HoopsHype.com Rumors

Deron and I have actually known each other for a little bit. We met at an All-Star Game a couple of years ago. I was out partying one night, and here he comes into the club with a whole crew of guys. It was a Nike party in L.A. two years ago, and so he comes with his crew, and there's no room in the entire thing. We had a little room, and so his whole crew starts talking to us and shoves their way into our table. We had an awesome night that night. We had a blast. Kanye West was onstage — Kanyeezy! Was that the same party where your old friend Steve Nash got a lap dance from Nicki Minaj? [Laughs] Nah, that was at a different party. So I've had Deron's number since then, and we were texting sometimes. And he knew I wanted him to come here. We talked when it was all in the process. I didn't fly up on July 1. I wanted him to come. Cubes had to film freaking Shark Tank. I just watched that for the first time the other night. I still didn't. I still refuse to watch it. It was actually not bad. I haven't seen one episode and I probably won't ever see one. Grantland

Dallas Mavericks, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Mark Cuban, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj 

The Knicks’ J.R. Smith, who missed the potential game-tying basket at the buzzer, responded with his best shot when he made reference to Kardashian’s latest man, Kanye West. “Wasnt quiet when Kanye tore it down last month!” Smith tweeted back at Humphries. New York Daily News

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Kris Humphries, Kanye West, J.R. Smith 

Q: How's the home life? Lamar Odom: Beautiful. Marriage is a beautiful thing. Me and my wife have a great relationship. Q:I hear Kim (Kardashian) and Kanye (West) have alittle one on the way? A:I'll be an uncle again. I'm excited for them. USA Today Sports

Los Angeles Clippers, Lamar Odom, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian 

On the flip side, have you come to appreciate the other players' music? JJ Redick: The funny thing about it is that I grew up around hip-hop, because basketball and hip-hop are so intertwined in pop culture. I was the only white kid on my teams growing up, and we used to travel all over the country, so I used to be really into hip-hop. I grew up listening to Tupac and Biggie and Nas, Atmosphere, Brother Ali, some independent rappers as well. I used to actually write lyrics and battle-rap in high school, so I can definitely appreciate it. I'm not a huge fan of what's out right now -- I think that's partly why I don't listen to it as much. I've been a huge Kanye fan and a huge Lil Wayne fan and a huge Rick Ross fan, so when they put an album out I usually get it that day, and I'll listen to that for a while. Billboard

Orlando Magic, JJ Redick, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Nas 

NBA superstar LeBron James has promised Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and his teammates an unforgettable holiday in Las Vegas along with good friend and pop star Kanye West, but only if the Reds manage to win some silverware this season. The Miami Heat ace recalled a conversation with Gerrard in the summer about how he could reward a successful campaign. “I spent some time with Steven Gerrard and he is passionate about his team. Everybody in sport needs incentive and if the guys at Liverpool win something this year I will give them the best weekend of their life in Vegas. Kanye is in and trust me, nobody does Vegas like LeBron and Kanye,” the Sun quoted James, as saying. “We will take them to places in Vegas 99 per cent of people don’t even know exist. There is Vegas and then there is Vegas,” he added. Dailymail.co.uk

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Las Vegas, Kanye West, Liverpool 

Kris Humphries may be knee deep in controversy but he is having the time of his life while looking good in the upcoming issue of WESTEAST Magazine. The New Jersey Nets player posed in a military themed photospread for the magazine and he looks great. Kris is done up in camouflage makeup and military themed clothing for that added touch of authenticity. Kris is also "packing" in another photo where he is seen reclining on a sunlounger wearing a leather jacket zipped halfway up his bare chest with a pair of briefs and combat boots. Global Grind

Brooklyn Nets, Kris Humphries, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian 

The NBA All-Star Game has long been a music star-studded affair, and this year, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Mary J. Blige, Ne-Yo and Will.i.am will be among the artists heading to Orlando for the big game. The showdown between basketball all-star teams will air on Feb. 26 on TNT. Pitbull and Ne-Yo will team up for the All-Star Game halftime show to perform their former Hot 100 chart-topper, "Give Me Everything." Rihanna rocked the halftime show at last year's NBA All-Star Game, bringing out Drake and Kanye West during her performance, and more "special guest performers" are promised for this year as well. Billboard

Kanye West, Pitbull 

The Miami Heat have released a 2011-2012 introduction video set to the tune of Kanye West's "All of the Lights". It's pretty incredible and almost defies explanation, but we'll give it a shot anyway. The one-minute spot features LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and company bouncing their hands and shaking their moneymakers as psychedelic graphics spin around them. Wade is dressed in a white suitcoat, James a green sweater, and Bosh dons a striped sweater. Things get cooky when Shane Battier shows up in double popped collars, James Jones in a scarf, Mike Miller in a jean jacket and cargo shorts. The Heat dancers also make a mandatory appearance. There are goofy faces, shoulders that are dusted off and some flexing. It ends with the tagline, "Let's Go Heat." This baby has it all. CBSSports.com

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, James Jones, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, Kanye West 

Paris Hilton and Charlie Sheen Most Unpopular Celebrities. At the other end of the spectrum, only two of the 100 celebrities asked about were viewed unfavorably by an outright majority of respondents: Paris Hilton (with 60% expressing an unfavorable opinion of her vs. only 12% a favorable one) and Charlie Sheen (52% vs. 22%). The next most unpopular personalities among those rated are: Britney Spears and Kanye West (each of whom is viewed unfavorably by 45%), Arnold Schwarzenegger (44%), Tiger Woods (42%), Kim Kardashian (38%), Mel Gibson (33%), Donald Trump (31%), and LeBron James (29%). Several of these 10 personalities – Tiger Woods, Charlie Sheen, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears – are more widely disliked by women than they are by men. The others show relatively comparable proportions of male and female detractors. Ipsos North America

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Charlie Sheen 

Dowley: [LeBron] arrived [Thursday] afternoon, maybe around 2 p.m., and he spent the next three-and-a-half to four hours at my house in Greenwich. I hired a cop and a security guard to sit on the road in front of my house so no one could get in just in case someone figured out where he was. But nobody knew. We had everybody from ESPN people, Boys & Girls Club people, sponsors and even a couple of my kids and their friends were there. And then Kanye West showed up. He and LeBron are pretty close friends. He called my office and just said he wanted to stop by. The office gave him my address, and he just stopped in. It was funny to watch — all the kids there thought LeBron was pretty cool, but apparently they think Kanye is really, really cool. They just flocked right to him. SI.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Media, Kanye West 

When confetti was thrown into the air, people expected the show was over, but it's not. Kanye West showed up in his all-red outfit, bling-bling and shades, throwing his "All of the Lights" verses with RiRi tackling the chorus. aceshowbiz.com

Los Angeles, Kanye West, All-Star, Rihanna 

Kanye West Will Crash Rihanna's NBA All-Star Game Halftime Show On SundayHe had 2010's best album, best album cover, and best tweets. And now, in the midst of a relatively silent period for Ye, an in-the-know tipster tells us he'll make a surprise appearance during Rihanna's halftime show at the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles on Sunday. And, yes, Rihanna will know about this surprise appearance beforehand. We think. Kanye is a Bulls fan, but he's an even bigger Kobe fan. West sat courtside at last Friday's Knicks-Lakers game, and our source also says the two will have some kind of star-studded event this weekend. Anyone have the energy for another bounty hunt? The weather will be nicer in Los Angeles. Deadspin.com

Kanye West, All-Star, Rihanna 

Over the weekend, however, in a preview of a Nike commercial spot that will debut over the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend, West (in character) is shown at odds with Bryant in a campaign for the baller's new sneaker. "Bring him to me!" 'Ye screams in the clip, which was directed by Robert Rodriguez and also features Bruce Willis. "The Black Mamba ain't nothing. I'm the boss!" The boss, apparently, wants Kobe's kicks: In the first clip that ran a week ago, a voiceover opens the spot by saying the NBA champion thought he was on a road trip to Dallas but found himself fighting for his footwear. "Black Mamba, the boss wants your shoes," veteran actor Danny Trejo tells the high-flying basketball superstar. MTV

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Sneakers, Kanye West 

Holly MacKenzie: Kobe says Kanye is a friend and his album is phenomenal. I asked best album of the year, he gives love to Kanye and Lady Gaga. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Kanye West