Philadelphia 76ers

Here's some brutal honesty about the Philadelphia 76ers ... courtesy of 76ers superfan Kevin Hart.

For the record, Hart (who was at Caroline's On Broadway) says he LOOVES his home team -- but it's clear the injury to Ben Simmons combined with all the other issues (like the fact they went 10-72 last year) have shaken his confidence.

Fear not, Philly fans ... your beloved 76ers will finally BE GOOD AGAIN next season ... so says Jahlil Okafor.

The 20-year-old forward was out in Bev Hills when we asked how he felt about all the young talent on the squad ... including #1 overall pick Ben Simmons and the long-awaited debut of Joel Embiid.

"I'm excited," Okafor said ... "We'll be good."

Ex-NBA player and 76ers assistant coach Sean Rooks died of heart disease... this according to the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office.

Sources told TMZ Sports ... the 46-year-old suffered a heart attack during dinner on Tuesday night.

Now, a rep for the M.E.'s office says the coroner has examined Rooks' body and "believes Rooks died of heart disease."

We're told additional testing will take place to confirm that finding.

Ex-NBA player and current Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Sean Rooks has died ... the team announced in a statement.

The 46-year-old -- who starred at the University of Arizona -- played 12 seasons in the NBA ... including stints with the Lakers, Mavericks and Timberwolves.

Our sources tell us ... it appears Rooks may have had a heart attack during dinner.

Rooks' mother issued a statement saying, "It is with deep sadness and overwhelming grief that we mourn the sudden loss of my son, Sean."

"Our family asks that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this incredibly difficult time."

Good news for the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers ... legendary UConn coach Jim Calhoun thinks there are teams you can actually DOMINATE ... college teams.

We got Calhoun out in NYC and we had to ask the 3-time National Champion if he thought any of the best teams in the Final Four would have a shot against the NBA's worst.

Bottom line ... Calhoun says don't let the madness of March fool you ... reminding us all that it'd be men against boys and the college kids would "lose by 30."

Check out Jalen Rose on his way out of Toca Madera in L.A. the other night -- when we asked about his recent comments ... that the 76ers are so bad, they shouldn't be mentioned on ABC.

What ensues is some sloshy conversation ... but it's interesting.

"I wasn't taking shots at the 76ers," Rose said ... "I love their history. E.B. (Elton Brand), that's my family!"

Rose says he knows exactly how the 76ers can turn things around -- and spells out the lineup that can take the team to the playoffs next year!

BTW, Rose didn't drive that night -- he got into the passenger seat of a waiting SUV.

Jahlil Okafor is NOT out of the woods for his violent Thanksgiving Eve street fights -- with the NBA telling TMZ Sports they're still investigating the situation and have not decided if he'll face additional punishment from the league.

As we previously reported, the Philadelphia 76ers suspended Okafor for 2 games -- after the rookie got in TWO FIGHTS that night ... allegedly knocking out two different men.

At least one of the alleged victims has already lawyered up and is threatening a massive lawsuit.

But the NBA tells TMZ Sports the investigation into Okafor is STILL going on -- two weeks after the incident.

"Based on what we currently know, we support the 76ers' approach in this matter," an NBA rep tells us ... "The league office is continuing to investigate the events of that night."

As for Okafor, he says he's "not proud" of his recent actions -- vows to hold himself to a higher standard moving forward.

Jahlil Okafor has been suspended for 2 games by the Philadelphia 76ers -- effective immediately -- in the wake of video showing the NBA star in multiple street fights in Boston.

TMZ Sports first posted footage of Okafor fighting on Thanksgiving Eve last week ... but the team allowed him to play the following game.

Now, after we posted a second video -- showing Okafor attacking another man -- the team has decided to take action.

The team issued a statement saying, "While we are disappointed with his recent actions, we have faith in him as a valued member of the Sixers."

"We will provide the necessary resources to support him on his journey and will do our part to help him succeed both on and off the court."

It's just a matter of time before the Philadelphia 76ers send Jahlil Okafor for the bench ... so says Kenny "The Jet" Smith who says he believes a suspension is coming over that Boston street fight.

The "Inside the NBA" host was at LAX -- and told us he expects the team to sit Okafor for at least a couple of games ... saying he most likely violated a code of contract clause in his contract.

Smith also dropped some knowledge to Okafor and other young NBA stars when it comes to dealing with late night hecklers.

For a guy who supposedly doesn't like assists, Kobe Bryant just gave a HUGE one to the Philadelphia 76ers -- 'cause the team is expecting its 1st sellout of the season Tuesday night ... thanks to KB.

Of course, it's a big game in Philly -- the city where Kobe played his high school ball -- since it's the last time Kobe will step foot on their court as an NBA player.

We spoke to reps at the Wells Fargo center -- where the Sixers ball -- who tell us the fans have been clamoring for tix to the Sixers vs Lakers game ever since Kobe's retirement announcement.

"We anticipate the demand for tonight's game will result in a sellout," a rep for the Wells Fargo Center tells us.

"We have an extremely limited number of seats remaining for tonight's game at this point."

The Sixers are even worse than the Lakers this year (impossible, right?) and we're told fan interest had been lukewarm ... but the Mamba's swan song was enough to put butts in the seats for the first time all year.

With reports that he REBROKE a bone in his right foot, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid WALKED AROUND in Bev Hills last night ... to show he's still healthy enough for expensive Chinese food.

Embiid hit up Mr. Chow with Washington Wizards star John Wall -- and walked out of the joint without a limp in his step or ANY kind of a brace on his right foot.

Embiid -- the #3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft -- reportedly rebroke the navicular bone in his right foot and will miss the entire '15-'16 season ... after already missing '14-'15 with the same injury.

BTW, we also asked Embiid about Ty Lawson -- Joel says he's confident he'll "get his stuff together" after his 2nd DUI this year.

Hope Jahlil Okafor enjoys public humiliation ... because according to one of his new 76ers teammates, the #3 pick in the draft has some serious hazing coming his way.

We spoke with Philadelphia's Hollis Thompson -- who tells us the team's got some fun stuff in store for the big man ... just like he had to go through when he was a rookie.

FYI -- the NBA hazing isn't too crazy ... Portland made their rookies wear pink Hello Kitty backpacks. Washington made their rooks tie the veteran's shoes. Golden State made their guys do the Gangnam Style dance.

But Thompson says he remembers his own NBA hazing like it was yesterday -- thanks to one former teammate who made him do a ton of "dumb stuff."

Allen Iverson and his wife have finally made peace -- after years of being at war -- and Tawanna tells TMZ Sports .... she's thrilled the two are finally on the same page so they can co-parent their 5 kids.

Allen and Tawanna have had a very turbulent relationship over the years -- with Tawanna filing for divorce in 2011 ... followed by a very nasty custody battle, allegations of alcohol abuse and claims Allen was trying to screw her out of money.

So, it was a shock when Allen THANKED Tawanna during the Philadelphia 76ers jersey retirement ceremony Saturday night -- giving her props for "helping me grow as a man and taking care of me throughout my career and always being by my side and loving me."

Iverson added, "She'll always be my favorite person in the world."

So, what changed in the past few months??

Tawanna tells us ... the two finally came together and had a long talk about their relationship and their duties as parents.

"We've known each other since we were 16 years old ... and we have 5 kids together. So, we have to do what's best for our kids."

It's unclear if the two will officially get "back together" ... but for now, they're on pretty good terms ... and that's a HUGE deal, considering it was just last year, Tawanna blasted A.I. in court for not living up to his end of the custody arrangement.

Ex-Philadelphia 76ers star Nick Young couldn't possibly be guilty of raping the woman who's suing him, because his DNA doesn't match the DNA police collected from her ... according to documents Young just filed.

In Young's legal response to his accuser ... he says the lack of DNA evidence should be enough to dismiss her sexual battery lawsuit -- and further, he claims the woman is just making a money grab.

As TMZ first reported back in May ... the woman claims Young drugged her and raped her after they met at Crown Bar in West Hollywood.

Police felt there were a lot of holes in her story, and dropped their investigation, but she promptly filed a civil suit against Young.

NBA star Nick Young is being sued by a woman who claims he raped her, but law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... when she went to cops with the allegations, they dismissed them as bogus.

As we previously reported, the woman claims Nick -- a member of the Philadelphia 76ers -- slipped a date rape drug into her drink at a Hollywood bar in 2011, took her to his home and raped her vaginally and anally.

She's filed a civil lawsuit, but now we're learning shortly after the alleged incident, she went to LAPD cops who dismissed her claim because her story didn't make sense. What's more ... law enforcement says at the time she went to cops, she was already talking about a lawsuit, and that made them even more suspicious.

A woman is suing Philadelphia 76ers star Nick Young for sexual assault -- claiming he roofied her back in 2011 ... took her to his place and then raped her.

The woman filed the lawsuit anonymously under the name Jane Doe, claiming she ran into Young at Crown Bar in West Hollywood ... and he bought her and her friend champagne.

According to the suit, the woman's recollection of the evening ceased shortly after she downed the drink ... and she believes it's because Young had slipped the date rape drug gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) into it.

The woman claims she woke up the next morning in Young's bed, bleeding from her vagina and rectum.

She says Young admitted to having sex with her the night before, but claimed he stopped because she passed out.

According to the suit, the woman demanded to be taken home by Young -- he obliged -- and she beelined for the UCLA Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center, where she took a rape kit and was tested for STDs. She claims a test at the center confirmed she had been drugged, and determined the injuries to her vagina and rectum were consistent with rape.

Following the hospital treatment, the woman says she's continued to undergo psychiatric evaluations.