Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard DOES have a wild side -- just check out the shoes!
The Los Angeles Clippers superstar was spotted out in Irvine, California on Saturday with an attention-grabbing pair of shoes on his size 14 feet.
We did some digging ... here's what we know -- the shoes are the unreleased New Balance 997 "Animal Print" with the Kawhi Leonard logo right on the tongue.
Of course, Kawhi signed on with New Balance in late 2018 after leaving Nike. As we previously reported, Kawhi is suing the Swoosh claiming they jacked his famous KL logo without permission.
Nike fired back in a countersuit of their own denying the allegations ... though they acknowledged the final logo was inspired by a sketch Kawhi created himself back when he was in college.
By the way, after this photo was taken ... Kawhi surfaced in Las Vegas where he got the VIP treatment at the Manny Pacquiao vs. Keith Thurman fight.
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Klay Thompson Hot Baseball Action With 'Spider-Man Homecoming' Star
7/22/2019 8:04 AM PT
SplashNews.comKlay Thompson is heating back up with ex-girlfriend Laura Harrier -- as in, the two roasted in the sun at Dodgers Stadium together on Sunday ... months after reportedly breaking up.
The NBA superstar was spotted with the "Spider-Man: Homecoming" actress at the Dodgers game over the weekend ... where they baked in the sun and drank beer while watching L.A. crush the Miami Marlins.
Klay and Laura had reportedly broken up back in April -- and the Golden State Warriors star was spotted out with 'Godzilla' actress Eiza Gonzalez.
But, whatever was going on with Eiza appears to be over ... because Klay and Laura looked pretty happy together during a very public outing in front of roughly 47,000 people!
Klay is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered during the NBA Finals -- but it hasn't stopped him from living it up this offseason. He's been on the "Space Jam 2" set multiple times.
As for Laura, her stardom is on the rise ... after breakout roles in 'Spider-Man' and "BlacKkKlansman" ... she's got a project in the works with another up-and-coming actor named TOM HANKS!
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NBA's Trae Young LaMelo Ball Could Be Top 3 Pick ... In 2020 Draft
7/21/2019 12:40 AM PT
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MELO'S GOT MOVESNBA star Trae Young says the hype about LaMelo Ball is REAL -- because he believes it's entirely possible the youngest Ball bro ends up a top 3 NBA draft pick in 2020.
The Atlanta Hawks star just came off a FANTASTIC rookie season, and has been working out with LaMelo while he's out here in Los Angeles.
So, when we saw Trae in BH (#shopping) we wanted to know if he thinks Ball has the goods to be a top three pick in the NBA draft when he's eligible next year.
"Possibly, yeah for sure. He'll be ready the by the time he gets to the league."
Young didn't stop there, telling us it really doesn't matter where Ball is drafted, because no matter where it is he's gonna be a dope NBA player.
"He'll be good in the league. If he's #1, #2, #3 ... regardless he'll be a good player."
Ball is a mystery in basketball circles -- he's 6'7" with real playmaking ability ... but his bizarre basketball journey (remember Lithuania?) is making some scouts think twice.
We'll see what happens, but at the very least we know 'Melo seems to have Trae's vote.
LaMelo Ball vs Trae Young at Rico Hines Private Runs! @RicoHinesBball @Melod1P @TheTraeYoung Full Video: https://t.co/xW4tLy0wKo pic.twitter.com/YBYYmsGze9
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 3, 2019 @Ballisliferelated articles
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Manny Pacquiao I Want to Buy An NBA Team ... After Boxing Career
7/20/2019 12:50 AM PT
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ALWAYS BALLIN'Manny Pacquiao says he wants to fight until he's 45 years old ... and when he retires, the boxing star tells TMZ Sports he will seriously consider buying an NBA franchise.
The 40-year-old superstar has made a FORTUNE during his boxing career -- and says he feels he's got AT LEAST another 5 years of fighting before hangin' 'em up for good.
"I feel like young, like late 20s," PacMan says ... explaining that he still loves the sport and all of the training that comes with it.
Pacquiao -- who's fighting undefeated star Keith Thurman on Saturday -- tells us he feels blessed by God ... and plans to use his gifts as long as his mind and body hold up.
Part of Manny's training regimen is playing basketball for 4 to 5 hours a day ... seriously.
In fact, Manny's so obsessed with the sport, he bought his own semi-pro basketball league back home in the Philippines called the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
FYI, Forbes says Manny has made more than $500 MILLION during his boxing career -- including a $26 million haul over the past year.
So, we had to ask if he had NBA ambitions and the boxer gave us an emphatic "Yes!"
Watch the clip ... Manny also says he thinks the experience with the MPBL would translate perfectly into NBA ownership -- so now, it's all about finding the right opportunity, the right price and the right team.
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Anthony Davis Renting $14 Million Bel-Air Mansion ... Welcome to L.A.!!!
7/20/2019 12:25 AM PT
MLSNew team, new pad -- L.A.'s newest superstar Anthony Davis has found a temporary home in his new territory ... renting an INSANE $14.1 million mansion in Bel-Air!!!
TMZ Sports has learned ... The Brow is resting his feet in a super private gated community in L.A. ... and the 12,000-square-foot house is a perfect for a big-time baller.
The 6-bedroom, 6-bathroom pad comes with a decked out gourmet kitchen, bar, personal gym, master bedroom with marble fireplace and walk-in closet, pool ... and of course, a basketball court!!!
We're told AD is renting the place for around $50k a month ... but the guy's in the middle of a 5-year, $127 million contract ... so it's a drop in the bucket for the All-Star.
FYI -- if Davis decides to crash at this spot during the season, it's only about a 35-minute drive to Staples Center!!! (But, you never know with L.A. traffic.)
AD's not gonna be far from his bestie, LeBron James, either ... he'll be about 15 min from his Brentwood neighborhood.
Welcome to L.A.!!!
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Hoops Star R.J. Hampton Already Killin' Pros ... Says NBA Trainer
7/20/2019 12:05 AM PT
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BETTER THAN THE PROSLooks like R.J. Hampton made the right decision passing up college basketball to get a check in Australia ... 'cause he's already dominating pro basketball players, according to NBA skills trainer Tyler Relph.
Relph is a basketball guru, having trained guys like Julius Randle, George Hill, Marcus Smart and Amare Stoudemire. He's currently working with Hampton before he heads overseas.
How's he getting him ready? Throwing him into the DEEP water with European pros and seeing what he can do, and according to Tyler, he can do a hell of a lot.
"95 percent of the time he's the best player on the floor," Relph says ... "Athletically the things that he can do, the spots he can get to."
Relph says Hampton ain't quite Kobe yet -- he says the kid is still young and has some things to work on, some of which are actually out of his control.
"With him, it's just gonna be -- physically -- it's gonna be a tougher game, but that will come with age," Relph says.
"Reads, defensive rotations, stuff like that, that a lot of kids that if they don't go to college or just played high school don't know yet."
FYI ... Hampton is gonna be playing with the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League. It's a place where a lot of NBA talent has played, so they'll be ready.
And, they better be.
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NBA's Andre Drummond Biggest Rapper Of All Time!? 6'11" Star Performs In Vegas!!!
7/19/2019 11:42 AM PT
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DRUMMOND DROPS BARSSummer league is over ... but Andre Drummond is still making noise in Las Vegas -- taking over a Sin City nightclub for a rap show and TMZ Sports has the video!
The Detroit Pistons superstar -- who goes by the rap name Drummxnd -- rocked the stage at the On The Record Speakeasy and Club at the Park MGM on Thursday ... towering over the crowd and all of his hype men.
25-year-old Drummond has been rapping for a while but finally put out his first E.P. last summer in an effort to grow his off-the-court career.
The 6'11" center performed 5 songs at the club and you can see in the video the crowd showed love ... reaching up and smacking his hands during the show.
As for the Pistons, they're coming off a playoff season -- and there's talk Detroit could offer up a max contract to Drummond in 2020.
... not a bad time to be Drummond ... or Drummxnd.
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Zion Williamson Getting Full-Court Press from Puma ... Nike In the Running
7/19/2019 10:24 AM PT
GettyZion Williamson has still NOT signed a shoe deal -- despite being the most sought after NBA draft pick since LeBron James -- and our sources say it's all because of Puma.
Nike was believed to be the front-runner to sign Zion for months ... with legendary former Nike exec Sonny Vaccaro telling us he thinks Zion's deal could hit the 9-figure mark.
And, with Zion rocking Nikes in college, in pre-draft workouts and in some NBA Summer league games ... it seemed like it was just a matter of time before Zion signed with the Swoosh.
But, we're told Puma -- which has made a serious push in the basketball shoe space in recent years -- has come out of nowhere to become a major contender to sign the NBA's #1 overall pick.
Puma already has rising stars Marvin Bagley III and DeAndre Ayton on its roster -- the first 2 picks from the 2018 NBA Draft.
And, get this ... Zion rocked a pair of Puma RS-0 "Video Game" kicks during a Summer league game earlier this month, and our sources tell us that's no coincidence.
IMAGNWe're told Nike is aware of the competition and is making a hard push to get a deal done with Williamson first. As one source puts it, "He's the #1 priority."
Remember, Zion did have one bad experience with Nike in college ... when his Nike PG 2.5s blew out during the opening seconds of the Duke vs. North Carolina game.
Fun Fact: The shoes were never seen in public again after that incident ... and Ken Goldin from Goldin Auction told us he thinks the kicks could be the most valuable collegiate sneakers of all time ... worth more than $250,000 if they ever hit the auction block!!!
The NBA season kicks off in October and whatever brand signs Zion is going to want him to wear their sneaker on opening day ... so, ticktock.
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Nike Fires Back at Kawhi Leonard 'Distinct Differences' In Klaw Logo
7/18/2019 7:48 AM PT
GettyNike says the Kawhi Leonard logo they created to put on merchandise in 2014 is distinctly different from the logo Kawhi sketched himself back in 2011 ... and they claim the proof is in the pictures.
Remember, Kawhi -- who was under contract with Nike from 2011 to 2018 -- claims he got a cease and desist in late '18 from Swoosh execs who claim they own the copyright to the "Claw Design" and forbid the NBA star from using it elsewhere.
In his lawsuit, filed in June 2019, Kawhi claimed he came up with the design while sketching around in college back in 2011. His version consists of his initials K.L. and jersey number #2 in a hand design. Leonard claims since he created the logo, he should have the rights to it.
But, Nike says that's simply not the case ... explaining they collaborated with Kawhi in 2014 to come up with an original design. Nike claims they submitted several concepts to him with a "number of proposed designs."
In new court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, Nike admits Kawhi had sent them a copy of his K.L. hand-design sketch as part of the collaborative process.
But, Nike says they eventually settled on an "original" version that is different from Kawhi's sketch.
Nike claims Kawhi signed off on the company using the final "Claw Design" in 2014 -- so they filed a trademark application to effectively own the rights to the image.
Nike says the company found out in 2017 Kawhi also filed an application to trademark the image -- and they were pissed ... saying he has no rights to it and had "fraudulently claimed to be the author and sole owner of the Claw Design."
In their suit, Nike says Kawhi even acknowledged publicly that Nike should be given "all the credit" for the design for turning a "rough draft" into a professional logo.
Nike is countersuing for copyright infringement, fraud and breach of contract -- and they're looking for a judge to stop Kawhi from using the design. They also want unspecified monetary damages.
Translation ... Nike isn't backing down -- in fact, they're declaring war of their own!!!
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Anthony Davis Rocks Full Purple & Gold For First Time ... Just Not #23, Yet
7/17/2019 1:44 PM PT
@nba2kHere it is!!! The first look at Anthony Davis head-to-toe in his new threads ... and it's probably bringing a tear to LeBron James' eye.
The NBA superstar threw on his #3 Lakers jersey and shorts for the first time on Wednesday for some promo for NBA 2K20 (he's the cover athlete) ... and he's sporting a HUGE grin on his face.
Of course, AD *was* gonna wear #23 after the King gifted his digits to his new teammate ... but the Brow will be stuck with tres for the upcoming season due to manufacturing issues with Nike.
According to an ESPN report ... the Swoosh woulda lost "well into the tens of millions of dollars" if LBJ switched to #6 like initially planned ... thanks to a bunch of James jerseys that were already made.
Regardless of the number ... seeing AD in full gear has gotta have Laker fans hyped.
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'Shark Tank's' Kevin O'Leary Big Baller Brand Ain't Dead ... At Least Not Yet!
7/17/2019 10:50 AM PT
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NOT BAD NEWS AT ALLDon't write off LaVar Ball just yet ... "Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary tells TMZ Sports even though things look bleak for the Big Baller Brand, he thinks BBB is simply too big to die.
FYI, LaVar has been the laughing stock of social media this week after pics circulated showing a clearance sale on his once-pricey merchandise at a local basketball tournament in Irvine, CA.
Come get your @bigballerbrand MERCH in #Irvine at the Momentous facility!! #bbb #bigballerbrand @ZO2_ @MELOD1P @LiAngeloBall @Lavarbigballer @bigballerbrand pic.twitter.com/RdLjbOMcPv
— Fredo (@FredoCervantes) July 13, 2019 @FredoCervantesPlus, his BBB website has been "under construction" for months with no real time table to get back up and running. And, after Lonzo Ball covered up his BBB tattoo, it seemed the run was over.
But, Mr. Wonderful tells TMZ Sports ... the seemingly bad publicity ain't bad at all -- it's GOOD!
"Any time you can your brand into the consciousness of the consumer, it's good," Kev tells us.
O'Leary says a clearance sale isn't necessarily a death sentence for a brand -- it's standard operating procedure in the fashion world because styles change and you have to dump old merch.
Kevin says the Big Baller Brand has already established itself as a part of culture -- "it's gonna stay around" -- and he's advising LaVar to get back in the market ASAP.
As we previously reported, LaVar recently made new hires with plans of expanding the BBB brand ... and as of May, he was putting together a new business plan.
So, the big question for Kevin ... would you invest with LaVar? Watch the clip!
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NBA Legend Jerry Sloan 'He Is Dying' Dementia, Parkinson's Worsening
7/17/2019 7:29 AM PT
GettyFriends of legendary Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan -- who has been battling dementia and Parkinson's disease -- are asking for prayers with one close friend saying, "He is dying."
77-year-old Sloan revealed his battle with the diseases back in 2016 after the symptoms became noticeable. According to the Salt Lake Tribune's Gordon Monson, things have gotten much worse recently ... with one source who's close to Jerry telling the reporter he doesn't have much time left.
"He’s frail. He’s physically and mentally limited. Around the clock care is required for him," Monson says in his report.
Despite his worsening condition, Sloan is still social with his friends ... but as Monson notes, "His mind, though, is slipping away."
Sloan's wife, Tammy, has been caring for Jerry -- "doing whatever she can to help her man, spending time and sharing love with him as much as possible."
Monson is asking fans to "send a prayer up" for Sloan -- while noting he's physically incapable of attending another Utah Jazz game.
Sloan is widely considered one of the greatest coaches of all time -- he spent 23 seasons leading the Utah Jazz ... and brought them to the NBA Finals twice in the '90s.
Before he was a coach, Sloan played in the NBA for the Baltimore Bullets and the Chicago Bulls.
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LeBron James Brings Anthony Davis ... To Taco Tuesday!!
7/17/2019 6:00 AM PT
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IT'S TUESDAY SOMEWHERELeBron James brought a pretty special guest to his weekly "Taco Tuesday" dinners ... Anthony Davis!!!
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar usually has family dinner on Tuesdays with his wife, Savannah, and kids -- but this time, he made some room for his new 6'10" superstar teammate.
And, if you think AD got out of screaming out "Taco Tuuuesday" like the rest of the fam ... you're wrong!"
In fact, Bron is such a Taco Tuesday superfan, he wore a brand new "Taco Tuesday" t-shirt to dinner ... which is like wearing a shirt of your favorite band to your favorite band's concert.
Weird, never saw Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram or Josh Hart at Taco Tuesday ... and now it seems like we never will!
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BEHIND-THE-SCENESBron and Davis have been growing close ever since he signed with the Lakers -- we even spotted the two shooting around on the set of "Space Jam 2" earlier this summer.
BFFs?!
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- LeBron James Anthony Davis Brandon Ingram Lonzo Ball Savannah Brinson Josh Hart Family TMZ Sports Basketball NBA Los Angeles Lakers
NBA's Josh Jackson Cops Plea Deal In Resisting Arrest Case
7/16/2019 1:53 PM PT
New Memphis Grizzlies stud Josh Jackson just caught a break in his resisting arrest case ... TMZ Sports has learned he just copped a plea deal and will likely have his case dropped.
Jackson was arrested at the Rolling Loud Music Festival in Miami, Florida back in May after cops say he entered a VIP area without proper credentialing.
Cops say when he refused to leave ... they cuffed the 6-foot-8, 200-pound NBA player and put him on a golf cart.
But, police say Jackson got up and walked away ... and when cops told him to stop, he started running.
The 22-year-old was eventually caught and subdued ... and he was later hit with two charges -- felony escape and misdemeanor resisting arrest.
But, Jackson was able to get the felony charge dropped a couple weeks ago ... and now, we've learned he's cut a deal to get the misdemeanor charge dropped too.
The Miami State Attorney's Office tells us Jackson has agreed to complete some kind of pre-trial diversion program in exchange for having the charge dropped.
The diversion program usually consists of either community service or some kind of life-improvement courses (like alcohol education or something like that) to help offenders grow from their legal mistakes without having a conviction on their record.
Josh was the 4th overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Phoenix Suns. He earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors in his first season in the desert.
Jackson was just traded to Memphis this offseason.
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Dwight Howard 'I'm Not Gay'
7/16/2019 11:55 AM PT
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MY SIDE OF THE STORYDwight Howard says he's not gay -- despite allegations made against him in a lawsuit -- and claims the whole legal battle made him "never want to come outside again."
The NBA superstar appeared on 'Fair Game' on FS1 where he told Kristine Leahy, "I went through a situation last year that kind of just set me free."
Howard is referring to the lawsuit filed by Masin Elije -- who claimed he had a sexual relationship with Howard and claimed Howard threatened him with violence if he went public about it.
Dwight has previously denied the allegations across the board -- but told Kristine that the whole case caused him tremendous amounts of emotional pain.
"I'm not gay," Howard said when asked directly.
Dwight says he received a lot of hate from people who THOUGHT he was gay -- and says he now understands why people are afraid to come out and be their true selves in public.
Howard says he spent months reflecting on his life after the allegations went public -- and thought long and hard about how he wants to be remembered ... especially when it comes to his kids.
As for the allegations, Howard is adamant he NEVER met the accuser and has no idea why the man would go to such lengths to lie about him.
"It upset me because I didn't even know who the person was. Why would somebody who I've never met, never had any contact with make up a whole story about me?"
The entire interview with Dwight airs Wednesday on FS1.
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Amar'e Stoudemire NBA Workout 'Went Good' And About That Heckler ...
7/16/2019 7:41 AM PT
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PART OF THE PLANAmar'e Stoudemire's interest in an NBA comeback is definitely mutual ... 'cause the All-Star says his workout in Vegas went well, with about half the league showin' up to check him out!!
Oh yeah .. and he's got an update on that epic interaction with a heckler in his Instagram DMs.
But, back to the workout ... STAT and Monta Ellis worked out for multiple teams -- including the Lakers, Warriors and Knicks -- last week ... and he says it couldn't have gone better!!
"It went good, man." Amar'e tells us. "We had a good workout, about 15 teams showed up. It was very nice."
The 36-year-old hasn't been in the Association since the 2016 season ... and has a career average of about 19 points and 8 rebounds a game. In the meantime, he's suited up to play overseas and in the BIG3.
"It's a lot of teams out there -- teams with young players, teams with veteran players that wanna make the playoff push ... we'll see what happens."
As for that viral exchange with an Instagram troll and trying to meet up with him in NYC ... Amar'e tells us he's not done with the guy ... and he's looking to "reconcile" with him shortly.
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