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Before this handsome guy turned into a professional basketball player, he was just a typical preteen with exceptional athletic abilities, playing basketball in his backyard and growing up near Seattle, Washington.

After having a successful high school career, this dedicated kid more than earned his spot on the UCLA college basketball team but only played for one season before making his way to the NBA. He played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and currently plays for the Chicago Bulls.

Need one more clue? He won the "Slam Dunk Contest" back in 2015, making him the youngest champion since Kobe Bryant's 1997 win.

Britney Spears may be singing again, but she won't be talking under oath ... at least that's what her lawyer is insisting.

Attorney Mathew Rosengart filed legal docs in the ongoing legal battle against Jamie Spears, saying the battle will be won with documents, physical evidence and the testimony of Jamie. Rosengart says Britney's testimony would not be relevant to any legal proceeding.

Rosengart goes even further, saying he has no reason to call Britney as a witness if the case ends up in trial. He says the fact she would not be called as a witness "eviscerates" any reason why she would need to be deposed.

It appears Rosengart is zeroing in on alleged malfeasance on the part of Jamie that involves money. Although he hasn't played his hand, it seems he may be steering clear of some of the personal allegations Britney has made against her dad.

As we reported, Jamie has asked the judge to order Britney to sit for a deposition, arguing she has made numerous claims against him in court and on social media and some of these allegations go to his performance as a conservator. Jamie has disputed many of the claims Britney made in court a year ago in June.

Donald Trump's back in D.C. for his first public remarks there since January 6, 2021 -- and there are a lot of unhappy people ... many of whom waited to greet him at the door.

The ex-Prez showed up Tuesday at the Marriot Marquis Hotel as the keynote speaker for the America First Policy Institute Summit ... where he said more of the same from his recent speeches -- repeating falsehoods about the election being "stolen," and teasing a run in 2024.

What was happening right outside, however, was far more interesting ... a fair amount of protesters had infiltrated the building and lined several floors inside the hotel, most of them yelling and throwing around flyers to voice their displeasure with DT being there.

What they were apparently chanting ... "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA" -- and the pieces of paper they hurled read, "INDICT TRUMP PROTECT DEMOCRACY."

Unclear if any of these people actually breached the conference room where Trump was speaking, but if not, ya gotta imagine they did disrupt a little. Outside, it was just as boisterous with even more demonstrators lining the streets ... on both sides of the Trump line.

Buzz Aldrin's jacket from the historic Apollo 11 mission to the moon just sold at auction ... and it set a record for American space-flown memorabilia.

The history-making piece of flight gear, which Buzz wore on NASA's 1969 mission to the moon and back, sold to an unidentified buyer for $2,772,500.

Sotheby's, which auctioned off the jacket and a bunch of other Aldrin space memorabilia, says Buzz's Teflon-coated jacket is the most valuable American artifact flown in outer space.

Buzz didn't wear the jacket when he was walking around on the moon's surface, he was in his spacesuit for that part of the mission, but he actually spent more time in the jacket than anything else during the Apollo 11 mission.

Aldrin says he wore the jacket in the NASA spacecraft for 3 days on the way to the moon, plus another 3 days on the way back to Earth.

Kevin Hart had a priceless reaction to ex-NFL player Channing Crowder's appreciation for nudist colonies ... going full roastmaster mode and clowning the dude on his own show!!

The ex-Dolphins linebacker opened up on his "The Pivot" podcast about how he and his wife of 11 years, Aja, like to take annual exhibitionist trips ... saying, "Once a year, we go to a nudist colony. We go to a place where like you walk in and everybody just gets naked and walks around."

Hart -- who was a guest on the podcast -- looked at CC in complete disbelief ... and asked, "You hear whatchu saying out loud, brother?!"

"Y'all just ... just hanging out, or y'all f***ing these people?"

Crowder admits there are some swingers around when they take their trips ... but explains they don't participate, they just "like being around naked people together."

When CC asks Hart if he's into that kinda stuff ... he shuts down the idea.

"To be honest with you, I have no desire to be around a bunch of people I don't know just sitting there naked," Hart said.

Hart then ends the funny convo with a joke, saying "I'm willing to bet a good number it ain't a lot of put-together people going through this little stage."

Tony Dow, the producer, director and actor most famous for his role as Wally Cleaver on "Leave It To Beaver" has died after a battle with liver cancer.

A statement from Tony's team reveals he died Tuesday morning, "Tony was a beautiful soul - kind, compassionate, funny and humble. It was truly a joy to just be around him. His gentle voice and unpretentious manner was immediately comforting and you could not help but love him. The world has lost an amazing human being, but we are all richer for the memories that he has left us."

TMZ broke the story, Tony was diagnosed with cancer in May 2022. An update on his cancer battle last week said it was, "... a rollercoaster of ups and downs as Tony continues his fight with cancer. Tony has been in and out of the hospital with various complications and treatments."

The statement continues, "From the warm reminiscences of Wally Cleaver to those of us fortunate enough to know him personally - thank you Tony. And thank you for the reflections of a simpler time, the laughter, the friendship and for the feeling that you were a big brother to us all. We will miss you."

Born in Hollywood, California -- Tony found massive fame as Wally Cleaver on "Leave It To Beaver" which ran from 1957 to 1963.

Dow continued his acting career on shows like "Never Too Late" and "My Three Sons" before taking a break to serve in The National Guard from 1965 to 1968. He later reprised his role as Wally from 1983-1989 on "The New Leave It To Beaver."

Tony continued acting into the 2000's when he appeared in "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star."

Tony was 77.

RIP

Jim Harbaugh -- fiercely against abortion -- says he'd be willing to raise the baby of any of his Univ. of Michigan football players, if they had an unplanned pregnancy, and the couple decided to have the baby.

"I've told [them] the same thing I tell my kids, boys, the girls, same thing I tell our players, our staff members," Harbaugh said on Saturday, "I encourage them if they have a pregnancy that wasn't planned, to go through with it, go through with it," Harbaugh told ESPN's Gene Wojchiechowski.

"Let that unborn child be born, and if at that time, you don't feel like you can care for it, you don't have the means or the wherewithal, then Sarah and I will take that baby."

The Wolverines head coach -- who signed a $36.7 million extension in February -- was the keynote speaker at a recent "Right To Life" event.

During the anti-abortion speech, 58-year-old Harbaugh spoke about having the "courage to let the unborn be born."

As for why he chose to speak out about the controversial topic, Jim says while it may be difficult, it's an incredibly important issue for America.

"I just think this issue of life, save a life, the abortion issue is one that is so big that it needs to be talked about," Harbaugh said.

"It's a life or death type of issue and I believe in and I respect people's views but let's discuss it because there's passion on both sides of this issue."

Sonja Morgan is not taking no for an answer when it comes to selling her NYC townhouse ... because TMZ has learned she's just put it back on the market!

Real estate sources tell us the 'RHONY' star is listing her Upper East Side townhouse for $8.75 million. Sonja initially listed it way back in 2013 for $9.95 million amid her divorce from J.P. Morgan heir John A. Morgan.

The 4-bedroom home has seen a lot of changes since then because we're told Sonja has given it a complete makeover over the years.

She had an offer in 2017, but turned it down because her daughter needed stability at home amid the divorce -- she would frequently bring friends home from boarding school, so they still needed the space.

As we've reported, she listed the 5-story townhouse for the 7th time in 2017 for around $10 mil ... still, to no avail.

Someone's missing out ... all the bedrooms feature wood-burning fireplaces, and there's also an elevator, sauna, gym, and terrace -- all sitting in the ritzy Madison Ave and Central Park neighborhood.

In January 2020, Sonja had an $11.75 million cash offer, but the buyer ended up dropping out in February when the pandemic began. Then, for a period of time, she couldn't show the home because of COVID.

After the lockdown lifted in the city, she rented the home to a family from Spain, before renting it out to a new tenant, for 32k a month. We're told, the tenant recently moved out.

Now, Sonja is back at it ... determined to get the pad rented again, or sold for the asking price.

A soccer player tragically died weeks after he was brutally attacked by multiple people on the pitch during a soccer match in Oxnard, California earlier this month.

The man was only 29.

According to the NY Post, the brawl happened around 11 AM on July 10th at Oxnard High School -- about 90 minutes west of downtown Los Angeles -- when Misael Sanchez was allegedly beaten by opposing players and spectators after a dispute over a referee's call.

The assault left Sanchez severely injured and unresponsive on the field. EMT took him to a local hospital, the Ventura County Medical Center.

Sadly, 15 days later the family announced Sanchez died. The cause of death will be determined during an autopsy.

"My family is heartbroken and still in disbelief, as we expected a bright future for him," the family said on Monday via GoFundMe.

"Misael was assaulted by multiple assailants on July 10, 2022, and left in critical condition. We were not ready for this type of goodbye."

The family is now asking for prayers and for any donations to cover Sanchez's funeral.

"Thank you for the love, support and prayers."

A standard grooming appointment at a PetSmart turned into an emergency crisis -- one that resulted in the death of a pooch ... according to a new lawsuit.

AJ Ross is suing the pet store retailer over the 2020 death of her poodle, Kobe -- which happened after she dropped off her pooch for a nail clipping at a PetSmart in Pittsburgh, PA.

In the lawsuit, she lays blame directly at the feet of the store's employees -- and adds, the store's own surveillance video is the most compelling evidence supporting her case.

The footage is tough to watch. You see Ross drop the dog off with the staff, having already placed a muzzle on its mouth, and then leave. The workers then take it to the back and lift it onto a table.

That's where things get wild ... it appears the employees put 2 different harnesses around Kobe's neck -- one from the top and one from the bottom -- seemingly to keep the dog in place while they try to work on its paws.

Kobe thrashes around, and they eventually tip the poodle over on its side for easier access ... at least that's what Ross claims in her suit.

Soon enough, the dog goes limp and the workers try waking it up, to no avail. Ross says when she returned a mere 10 minutes later, she discovered her dog was dead -- and she believes the way the PetSmart employees harnessed Kobe during the nail clipping caused the dog to lose consciousness and die.

According to documents, Ashley claims PetSmart has allowed this to happen to other pets over the years -- upwards of 47 have allegedly been killed by PetSmart groomers since 2009 -- and now she wants damages.

A rep for PetSmart tells TMZ ... "All of us are heartbroken by and truly sorry for the loss of Kobe. Following this terrible accident in 2020, we immediately launched an internal investigation and cooperated with the authorities involved. In response, we terminated the associates who violated our pet safety policies and did not meet our high standards of care."

A Taco Bell manager poured scalding water on two customers who complained that the restaurant got their order wrong, sending them to the hospital with serious burns, this according to a recently filed lawsuit.

In their $1 million suit, Plaintiffs Brittany Davis and her niece, a minor identified only as C.T., claim they pulled up to a drive-thru at a Taco Bell in Dallas and placed a $31 order, but they didn't get what they wanted.

So they circled through the drive-thru 2 more times to rectify the situation, but the employee was having none of it.

The pair then allegedly parked their vehicle and tried to walk inside the fast-food joint, but it was already closed. An employee unlocked the door, allowing them to enter.

After the two asked for their order to be corrected, one of the workers allegedly challenged C.T. to a fight before the manager appeared, holding a bucket of piping hot water.

The manager then doused C.T.'s face with the boiling water, which splashed the chests of both plaintiffs, according to the suit filed July 13 by prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

Luckily, the two were able to escape before they could be attacked again by Taco Bell staff, who laughed and clapped as they drove away, the suit claims.

Davis says she suffered deep burns to her chest and stomach along with brain injuries, which have caused at least 10 seizures. C.T. says she sustained discoloring and scarring burns to her face, chest, legs, arms and stomach.

Dallas PD is investigating the incident, which occurred on June 17.

Crump tells TMZ ... "Not only did Brittany and C.T. Suffer physical trauma because of the burns but they will now live with the psychological trauma that comes with an attack like this. Corporations have a duty to employ quality and stable employees who hold safety as the highest priority.”

We reached out to Taco Bell ... so far no word back.

A 22-year-old man suffered a gruesome death on his Mykonos vacay when he was struck by helicopter blades ... and authorities looking into it think it could be a case of a photo op gone tragically wrong.

Jack Fenton and his 3 friends were recently getting off their hired black Bell 407 helicopter, coming back from the Greek isle, according to a report from The Sun.

They were taken away from the vehicle and to a private lounge as they waited for a plane to take them back to London, but Jack headed back toward the helicopter at a fast pace ... as others shouted at him to come back.

Witnesses who spoke to Greece’s committee for aviation accidents say he had a phone to his ear as he went toward the back of the helicopter, where the blade was still spinning -- he was stuck in the head, killing him instantly.

Those who saw the incident could only describe it as "horrifying. The pilot of the helicopter, who was "deeply traumatized," was arrested ... along with 2 ground technicians.

Cops are looking into every possibility, which reportedly includes "the possibility of the boy going there to take a selfie in the excitement of the moment."

Lana Del Rey claims she has a stalker on her hands, one that's very interested in her car as well -- this according to LDR herself, who just got court-ordered protection against this guy.

The singer was granted a temporary restraining order in Los Angeles County, where she claims she's been getting harassed by some guy named Eric Everardo -- who she says has visited her home on at least 2 occasions ... and allegedly jacked a vehicle there too.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Lana says Everardo first visited her residence without permission in February of this year ... when she claims he made off with one of her rides, a Jaguar, and was eventually criminally charged for that.

That wasn't the end of it though. Lana goes on to claim Everardo came back to her crib earlier this month and left a bag at her gate with a disturbing letter inside relaying his desire to see her again. LDR claims he also texted her sister a couple times between February and July, but it's unclear how he got her number.

In any case, Lana says she doesn't know this man and fears for her safety, and the safety of her family members. A judge signed off on the TRO and set a hearing on the matter for next month.

"Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Sheree Whitfield has a new man in her life ... and he's a fellow reality TV star.

Sources in the know tell TMZ ... Sheree is dating Martell Holt from "Love & Marriage Huntsville" and they've been seeing each other for a little over two months.

As you see, Sheree and Martell are at that point ... taking cutsie selfies together. They're not yet Instagram official ... for what that's worth.

We got Sheree at Beauty Box MD in Sandy Springs, GA where she said she met Martell through mutual friends and already feels comfortable enough to introduce him to some of her pals and even a few family members.

Sheree says Martell's helping her build her clothing line, She by Sheree, which she's wearing in the clip and is planning to unveil on the 'RHOA' finale.

Brittney Griner spoke with a media member on Tuesday for the first time since she was arrested back in February in Russia ... saying she had "no complaints" about her detention and adding that she wanted to wish her wife "good luck on the bar exam."

Griner -- who was back in court Tuesday for yet another hearing in her drug case -- spoke with an ABC News producer from behind bars inside the Moscow courtroom.

The outlet recorded the conversation, and in the audio, you can hear Griner calmly send the message to Cherelle Griner (who's been studying to become a lawyer) -- while adding she's "just waiting patiently" for a resolution in her drug case.

Brittney held up a photo of Cherelle minutes before the chat with the reporter. She also wore a sweatshirt that had "Black Lives Are Loved" written on it.

During the hearing, according to Reuters, Griner's legal team argued the WNBA star had used medical cannabis to help deal with her injuries -- and was not using the drug recreationally.

As we reported, Griner has pled guilty to charges that she brought hashish oil in her luggage to a Moscow airport back in February -- though she said she had no intention of breaking Russian law.

For "Shahs of Sunset" star Mike Shouhed, 13 is especially unlucky -- that's the number of criminal charges he's now facing following his domestic violence arrest.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the Los Angeles City Attorney hit Mike with a slew of misdemeanor charges, most notably domestic violence, battery and unlawfully attempting to dissuade a witness.

Mike's also facing a couple of weapons charges ... including criminal storage of a loaded firearm and possession of an assault weapon.

Remember, Mike was arrested back in March for allegedly getting physical with a woman during a fight. Cops did not identify the alleged victim, and it's unclear if Mike's fiancée, Paulina Ben-Cohen, was involved. The new charging docs do not name the alleged victim either.

TMZ broke the story ... Mike and Paulina went to Los Cabos for vacation only a few weeks after his arrest, with Mike showing lots of love to Paulina's kids during a day at the beach.

Mike and Paulina, who have been engaged since 2019, are still together.