So Long, East Rutherford. Hello, BK: The NBA’s New Jersey Nets are hitting the road, heading over the “Bridge & Tunnel,” and setting up shop in Brooklyn, NY.

And when they arrive next September, BK native and Nets part-owner Jay-Z will open the team’s new arena with a live performance.

The hip-hop mogul/expectant dad chatted with reporters at a news conference across the street from The Barclays Center with developer Bruce Ratner and Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz. They team toyed with some other team names, including the Brooklyn Kings or the Brooklyn Bridges, but ultimately decided to keep the Nets moniker when the team moves to New York for the 2012-13 season.

Jay Z: NBA Nets Renamed ‘Brooklyn Nets’: MyFoxNY.com

“I absolutely am humbled, and I have so much pride as a kid to come from the Marcy Projects to stand here,” Hov, who grew up only minutes away in the Marcy Public Housing Projects, said at today’s presser. “I asked for two things out of my partners in ownership – that we name the New Jersey Nets the Brooklyn Nets, and … that I open it with a concert.”

He added: “We’re going to open this arena right here with a concert. Maybe one, maybe two, maybe three.”

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is the new face of Nike — again. And, as expected, the new paycheck has come with some major backlash for the apparel manufacturer. Now that Nike has officially resigned Vick, who lost his lucrative endorsement deal with the brand after he was convicted and served 21 months in federal prison for dogfighting in 2007, animal rights activists have taken up arms to voice their displeasure with the announcement. A fact which became crystal clear when a Facebook campaign was started to boycott Nike and any other companies who endorse Vick. So far, over 4,000 people have “Liked” the page.

The story of pioneering slugger Jackie Robinson is bound for the big screen. Warner Bros. Films and Legendary Pictures is teaming up with Robinson’s widow to produce a biopic about the first black man to play Major League Baseball. The late sportsman was instrumental in breaking the color line of racial segregation in professional baseball when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

This isn’t the first time Robinson’s story has been adapted to the big screen. In 1950, Jackie Robinson starred in his own 76-minute biopic directed by Alfred E. Green. This time, Brian Helgeland, the Oscar-winning writer of L.A. Confidential, will pen the script and direct the production. Rachel Robinson, the athlete’s wife, will serve as a consultant — a job that’ll include looking at “the authenticity and richness” of each draft of the script. Robinson told Reuters Wednesday that she has wanted to bring her husband’s story to the big screen “for years — back when Sydney Poitier (now 84) could have played Jack.”

Robinson died of a heart attack in 1972. He was 53.

“He’d be proud because the impact of his legacy is important to America. But he’d also be a little bit shy. He was not a person who looked for celebrity.”

Any suggestions about who should play the baseball legend?

Shaquille O’Neal is throwing in the towel. After 19 years as a hoopster on various teams with the NBA — the Orlando Magic, the Los Angeles Lakers, and most recently the Boston Celtics — the larger-than-life NBA star announced his retirement from pro ball on Wednesday.

Via a TwitVid no less.

On Sunday, American Idol Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks showed off her slimmed-down figure by Tweeting a photo of herself posing in a bikini. The image quickly went viral. But Word on the Curb has it that the 21-year-old “No Air” singer has been sharing more than saucy snaps with Miami Heat hoopster LeBron James.

Say it ain’t so, King James!

The Snitch Circuit is abuzz with whispers that the NBA superstar, who’s expecting his third child with high school sweetheart Sabrina Brinson, has been secretly bedding the squeaky-clean Ms. Sparks for months.

Well, he did say he was bringing his “A-Game” to South Beach this season…Tiger Woods 2.0 anyone?

‘Rena’s got a psycho! A man has been charged with stalking tennis star Serena Williams after he tried to enter her gated subdivision in South Florida this week. Police in Palm Beach Gardens say 40-year-old Patenema Ouedraogo attempted to walk into the posh dwelling where Williams lives on Monday night and was only curtailed after security officials asked for his driver’s license and discovered that he matched the description of a man accused of stalking Williams.

Thankfully, Serena was on the opposite end of the East Coast attending the annual Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City at the time of the incident.

Ouedraogo had become well known to Serena’s security team and the celeb is reportedly “terrified” of him. He first tried to contact Williams in October during a visit to her agent. During that encounter, Ouedraogo made several unsuccessful attempts to enter the building and contact her.
He returned the following day saying he wanted to promote her clothing line and television show in his native Africa.

Serena had previously taken out a temporary restraining order against Ouedraogo, but because he could not be found, the injuction was never served. An attorney for the athlete says Ouedraogo has tried to contact Williams at least three times since last fall. In one incident, he pretended to be Williams’ assistant while she was making an appearane on the Home Shopping Network in Tampa. According to the arrest report, Ouedraogo was given access to her dressing room and the studio before ultimately being escorted out of the building. He waited outside for the rest of the day.

And get this — the accused man said he knew where to find Serena at all times because of her frequent Twitter updates. Careful what you Tweet!

According to an affidavit, the police found a letter on Ouedraogo’s belongings when they searched him which stated that he was in love with Serena and felt they were soulmates and that she was in love with him too.

Ouedraogo has been charged with stalking and cyber-stalking. He is being held on $25,000 bond and will be placed under house arrest upon release.

After those nasty allegations of an affair with Cleveland Cavs star Delonte West, you probably thought Gloria James couldn’t possibly humiliate her hoop star son any further.

And you’d be wrong.

The mother of Miami Heat star LeBron James was arrested in Miami overnight after a game of “Whoop Dat Trick” with a valet turned disastrous. Gloria — who is in her early 40s — had been partying with some girlfriends at the posh LIV Nightclub at Fountainebleu, but when she tried to leave the establishment, she got into an argument with a parking attendant that quickly turned violent, according to reports. Cops received a call at approximately 4:47 AM and arrived on the scene to find Gloria assaulting the employee. The valet wasn’t arrested, but Gloria was taken in on one count of suspicion of misdemeanor assault.

She’s since been released.

This isn’t Glo’s first scrape with the law. In 2006, she was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and charged with “reckless operation, speeding for driving 50 mph in a 30 mph zone, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, disorderly conduct and damaging police equipment.”

The show promises to will tackle a wide variety of subjects, including family, teamwork, friendship, giving back to the community, staying in school, staying out of trouble, and more. King James voices a character named Business. Former Clean House hostess Niecy Nash lends her voice for the mother figure of the show, Gloria. Drake will guest star as himself on an upcoming episode.

The first season’s 10 episodes launched on Wednesday.

Will you watch?

Huddle around, Sports Fans. One of the nation’s leading tennis aces could use your good vibes.

Serena Williams has been hospitalized in Los Angeles after suffering a pulmonary embolism — loosely translated a “blood clot in the lungs” — a rep for the racket-wielder tells PEOPLE.com.

Shortly after leaving Sir Elton John’s Annual Oscar Watching Party/AIDS Foundation Benefit on Sunday night, Serena, 29, was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for emergency treating of hematoma [collection of blood within the tissue] “she suffered as a result of treatment for a more critical situation.”

Williams — who suffered an injury to the foot on the court late last year — had been spotted at hospital several times over the past week.

“Last week, Serena suffered from a pulmonary embolism [a blood clot in the lungs] which was discovered upon her return to L.A. She had been in New York for doctor appointments for the ongoing issues with her foot,” Williams’ publicist added. “Doctors are continuing to monitor her situation closely to avoid additional complications.”

Serena was tapped The Associated Press’ Athlete of the Year in 2009.

Carmelo Anthony and his new bride, former MTV/VH1 VJ LaLa Vazquez, are already capitalizing on the star guard’s trade from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks.

On Wednesday morning, VH1 announced that ‘Melo and LaLa will appear in a new reality series, working under the title LaLa’s Full Court Life. The 30-minute docu-series, which began filming in January, will pick up where the couple’s wedding special, LaLa’s Full Court Wedding, left off, following the newlyweds as they prepare for their move to New York City following the hoopster’s trade to the Knicks on Monday.

“Viewers connect with La La because despite the fairy-tale wedding and NBA star husband, she is a real, down-to-earth, hardworking woman who stays true to herself,” said Jeff Olde, VH1′s Executive Vice-President of Original Programming and Production. “The best thing about the new series is that while pursuing and realizing her dreams, La La gets to take us back to her home in New York, where her story began.”

The 10-episode series will begin airing in August.