lead.

The NBA's 1-and-done rule is "complicated" and objectionable" and has got to go ... so says ESPN star Michael Wilbon -- but he definitely stopped short of calling it "racist."

We got the "Pardon The Interruption" host leaving Craig's in L.A. -- and asked him about Stan Van Gundy's recent comments about the league's 1-year collegiate mandate being racist ... since most athletes it's holding back are black.

"The '1-and-done' is complicated and it's not good and its gonna go away," Wilbon said ... "I don't know if it's racist or not, but it's objectionable."

The complication? Wilbon points out that such a high percentage of college and pro basketball players are black ... suggesting people arguing against the rule might be able to twist the numbers to make their argument.

Think DeSean Jackson's over the beef with Chip Kelly?

Nope.

The NFL star was at LAX when he was asked about his old Philadelphia Eagles coach -- but before the photog could finish the question, D-Jack shut him down.

"We don't even talk about that dude," DeSean said about Kelly ... "He's a weirdo. He's a big-time weirdo."

Of course, Kelly cut D-Jack in 2014 -- and Jackson was PISSED about it.

He's since blamed Kelly for ruining the Eagles by getting rid of a bunch of superstars including LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin ... and said Kelly's 2016 firing was essentially "karma."

Dick Vitale says he's heartbroken by the bombshell report uncovering alleged corruption in the NCAA ... but tells TMZ Sports he knows what the org. can do to fix the huge problem.

PAY THE PLAYERS, ALREADY!

We spoke with the college basketball legend about the FBI documents obtained by Yahoo! Sports which appear to show a high-powered sports agency illegally paying high profile players like Markelle Fultz and Miles Bridges while they were in high school and college in hopes of signing them later on.

"It broke my heart," Vitale says about the report ... "It's a blow."

Vitale is concerned the corruption runs much deeper -- pointing out these names were only found after feds raiding ONE agency.

Don't worry ... Dickie V has a solution -- he's calling for the NCAA to let players get paid for appearances, autographs and other profitable ventures while playing in college.

Dickie V says it's not gonna solve the issue 100% ... but it would definitely "minimize" the amount of sleazy money being made under the table.

"(The NCAA) is making zillions of dollars ... why not allow it," Vitale says.

Markelle Fultz -- along with a slew of huge names and top college basketball programs -- have been named in a bombshell report into NCAA hoops corruption involving illegal payouts to players.

The report centers around ex-NBA agent Andy Miller and his ASM Sports agency. Yahoo! Sports obtained hundreds of pages from an FBI probe which appear to show ASM Sports employees working with programs and players to ultimately get them to sign with the agency.

Fultz -- the #1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft -- allegedly took $10,000 from the agency while in high school. He did not end up signing with ASM.

Other names ...

Dennis Smith Jr. (North Carolina State) allegedly took $73,500.

Isaiah Whitehead (Seton Hall) allegedly took $37,657. He signed with ASM, but later left for Roc Nation Sports.

Kyle Kuzma (Utah) allegedly took $9,500.

Bennie Boatwright (University of Southern California) and/or his father allegedly took $2,000.

A bunch of guys who currently play in the NBA are on payout sheets obtained by federal investigators including -- Kyle Lowry, Nerlens Noel, Fred Van Vleet and Kyle O'Quinn.

The docs also show ASM met with Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, "Villanova coaches," and the family of former top high school prospect Mitchell Robinson.

Ex-Louisville basketball star Kevin Ware says he doesn't understand why the NCAA is forcing the school to vacate their 2013 NCAA Championship ... saying the sanctions are a "joke."

Ware was a member of that championship team -- but suffered a catastrophic leg injury that sidelined him during the Elite Eight round of the tournament.

Still, Ware says he's incredibly proud of his team -- despite the NCAA vacating the title and all of the team's wins due to the stripper sex party scandal involving players, recruits and team officials.

"It's a joke, honestly," Ware tells TMZ Sports ... "Just my personal opinion."

Ware says at the end of the day, Louisville still beat Duke, Wichita State and Michigan to win the tourney -- and the NCAA can't change that history.

Seemed like a good idea at the time ... but now Rick Pitino's celebratory Louisville back tattoo (commemorating the 2013 National Championship) -- is technically incorrect and Rick's got some decisions to make.

Remember, Rick promised his players in the middle of the season that he would get a Louisville logo with the team's record and the words "NCAA Champions" tatted on his left shoulder if they won the NCAA tourney.

Problem is ... the NCAA just vacated all of Louisville's wins from that season -- along with the national championship -- over the sex party scandal in which team officials paid escorts and strippers for dances and sex acts for recruits and players.

Also, Rick has since been fired from Louisville in the wake of allegations he participated in a scheme to essentially pay recruits. He's denied all allegations and is now suing the school.

So ... if you're Rick Pitino -- keep the tat? Laser remove the tat? Get a new tat over the old tat?

Either way ... sucks to be that guy.

The University of Louisville is being forced to vacate all basketball wins from the 2011-12 season through the 2014-15 season -- including their 2013 National Championship ... and it's all over the sex party scandal.

An NCAA investigation found "a former Louisville director of basketball operations acted unethically when he committed serious violations by arranging striptease dances and sex acts for prospects, student-athletes and others, and did not cooperate with the investigation."

The punishment was initially handed down in June 2017 -- but Louisville appealed. Now, the NCAA is upholding the ruling ... which means the banner is coming down.

As we previously reported, the allegations made headlines back in 2015 when self-described madam Katina Powell claimed U of L staff paid her more than $10,000 for dances and sex services from her stable of escorts.

In her book, Powell singles out ex-Louisville staffer Andre McGee -- a graduate assistant who became director of basketball operations -- claiming he was the point man who paid Powell.

Powell claims her stable of dancers included her own daughters -- and they would perform for Louisville players at various off-campus locations from 2010 to 2014.

After the dances, Powell claims she would negotiate a separate fee for the players to have sex with the women.