TMZ Sports - Page 50

Kobe Bryant says he's always dreamed of having his Lakers jersey retired -- but "I certainly never imagined having two!"

The Lakers legend is speaking out after the team formally announced that his #8 and #24 jerseys will be retired in a ceremony at Staples Center on Dec. 18th.

"The Lakers have bestowed a huge honor on me and I'm grateful for the fans' enthusiasm around this game.”

"As a kid growing up in Italy, I always dreamed of my jersey hanging in the Lakers rafters, but I certainly never imagined two of them"

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss added, "Kobe’s jerseys are taking their rightful home next to the greatest Lakers of all time."

Adrien Broner is ruining his life right now, and it ain't gonna end well unless he gets it together FAST -- so says legendary boxer Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini.

We got the Hall of Famer outside Friars Club in NYC ... and he didn't sugarcoat what's gonna happen to A.B. if the boxing star keeps becoming unhinged.

"That's how you get whacked," Mancini told TMZ Sports. "People take you out for a lot less."

Ray, of course, is referring to Broner's violent Vegas rampage ... where he pushed a woman and KO'd a dude on the strip.

Mancini says Broner's boy, Floyd Mayweather, will try to help him anyway -- if he hasn't already -- but told us Broner's "a grown a** man" that needs to account for his own actions.

LaVar Ball's company's so hot right now ... he's got famous rapper's kids wanting to work for him.

Snoop's son, Cordell Broadus, tells TMZ Sports ... he's totally down with the Big Baller Brand, and thinks he could be a valuable addition to their team. It's another ringing endorsement for LaVar and his boys ... on the heels of Jay-Z throwing his support behind BBB.

You remember ... Cordell was one of the top high school WRs in the country, committed to UCLA football but then quit to pursue other interests -- which include modeling.

He just made his NY Fashion Week debut at the Philipp Plein show, and it's clear Cordell has some design ideas for LaVar and his Big Baller $1,500 shoes.

1:15 PM PT -- TMZ Sports just obtained Browner's mug shot

Ex-Seattle Seahawks star Brandon Browner was arrested in Los Angeles on Monday night, TMZ Sports has learned.

The former Pro Bowl cornerback -- part of the original Legion of Boom -- was booked for allegedly making criminal threats, a felony. Sources tell us the alleged victim is a woman.

Browner was taken into custody and his bail was set at $50,000. He posted bail and was released just after 11 PM.

According to his booking sheet, 33-year-old Browner is listed as 6'3", 215 lbs.

Kobe Bryant will be the first Laker in team history to have TWO jersey numbers retired ... when they put #8 and #24 in the Staples Center rafters in December.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... the Lake Show will have a ceremony to retire Kobe's jersey on Dec. 18 before the Lakers play the Golden State Warriors.

The big question was which # would get the VIP treatment.

The answer? Both ... according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Of course, Bryant dominated in both numbers ... winning 3 NBA championships in #8 (2000, 2001, 2002) and 2 in #24 (2009, 2010).

BTW, Rick Fox kinda called this ... predicting a double number retirement way back in 2015.

Don't call it a comeback -- cause it's a looongshot -- but Stephon Marbury says he's gunnin' for an NBA return!

The 40-year-old announced the news on social media, adding that -- "I still have a lot of go in me as a player and at 40 being able to play at a high level is a gift."

Remember ... Starbury left the league 8 YEARS ago after a string of sketchy off-court incidents -- highlighted by him eating Vaseline straight out of a jar.

He famously packed his bags for China ... and became the most legendary player in Chinese Basketball Association history (for real, dude's already got his own statue).

Now, Marbury says he's ready to "turn towards the last page of my basketball diary that I've been writing since 95 when I left Lincoln High."

Will a team take a chance on him? We'll see ...

The Miami Dolphins can't wait to get back to South Beach to pick up the pieces from Hurricane Irma, so says RB Kenyan Drake who tells TMZ Sports the team is committed to aiding in the recovery.

We got Drake at LAX on his way back down to the 305, and asked him what his feelings are about returning home after the storm blew through Florida.

The Dolphins got their Week 1 game against the Bucs moved to Week 11, but Drake told our guy football is only part of the reason he's anxious to get back.

Floyd Mayweather ain't no Swiftie, and he ain't no Ariana Grande or Selena Gomez fan either -- that much he made clear in an interview with a puppet.

Floyd sat down outside his strip club, Girl Collection, with the puppet Diego from YouTube's "Awkward Puppets" series. Diego lobbed up a bunch of pop trivia questions for the champ, but total softballs ... like what's your favorite Taylor Swift song?

Amanda Nunes fought HARD to win a new belt at UFC 215 ... and immediately gave up her gold when she met a fan with an amazing story.

19-year-old cancer survivor -- and UFC superfan -- Angie Rose talked about their meet-up on social media ... describing the incredible act of kindness from the UFC women's bantamweight champ.

After the post-fight press conference, Angie says she waited in the rain by the fighters' exit tunnel at Rogers Place in Edmonton. Nunes spotted Angie ... and told her bus driver she had to meet the girl.

Angie says she gave Amanda a couple homemade bracelets ... and in return, Amanda gifted Angie her newly won strap and told her she was "the real champion."

"Hearing those words mean so much to me after I have battled through 9 years of sickness, sadness, pain and suffering with off again, on again cancer," Angie wrote.

Angie added that her dream is to meet Conor McGregor next.

Charles Oakley tears into the NY Knicks as the "laughingstock" of the NBA -- and rips owner James Dolan as an incompetent, insecure liar in a brand new lawsuit obtained by TMZ Sports.

Oak is suing Dolan and the Knicks over that infamous Feb. 2017 incident when Oakley was forcibly removed from Madison Square Garden and arrested following an altercation with security.

In his suit, filed in federal court in NY, Oakley says Dolan had it out for him from the moment he took over the team because Charles refused to "kiss the ring."

"Dolan constantly disrespected Mr. Oakley, refusing to make eye contact or shake his hand during meetings, denying the type of fan appreciation nights given to much less popular and successful members of the Knicks."

The coup de grace ... Oakley says Dolan made him buy his own tickets to Knicks games while routinely treating other retired players to free courtside seats.

Oakley says things came to a head on Feb. 8 ... when Dolan ordered security to remove him from the building and a physical altercation ensued. Oakley says Dolan then ran a smear campaign, falsely accusing him of being an alcoholic who was drunk at the Garden.

In fact, Oakley points to an ESPN Radio interview in which Dolan said Charles "may have a problem with alcohol" and then claimed Oak was verbally abusive to MSG staff.

Oakley says he was neither intoxicated nor otherwise behaving inappropriately that night.

Oakley is suing for defamation, assault, battery, false imprisonment and more. Oakley does not specify how much money he's seeking.

We spoke with Oak's attorney, Douglas Wigdor, who tells us, "While the facts of the complaint speak for themselves, Mr. Oakley filed this lawsuit out of principle and his desire to hold Mr. Dolan accountable for his actions which I can assure you that our Firm is committed to doing on his behalf."

Taj Gibson has made nearly $40 MIL playing in the NBA -- so, he's a big baller -- but the Timberwolves stud says there's NO WAY he's droppin' $1,500 on LaVar Ball's new shoe!

For the record, LaVar hasn't debuted his upcoming "LaVar-icci" kicks yet -- but says the price tag will be more than 3 TIMES higher than his son Lonzo's ZO2s.

So, when we saw Gibson at LAX we had to ask ... you gonna cop these kicks or what!?

"No, I don't think I'll wear a pair," Taj says ... "But I'll probably show support."

Of course, Jay-Z recently threw his support behind BBB -- saying he was impressed with a black entrepreneur challenging massive athletic wear companies like Nike and Under Armour.

Still, ya gotta wonder if $1,500 is too much for Jay, too.

Sergio Dipp -- who became famous Monday night for his epically terrible 'MNF' sideline report -- says he wants another shot to cover the NFL ... assuring the viewers he'll do better next time!

Dipp rose to social media superstardom during the 1st half of the Chargers, Broncos game -- ESPN cameras cut to the sideline reporter who bumbled his way through an incredibly awkward story about Broncos head coach Vance Joseph.

ESPN never brought Dipp back on the air -- despite demands from everyone on Twitter. There was just something endearing about him.

After the game, Dipp -- who was born in Mexico -- posted a video statement ... saying he was just very excited to make his debut on American TV, "The biggest stage possible."

"All I wanted to do was to show some love to these two historical head coaches," Dipp said.

"Hopefully, I'll have another chance and be sure I'll make the most out of it."

Kendall Jenner and Blake Griffin just took a major step in their dating life -- 'cause nothing says "we're together" like dinner and a movie ... and a 2,475 mile trip.

The rumored couple was spotted grabbing a bite Monday night in NYC at Carbone, and then catching the new horror flick "It" afterward.

Speaking of flying, Blake clearly jetted off to New York to be with Kendall ... who's walking runways for Fashion Week. They'd been seen hanging in L.A. (with pals) prior to this.

If they keep this up ... they'll float too.

Christmas is coming early for Kobe Bryant -- the Lakers are planning to retire his jersey before the Warriors game on Dec. 18 ... multiple sources tell TMZ Sports.

The Lakers aren't officially acknowledging it -- but the team sent a letter to Lakers season ticket holders advising them to "hold on to your tickets for the game on Dec. 18" for a "special event."

We've made some calls and everyone's saying the same thing ... it's Kobe's big night.

The big question ... which number will go up in Staples Center -- #8 or #24 ... or both? (Our money's on both).

The Lakers also play the Golden State Warriors that night -- so LaVar Ball can finally watch Lonzo take on Steph Curry!

Those tickets are gonna be PRICEY on StubHub.

Scottie Pippen is back with his wife Larsa -- and they just moved to L.A. as a family to "figure things out" ... TMZ Sports has learned.

In fact, the two are already having couples outings in Beverly Hills -- where they got his and her manicures on Monday. Doesn't get more "together" than that.

Here's the deal ... it's been almost a year since Scottie filed divorce docs after 19 years of marriage. Since then, the two have been on-again, off-again in an effort to work things out.

It seemed things were finally dunzo in April when they mutually decided to move forward with the divorce -- but once again, things changed.

The two recently moved the family from Miami to L.A. -- in part due to the fact their basketball star son Scotty has transferred to Sierra Canyon, one of the top basketball programs in the country.

Fun Fact: Kenyon Martin's son also hoops at S.C. and it's also where the country's #1 high school player, Marvin Bagley, played ball.

We're told both Scottie and Larsa are really trying to make things work this time around.

Good luck!

Welcome to "What the HELL are are you doing?!" -- starring LSU RB Derrius Guice ... who nearly flipped an ATV trying to pull off a 4-wheeled trick and almost CRUSHED himself in the process.

If you didn't know, Guice is an absolute stud (he led the SEC in rushing last year, even while LSU had this other guy), a legit Heisman candidate, and a surefire 1st-rounder in the NFL draft next year.

That, of course, could all change if he were to do anything stupid ... LIKE HURTING HIMSELF ON A FREAKIN' ATV ... something that almost happened in a video Guice posted to his own Instagram account!

The stupid machine flips, almost crushing DG and his passenger, but luckily it didn't -- meaning he'll be ready to go against Mississippi State on Saturday, LSU's first SEC game of the year.

Guice assured his fans that "everything is fine" -- adding, "Before y'all start commenting BS. Let me have my fun. I won't get hurt so shhh."

Derrius, from an LSU fan (hi, it's Van) ... CUT THE CRAP NOW!