#BBB NEWS| Ray Allen To Retire From The NBA [PHOTO]

After gaining two NBA championship titles — one with the Boston Celtics and the other with the Miami Heat — Ray Allen has officially announced his retirement from pro-basketball.

In a letter to his 13-year-old self, published by The Players’ Tribune, the storied All-Star revisited his dreams of playing pro-ball to feeling restless after winning the 2013 championship.

“You lay down in bed at about five in the morning, but you just can’t sleep. Finally, around seven o’clock, you give up on sleep and creep downstairs,” Allen writes. “All your friends and family have come over to your house to celebrate — they’re all passed out on couches, sound asleep. You tiptoe around them on the way to the kitchen to make some breakfast. The sun is coming up, the house is quiet. You have achieved exactly what you set out to do. But you’re still restless.”

Allen, 41, also highlighted the fact that he played against his “heroes” Clyde Drexler and Michael Jordan, and admired his former teammates Paul Pierce, Dwayne Wade, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James.

#BBB NEWS| WATCH: Paul Pierce Announces This Will Be His Final NBA Season [VIDEO]

Paul Pierce penned an emotional letter to The Player’s Tribune Monday morning, (Sept 26) announcing that his 2016 season with the Los Angeles Clippers will indeed be his last ride in an illustrious 18 year NBA career.

The former Celtic’s announcement comes on the heels of former teammate Kevin Garnett retiring just three days ago (Sept 23), as well the 16-year anniversary of Pierce being stabbed 11 times in a night club.

Many didn’t know if he would play another minute, he suited up all 82 games that next season and went on to Celtics immortality, living up to his nickname as “The Truth”.

The 38-year-old admitted, “This is it, my final season. It’s time to move on from the game of basketball. Just like any difficult decision, I think you’ve got to be at peace with yourself. I’m at peace with retiring, but I’ve got one more ride left. One more season. One more opportunity.”

#BBB NEWS| WATCH: NBA Players React To Kevin Garnett’s Retirement And League Releases Video Of His Top 50 Plays [VIDEO]

With the news of Kevin Garnett’s retirement, you knew there would definitely be tons of former and current players who wanted to show their love and admiration for him.

Everyone from Lebron, Scottie Pippen to former teammates like Paul Pierce, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns all wanted to let the big ticket know what he meant to them.

The NBA took it upon themselves to release a KG mixtape, showing off the 50 top plays of his hall of fame career.

Check below for some of the messages to Garnett; also watch the top plays which will have you realize just how legendary he was.

#BBB NEWS| NBA: Jay Z Shows Off His Handles At Kobe Bryant’s Last Game [PHOTO/VIDEO]

We’ve always seen photos of Jay Z on social media looking very… well not athletic. After going crazy while watching Kobe Bryant go off for 60 points during his final game, Hov took home the game ball and showed off his handles before he left.

Watch below..

#BBB NEWS| NBA: Kevin Durant & Russell Westbrook Give Kobe Bryant a Book With Handwritten Notes [PHOTOS]

Kobe Bryant’s farewell tour is coming to an end, and on Monday night he played his last road game. The game was against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and their stars, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook presented Bryant with a special gift.

Durant and Westbrook presented him with a book that included handwritten, personal notes from Thunder players detailing what Bryant meant to them.

The book presentation took place in a private hallway pregame, with only Durant, Westbrook, Bryant and a photographer present.

“It meant the world,” Durant said of facing Bryant for the last time in an on-court Fox Sports Oklahoma interview after the game. “It was the first time that I’ve gone through this with a guy like that, leaving the game. So many people love him for what he’s done for our game, and I’m one of those guys.”

#BBB NEWS| Michael Jordan Sends Special Message To Kobe Bryant: “You Helped The NBA” [PHOTO]

From one basketball legend to another, Michael Jordan is wishing Kobe Bryant the best after his retirement from the NBA.

In a personal message played at the Time Warner Cable Arena on Tuesday (Dec. 29) before the Lakers faced-off against the Hornets, Jordan congratulated Bryant on his illustrious career.

He took a moment to remind fans of the 1996 draft that started it all.

“Most people don’t realize you were drafted by the Hornets,” Jordan said. “That connects us with you. I’ve always been like a big brother and you like a little brother.”

Acknowledging Bryant’s “competitive drive,” Jordan recalled his first game against the Lakers star, calling it “invigorating,” although the the “knowledge wasn’t quite there yet.” MJ also wished Bryant good luck in navigating his next undertaking, encouraging him to channel his competitive spirit into the next career he chooses. As for his mark on the sport, Jordan called himself a fan of Bryant, who he says has been a “big help” to basketball.

#BBB NEWS| Kobe Bryant Names The Five Best Players And Teams He’s Faced [TWEETS]

After announcing last month that he is retiring from the court, The Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant revealed the top five best players and teams that he’s come across during his 20 season career, ESPN revealed.

The top five acknowledged by the shooting guard during a conference call with 146 reporters spanning 24 countries Monday (Dec. 21) includes the GOAT Michael Jordan, followed by the stratospheric talents of LeBron James, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Durant and Clyde Drexler. Bryant noted it was “hard to pick just five.”

He also said that the top five teams he’s ever played against during his time in the NBA are the 2000 Sacramento Kings, 2008 Boston Celtics, 2004 Detroit Pistons and 1996 Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs “almost any year.”

He also discussed other topics, such as how the Lakers should handle moving on without him next season and dismissing the possibility of a post NBA-career.

#BBB NEWS| Kobe Bryant Announces This Will Be His Final Season In The NBA [PHOTO]

Kobe Bryant is ready to gracefully bow out. Sunday evening (November 29) the five-time NBA champion took to Twitter to announce he will be retiring from basketball after his 20th season in the league via a poem/love letter titled “Dear Basketball”

Number 24’s announcement comes on the heels of one of his worst seasons of his career. The 6’6 shooting guard as of late has averaged 15.7 points per game, as opposed to his career average of almost 25. 3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

#BBB NEWS| NBA: LeBron James Becomes Youngest Player to Score 25,000 Points [PHOTOS]

LeBron James became the youngest player in NBA history to score 25,000 points with an alley-oop dunk that he guided in the hoop with 8:07 remaining in the fourth quarter of a 107-100 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

The bucket gave James 22 points in the game and 25,001 points for his career.

“The man above definitely put a stamp on it,” James said afterward. “What better way to close in on it than by me kind of high-flying a little bit. The man above definitely reached down and touched me a little bit.”

“It’s pretty cool,” James said. “I haven’t really had an opportunity to categorize the list of things that I’ve done, but to be able to do it in a winning fashion, No. 1, and with this group of guys and do it in a building that loves the game of basketball — and obviously, they are Sixers fans ’til death, but they know and they respect the game of basketball — and to get a standing ovation for reaching the milestone, it was very special.”

#BBB NEWS| LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Paul Pierce And More NBA Stars Send Well Wishes To Lamar Odom [PHOTOS/TWEETS]

A host of NBA stars mobilized on Twitter to send well wishes to Lamar Odom. The two-time champion and former player for the Lakers, Clippers, Mavericks and Heat was found unconscious in Nevada on Tuesday (Oct. 14).

While reports state that Odom is “fighting for his life,” his former teammates and fellow players have taken to social media with thoughts and prayers. From LeBron James, to Dwyane Wade, to Allen Iverson, to Paul Pierce several members of the league expressed hopefulness for Odom to pull through.

According to ESPN, former lakers teammate Kobe Bryant left a preseason game to join Odom at his bedside at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, along with the team’s general manager, Mitch Kupchak. Lakers coach Byron Scott also commented on the unfortunate news.

“Obviously, our hearts and our thoughts and our prayers are with Lamar and his family,” Scott said. “It’s obviously something that you don’t want to hear before the game because I think the people that knew about it, we were all thinking about it. … I obviously feel for him and hope that he’ll be OK.”

Read other wishes from NBA stars below:

#BBB NEWS| NBA Hall Of Famer Moses Malone Dies At Age 60 [PHOTO]

NBA legend Moses Malone, dubbed the “Chairman of the Boards” for his notable rebound record, passed away at 60 years old on Sunday (Sept. 13).

Reportedly dying in his sleep from a heart attack in Norfolk, Va., the former center was set to participate in a golf tournament. Friend and former teammate Calvin Murphy confirmed the news to Fox 26’s Mark Berman:

#BBB NEWS| NBA: Kanye West, Tyga & More Attend James Harden’s Kardashian Style Birthday Bash [PHOTOS]

Khloe Kardashian threw a big birthday bash on a yacht for her new boyfriend James Harden who turned 26 years old.

According to US Magazine, The Houston Rockets shooting guard’s party on the Fantasea Yacht docked in Marina Del Rey, Calif., boasted more than 200 people, all of whom were instructed to wear white for the special occasion.

Each guest, according to onlookers, was greeted with a glass of champagne while boarding the yacht, which was covered in white string lights.

Khloe, 31, played a part, her famous family was naturally in attendance.  Sister Kim Kardashian and her husband, Kanye West, sister Kourtney Kardashian, half-sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Kylie’s beau, Tyga, Khloe’s mom, Kris Jenner, and her boyfriend, Corey Gamble, were among the guests (who sipped on Belvedere cocktails). NBA players Trevor Ariza and Baron Davis were also at the event.

See more photos below:

#BBB NEWS| NBA: Shaquille O’Neal Challenges Scottie Pippen To An Instagram Game Of Shots [PHOTOS]

NBA Champion and Orlando Magic hall of famer Shaquille O’Neal, recently took to Instagram to fire some shots at fellow champion and legendary Chicago Bull Scottie Pippen. The attack resulted in a social media match between the two.

Shaq started by posting a pic, which features himself, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor and Kobe Bryant. Along with Chicago Bulls players including: Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant and Pippen of course.

Shaq paired the players of each team in top to bottom stance from each other, writing that the Los Angeles Lakers players could have beat the Bulls gang by 50 points.

#BBB NEWS| The NBA Brings Their Top Players To Host First Game In Africa [PHOTO]

The NBA is changing the game overseas. The Association’s top players will head to South Africa to play the first NBA game on the continent to benefit African charity organizations.

Five-time NBA champion Gregg Popovich and Brooklyn Nets Coach Lionel Hollins have formed two teams with Miami Heat player Luol Deng and Los Angeles Clipper Chris Paul as captains.

“I look forward to representing Team World in the first NBA game in Africa. It will be my first visit to the continent, and I cannot wait to contribute to the growth of the game on and off the court,” Paul said.

Today, thirty NBA teams house players from all over the world, raking in 101 international players this past season. This only represents a small portion of the organization’s efforts towards global involvement. The NBA held games and created programs in 215 countries and territories.

#BBB NEWS| NBA: Amare Stoudemire Agrees To One Year Deal With The Miami Heat [PHOTO]

The Miami Heat are going to be one of the most entertaining and better teams in the East. They will start three potential All-Stars (Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh), and they are putting a nice bench behind them.

That now includes Amare Stoudemire, who officially signed with the team on Friday. It is a one-year, veteran minimum deal at $1.5 million.

“We are very fortunate that a proven All-Star like Amar’e has chosen the Miami Heat,” Miami President Pat Riley said in a statement. “He is going to bring gravitas, leadership and a hardworking mentality to our team as we look to win another Championship in Miami.”

Stoudemire, 32, is no longer a franchise cornerstone kind of player, but he does have a role.

#BBB NEWS| NBA: Check Out This NBA Player Nickname Emoji Chart Including Jordan, LeBron, Kobe & More [PHOTO]

An epic emoji war recently occurred on Twitter that began with the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks battling over DeAndre Jordan. It then took off as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors got in with emojis of their own and even Kobe Bryant had a little fun with it as well. 

With all the emojis flying around, someone decided to create an NBA player nickname emoji chart, assigning emojis to some of our favorite players including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and even going back to include Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Shawn Kemp and more.

Check it out below...

#BBB NEWS| NBA: D-Wade Does Interesting “Q&A” On Twitter, Includes His Reply About Lebron “Carrying” Him [PHOTOS]

Dwyane Wade just took a thirty minute vacation from his vacation to handle a quick “Q&A” session on twitter. Wade responded to all types of questions, some being serious and some being hilarious.

One of the questions that caught everyone’s eye was his reply to a fan who asked him about Bron carrying him to championships. As you might expect, Wade was quick to set it straight.

Aside from telling fans nobody has carried him since his mother when he was a child, Wade had a funny interaction with Chad Johnson. He also had some hilarious replies to fans asking about Mario Chalmers & more. As you might guess, a big chunk of questions were related to the Heat or players on the team and Wade answered them all.

Check out for his responses below..

#BBB NEWS| NBA: Marc Gasol Re-Signs With Memphis For $110 Million!

It looks like we can add another crazy contract to the list of NBA players that are getting big bucks during this off season.

Reports indicate that Marc Gasol has re-signed with the Memphis Grizzlies for over $100 Million.

Hit the jump for details..

#BBB NEWS| NBA: Andre Iguodala Wins Finals MVP, LeBron Gets Votes, Stephen Curry Got None! [PHOTOS]

As you know, the Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night 105-97, winning the NBA Championship 4-2. Andre Iguodala was awarded the Finals MVP as many people predicted but the votes were shown and surprisingly, the league MVP and leader of the Warriors, Stephen Curry didn’t receive a single vote.

Andre Iguodala put up 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in game 6.  Overall for the series he averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4 assists.

Stephen Curry put up 25 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists in game 6.  Overall for the series he averaged 26 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists.

LeBron James put up 32 points, 18 rebounds and 9 assists in game 6.  Overall for the series he averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists.

#BBB NEWS| NBA: Congratulations To The Golden State Warriors On Winning The NBA Championship!

Stephen Curry finished the game with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assist, as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-97 in game 6 to take the series and win the NBA finals.

Lebron James again had an incredible game, nearly finishing with another triple double. James finished the game with 32 points, 18 rebounds and 9 assist.

Draymond Green posted a triple-double with 16 points, 11 boards and 10 dimes.

Andre Iguodala was named the finals MVP and finished the game with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assist.