Oklahoma City Thunder

The Denver Nuggets paid tribute to Dikembe Mutombo during their season opener on Thursday ... honoring the NBA legend with a video tribute and 55-second standing ovation following his death.

It all went down during the first quarter of the Nuggets' matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder ... with the scoreboard sharing the big man's greatest accomplishments -- the day he was drafted, career highlights, Hall of Fame induction and all the humanitarian work he did off the floor.

After the video rolled ... the fans in attendance shared their respect for Mutombo -- giving the 55-second applause, a nod to his jersey number.

Josh Giddey is now in the clear ... months after police closed their investigation into allegations the Thunder star had an inappropriate relationship with an underage girl -- the NBA has followed suit.

Sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski the league made the decision to officially wrap up its probe into the claims this week.

No further explanation from the Association was given.

The man who could've potentially turned a hundred bucks into a whopping $1.7 MILLION on one bet is taking the guaranteed money and running ... cashing out of his viral championship-winner parlay at $80,900.

Wayne Shelton became internet famous over the past few weeks ... after it was revealed he was an Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Finals title away from becoming a millionaire thanks to a three-leg parlay he placed last year -- when he picked OKC, the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Chiefs to win their respective championships at +1143000 odds (with 50% boost).

Of course, the Rangers and Chiefs did their part ... leaving Shelton one leg away from a MASSIVE payday -- but with each Thunder win and loss in the 2024 playoffs, his cashout option fluctuated like crazy.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will have a bit of extra motivation through the rest of the playoffs -- the Oklahoma City Thunder star is a new dad!!

The MVP candidate and his longtime girlfriend, former college soccer player Hailey Summer, revealed they were expecting last December ... and on Tuesday, SGA announced to his 3.2 million fans on Instagram their son has arrived.

"Ares Alexander 🤍," SGA said in the caption.

Ares was born on April 25, 2024 ... which was right in the middle of the Thunder's first-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Luckily, SGA was off that day ... as the Thunder were fresh off a Game 2 win the night prior.

SGA's fans think this will be like a superpower for the Canadian baller ... with many flooding the comment section to give their two cents on the impact the family milestone might have on his game for the rest of the postseason.

"Shai is about to get a fatherhood attribute boost," one follower said.

Shai averaged 30.1 points and 6.2 assists per game this season ... so it would be great news for OKC fans, who are celebrating their first playoff series win since the 2015-16 season.

The Thunder are now waiting for the Clippers and Mavericks series to end ... and the winner will meet them in the conference semifinals.

The NBA's gonna have a real problem on its hands when LeBron James retires ... so says Kwame Brown, who tells TMZ Sports the league isn't putting enough focus on the next generation of athletes -- like that one guy on the OKC Thunder.

We spoke with the former 2001 No. 1 overall pick at LAX this week about the current state of the Association ... and he pointed out the top teams in the Western Conference aren't getting nearly as much coverage as the Lakers due to the LeBron effect.

"You got this young talent," Brown said. "The only thing I see what's wrong with the NBA is that they hold on to the 'superstar' thing too long. We got OKC ... before, I didn't even know their starting 5. You don't even know their coach."

"You gotta start promoting this young talent that you have. Otherwise, they're going to be scrambling when LeBron's gone."

Our camera guy pretty much proved Brown's point ... 'cause when he brought up MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he asked how his name's pronounced -- and both dudes were stumped.

"I don't know either," Brown admitted. "He's not on ESPN every day."

FYI -- it's "Shay."

As for SGA's season, the 25-year-old Canadian is averaging 31.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.1 steals a game ... leading the Thunder to a 46-20 record, tied for the best in the Western Conference.

Josh Giddey todavía está bajo el microscopio de su empleador, la investigación de la NBA respecto a si tuvo una relación inapropiada con un menor de edad sigue en curso, TMZ Sports ha indagado.

Las fuentes nos dicen que nada ha cambiado en lo que respecta a la Asociación a pesar de que la policía recientemente diera por finalizada la investigación sobre el jugador de 21 años de los Oklahoma City Thunder.

Como informamos anteriormente, el caso Giddey terminó después de que los funcionarios no encontraron pruebas suficientes, ya que la menor y su familia se negaron a hablar con los funcionarios.

"Después de un examen minucioso y exhaustivo, hemos completado nuestra investigación sobre la información que circulaba en las redes sociales que involucra a Josh Giddey", dijo la policía de Newport Beach en un comunicado.

"Nuestros detectives han revisado toda la información disponible y no pudieron corroborar ninguna actividad criminal relacionada con el señor Giddey".

Adam Silver dijo en diciembre que la liga estaría pendiente mientras la policía llevaba a cabo su investigación. Suena como que la NBA se está involucrando una vez más.

Giddey no ha hablado sobre el escándalo y se ha mantenido activo para los Thunder a lo largo de ambas investigaciones.

Josh Giddey might be in the clear legally, but he is still under his employer's microscope -- the NBA's review into claims he had an improper relationship with a minor remains ongoing, TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources tell us nothing has changed as far as the Association is concerned ... despite Newport Beach PD recently closing its investigation without the 21-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder guard being charged.

As we previously reported, the Giddey case ended after officials found no corroborating evidence ... as the minor and her family declined to speak with officials.

"After a thorough and exhaustive examination, we have completed our investigation into information that was circulating on social media involving Josh Giddey," Newport Beach PD said in a statement.

"Our detectives have reviewed all of the available information and were unable to corroborate any criminal activity related to Mr. Giddey."

Adam Silver said in December the league would take a "backseat" while police conducted its investigation ... so with that being over, it sounds like the NBA is grabbing the wheel once again.

Giddey has not spoken on the scandal ... and has remained active for the Thunder throughout both investigations.

Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber left their men at home on Monday ... and then proceeded to have a helluva girls' night out at the Lakers game!!

The A-list duo -- sans Justin Bieber and Bad Bunny -- sat in courtside seats with friends as LeBron James and Co. took on the Oklahoma City Thunder ... and it seems there wasn't one moment where they weren't enjoying themselves.

Cameras spotted Kendall sippin' from a custom cup with her 818 tequila logo on it ... and later, she and Hailey were seen jokingly flippin' off a fellow fan.

At one point, they were able to get their hands on a game ball too!

No word on why Justin and Bad Bunny couldn't make the game -- but, clearly, the girls didn't mind their absence.

Other celebs were at Crypto.com Arena taking in the action as well -- Dave Chappelle, Colin Jost and David Duchovny all had great chairs for the contest -- and, finally, L.A. was able to treat them to a W.

LeBron scored 25 points, while Anthony Davis logged 27, and the Lakers cruised to a 112-105 victory -- their first dub in nearly a week.

¡¡¡Kendall Jenner y Hailey Bieber dejaron a sus hombres en casa el lunes y luego procedieron a tener una noche de chicas en el partido de los Lakers!!!

El dúo de la lista A -sin Justin Bieber ni Bad Bunny- se sentó en primera fila junto a otros amigos, mientras LeBron James y compañía se enfrentaban a los Thunder de Oklahoma City y parece que no hubo momento en que no estuvieran disfrutando.

Las cámaras mostraron a Kendall bebiendo de un vaso personalizado con el logotipo de su marca de tequila 818 y más tarde, ella y Hailey fueron vistas bromeando con un fan.

¡En un momento dado, hasta pudieron tomar una pelota del juego también!

No se sabe por qué Justin y Bad Bunny no pudieron asistir al partido, pero claramente a las chicas no les importó su ausencia.

Otras celebridades que estuvieron en el Crypto.com Arena para ver la acción del equipo fueron Dave Chappelle, Colin Jost y David Duchovny, todos tenían grandes asientos para apreciar el juego y, finalmente, L.A. fue capaz de agasajarlos con una victoria.

LeBron anotó 25 puntos, mientras que Anthony Davis registró 27, y los Lakers pudieron ganar con 112-105, su primer triunfo en casi una semana.

Adam Silver just spoke on the Josh Giddey situation ... explaining the NBA is currently taking "a backseat" on the matter while police investigate claims the point guard had an inappropriate relationship with a minor.

The Association's commish didn't get into too many specifics on the topic while addressing it with ESPN's Malika Andrews on Friday afternoon ... but he did confirm the NBA will allow cops to do their due diligence before it decides on how it'll move forward with the Oklahoma City Thunder star.

"I think if you look back," Silver said, "I can't think of many circumstances where we've suspended a player based on an allegation alone."

"I'd also add," he continued, "where there is a criminal investigation, we take a back seat."

The disturbing allegations against Giddy cropped up last month ... when an X user posted images to their account that appeared to show the now-21-year-old with an underaged girl.

A short time following the posts, the Newport Beach Police Dept. told TMZ Sports it was looking into the matter. Days after that, we learned the family of the girl at the center of the probe hired famed attorney Gloria Allred to assist in the case.

However, Giddey has been allowed to play for the Thunder despite it all ... something that Silver seemed to say will continue as long as the police investigation remains ongoing.

Gloria Allred can add another high-profile case to her resume ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the famed attorney has been hired by the girl at the center of the investigation into OKC star Josh Giddey as cops work to determine if he had an inappropriate relationship with a minor.

We broke the story earlier in the week ... Newport Beach PD launched an investigation into the situation, but the girl and her family are not cooperating with law enforcement.

Now that Allred is involved, it begs the question ... why?

She could be tasked with liaising with cops, or even talking to Giddey's people about a potential settlement.

We reached out to the powerful attorney who told us, "We represent the family and we have no comment."

21-year-old Giddey is one of the better young players in the league, and the story has gotten a lot of attention ... but that's not a foreign concept to Allred.

Among some of her firm's high-profile cases ... she represented over 50 women who accused Bill Cosby of misconduct. She also worked for several women who accused former U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner of sending sexually explicit photos and messages.

There are still a lot of questions surrounding the alleged relationship, which first came to light publicly last weekend, including the girl's age, the state where it allegedly took place, and the nature of their relationship.

Gloria Allred puede añadir otro caso de alto perfil a su hoja de vida porque TMZ Sports ha indagado que la famosa abogada ha sido contratada por la chica en el centro de la investigación a la estrella de Oklahoma City Thunder, Josh Giddey, mientras los policías determinan si tuvo una relación inapropiada con una menor de edad.

A principios de esta semana publicamos la noticia... La policía de Newport Beach inició una investigación sobre la situación, pero la niña y su familia decidieron no cooperar con las autoridades a cargo.

Ahora que Allred está involucrada, surge la pregunta, ¿por qué?

Ella podría ser la encargada de servir como enlace con la policía, o incluso de hablar con la gente de Giddey para llegar a un posible acuerdo.

Nos pusimos en contacto con la poderosa abogada, quien nos dijo: "Representamos a la familia y no tenemos comentarios".

Giddey, de 21 años, es uno de los mejores jugadores jóvenes de la liga y esta historia ha recibido mucha atención. Aunque eso no es algo extraño para Allred.

Entre algunos de los casos más aclamados de su bufete está la representación a más de 50 mujeres en la acusación de mala conducta contra Bill Cosby. También trabajó para varias mujeres que denunciaron al excongresista Anthony Weiner de enviarles fotos y mensajes sexualmente explícitos.

Todavía hay muchas preguntas en torno a la supuesta relación, que salió a la luz pública por primera vez el pasado fin de semana, incluida la edad de la chica, el estado en el que supuestamente tuvo lugar y la naturaleza de su relación.

11:33 AM PT -- The NBPD just released a statement on the Josh Giddey investigation ... saying officials are actively seeking more information and pursuing all leads and evidence to get the facts of the case.

NBPD says the investigation remains active ... and is working to conduct a "fair and thorough" process.

The inquiry into whether Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey had an inappropriate relationship with a minor has hit a roadblock -- TMZ Sports has learned the alleged teen and her family are refusing to cooperate with officials.

Law enforcement sources tell us police would obviously like to speak with the purported female and those close to her to gather more information regarding the social media claims that made rounds over the weekend ... but as of right now, no one is talking.

It's a significant component to the whole situation ... as a lack of cooperation will make it much more challenging for officials to determine whether any laws were broken.

As we previously reported, Giddey is being accused of having an intimate relationship with an underage girl from California ... with photos and videos allegedly depicting them together.

The NBA is "looking into" the matter ... but Giddey has continued to play for the Thunder following the bombshell allegations.

The 21-year-old was asked about the claims at practice on Friday ... but elected not to speak on it.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault also shot down a question regarding the inquiry prior to Tuesday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves ... saying he would not discuss anything off-court related in reference to Giddey, and he will continue to play.

Giddey played 28 minutes and scored 10 points in the loss to the Wolves ... and fans at the Target Center showed their disproval by booing him relentlessly throughout the contest.

La investigación que acusa a Josh Giddey de tener una relación inapropiada con un menor de edad se ha topado con un obstáculo, TMZ Sports ha descubierto que el supuesto adolescente y su familia se niegan a cooperar con los funcionarios.

Fuentes policiales nos dicen que a la policía, obviamente, le gustaría hablar con la supuesta mujer y las personas cercanas a ella para reunir más información con respecto a las afirmaciones de los medios sociales que hizo rondas durante el fin de semana, pero por ahora, nadie está hablando.

Es un componente importante de toda la situación. La falta de cooperación hará que sea mucho más difícil para los funcionarios determinar si se violaron las leyes.

Como informamos anteriormente, Giddey está siendo acusado de tener una relación íntima con una chica menor de edad de California, con fotos y videos que supuestamente muestran juntos.

La NBA está "investigando" el asunto, pero Giddey ha seguido jugando para los Thunder después de las acusaciones.

Le preguntaron al jugador de 21 años sobre las afirmaciones en la práctica del viernes, pero optó por no hablar al respecto.

El entrenador de los Thunder, Mark Daigneault, también rechazó una pregunta sobre la investigación antes del partido del martes por la noche contra los Minnesota Timberwolves, diciendo que no discutiría nada fuera de la cancha en referencia a Giddey, y que seguirá jugando.

Josh Giddey didn't exactly get a warm welcome at the Thunder-Timberwolves game in Minnesota on Tuesday ... 'cause fans booed the NBA guard/forward all night long amid allegations he had a relationship with an underage girl.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... police in Orange County (CA) have launched an "inquiry," with the mission of finding out what, if anything, went down between now-21 year Giddey and the teen.

Despite cops looking into things, and the NBA launching its own investigation, Giddey is still active and in OKC's starting lineup ... but the fans weren't exactly welcoming when he pulled up for their In-Season tournament game against the T'Wolves Tuesday night in the Twin City.

Several fans took videos, and you can hear the crowd voicing their disapproval of the Australian-born hooper every time he touched the ball at Target Center court.

He was also booed during player introductions.

Thunder's head coach Mark Daigneault was asked about our report during a pre-game press conference ... and refused to comment on "anything as it relates to Josh off the court."

Giddey dropped 10 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, but it wasn't enough ... the Thunder lost to the Timberwolves, 106-103.