Vanessa Bryant, wife of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, has filed for divorce, according to a shocking new report from TMZ!

Vanessa, who stuck by Kobe’s side after he was charged with sexually assaulting a woman nearly a decade ago back in 2003, filed the legal documents Friday afternoon (Dec 16), citing “irreconcilable differences.”

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ that Vanessa — the mother of Kobe’s two young daughters, Natalia (8) and Giana (5) — ultimately decided to end her 10-year plus marriage to the NBA player because she has “had enough” of his cheating ways.

“She’s been dealing with these incidents for a long time and has been a faithful wife, but she’s finally had enough,” one source said, adding, “This one is the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

According to the legal docs, Vanessa is asking for joint custody of their 2 daughters — 8-year-old Natalia and 5-year-old Giana — but Vanessa is asking that Kobe get visitation rights, which means she wants the kids in her care most of the time.

We’ve learned the couple has NO PRENUP, so 29-year-old Vanessa is entitled to half of the empire Kobe built over the last decade.

She’s also requesting spousal support … which is typical in divorce cases. Kobe, who filed his response to the divorce minutes after Vanessa filed her petition, says he will pay her spousal support.

According to the docs, Vanessa is being repped by disso-queen Laura Wasser and attorney Samantha Klein. Wasser reps oodles of celebs, including Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie, Maria Shriver and Kim Kardashian.

Kobe went to the Jay-Z concert Tuesday night in L.A. without Vanessa, and people who saw him there say he looked miserable.

Vanessa signed the divorce petition on December 1. Kobe signed his response on December 7.

Oh yeah, that $4 million ring Kobe gave Vanessa after the 2003 scandal …. It’s all hers. A gift is a gift.

The Bryants released a joint statement … saying they have “resolved all issues” privately, with the assistance of counsel.

[TMZ]

Kobe is also said to be devastated that his wife wants to divorce him, and he will do “whatever it takes” to save their 10 and a half year marriage.

This should make for nice locker room talk in the days leading up to the kick-off of the new NBA season on Christmas!

Kobe Bryant is pretty pissed about his teammate and good friend Lamar Odom being traded to the Dallas Mavericks.

The L.A. Lakers star admits that even he doesn’t understand how Odom could be sent to another team after having such an outstanding past year.

“I don’t like it … to be honest with you, I don’t like it. You’re talking about the Sixth Man of the Year last year … he played lights out. I don’t understand the criticism of reality shows and this, that and the other.”

He went on to add:

 ”I don’t get it. I don’t understand that. He had his best season last season, clearly it wasn’t a distraction, and he played his ass off. I don’t get where that comes from.”

You know it’s effed up when Kobe doesn’t like it … SMH!

[ESPN]

Retired NBA player Shaquille O’Neal is on the verge of releasing a tell-all book later this month titled “Shaq Uncut: My Story.”

The book is basically an autobiography of sorts where Shaq opens up about everything, including his beef with his former L.A. Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant, how he wrote Halle Berry a love letter back in his college days (and she responded!) what it’s like being retired now, and much more.

Shaq even explains what exactly sparked his big feud with Kobe, and it had a lot to do with Kobe’s sexual assault charges back in 2003.

Read the interesting excerpts (via Deadspin) below:

On public feud with Kobe:

So I’m on edge because I don’t have a new deal, and Kobe is on edge because he might be going to jail, so we’re taking it out on each other. Just before the start of the ’03-’04 season the coaching staff called us in and said, “No more public sparring or you’ll get fined.” … Phil was tired of it. Karl Malone and Gary Payton were sick of it. … So what happens? Immediately after that Kobe runs right out to Jim Gray and does this interview where he lets me have it. He said I was fat and out of shape. He said I was milking my toe injury for more time off, and the injury wasn’t even that serious. (Yeah, right. It only ended my damn career.) He said I was “lobbying for a contract extension when we have two Hall of Famers playing pretty much for free.” I’m sitting there watching this interview and I’m gonna explode. Hours earlier we had just promised our coach we’d stop. It was a truce broken. I let the guys know, “I’m going to kill him.”

Kobe stands up and goes face-to-face with me and says, “You always said you’re my big brother, you’d do anything for me, and then this Colorado thing happens and you never even called me.” I did call him. … So here we are now, and we find out he really was hurt that we didn’t stand behind him. That was something new. I didn’t think he gave a rat’s ass about us either way. “Well, I thought you’d publicly support me, at least,” Kobe said. “You’re supposed to be my friend.”

Brian Shaw chimed in with “Kobe, why would you think that? Shaq had all these parties and you never showed up for any of them. We invited you to dinner on the road and you didn’t come. Shaq invited you to his wedding and you weren’t there. Then you got married and didn’t invite any of us. And now you are in the middle of this problem, this sensitive situation, and now you want all of us to step up for you. We don’t even know you.” …
Everyone was starting to calm down when I told Kobe, “If you ever say anything like what you said to Jim Gray ever again, I will kill you.”

Kobe shrugged and said, “Whatever.”

[...]

From that day on, I was done dealing with Kobe. I was done dealing with Jim Gray, too. What goes around, comes around. When he got fired, he actually had the nerve to call me and ask me to help him out. What, did you lose Kobe’s number?

On Kobe being immature and a tattle tail:

He was so young and so immature in some ways, but I can tell you this: everything Kobe is doing now, he told me all the way back then he was going to do it. We were sitting on the bus once and he told me, “I’m going to be the number one scorer for the Lakers, I’m going to win five or six championships, and I’m going to be the best player in the game.” I was like, “Okay, whatever.” Then he looked me right in the eye and said, “I’m going to be the Will Smith of the NBA.”

My first Lakers season we had a couple of rookies, and we hazed them pretty badly. We were dogging them out constantly. It was “Go get my bags, go get me something to eat.” It was kind of a rite of passage in the NBA that a lot of teams do, but we probably went a little too far with it. One of the rookies—Derek Fisher—just took it. The other rookie—Kobe Bryant—ratted us out to Jerry West.

On getting into it with Miami Heat team president Pat Riley:

My ticket out of Miami was punched in mid-February 2008. There was a lot of tension between Pat and the players. So we’re about to start practice and Jason Williams comes in about ten seconds late. Pat being Pat, he starts swearing at him and screaming, “Get the hell out of here!”…

I tell Pat we’re a team and we need to stick together, not throw guys out of the gym. Pat is screaming at me and says if I don’t like it, then I should get the hell out of practice, too.

That’s when I said, “Why don’t you make me?”

I start taking a couple of steps towards Pat. Udonis Haslem steps in and I shove him out of the way. Then Zo tries to grab me. I threw him aside like he was a rag doll. Now it’s me and Riley face-to-face, jaw to jaw. I’m poking him in the chest and he keeps slapping my finger away and it’s getting nasty. Noisy, too. He’s yelling “Fuck you!” and I’m yelling back, “No, fuck you!”

Zo is trying to calm us both down and he has this kind of singsong panic in his voice. He keeps saying, “Big fella, no big fella, big fella!” I finally turn around and tell him, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hit the man. Do you think I’m crazy?”

On writing a love letter Halle Berry and getting a response:

I remember being in the dorm room one night and we were watching the movie Jungle Fever with Halle Berry in it, and I thought she was so stunning, so I wrote her a letter. I was just kind of kidding around, telling her I was a big fan and I’d love to meet her sometime. The guys totally goofed on me for doing it, but I didn’t care. A few weeks later, no lie, Halle Berry wrote me back. She sent me a signed picture that I still have hanging in my office. Turns out she’s a basketball fan. She wrote, “I’m a big fan of yours, too. I can’t wait until you get to the NBA.”

On retired life:

They’ve already got some things cooking in Hollywood for me. Adam Sandler called me in June 2011 and said, “I want you to be in some of my movies.

I’ve stayed fairly low-key about what I own. For instance, out of the fifteen twenty-four-hour fitness places I own, only three have my name on it. None of the Five Guys I own have my name on it. None of the clubs I own in Vegas, either.

“Shaq Uncut: My Story” will be released via Grand Central Publishing on November 15th!

The Los Angeles Lakers’ star player Kobe Bryant has a net-worth of over $100 million dollars … which means that he is FILTHY rich and has lots of money to share. And that’s exactly what he’s doing. Sharing.

Because of the ongoing (and very stupid) NBA lockout, lots of players — mainly the “non-celebrity” ones — are facing serious financial hardship.

But the good news is that some of the superstar players like Kobe Bryant have big hearts, and are said to be loaning money to their fellow players who are struggling financially due to the lockout.

Read this excerpt from a recent L.A. Times interview with Billy Hunter, head of the National Basketball Players Association:

What role will NBA superstars like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James play as this moves forward?

“They’ve been deeply involved in the meetings we’ve had. I know Kobe is intimately involved in interfacing with colleagues and sharing in a pool of revenue to help the others get through this. Kobe has volunteered to do that in the event others need, he and others are prepared to loan money if necessary.”

Sharing is caring, right?

All jokes aside … that’s a pretty nice gesture from Kobe! And to think. Some people actually call this guy … “selfish.”

[Yahoo Sports via L.A. Times]

According to reports, the incident occurred at St Therese of Carmel Church in Carmel Valley on Sunday when Kobe allegedly grabbed a man’s cellphone because he mistakenly thought the guy was trying to take pictures of him and wife Vanessa.

After snatching the device, he didn’t find any pictures on it and handed it back. The man says Bryant injured his wrist during the scuffle, and afterward, he was taken to the hospital for treatment.

The Lakers star has not yet been charged of any unlawful activity, but TMZ is reporting that San Diego police want to talk to him to get his side of the story.

Find out what happens when Bow Wow takes on Kobe Bryant in a one-on-one basketball game for $1000. (You should already know the outcome of this one…)

Just one week after he was caught on camera calling a referee “the f-word,” Kobe Bryant and several of his teammates from the Los Angeles Lakers have released an anti-gay slur public service announcement video.

Peep the footage below:

See! Kobe is a nice guy after all!

Kobe Bryant must have the planet’s BEST pr people on his payroll, because merely four days have passed since his infamous on camera slip-up using a gay slur during the Lakers vs. Spurs game this past Friday night, and already the NBA star is spinning this highly negative situation into a real positive.

In a surprising move, Kobe, his Lakers organization, and a few NBA executives have agreed to sit down and work with gay media watchdog group GLAAD to help fight homophobia in basketball.

“What happened in Tuesday night’s game is not representative of what the Lakers stand for,” said Lakers spokesman John Black. “We want to reaffirm our commitment to all our fans and our appreciation for the support we receive from all segments of society. We also understand the importance of positive messages in helping us convey this. We appreciate the input we’ve received from GLAAD the past two days and will look forward to working with them on ways to help educate ourselves and our fans, and to help keep language like this out of our game.”

For those of you that have been living under a rock for the past few days, during Tuesday night’s match-up against the league leading San Antonio Spurs, Bryant was seen on camera calling a referee a “f**king f**got” after the ref penalized him with a technical foul. As a result, Kobe was fined a whopping $100,000 by the NBA.

Gotta give the bean-head his props though, Kobe not only apologized for his outburst, but he said in an interview with ESPN radio that he was also hoping to meet with gay groups to turn his mistake “into a positive and raise as much awareness as we can to say that it is not OK to…insult and disrespect.”

Kobe Bryant may be able to gain forgiveness for his homophobic rant after all. The Lambda league (which is the gay and lesbian basketball league in L.A.) has released a statement offering Kobe a chance to redeem himself by coming out to their next game.

“We have seen Kobe’s apology and hope that it’s sincere. If he really wants to show us he means it he’ll come to our next league game,” A rep from the Lambda League stated.

If Kobe does take them up on their offer … they also agree to buy tickets to a Lakers’ game.

Kobe said what?!

Kobe Bryant is under fire for allegedly calling a referee a “f**king f**got” last night in the middle of Lakers vs. Spurs Game in L.A.

During the middle of the third quarter of the game, Kobe received a technical foul for arguing with the referee, and as he made his way to the bench, he was visibly upset and was caught on camera calling referee Bennie Adams a “f**king f**got.” (Uh-oh!)

A rep for the Los Angeles Lakers told TMZ early this morning: “The Lakers can not confirm that is what Kobe said or not.”

Watch for yourself below:

Kobe Bryant is making history!

The Los Angels Lakers basketball player is receiving a huge honor by being the very first and only athlete in the world to be honored in a Hollywood Ceremony. According to AP: “Bryant will become the first athlete to have a hand and foot print ceremony at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.”

Kobe Bryant has been a Los Angeles Laker since he was 17 years old after initially trading from the Charlotte Hornets after being drafted in 1996. Since then, Bryant has gone on to win 5 NBA championships with the team, and in addition, has broken several NBA records, including being the youngest player ever to score over 20,000 points over the span of his career. He also made history as the second LA Laker to score over 50 points in three consecutive games.

Kobe’s hand-and-footprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theaters in Hollywood will join those of the great actors of our time. The upcoming event is scheduled to take place during this year’s All NBA All-Star Weekend on February 19th, a day before the start of the games.

Your thoughts?

The Los Angeles Lakers showed up prepared with a vengeance in the Staples Center Thursday night (Jun. 17) but almost suffered a defeat against the Boston Celtics in a tough seven game series in the 2010 NBA Finals! This also was the first seven game series in the Finals since 2005 and this season ended with a battle between NBA’s biggest rivals.

The Lakers prospered a victory by 4 points leaving the score 83-79. Although Kobe Bryant got 23 points and 2 assists, he was only 25% of successful field goals in Game 7 and it showed throughout the entire game. Bryant showed his gratitude for his teammates who performed to help the Lakers achieve it’s 16th championship title:

“This one is by far the sweetest, because it’s them,” Bryant said, “This was the hardest one by far. I wanted it so bad, and sometimes when you want it so bad, it slips away from you. My guys picked me up.”

Kobe also expressed how it felt to win his 5th ring individually as a player:

“Just got one more than Shaq … so you can take that to be bank” he laughs and continues, “You guys know how I am, I don’t forget anything…”

Coach Phil Jackson added his 11th ring to his collection and marked his fifth championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although, he seems prepared for another season this may be his very last game with Lakers due to health concerns and a pay cut. Jackson rejoiced with happiness of his current victory while wearing a championship cap but still is hesitant about his return:

“I’ve got to take a deep breath. I’ve got to take some time to think about this,” Jackson said, “This was great. I’ll wait to make that decision in a week.”

Kobe added, “”He knows how bad I want him back,” Bryant said. “I’ve been openly blunt about how much I want him back.”

Laker Ron Artest, with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals, performed with clutch-ness last night in Game 7 and literally shifted the game’s ending score by scoring a three-pointer in the final seconds of the game. This will be the first championship victory for Artest and he showed that enthusiasm in every interview all night:

“I always told people it’s about the total points, it’s about what we do as a team” he continued, “It’s not about what I did, although I had 20 points, I still think we accomplished that as a team.”

Pau Gasol scored 19 points and 18 rebounds with 4 assists. Boston Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers expressed his emotional distress this series has cause to himself and his team:

“We were the tightest, most emotional, crazy group I’ve ever been around in my life. There’s a lot of crying in that locker room,” Rivers said. “A lot of people who care. I don’t think there was a dry eye. A lot of hugs, a lot of people feeling awful. That’s a good thing. Showed a lot of people cared.”

Rajon Rondo scored 14 points, 10 rebounds and 8 rebounds. Paul Pierce finished with 18 points, while Kevin Garnett had 17 points, 2 assists and 4 blocks. The Celtics played a great series but regardless the Lakers played better offensively and defensively. Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers for an amazing effort. Until next year, Go Lakers!

Despite the two games the Boston Celtics won in a row back at home, that didn’t stop the Los Angeles Lakers from showing them whose house they were playing in Tuesday night (Jun 15) during Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals!

The Lakers tied the series last night (3-3) and blew the Celtics out by 22 points (89-67) in the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant, who scored 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists, had a conscious team Tuesday night and didn’t have to feel like he was competing alone. Bryant expressed his happiness in his teammates conscious change since Game 5:

“I was very happy,” Bryant said, “We did a great job defensively. We kept them out of the middle, kept them out of the paint, did a good job on the boards. It was a solid effort by us.” he continued “We’re used to being in must-win situations, The way we look at it, [Game 7] is just a game we’ve got to win. … I don’t mean to be a buzzkill. I know what’s at stake, but I’m not tripping.”

Pau Gasol scored 17 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists. Gasol indeed “manned up” and understands what has to be done in order to win ring number two:

“We want to carry everything we did tonight to [Game 7], and then I think we’ll be in a very good place to win,” Gasol said. “When you bring the intensity we did tonight, good things are going to happen.”

A whole new team showed up on the court in L.A. for both sides and it will cause some trouble for the Boston Celtics. Doc Rivers may have to re-assemble his starting line-up due to Kendrick Perkins injury in the first quarter Tuesday night and may not return Game 7 in L.A. Rajon Rondo achieved 10 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and says that he’s over Game 6 and is looking forward to Game 7:

“To me, the game is over,” Rondo said. “We have one game [left]. They have one game. All or nothing. [Game 6] is in the past.”

Ray Allen scored a total of 19 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds. Paul Pierce put up 18 points and 3 assists. Tune to ABC at 9PM/ET Thursday night (June 17) witness Game 7. In the meantime watch the video recap to see what happened Game 6 below!

The Boston Celtics outplayed the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 Sunday night (Jun 13) on their home court in the TD Bank North Garden. Kobe Bryant was just not enough to win the last game in Boston alone and led them to a loss by 6 (92-86) and the series now stand in Boston’s favor (3-2). Bryant managed to score 90% of the points in the 3rd quarter and totaled 38 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Kobe talked briefly about the performance from his teammates after the game:

“Just man up and play. What the hell is the big deal?” he said. “If I have to say something to them, then we don’t deserve to be champions. We’re down 3-2: Go home, win one game, go into the next one. Simple as that.”

The Celtics did just that. Paul Pierce obtained 27 points, Kevin Garnett scored 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had 18 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds. With only one game closer to the championship Pierce explains his excitement to the media:

“It was our biggest game of the year,” Pierce said. “We’re in a good spot. We have two games in L.A.; now we have to get one.”

Games 6 and 7 will be played in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. Game 6 airs Tuesday, June 15th on ABC 9:00PM/ET. Check out the video recap of Game 5 below.

The Boston Celtics picked up a few four-leaf clovers from the TD Garden Thursday night (Jun 10) and luckily won Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers to tie the series (2-2). The Celtics’ bench managed to help them win by 7 (89-96). Glen “Big Baby” Davis scored 18 points which significantly led the Celtics to a victory they needed to win. There was no plan to come out to prosper in this game Davis explained:

“Just will, that’s all it is,” Davis said. “This is what legends are made of, this is where you grasp the moment. … Just play in the moment.”

“All I’m thinking about is, ‘Let’s win,’” Davis continued. “I’m not thinking about anything else. I’m not even thinking about Kobe making all these shots, worried about this or worried about that. I’m just worried about winning, whatever it takes to win, and just making sure that I give my teammates positive energy to finish out the game.”

Boston Celtic Paul Pierce scored 19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Ray Allen managed to get 12 points in Game 4 slowly recovering from his missing streak in Game 3. Top performer of the game Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. Bryant briefly talked about how the game turned from their favor to ending in a loss:

“They got all the energy points, the hustle points, second chance points, points in the paint, beat us to the loose balls,” Bryant said. “I mean, that’s how the game turned around.”

An injured starting center, Andrew Bynum was also a factor in the Lakers loss in Game 4. Hopefully, the worst has come and left. The Lakers’ vengeance is only fueling higher. Tune in to Game 5 Sunday night (Jun. 13) at 8PM/ET on ABC. Check out the slobbering “Big Baby” roar after scoring below

The Los Angeles Lakers redeemed themselves with a victory last night (Tues. Jun 8) at the TD Bank North Garden in Boston Game 3 and are now leading the series (2-1) against the Boston Celtics. The Lakers took Game 3 by 7 points, ending with 91-84. Derek Fisher was a key component to this win, knocking down difficult shots and making hard plays within the first ten minutes of the 4th quarter. Kobe Bryant, who scored a total of 29 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks, acknowledged the effort his teammate Fisher put up after he wasn’t attempting to score in the 4th quarter:

“Truthfully, he’s done it over and over and over again,” said Bryant, ”So it’s almost his responsibility to our team to do these things.”

Fisher spoke to the media afterwards and explained what fueled his energy in Game 3 Tuesday night:

“Our thoughts are really just still on how disappointed we are, or were, losing that second game on our home court. I think that had more of our attention and focus than what happened in ’08,” Fisher said. “We didn’t doubt our ability to win here. … We understand when you want to be the best, you have to win wherever, whenever.”

The Celtics’ Ray Allen almost broke another record in Game 3 after following his tremendous performance in Game 2, but this time not so great. Allen had a total of 2 points and missed all 13 field goal attempts he put up, excluding his free throws, one field goal attempt of the NBA finals futility record.  While Kevin Garnett improved from his Game 1 and Game 2 performances in Game 3 with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, he discussed his disappointment in the lack of offensive strategies that took place Tuesday night:

“It’s very frustrating, very frustrating when you don’t play well offensively,” Garnett said. “But defensively, you know, you sort of buckle down and get the stops and things that you want and you get back into the game only to come up short. he continued ”Yeah, that’s real disappointing.”

Both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol of the Lakers had a total of 10 rebounds helping the their team progress to victory in Game 3. Tune in to Game 4, Thursday night June 10th in Boston on ABC at 9:00PM/ET. Check out video footage of the recap courtesy of the NBA below!

Sunday night (June 6), the Boston Celtics showed up in Los Angeles at the Staples Center and tied the series (1-1) between the Los Angeles Lakers. Ray Allen (of the Celtics) pretty much carried the whole team on his back this game. Allen hit an NBA Finals record, eight 3-pointers, on Sunday night with 32 points and 2 assists, and led the Celtics to a victory by 9 points (103 – 94). LA Laker Kobe Bryant, who had 21 points, had something to say about his team’s loss:

“It’s the most important game. Game 1 was the most important, Game 2 was the most important, now it’s Game 3,” Bryant said. “It’s just the next game, simple as that.”

The Celtics’ Rajon Rondo achieved a triple double with a total of 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Rondo said:

“The best part about getting a triple-double is getting a win,” Rondo continued. “That’s pretty much it. It would be pointless to get a triple-double and lose the game.”

Game 3 will be in Boston Garden at the TD Banknorth Garden Tuesday June 8th on ABC at 9PM/ET!

James Valeri, the stylist who put together that hideous Kobe Bryant photoshoot for LA Times magazine is coming to the Lakers player’s defense saying that it’s “iconic” and they meant for you to question the look.

On the negative reactions:
The scarf picture and the hat picture were more to create an iconic image. When you do a portrait, you do think of the styling in how they’re going to be different and how they’re going to stand out. In 10 years time, or five years time, there has to be something particular or strange or different that will stand out. That image will stay in your mind. That’s how it’s going to become iconic. … A lot of people aren’t used to that, so when iconic pictures come out, they’re disturbing, insulting, fascinating, it has a strong feeling attached to it, good or bad.

SOURCE

Of course some of Kobe’s teammates clowned him in the locker room once they caught wind of the pictures.

“There were some other guys that have already addressed him about that particular situation,” Derek Fisher said after the practice session in El Segundo. Teammates were left with befuddled reactions, and fans and writers alike mostly had the same confused sentiment. Bryant suggested the photos were “a little doctored up. The photo-shoot stylist, James Valeri, told me Monday morning that the concept was all part of an effort “to do something modern.”

But even if Bryant suggested the photos weren’t exactly authentic, he acknowledged he “had a good time” during the shoot. And for the fans who aren’t exactly enthralled with Bryant’s new look? “I don’t give a ….,” he said. As you can tell in the video below, many of Bryant’s teammates initially appeared at a loss of words. They also hesitated to convey what their initial reactions suggested.

SOURCE

Basketball star Kobe Bryant (of the Los Angeles Lakers) has a new spread in LA Times Magazine and he’s wearing all white everything and looks VERY suspect (How YOU doin’ Kobe?) in the majority of these pictures. And is it just us or does his make-up (especially in the first shot above) look like the local funeral home did it? Check out a few pics (and excerpts from the interview) below and when you continue reading…

Tom Murray: I have to ask, When you’re in that chopper, do you ever look down on the city, pinch yourself and say—
Kobe Bryant: How the hell did this happen? Absolutely—every time. Like I’m sitting here right now. [Nods toward the two ladies primping him.] You know what I mean? This is dream s–t. Wardrobe that’s all white? This just doesn’t happen. Not for me. This is crazy.

You’re very relaxed. Of course, we’re talking as you’re getting a manicure and a facial before you have your makeup put on. Is this a side of your personality you’d like more people to see?
I think people, especially here in Los Angeles, are starting to understand me a lot more in terms of what I’m like personality-wise. I’m relaxed, laid back, pretty funny, smartass. I like having a good time.

But people don’t often see that.
When they turn on the TV or go to a game, that’s not the side of me they want anyway. They want to win a championship, and that ain’t gonna get it done. [Laughs.] Know what I’m saying? Most of the time when they see me, I’m in that golden armor. We all have different personalities. The competition and the nastiness part of it, that’s a part of my personality, too, you know? It just depends on what environment I’m in.

You take heat because of your demeanor in postgame interviews, especially if you lost.
Well, everybody gets upset. But if I’m being short, I’m being short. It’s not like I’m telling people to go F-off. It is what it is. At the end of the day, you play to win. I do whatever it takes to get my team in the best position of winning, and when it’s over, we’re celebrating again with another parade—then everybody is happy.

But wouldn’t it benefit you if the media in L.A. saw this side of your personality more?
It probably wouldn’t be helpful for them, because they have to write and sell stories. And you can’t have everybody saying positive things all the time. It’s just not going to work, even though this is, like, my city when it comes to sports, you know what I mean? You gotta have people on one side of the fence and people on the other. If not, the story’s not compelling. The people who truly know me know what I’m like. There have been people who try to say things that aren’t fair, and I check them. And then they don’t like me because I checked them.

When you say check them, what do you mean?
Call them out. I’m not going to be a pushover. If I’m going to talk to you, I’m going to talk to you respectfully. I’m comfortable in my own skin. If I’m upset, I’m upset—write about it. If I’m happy, I’m happy—write about it. I’m gonna just be me, and let them report what they’re gonna report.

Do you think about your basketball mortality at all—that one day you won’t be able to do everything you can now?
I feel invincible out there, but it’s a different kind of invincible than when I was younger. Can I jump over two or three guys like I used to? No. Am I as fast as I used to be? No, but I still have the fundamentals and smarts. That’s what enables me to still be a dominant player. As a kid growing up, I never skipped steps. I always worked on fundamentals because I know athleticism is fleeting.

Have you thought about what you’d do after your playing career that would get the juices flowing as much as basketball?
The game…there’s beauty in it. The motivation comes from wanting to do it the best way you can. So whatever endeavor or field I decide to go into after I play, I’m going to approach it with the same discipline.

Do you think it might be in the game?
Hmmm, never say never. But coaching, managing, stuff like that—I seriously, seriously doubt that. Heavily doubt it.

Why so emphatic?
I don’t really have any interest. Me going into that would definitely increase my frustrations. But part of my personality is I’m infinitely curious. And finding something else that could get my juices flowing—that’s a bigger challenge.

READ MORE @ LATIMESMAGAZINE.COM

NBA star Kobe Bryant is featured on the cover of the March 2010 issue of GQ Magazine. Along with the cover, the issue includes an in depth article on the basketball giant, where Kobe and Gentleman’s Quarterly discuss a number of things, including that beef he had with Shaq and how tight he is with his wife Vanessa. Check out a snippet of the interview below…

“What people see on court is another side of me; it’s not me. That dark side that’s coming to get you – ha ha! I’m not losing this fucking game – that’s not who I am. That’s part of me. Off the court, I’m completely different.”

ON HIS PAST “BEEF” WITH SHAQ: It was Bryant’s fourth championship and the most satisfying, because it was his first without longtime teammate, archrival, and overall irritant Shaquille O’Neal. (Shaq had publicly mocked Bryant for failing to win without him, chanting in a bizarre karaoke rap: Kobe, tell me how my ass taste?) Now that he’s shut Shaq up, Bryant can look back on their time together with newfound perspective. “The biggest mistake I made was responding to what he was saying about me. Once I responded, now that made it seem like I was part of that whole thing. It’s like, Okay, these two are against each other. As opposed to just staying quiet, which is what I’ve been doing the last few years. Let him say what he needs to say.”

ON HIS WIFE VANESSA: They met in 1999. He was a global superstar working on a rap album, never to be released, and she was a high school student dancing in a rap video. They were engaged quickly, over the strenuous objections of his parents, who didn’t attend the wedding in April 2001. Most reports said the Bryants thought Vanessa too young. Whatever the cause, there was an ugly split—which has apparently healed, because Bryant says he and his parents are tight: “I talked to my mom today.”

A staple at Staples Center, Vanessa has become one of the most visible women in the nation’s most visibility-conscious city, but she seldom speaks to reporters, and Bryant discusses her with clipped, protective answers. Though their marriage has been tested—by infidelity, by gossip—he says it’s strong. Asked to name his best friends, he names her first. “We’re close,” he says. “We’re like homeys.”

In flowing script, between the children and Vanessa, he’s tattooed two words: Psalm XXVII. Why? “Because it’s beautiful,” he says. In part, Psalm 27 reads: When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.&

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

The NBA’s 2010 All-Star Game went down Sunday night (Feb 14) in Arlingtion, Texas at the Cowboys Stadium. This is the largest venue ever recorded to hold the All-Star game, and the biggest live crowd ever (over 100,000) to watch a basketball game.

Representing for the West were Kobe Bryant (Dirk Nowitzki), Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony and Tim Duncan. For the East, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, and Allen Iverson (David Lee).

The game was pretty intense. In the 1st quarter, the West’s momentum was very heavy but the East built up some intensity of their own in the 2nd quarter. The 3rd and 4th quarters were both equally competitive, but the East came out on top due to Deron Williams‘ unnecessary fouling. The ending score was 141-139. Dwyane Wade, who went home with the All-Star MVP award, finished the night with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Wade spoke at the end of the game:

“To be able to perform in front of a crowd like that, I know that. I know I can do it, I’ve done it before,” Wade continued. “So just to be able to put on a show like that and to get the win, and to make key plays down the stretch was what I like.”

Although, Kobe Bryant didn’t play he was there to comment on how he’s doing:

“I’ll do therapy nonstop, around the clock, until it’s ready to go, ” Bryant said. “Hopefully, I’ll be healthier than I was the last month, so that’s a plus.”

Check out the rest of the pics below!

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Monday (Jan 25), the Los Angeles Lakersspent some time at The White House to meet President Obama. Mr. Obama invited the team to the capital (Washington, D.C.) to commemorate their NBA title run last season. What interesting is that you will notice that the players brought along their families, which included Kobe Bryant‘s sexy wife Vanessa Bryant and Lamar Odom‘s wife Khloe Kardashian! Yup, a Kardashian has finally made their way into The White House. Who woulda thunk it? (LOL)

Check out some of the photos below…

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / NBA

Here are some scans of Lil Wayne (and Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant) in the December 2009/January 2010 issue of VIBE Magazine, on stands and in circulation now.

Initial reports suggested that Wayne would be portraying Jesus Christ in a voice over role in T-Pain‘s upcoming Cartoon Network special called the “Return of Freaknik.” But TV execs have clarified his role and said that he won’t be playing the role of biblical figure Jesus Christ after all.

TV bosses have laughed off reports Lil Wayne is set to play Jesus Christ in a new animated show, insisting his character simply shares his name with the Son of God. It was recently announced the star would lend his voice to “Return of Freaknik,” a one-hour special being produced for America’s Adult Swim network by fellow rapper T-Pain.

Earlier reports suggested Wayne would play Jesus Christ, but TV bosses insist his character is an up-and-coming rapper called Jesus.
A spokesperson for the network explains, “Lil Wayne’s character is still evolving. All we can say is that he is named Jesus and not Jesus Christ.”

SCANS VIA: THE 305

Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant has a fashion spread in the new issue of GQ Magazine and can be seen here rocking Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and other famous fashion brands. Continue reading for more flicks!

PROPS: ICEDOTCOM

Shannon Brown of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrated his 24th birthday Sunday night (Nov 29) at Playhouse Hollywood in Los Angeles and partied it up with his teammates and some of his industry associates.

Shannon is pictured above (3rd to the left) with Kobe Bryant, Anthony Lindsey and Omarr Gilbert. Other folks at Brown’s shindig were Ron Artest, DJ Sean Mac and DJ Mbenga. Electrik Red and a few other people also came through and partied with Shannon and his friends.

Continue reading for more pics!

PHOTOS: WIRE IMAGE

GQ Men of the Year Wale and Drake attended the party celebrating their honor at the Chateau Marmont Wednesday evening (Nov 18) in Hollywood. According to the popular men’s magazine, Wale, Drake and Kid Cudi have “killed” gangsta Hip-Hop, earning each of them the “Man of the Year” title.

GQ says: Have you been listening to hip-hop this year? If not, we’ve got good news: The gangster persona is finally dead, and these are the kids who killed it. One song at a time, they build a new era in which duct-taped kilos, exotic firearms, and freaky girls are out and real life is the focus. … Wale is as famous for his live shows as for the slick-witted lyricism of his debut Attention Deficit. Kid Cudi is the cut up who scored with the stoner anthem “Day N Nite” and his album Man on the Moon. And then there’s Drake, who found himself turning down multimillion-dollar offers after his single “Best I Ever Had” exploded. (It helps that the girls like Drake. A lot.) Drake’s debut, Thank Me Later, is easily the most anticipated album of 2010.

So what do these underdogs think about being cast as gangster slayers? “The dope boy is going to be a fixture of black culture as long as ‘thug’ is a legitimate option alongside ‘job,’” Drake says. “But I’m not going to rap about how much crack I’ve sold.” Cudi also laughs at the idea of talking tough. “Anybody from Cleveland will tell you I wasn’t in the streets,” he says. “Ask them, They’ll say. ‘Scott was the goofy class clown.’”

The celebrity guest list for the 14th annual GQ Men of the Year Party also included Kobe Bryant, Gabrielle Union, Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian and more. Continue reading for the rest of the pics!

]]> http://gossiponthis.com/2009/11/20/wale-drake-kobe-bryant-kim-kardashian-and-more-attend-14th-annual-gq-men-of-the-year-party-in-hollywood/feed/ 1 http://gossiponthis.com/2009/10/16/seen-scene-kobe-bryant-sisters-estelle-mary-blige-garcelle-beauvais/ http://gossiponthis.com/2009/10/16/seen-scene-kobe-bryant-sisters-estelle-mary-blige-garcelle-beauvais/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:19:13 +0000 GOT STAFF http://gossiponthis.com/?p=39387

NBA star Kobe Bryant posed for a pic with his sisters Sharia and Shayla Bryant at LAX Nightclub Wednesday night (Oct 14) in Vegas. More »

NBA star Kobe Bryant posed for a pic with his sisters Sharia and Shayla Bryant at LAX Nightclub Wednesday night (Oct 14) in Vegas. The Los Angeles Laker was hosting a party at the club that night.

More pics of celebrities like Estelle, Mary J. Blige, Garcelle Beauvais and more on the scene between the past couple of days when you continue reading!

Singers Estelle and Jay Sean chilled together at a cocktail dinner at Taj nightclub in New York City Wednesday night (Oct 14). The event was hosted by celebrity blog EgyptSaidSo.com.

R&B soul singer/songwriter Mary J. Blige posed for pictures on the red carpet as she arrived at the Stepping Out & Stepping Up event at Gotham Hall Wednesday night (Oct 14) in NYC.

TV family Brooke Hogan, Nick Hogan and Linda Hogan attended an event showcasing Alakazi’as Spring 2010 fashion line during Downtown LA Fashion Week at at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA Wednesday (Oct 14) in Los Angeles. The VH1 reality stars (and family) posed for a group pic together at the show.

Hot on the promo trail for her new movie “Law Abiding Citizen,” actress Regina Hall paid a visit to Fuse Studios in New York City Thursday (Oct 15) to record an episode of Fuse TV’s “The Pop Show.” She plays Jamie Foxx’s wife in the film, which hits theaters nationwide today (Fri Oct 16).

Entourage star Jeremy Piven showed his face at the IFC & BAFTA Monty Python 40th Anniversary event at the Zigfield Theatre Thursday evening (Oct 15) in New York City.

Actresses Garcelle Beauvais walked the red carpet at the Vintage Valentino Benefit at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA Thursday (Oct 15) in Los Angeles. This event was held in conjunction with Downtown LA Fashion Week.

And actress Tichina Arnold posed for pics on the red carpet of the Madison and Diavolina launch party in Los Angeles Thursday night (Oct 15).

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Newlyweds Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom were all boo’d up as they walked the red carpet of the grand opening of Phillippe Chow’s new restaurant in West Hollywood, California Monday (Oct 12).

Other celebrities in attendance were Tyrese, Kobe Bryant and Serena Williams.

The 2009 ESPY Awards went down Wednesday night (Jul 15) at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, CA. Kobe & Vanessa Bryant, Venus & Serena Williams, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Michael Phelps, Wyclef Jean and other celebrities/athletes showed up to the ceremony, which was hosted by award-winning actor Samuel L. Jackson.

The 17th annual sports awards show will air this Sunday, July 19th, at 9 PM ET on ESPN.

RED CARPET PHOTOS

BACKSTAGE/AUDIENCE/PRESS ROOM PHOTOS

SHOW PHOTOS

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / WIRE IMAGE / FILM MAGIC

Check out these new pics of celebrities attending events throughout the past couple of days!

Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa hit up the 2009 Maloof Money Cup Sunday afternoon (Jul 12), while Snoop Dogg was a performer at the event, held at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa, California.

Continue reading for pics of Michelle Williams, Lady Gaga, Wendy Williams and more!

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / WIRE IMAGE

Here is the final batch of photos from Michael Jackon‘s public memorial service. On Tuesday, July 7th 2009, celebrities, dignitaries, and MJ fans alike all packed into the Staples Arena in Los Angeles to celebrate the life of an icon that was taken away from us way too soon. Above, R&B singer Usher can be seen posing with a very pregnant Jennifer Hudson backstage just before the memorial commenced. Continue reading to see photos of the different celebrities (Chris Brown, Wesley Snipes, Spike Lee, Kim Kardashian and more) who attended the ceremony.

PHOTOS: WIRE IMAGE / GETTY IMAGES

Wearing dark sunglasses and a single yellow rose pinned to his jacket, a noticeably emotional Usher performed “Gone Too Soon,” a track from Michael Jackson‘s 1991 Dangerous album, at the King of Pop’s farewell service Tuesday (Jul 7) in Los Angeles at the Staples Center.

Other celebrities and important public figures who spoke and/or performed at the public ceremony include Queen Latifah, Smokey Robinson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, and more. Continue reading to check out all of the pictures.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / WIRE IMAGE

Perhaps the most touching moment of Michael Jackson‘s public memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles was when his 11-year-old daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, made her impromptu speech about her dad:

“Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. I just want to say I love him so much.”

She then broke down in tears and was immediately consoled by her aunt Janet, who was standing right beside her the entire time. A very sad and touching moment indeed. Continue reading for that video and videos of all of the people (Brooke Shields, Queen Latifah, his brother Marlon Jackson and more) who went up to say what Michael Jackson meant to them and to the world.

MJ’s Daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson

Brooke Shields

Queen Latifah

Kobe Bryant & Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Barry Gordy

Martin Luther King III and Bernice King

MJ’s Brothers Jermaine & Marlon Jackson

Smokey Robinson

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee

R&B singer John Legend is seen here outside of the Ed Sullivan Theater on his way to record an appearance for “The Late Show with David Letterman” up in New York City Tuesday afternoon (Jun 23).

English race car driver Lewis Hamilton was spotted as he left Zuma restaurant Tuesday evening (Jun 23) after reportedly having dinner there with his mother (aww!).

Actor Nick Cannon was sighted with one of those fast food drive-in/burger joint take out boxes (yum!) as he arrived at his hotel in Manhattan, New York City Monday evening (Jun 22).

Singer Chris Brown was seen leaving the Criminal Courts Building Monday afternoon (Jun 22) in Los Angeles, CA where he pleaded guilty to assaulting and threatening his ex-girlfriend Rihanna. Click here for more info. on that.

UK crossover singer Leona Lewis was spotted out and about making her rounds in West Hollywood, CA Monday afternoon (Jun 22).

Former NFL footballer Warren Sapp can be seen here as he arrives at LAX airport Monday afternoon (Jun 22) with his 9-year-old son Warren Jr.

Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant was spotted at Sunday afternoon’s (Jun 21) baseball game in Anaheim, featuring the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers at Angel Stadium.

PHOTOS: GETTY / WENN

Here Kobe Bryant is seen with his wife Vanessa on the red carpet of the celebration of the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Championship. The party was held at Club Nokia Thursday (Jun 18) in LA and celebrities like Garcelle Beauvais, Diddy, Kanye West and more all came through to party and celebrate with the Lakers. Continue reading for more!

Kobe Bryant, pictured above with his family, waved at fans as the Lakers were honored during a parade in downtown Los Angeles last Wednesday (Jun 17) following the Lakers’ victory in the 2009 NBA Championship.

Disney Land also showed their home team some love.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES // NBA // AFP

Hip-hop mogul Diddy and Basketballer Kobe Bryant chopped it up Monday night at the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz basketball game at Staples Center in LA. Super producer Polow Da Don also rolled through and enjoyed a courtside view of the game with Mr. Sean John. Continue reading for more.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Kobe and Vanessa Bryant‘s Lawyers, Loeb & Loeb LLP, have released a statement on behalf of the couple striking back at the maid who accused Vanessa of being abusive, calling her names, and forcing her to retrieve a tag from a bag of dog feces.

“We have learned that a former employee of the Bryants, Maria Jimenez, has filed a complaint against our clients. Ms. Jimenez’s outrageous allegations of improper conduct are totally unfounded and patently false. The Bryants intend to vigorously defend against these untruthful allegations and are confident that the baseless nature of the allegations will be proven.”

SOURCE

Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa are being sued by their maid, reports TMZ. The former housekeeper, Maria Jiminez, claims Vanessa was extremely abusive and called her names, even demanding that she put her hand in a bag of dog crap to get a tag from her blouse. And that’s not even half of it. Reports say Vanessa wanted to deduct the cost of the blouse from the maid’s salary!

Maria Jimenez claims Vanessa called her “lazy, slow, dumb, a f**king liar, and f**king sh-t.” In the lawsuit filed in Superior Court in Orange County, Jimenez claims Vanessa accused her of stealing her (mouth) retainer. Jimenez says it got so bad — Vanessa allegedly “badgered, harassed and humiliated Maria by yelling and screaming at Maria and criticizing her in front of Kobe, the Bryants’ children, employees and other people in the household” — she threatened to quit but Kobe talked her out of it.

The final straw: Vanessa went nuclear because Maria put an expensive blouse in the washer. Vanessa demanded that Maria put her hand in a bag of dog feces to retrieve the price tag for the blouse. Maria says she wanted to quit and Vanessa responded that she “had to work until payday to pay for the $690 blouse, which she did.”

Maria is suing for wrongful discharge, invasion of privacy and emotional distress and unpaid wages.

Somebody needs to remind this hoe who’s money is in her pockets. We’ll give you a hint: it ain’t hers!

Rapper Jay-Z and Cleveland Cavalier Lebron James played host for the third annual “Two Kings” dinner and afterparty in Phoenix for NBA All-Star Weekend 2009. Everyone was all coupled up, including Jay-Z (of course he was with Beyonce) and Lebron (he was with his girlfriend/baby mama Savannah Brinson). Other celebrity couples who hit up the event included: Kobe and Vanessa Bryant, Michael Strahan and Nicole Mitchell (you may remember her as “Nicole Murphy”), and Tamia and Grant Hill. Continue reading for more photos and to see who else hit up the event.

PHOTOS: WIRE IMAGE

The 2008 Finals was a great event in itself, but the final long awaited match-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics was nail biting, to say the least, until the final buzzer. The past rivalry between these two team is legendary. For the 11th time, they battled head to head for the championship title. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce were known as the ‘Big Three’ all up against a one man stampede, Kobe Byrant. The Los Angeles Lakers showed their teamwork in the 2008 Finals, but the Celtics lead the series victoriously.  Although the Boston Celtics took the 2008 Championship title, it was still very interesting watching every game they played against one another, making it the best moment in sports.

Southside Chicago native point guard, Derrick Rose, was chosen as the top draft pick of the NBA. Rose got recognition for his position by scouts who had watched him play for his college basketball team, University of Memphis Tigers. During his freshman year at the University of Memphis playing with the Tigers, he lead his team to 38 consecutive wins breaking a new NCAA record taking them to the NCAA Division Basketball Tournament.  He was selected first overall by hometown team, Chicago Bulls, in the 2008 NBA Draft. At 6-foot-3, Rose is now averaging 17.2 points per game.

The Women’s National Basketball Association is known for there charisma and strong athletic women, but until recently, they’ve never been known for “cat fights!” One of the most respected womens’ basketball team, the Los Angeles Sparks, was involved in a brawl against the Detroit Shock. Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie were ejected from the game in the final 90 seconds. It was wild seeing all that athleticism get thrown hand to hand between all those strong women…hahaha.

CONTINUE READING TO PAGE 2 FOR MORE!

The rematch we’ve all been waiting for is finally here and under our christmas tree. My wish has come true. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics at home in the Staples Center. It’s been a great Christmas in the NBA. The Lakers has ended the 19 straight game winning streak the Celtics once held, shattering their high record. The star of the game, Kobe Bryant finished with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Lakers won by a 9 point lead (92-83).  Sasha Vujajcic, who scored 10 points, claims he doesn’t like the Celtics … period.

“We’ve been waiting for that opportunity for a long time, and we won,” Vujacic said, “I don’t like them at all. A lot of people called us softies or whatever. It doesn’t matter at all. We know what we can do.”

Lakers’ Coach Phil Jackson also celebrated this victory as the 1,000th game victory this Christmas.

“It’s amazing. I mean, he’s one of the greatest coaches of all time,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, “I can guarantee you that I won’t win 1,000 games because I won’t be around that long. It’s just an amazing number. When you throw up 1,000 wins, that says a lot.”

To all those Celtics band-wagon fans, sorry to sour your Christmas Egg Nog but it’s okay. This year belongs to: Los Angeles Lakers!!!

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Kobe Bryant is back with another hot shoe and a hilarious commercial to match featuring some celebrity guests. Mike Epps and DJ AM make appearances in the new commercial. The shoe featured in this spot is also known as the Christmas Day iD which will be worn for the first time in the rematch against the Boston Celtics today, Christmas Day! Catch the game on ABC @ 5PM/ET. Check out the commercial above!

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA // WEDNESDAY, JULY 23RD 2008 » The star players of the USA Basketball team are now currently training for the 2008 Olympics as we speak. They were actually practicing at a local high school to prepare them for the official games. They played against selected rookies including Derrick Rose as well for preparation. Check out more photos from their practice after the cut.

(PHOTOS:GETTY IMAGES/NBAE)

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA // WEDNESDAY, JULY 2ND 2008 » Kobe Bryant just launched a new limited edition colorway to the lineup of the current NIKE Hyperdunks at the sports apparel store Undeafeated on Wednesday afternoon. The latest color is a white/grey/blue. This release is limited, meaning only so many pairs were manufactured, so if you want these you need to try to get them now! I personally love basketball shoes, and you haven’t worn a pair of LeBrons’ or Hyperdunks’ try them on. You’ll definitely buy them! I’m about to use that 30% discount at Foot Locker myself! Check out more photos after the cut.

(PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES)

ESPN Magazine recently sat down with star players, Kobe Bryant; LeBron James; Dwayne Wade; and Carmelo Anthony, of the USA Basketball Team and asked them about playing with the new teammates and how they thought this years’ Olympics are gonna be like. Stay tuned for more Olympics news soon! Check out the video above.

NEW YORK // MONDAY, JUNE 30TH 2008 » The USA Basketball Team was in New York today on a media tour promoting the upcoming 2008 World Basketball Olympics. We have an amazing lineup team! Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz); Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks); Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets); TayShaun Prince (Detroit Pistons); Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz) are all on USA Basketball Olympians this year. I’ve been waiting for this and I can’t wait til’ it starts! I hope we win it all this year! ESPN is even doing a five-part documentary series called “Road To Redemption presented by NIKE”. The first episode will air Wednesday, July 2 @ 7PM ET on ESPN2. View the trailer now!

Check out more photos after the cut!

(PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / NBAE)

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(PHOTOS: SPLASHNEWS) My boy Kobe Bryant needs to be nominated for the father of the year award for how much time he spends with his kids on and off the court. More »

(PHOTOS: SPLASHNEWS) My boy Kobe Bryant needs to be nominated for the father of the year award for how much time he spends with his kids on and off the court. It’s good to see a black man actually be a father to his kids. More props to K.B. for this one. As you can see Kobe isn’t “moved” by what Shaq had to say last week about him losing the finals. All I can say is ‘next year”. And people say Kobe isn’t a stand-up guy…

More pics after the cut.

(PHOTOS: SPLASH NEWS)

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In a recent TMZ video, Shaquille ‘O Neal called himself “free-styling” and trying to rap and he caught himself dissing Kobe Bryant hard! I cannot believe this! Shaq seriously needs to retire. I’m not even gonna get into why he should but check out the video above!

What do you think Kobe Bryant is saying to Kevin Garnett? Here what I think! LOL!

Kobe Says:

“K.G. it’s okay, this year is not for ya’ll. It’s my time to shine so don’t cry about it. You always have next…I’m sorry dude. I have to win the finals!”

K.G. Responds:

“JUST GET THE AWAY FROM ME!”

Tune in to Game 4 tonite @ 9PM on ABC!

Sports Illustrated composed a list together of some of the top paid athletes in the game using 2007′s calendar year. Here is the following numbers:

1. Tiger Woods: $127 Million

2. Phil Mickelson: $62.4 Million

3. LeBron James: $40.5 Million

4. Floyd Mayweather Jr.: $40.3 Million

5. Kobe Bryant: $35.5 Million

6. (Tie) Shaquille ‘O Neal: $35 Million

6. (Tie) Alex Rodriguez: $35 Million

8. Kevin Garnett: $31 Million

9. Peyton Manning: $30.5 Million

10. Derek Jeter: $30 Million

11. Dale Earnhardt: $27.2 Million

12. Allen Iverson: $27.1 Million

13. Kevin Durant: $26 Million

14. Jeff Gordon: $25.9 Million

15. Ben Roethlisberger: $25.2 Million

16. Dwayne Wade: $25.1 Million

17. Tracy McGrady: 25 Million

18. Carmelo Anthony: $22.6 Million

19. Tim Duncan: $22.5 Million

20. Manny Ramirez: $22.5 Million

[Continue for the rest of the list]

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