Former Heat security officer admits in court to stealing jerseys worth millions, feds say

Former Heat security officer admits in court to stealing jerseys worth millions, feds say

LeBron James looks upward as he uses his right elbow to box out Danny Green, who is also looking upward
LeBron James of the Miami Heat boxes out Danny Green of the San Antonio Spurs during Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals. A former Heat employee is said to have admitted in federal court to stealing a jersey worn by James in that game and many other valuable items from the team. (Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images)

A former Miami Heat security officer has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge in connection to stealing team memorabilia worth millions of dollars and selling the items to online brokers.

Retired Miami police officer Marcos Tomas Perez appeared Tuesday at U.S. Superior Court for the Southern District of Florida and issued a guilty plea to transporting and transferring stolen goods in interstate commerce, after pleading not guilty to the felony count at an initial hearing earlier this month.

Perez’s attorney, Robert Buschel, told NBC6 in Florida after Tuesday’s hearing that Perez is “depressed, naturally, but he accepts responsibility for his behavior and we’re gonna work through this issue in his life.”

Perez, 62, faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 31.

Read more:Ex-Miami Heat employee accused of stealing jerseys worth millions — including LeBron James’

“I hope that the judge will consider all factors in his life and his history as a good person,” Buschel said. “He was an exemplary police officer in the city of Miami, he’s been retired for close to 10 years. This was an unfortunate set of decisions that he made and he’s going to accept responsibility for that.”

Buschel declined to comment any further when reached by The Times via email Wednesday.

According to a news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the Miami field office of the FBI, Perez has admitted to stealing hundreds of game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia worth millions of dollars belonging to the Heat and selling them to online brokers.

One such item was a jersey that LeBron James wore in Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals, during which James and the Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 to win their second consecutive championship. After Perez allegedly sold the jersey for around $100,000, it was sold in an online auction for $3.7 million in 2023.

According to court documents, other stolen items included jerseys signed by former Heat stars Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler, Chris Bosh, Alonzo Mourning and Shaquille O’Neal, as well as team jackets, game-worn sneakers and more.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Jalen Brunson, Natalia Bryant star together in new Nike Kobe sneaker ad

Jalen Brunson, Natalia Bryant star together in new Nike Kobe sneaker ad

A key feature of the new Nike Kobe 3 Protro is diamond shapes on the upper and outsole in honor of Natalia.

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‘A Wildcat GOAT’: Beal, Towns lead reactions to John Wall retiring from NBA

‘A Wildcat GOAT’: Beal, Towns lead reactions to John Wall retiring from NBA

Congratulations poured in for John Wall after he announced his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday.

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Where do things stand with restricted free agents Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey

Where do things stand with restricted free agents Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey

August is the point in the calendar when there is no pressure on either side — the player or the team — to compromise when it comes to restricted free agents. Everyone can dig their heels in on their current offers — or rejections of said offers — because until we get closer to training camps opening at the end of September there is no pressure to get a deal done. The hard deadline to sign these extensions is Oct. 1.

That’s why four restricted free agents still hang out there: The Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, the Bulls’ Josh Giddey, the Nets’ Cam Thomas, and the 76ers’ Quentin Grimes. This week there were updates that are not really much of an update on Kuminga and Giddey, let’s break it down.

Jonathan Kuminga

There have been “renewed” talks between Kuminga and the Warriors, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported on NBA Today. However, he said the offer from the Warriors has not changed: Two years, $45 million, with a team option in the second year and the Warriors are demanding Kuminga waive the no-trade clause that automatically comes with that contract. Kuminga, understandably, is not willing to give up his only real leverage in the situation with the no-trade clause, and he continues to point to the $7.8 million qualifying offer, which is not ideal for either side but would make Kuminga an unrestricted free agent next offseason. From Slater on ESPN:

“The word I’ve heard used from the Kuminga side is ‘pawn.’ He doesn’t want to sign this two-year, $45 million deal with a team option where he is clearly just being used to be traded mid-season. That’s not something he wants to sign up for. Now if you’re talking about a three-year deal, if you’re talking about something with a player option that shows him a little bit more commitment, that’s something he’d be interested in. But as of now, the Warriors have been hesitant to do that, and because of that, Kuminga is signaling to those around him that he’s very willing – and prefers – the qualifying offer.”

Cooler heads likely will prevail, likely with one of three options: A third year (likely with a player or team option on that final season), a two-year contract with a player option on that second season, or a two-year deal with a team option but a hefty guarantee on that second season (say $15 million). However, of all the restricted free agents remaining, Kuminga — long frustrated with how Steve Kerr has used him in Golden State — is the most likely to sign the qualifying offer and just play out the season, looking to leave.

Josh Giddey

The update on Giddey is that there is not much of an update. The Bulls still have an offer at around $20 million a season for Giddey on the table, veteran Bulls insider K.C. Johnson reported on CHSN.

Another insider, Jake Fischer of the Stein Line, reported recently that the Bulls’ full offer is around four years, $80 million. Giddey still wants to be paid closer to $30 million a season, the range of Derrick White, Tyler Herro and Jalen Suggs.

Giddey can point to his numbers in Chicago last season after the All-Star break: 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists a game for a Bulls team that went 17-10 in that stretch. The challenge is that Giddey is not a great defender, and while he was an efficient scorer during that post-All-Star run last season, he is not historically a good 3-point shooter nor a great finisher around the rim. Around the league he is perceived as an 82-game player, not a 16-game player (he can help a team in the regular season, but our last playoff memory of Giddey is him getting played off the floor for Oklahoma City). Giddey will need to change that perception to get the money he seeks.

Eventually, the sides will find a compromise and Giddey will put up stats this season as the fulcrum of the Bulls’ offense — he is a good player (and one who is going to help a lot of fantasy teams this season).

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TGL announces tee off date for second season

TGL announces tee off date for second season

TGL is officially returning for a second season.

The indoor golf league captivated the world of sports and the world at large in hits first season this past winter and will officially be back in action starting December 28th. The reigning champions of the league, Atlanta Drive GC, will take on New York Golf Club in the first match of the season.

All told there are six teams within TGL right now and they feature stars from across the PGA Tour. It was announced earlier this year that a seventh team would be added beginning in 2027 (Motor City Golf Club) and there are rumors that a Texas-based team could be on the way as well.

As far as the present is concerned though, TGL remains an important part of the overall sport of golf. It offers a different option at a time of year where the sports calendar needed something new. Enter TGL.

Who is ready for season two?

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Lester Quinones, Magic Agree To Contract

Lester Quinones, Magic Agree To Contract

Lester Quinones and the Orlando Magic have agreed to a contract where he will compete for a regular season roster spot or a Two-Way. Quinones is represented by Scott Wong Nichols.

In 13 games last season with the New Orleans Pelicans and Philadelphia 76ers, Quinones averaged 6.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 14.1 minutes. The Pelicans released Quinones from his Two-Way contract in July.

Quinones also averaged 21.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 36.0 minutes across 41 G League games.

In five Summer League games, Quinones averaged 8.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 21.6 minutes.

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How one WNBA team could win the championship and land the No. 1 pick

How one WNBA team could win the championship and land the No. 1 pick

The Minnesota Lynx are having a classic revenge season.

After falling just short of the WNBA title in 2024, losing in overtime of a do-or-die Game 5 against the Liberty, Minnesota has looked every bit a team on a mission this year. For the near entirety of the season, they’ve sat atop the standings and are almost certainly going to head into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed.

Napheesa Collier is likely going to take home regular-season MVP honors and, as things stand, the Lynx are the current betting favorites to win the 2025 WNBA title. In just about every sense, it’s your typical bounce-back season from a great team after narrowly missing out on their goal.

Where things deviate from typical, though, is that the Lynx are also in the running for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft.

Yes, you read that right. Last April, Minnesota traded its 2025 first round pick to Chicago, used to select Hailey Van Lith, in exchange for the Sky’s unprotected 2026 pick. Chicago, who also traded the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft — which turned out to be Sonia Citron — for Ariel Atkins, has struggled mightily this season.

With Angel Reese sidelined for large portions of the season, Chicago currently sits at 8-24 and in the second spot in the lottery which means, as it stands, Minnesota sits in the No. 2 spot in the lottery and the No. 1 spot in the standings.

There are also some details that need to be ironed out in the CBA to see just how realistic the chances are that the Lynx win the title and the No. 1 pick

Last season, the Valkyries, entering their first year in the league, drafted after the four lottery teams. Will the same thing happen to Toronto and Portland, who will embark on their inaugural seasons in 2026? Similarly, the odds for the upcoming draft lottery will differ from previous years when only four teams took part. That, too, will have to be finalized heading into next April ahead of the draft.

But this still does bring in the very realistic possibility that the Lynx win the WNBA title in the fall, then hold the No. 1 pick in the draft next spring. Phee could, conceivably, win the MVP, then welcome in a No. 1 pick for next season.

Even setting aside the novelty of winning a title and the No. 1 pick in the same season, Minnesota is one of the league’s best teams that will have a top pick next summer in a fairly strong draft class. Almost certainly one of Azzi Fudd, Lauren Betts, Olivia Miles, Flau’Jae Johnson or some other top prospect will be on the Lynx roster next season.

It’s a terrific scenario for Minnesota, who look primed to be a contender in the present and while potentially welcoming in their future at the same time.

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Luka Doncic diagnosed with left knee contusion, will continue to play for Slovenia at EuroBasket

Luka Doncic diagnosed with left knee contusion, will continue to play for Slovenia at EuroBasket

This looked like it could have been much worse in the moment, with Luka Doncic’s Slovenian teammate Gregor Hrovat falling and crashing into his knee during an exhibition game against Latvia.

While Doncic limped back to the locker room after this, he was diagnosed with just a knee contusion, reports Marc Stein. Doncic will return to practice with the Slovenian team on Monday as they gear up for the start of EuroBasket at the end of the month, adds Dan Woike of The Athletic.

With Doncic, Slovenia has a chance to medal at the European championships (they are sixth in betting odds to win the entire thing, according to Bet MGM). He is the heart and soul of their team, as evidenced by his 26 points, five rebounds and five assists against Latvia in the first half. With Doncic out, Latvia went on an 18-0 run and went on to win the exhibition, behind 20 points from Kristaps Porzingis and 16 from Davis Bertans.

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Luka Doncic suffers injury scare during Slovenian exhibition game, reportedly avoids anything serious

Luka Doncic suffers injury scare during Slovenian exhibition game, reportedly avoids anything serious

This is what NBA teams fear when their best players suit up for their country.

Luka Doncic had an injury scare while playing for Slovenia in a tune-up game for EuroBasket when teammate Gregor Hrovat fell into Doncic’s knee.

Doncic limped back to the locker room but has avoided serious injury, reports Dan Woike of The Athletic. Doncic did not return to the game, however, he did return to the bench to watch the end of the exhibition against Latvia. We’ll see what the diagnosis is once the doctors do more tests (LCL sprain?).

Doncic impressed in the first half, scoring 26 points with five assists and five boards.

Lakers fans will be watching the rest of EuroBasket with concern… just like Bucks fans are watching the Greek side with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nuggets fans with Serbia and Nikola Jokic, and the list goes on and on.

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NBA, union back more limits for some prop bets

NBA, union back more limits for some prop bets

The NBA and its players’ association say they support further limitations on certain types of prop bets to curb game manipulation and abuse of athletes by gamblers.

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