Retired basketball star Dennis Rodman will return to North Korea for a third time on Thursday, despite political tension surrounding the execution of leader Kim Jong Un's uncle, trip organisers said. "It's certainly safe, even when there is a bit of disruption like there is now - a bit of trouble or chaos - there's even more need for cultural or sporting exchanges," said Rory Scott, a spokesman for Irish bookmakers Paddy Power, which has arranged the trip.

Crazy alley-oop from the Heat-Timberwolves game

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will return to the court Sunday against the Toronto Raptors, he announced on his Facebook page Friday afternoon. Out since tearing his left Achilles tendon April 12, the 2007-08 NBA MVP and 15-time NBA All-Star posted a video leading into finally announcing a return date. He has been practicing with the team as he rebuilds strength in the Achilles.

LeBron James is a four-time MVP and two-time defending NBA Finals MVP, and one of the most iconic athletes in the world. He has multimillion-dollar endorsement deals with Nike, Samsung and other companies. Now, he’s expanding his brand into another realm: acting.

Jingle Hoops

Jamal Mashburn wasn’t called “Monster Mash” for nothing. In his heyday as a forward for the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and other teams, his skills put fear into those who had to face him on the court. But from his earliest days in the National Basketball Association, Mr. Mashburn always had other interests, and always had a Plan B.

Britain's premier netball commentator ANTHONY RICHARDSON is back to bring his commentary to Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Sorry this is so late, they've only just come out in the UK. Why 7 games, anyway? Seems a bit self-indulgent, to be honest.

Larry Brown Sports found video of Michael Jordan schooling a young O.J. Mayo at a summer basketball camp at UCSB in 2006. Mayo (who now plays for the Bucks) was the No. 1 high school recruit in the country at the time, and Jordan was three years into retirement.

The NBA2k14 video game is out, and so are the much-anticipated player ratings.

Either forgiveness is in the air, or this is basketball's version of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. Both sides of one of the NBA's best rivalries of the early 2000s—former Los Angeles Lakers great Shaquille O'Neal and the —have come together in a partnership that can only be described as unlikely.

Stat geeks and hoop junkies, let the mouth watering begin. The NBA and Stats LLC announced a plan to install motion-tracking technology in every NBA arena beginning with the upcoming 2013-2014 season.

Retired U.S. basketball star Dennis Rodman is in North Korea for the second time this year but is refusing to say whether the release of an imprisoned Korean-American will be on his agenda.

Tracy McGrady's pro basketball career may not be over - there's always Europe or China - but his time in the NBA has ended.

Allen Iverson, an 11-time All-Star who has not played in the NBA since 2010, is prepared to officially announce his retirement in the coming days.

The Miami-Dade Police Department says its officers violated policy by providing a police escort to Miami Heat star LeBron James through heavy traffic at last Friday's Justin Timberlake/Jay-Z concert.

Or maybe the elephant is a full grown adult and Yao is godzilla.

Rather than fight his way forward, he arranged for the police to swing by and escort him down the wrong side of the road. He made the concert in time, assumedly had a nice evening and later posted the footage to his Instagram account . Unfortunately, that final decision has opened up quite a can of worms thanks to the practical implications of police officers using time and resources to escort an athlete to a concert.

Lakers owners/executives Jim and Jeanie Buss have different views on the exit of Dwight Howard. "He was never really a Laker," Jim said to Ric Bucher of The Hollywood Reporter. "He was just passing through."

Kobe Bryant may wear No. 24, but he's No. 1 in the shooting guard rankings for yet another year. That doesn't mean his crown is safe, though.