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Longtime NHL player Chris Simon -- known as one of the most ferocious and scary athletes on the ice -- has died at 52.

Simon played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League, including stops with the Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, and New York Islanders where he was a feared enforcer, racking up over 100 fights and nearly 2k penalty minutes throughout his decade and a half career.

The NHL Alumni Association broke the news of Simon's death on Tuesday, saying ... "Chris was never afraid to stand up for his teammates, and played a key role in the dressing room. He was a beloved friend, father, brother, and son."

Simon's pro hockey career started in 1990 when the Philadelphia Flyers selected the Canadian native with the 25th overall pick in the NHL Draft.

CS won a Stanley Cup title with the Avalanche in 1996.

Chris also played in the Ontario Hockey League and eventually joined the Kontinental Hockey League before retiring in 2013.

Simon was most known for being a dog on the ice ... and having the backs of his teammates. In fact, he was suspended eight times during his NHL career for a total of 65 games.

Unfortunately, Simon's death comes just hours after news of Konstantin Koltsov's passing ... a suspected suicide.

He was 52.

Dan Schneider is addressing the allegations in the new Nickelodeon doc that paints him as a monster and wildly inappropriate with some in the cast ... and he's taking accountability.

The one-time Nickelodeon honcho sat down with former "iCarly" actor BooG!e Tuesday to offer up his formal response to toxic workplace claims made against him and the shows he created ... which was just addressed in full on the new documentary that's going viral.

Check it out ... DS says it was very hard for him to watch the new docuseries ... acknowledging some of his past behavior as embarrassing and regretful.

He added ... "I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology."

The former TV exec -- who was the showrunner on several Nick shows back in the day -- realized how his actions impacted those who worked for him. He says he'd never do some of the on-set shenanigans he pulled back then today -- explaining ... "I’m embarrassed that I did it then. I apologize to anybody that I ever put in that situation."

Dan even agrees some of the questionable jokes written for his shows should be cut right now ... insisting he wrote the quips with children in mind -- and that there was no ill intent.

Through his reps, Dan has denied claims that the shows he oversaw purposefully sexualized its child stars -- like Ariana Grande, Amanda Bynes and Jennette McCurdy, among others.

His spokesperson stated Monday ... "Everything that happened on the shows Dan ran was carefully scrutinized by dozens of involved adults, and approved by the network. Had there been any scenes or outfits that were inappropriate in any way, they would have been flagged and blocked by this multilayered scrutiny.”

Drake Bell -- who spoke out about being molested by Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck in 'Quiet on Set' -- credited Dan as an ally after he spoke out about the abuse.

In the new sit-down, Dan talks about Drake and Peck as well ... getting emotional doing so.

He says he was devastated when he learned of Brian's behavior ... explaining he did not hire the dialogue coach for the network, but has regrets nonetheless on having him around. He even revealed that he helped Drake's mother pen her statement for Brian's sentencing trial.

Some *NSYNC fans think all the other guys are at Justin Timberlake's beck and call these days amid these little mini collabs they've been doing... but Joey Fatone says that's BS.

We got the boy band singer at LAX on Monday and asked him all about their recent gig with JT in L.A. amid his latest album drop -- where there's a song that features *NSYNC, serving as just the latest team-up they've done in the studio ... with fans wanting the real thing.

Of course, our photog asked about the prospect of a proper reunion for *NSYNC ... and Joey gave us the standard line of not-now-but-maybe-one-day, which we've heard for months.

Basically ... Joey says everyone's busy, so there's no official coming-together happening in the near future -- but does acknowledge that if they were to get in the studio again for brand new music in 2024, it'd probably sound something very much like their new track "Paradise."

He also says that *NSYNC doesn't mind coming together for JT when they can. Although, when our camera guy asked if they're on call for Justin these days -- as some online have suggested -- he shot that notion down entirely ... saying that's not the dynamic here.

Joey tells us he understands why some might draw that conclusion -- remember, not only did *NSYNC cameo on JT's new album, but did the same for his new 'Trolls' movie too -- he assures us that the group has turned down Justin's requests before ... many times, in fact.

As our camera guy puts it ... the *NSYNC guys are NOT Justin's industry booty call -- despite what some might assume. Joey makes it very clear ... they're all booked and busy in their own respective careers, so when they collaborate ... it's only 'cause it works for everyone.

Gradey Dick is denying any tomfoolery was involved in his jersey exchange with Anthony Black ... telling reporters he simply wanted to show love to his buddy.

The Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic rookies went stupid viral with their postgame trade over the weekend ... with many pointing out the suggestive phrase their last names spelled out when they posed for a pic (hint: Black's surname came first).

Dick was asked about all the hoopla on Tuesday ... and he swore up and down it was nothing more than two longtime friends reconnecting.

"That's my guy," Dick said at practice. "I've been playing against or with him around since middle school days. So, that's been my guy for a long time."

Dick defended the move ... adding, "Guys jersey swap with their boys. That's my friend."

When asked if he has any other jersey swaps lined up, Dick said he only has one criteria.

"If I played with them growing up and they're my guys, then I'll jersey swap with them. Nothing more to it."

While Dick's reasoning behind choosing Black for the popular tradition checks out, it's pretty clear the guys purposely positioned themselves to have a bit of fun ... especially considering it appeared they orchestrated the whole thing before smiling for the cameras.

Cola Boyy, the pop singer and songwriter who collaborated with the likes of The Avalanches and MGMT despite his spinal issues, passed away Sunday ... and his family is reeling from the loss.

The musician's father, Joseph Urango Jr., is now speaking to TMZ about the heartbreaking chain of events leading up to the passing of his son, a.k.a, Matthew Urango. He says it was Matthew's twin brother who made the devastating discovery -- he'd gone to check on Cola in bed and found he wasn't breathing.

Joseph says paramedics were called, but it was, tragically, too late and Cola Boyy was pronounced dead at the scene.

We're told CB was on oxygen while at home, and he was still hooked up to it when his brother found him.

His family believes his passing was related to his health issues. IYDK, Cola Boyy was born with spina bifida, scoliosis, and kyphosis, but he never let his health hold him back ... proudly referring to himself as the "disabled disco innovator."

The coroner is now investigating to determine the cause of death.

Joseph emphasized the magnitude of losing his son ... adding he had a deep love for his fans, bandmates, and especially his family.

Cola Boyy's label, Record Makers, was first to announce his passing, describing him in their tribute as "quite a soul, a man with no age, a childlike spirit with the musicality of an old legend."

He had an undeniable stage presence right from the start when he began releasing music in 2018. He had also just wrapped up work on his next album and was gearing up to share it with the world this summer.

Most importantly, Cola Boyy was a trailblazer for disability-rights advocacy ... telling TMRW Magazine society wanted disabled people to be timid and docile, which at times weighed him down but never stopped him from achieving his dreams.

He was 34.

Travis Kelce's apparently got his eyes on taking his tight end to a new seat ... he's now reportedly in talks to become a game show host in the very near future.

The Kansas City Chiefs star and Prime Video reps are working to hammer out a deal that would make the three-time Super Bowl champion the face of a "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" reboot, according to Variety.

The outlet reported Tuesday, however, that it's far from a foregone conclusion ... as there's at least some concern on the suits' end that Kelce wouldn't be able to do the gig properly if he continued his NFL career.

Jeff Foxworthy hosted the first iteration of the show on Fox way back in 2007. John Cena then picked up hosting duties years later when a new version of the program landed on Nickelodeon.

The show was a popular one -- as it, in part, tested adults' knowledge of information generally taught to elementary school students.

Variety reported Tuesday the new Prime Video version would feature celebrity contestants.

Of course, if Kelce does score the role ... it'd hardly be his first foray into the television world. He was once the center of a reality dating show called "Catching Kelce." He also famously hosted "Saturday Night Live" last year. And, don't forget, he's on-camera weekly with his brother, Jason, for their ultra-popular 'New Heights' podcast.

If Kelce's sweating the talks, he's not showing it much ... 'cause he's rumored to be down in the Bahamas with Taylor Swift at the moment -- and, yeah, kinda hard to focus on business there.

12:21 PM PT -- Jonathan Majors' lawyer Priya Chaudhry tells TMZ ... "This is no surprise. Mr. Majors is preparing counterclaims against Ms. Jabbari."

Jonathan Majors is being taken back to court by his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari -- who's now suing him over the assault case ... and some other stuff she claims went down beforehand.

Jabbari just filed suit against Majors ... and in the docs, obtained by TMZ, she's getting into a lot more detail about other alleged instances that she claims occurred before the March 2023 incident that landed him in criminal court, and which ultimately ended with a conviction.

In GJ's lawsuit, she claims the alleged abuse she endured at the hands of Majors started as early as 2021 after they'd started dating -- specifically pointing out a time at the end of that year which she says became the first she started to fear him and his temper ... this after she mentioned a previous relationship, which she says pissed him off and led to a verbal attack.

There are other alleged instances of abuse that she cites -- including a claim that Majors threw her into a shower wall after he got angry with her, while allegedly proceeding to throw objects, like candles and other miscellaneous items.

She goes on to claim Majors assaulted her in London on a number of occasions while he was in town filming "Loki." Jabbari also claims simple things like having company over or laughing on the phone with her mother would anger him and cause him to fly off the handle ... with her alleging he'd smash her headphones, or at times even her head.

Jabbari cites one alleged instance in which she claims that Majors got so angry with her that he slammed her head against a marble floor and even allegedly strangled her.

She claims it was during this time in London that he gave his Coretta Scott King diatribe.

Eventually, Jabbari brings up the incident from March 2023 ... again repeating her claims that he hit her in the car when she tried to look at his phone over a text from another woman.

She goes on to claim that he twisted her fingers in the car, and that when he got out and she followed ... he threw her back in "like a football."

All of this was discussed at length during the trial, and in the end ... the jury convicted Majors over what the jury saw from the evidence outside of the vehicle. Here, however, she's doubling down again in a lawsuit -- insisting he assaulted her in the car and claiming it was the boiling point of what she alleges was a lengthy relationship littered with abuse.

As we reported ... Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment in December, and he's currently awaiting sentencing -- even though his team has filed to have the conviction tossed.

Another thing Jabbari is suing Majors for is defamation -- alleging he tarnished her reputation by claiming she lied about the physical abuse during interviews he did pre- and post-trial.

We've reached out to Majors' camp for comment ... so far, no word back.

11:57 AM PT -- Riley Strain's family just held a press conference, announcing they've enlisted the help of the United Cajun Navy -- a nonprofit that helps in this sort of effort -- while reiterating the need to get more resources on the case ... and also thanking Nashville PD for their work thus far.

Police went on to say that they've been inundated with tips and leads from various sources, but none have resulted in anything concrete in terms of locating Riley and there is no indication of foul play.

Riley Strain's family is 100% confident that their loved one is still alive somewhere -- and they're frustrated with cops' search efforts ... demanding extra boots on the ground.

We talked to the Strain family spokesperson, Chris Dingman, Tuesday and he told us straight up ... Riley's parents, simply don't believe their son is dead -- this despite most of the public starting to assume that's the case at this point.

Even though it's been well over a week since Riley first vanished in Nashville after bar hopping with his friends -- Dingman says the family is hopeful ... but more than that, they're irked that much of Nashville PD's investigating has been focused mostly on the river nearby.

There's a few reasons why Dingman says the Strains feel this way -- for one, he says the river just isn't that deep, and it doesn't appear to have been roaring on the night he disappeared. So, in their eyes, him falling in and being swept away doesn't seem plausible.

Dingman also tells us that from the family's POV, cops haven't turned over every possible stone in trying to track him down -- claiming there are businesses along the river bank with surveillance video that weren't approached until very recently ... so, slow going at best.

While the Strains appreciate the police's help and diligence thus far -- we're told they think it's time to call in the cavalry and get extra assistance in helping find Riley sooner rather than later.

Nashville PD has already said they're prepared to call in the feds if it proves necessary. Dingman says the Strains think that time has come ... and that the sweep for Riley needs to expand well beyond just the river search that's been going on these past few days.

Of course, Riley's bank card was found there -- which is probably why this is a focal point in the effort -- but Dingman says his mom and dad want other possibilities looked into.

He doesn't have an exact idea of where he may be or what happened to him, but based on eyewitness accounts that continue to crop up day after day ... it sounds like people might've possibly been with him during the last known moments of him being out and about.

The other odd thing that's not quite tracking for the Strains is that when Riley was walking by the police officer -- he came across as coherent and normal, but other surveillance videos captured him looking inebriated and out of it. So the family doesn't know what's what here.

The one thing they do know ... they want answers, and soon. The Strains have been in Nashville for several days now -- and the longer Riley is missing, the more anxious they get.

Riley was last seen on March 8, and there's been no sign of him since. Cops are encouraging anyone with helpful info to call 615-742-7463.

12:14 PM PT -- The San Diego County Sheriff's Dept. tells TMZ that a call came in for medical aid around 1:30 PM PT Monday -- and that when deputies arrived, fire officials were already providing lifesaving measures for Karen Houghton ... who sadly passed away.

Unclear what medical incident precipitated the call.

Kris Jenner's sister, Karen Houghton, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Karen was reported as deceased to San Diego County officials Monday in San Marcos, CA. The exact circumstances of her passing are unclear, but we're told county officials are attributing her death to natural causes for now.

Karen was Kris' only sister -- sharing parents MJ and Robert Houghton -- and was born three years after the famed momager. Karen and Kris grew up in San Diego together, living predominantly with MJ after her divorce from the girls' father.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Kris is very upset over the passing of her sibling -- and is also concerned about Karen's mother and niece. This is MJ's first loss of a child, so obviously it's devastating. We're told the family at large is rallying around each other.

Kris addressed Karen's death on social media as well, with a sweet tribute that touched on their history and relationship ... remembering Karen fondly.

Despite the Kardashians' very public life, Karen has not played a major role in their reality TV fame ... as the sisters have had a somewhat complicated relationship over the years.

Karen went public with their issues back in 2014, alleging in an interview that Kris had changed since skyrocketing to A-list status. She also infamously weighed in on Kris' high-profile divorce from Olympian Caitlyn Jenner ... seemingly siding with her ex-in-law.

Then, in 2016, Karen made headlines for undergoing a five-hour facelift in order to look more like the Kardashian-Jenner matriarch -- ultimately pleased with the results, at the time.

A family truce seemed to be confirmed in 2019 -- when Karen and Kris posed for a photo with their mom MJ and their respective daughters, Natalie Zettel and Kylie Jenner, at Christmastime.

However, Karen hasn't been spotted with the family in recent years, having kept a low profile out of the limelight. She worked as a part-time nurse and an author before her death.

Karen is survived by her daughter -- who she welcomed with ex-husband Mark Zettel -- mother, sister and several nieces and a nephew. She was 65.

RIP

Oprah Winfrey is opening up about the extreme lengths she's taken to lose weight over the years ... revealing she previously starved herself in order to drop some pounds.

The talk show legend discusses her years of yo-yo dieting in her new ABC special, "Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution," sharing that it took a liquid diet to help her lose 67 pounds -- which she famously marked in 1988 by wheeling out a wagon filled with fat during an episode of her talk show.

The revelation she's making in the special, though, is that celebration of weight loss was extremely short-lived -- Oprah now admits she began gaining the weight back almost the very next day after that show ... becoming the object of public ridicule.

Weight loss has become a major part of Oprah's brand, having previously become a brand ambassador for, and major investor in, WeightWatchers.

Everyone remembers her "I love bread" commercial, right?

Earlier this month, she stepped down from her position on the WW board of directors after nearly 10 years ... following her admission she's now using weight loss drugs.

Oprah says she left WeightWatchers to avoid a conflict of interest while making this new ABC special ... since WW is now doling out weight loss drug prescriptions.

Ryan Garcia just got super emotional on video ... crying as he tried to create a TikTok to thank his fans for their recent support.

The boxing star can be seen in the footage -- which was posted to his social media page on Monday -- listening to Hillsong UNITED's "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" ... before he suddenly starts to break down.

In the clip, Garcia tearfully explains that he's "been going through a lot lately," but his faith -- and the love from his supporters -- have helped him get through it.

Garcia noted he was torn up over the fact that despite trying to do good in his community -- some tried to muzzle him ... and even cancel his upcoming megafight with Devin Haney.

"I was trying to do something good, you know?" he said ... adding, "I love you guys. And I appreciate every one of you guys. And I love all you guys."

Garcia ended the vid by promising to address his fans again soon.

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks for the 25-year-old ... especially when it comes to social media postings. Since announcing his April 20 tilt with Haney, he's shared bizarre messages and clips frequently on both his X and Instagram pages.

At one point following a series of unusual posts earlier this month, he actually vowed to no longer talk about anything but sports, boxing, and his fight with Haney.

Clearly, however, he's still making content ... although Haney's father and trainer, Bill, said on Tuesday he's sure Garcia is fine and the fight will go down as scheduled.

"No matter how many distractions, no matter the antics Ryan has displayed, I know the kid ain't crazy," Bill said.

The new Kate Middleton video -- showing her surfacing for the first time since Xmas -- is bogus, and it's NOT her ... so say a bunch of conspiracy theorists who claim to have receipts.

TMZ's video, shot over the weekend, shows what appears to be a healthy and happy Kate strolling out of a food store with hubby Prince William.

They point to Kate's height relative to William. In previous outings, they say Kate is shorter than she appears in the new video. In previous photos, Kate's eye line hits around William's neck, but in the new video, she's closer to his nose.

What's interesting ... in the old photo and new video, Kate is wearing flats, which leads folks online to believe the new video is a fraud.

Now there may be an explanation ... in the old photo, Kate seems a bit hunched over, whereas in the new video she's holding her head up high.

The social media crew also believes her hairline is different as is her chin. They say her chin seems stronger in the old photo. On the other hand, she seems thinner than before, which could account for her thinner facial features.

And, there's something else that leads online sleuths to believe the video was shot during Xmas, not over the weekend. Check out the shed covered in Christmas lights and garland. Thing is, we got a new photo shot Monday, and the lights and garland are still there.

Kate is recovering from abdominal surgery, so says the palace ... but her stride is strong as she carries a shopping bag out of the store.

We looked at the metadata on the new video -- which showed it was taken on Saturday near the royal couple's home in Windsor.

We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

New Beyoncé music is coming at the end of the month -- and based on what she's describing in terms of possible features ... a lot of folks think Taylor Swift will appear.

The singer made a big announcement Tuesday -- dropping the release date for her forthcoming album, "Cowboy Carter," as March 29 ... and adding a lengthy caption to describe the process that went into making this one.

She starts out by thanking everyone for blowing up her two new singles -- "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages" -- and goes on to say she's excited to trot out this new era of hers.

Bey writes, "This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive."

She also notes she faced criticism when she first broached the country music scene -- something that was well-documented at the time with her track "Daddy Lessons."

With all that, Beyoncé says this ... "I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound."

She finishes by saying "Cowboy Carter" isn't a country album, but rather ... a Beyoncé album -- which is obviously exciting, but her suggesting some legendary acts are on this project has seriously piqued people's curiosity ... including the Swifties.

Fact is ... a Beyonce and Taylor collab would be one the biggest musical team-ups in recent memory -- and the fact that Taylor got her start in country isn't lost on anyone either.

Plus, we know T-Swift and Bey are already friendly -- having attended the other's respective movie premieres last year ... so we know for a fact they respect and support each other.

Also, remember ... music producer Killah B -- who came up with the beat for "Texas Hold 'Em" -- played coy with us when we asked him point blank if there was a possibility Taylor might appear on this record of Bey's. Worth noting ... he didn't outright deny it at the time.

Donald Trump once again hinted that he may deport Prince Harry from the U.S. if re-elected as President ... this after the Duke of Sussex admitted to using drugs in his tell-all.

During a sit down with GBN broadcaster Nigel Farage, the ex-Prez made it clear that King Charles' son would not get special privileges regarding his residency in the States if he potentially lied on his visa application.

Remember, Harry was very candid about his past drug use -- including cocaine, weed and psychedelic mushrooms -- in his memoir "Spare."

While PH's hard-partying ways seem far behind him ... an applicant's past drug use may technically make them ineligible for a visa -- which is why many are curious about what Harry dished on his paperwork.

In response to the chatter, Donald has promised to take action if the Duke's visa had any inaccuracies -- but stayed coy on the specifics of his plan ... just like he had before.

Remember, this ain't the first time DT has suggested Harry may get the boot under a new potential term of his -- but he isn't outright saying the guy's got something to worry about.

Prince Harry currently resides in the U.S. on a visa, as he's yet to become an American citizen -- something he says he is still considering. His wife, Meghan Markle, is a natural-born U.S. citizen with their children, Archie and Lilibet, being dual citizens.

The Kate Middleton sighting that got reported on this week is real after all -- 'cause a new video of her during this outing has surfaced ... and TMZ's got a first look.

TMZ has obtained a clip that was taken of Kate Saturday while she and Prince William were visiting a business about a mile from their home in Windsor -- known as the Windsor Farm Shop -- where The Sun reported eyewitnesses saw them out and about this past weekend.

Onlookers felt she looked "happy, relaxed and healthy" as she strolled in the store -- a supermarket of sorts -- and the couple didn't seem to have a care in the world.

Their three kids weren't with them ... but The Sun also claimed they spent the first part of their Saturday watching the children play sports. At first, there was no real evidence to back up the report ... but now, the first actual visual of her here has surfaced, and it's 100% her.

As you see in this footage, obtained by TMZ, Kate looks relaxed in casual athletic wear ... rocking an all-black look with some pink trimming. Her gait is strong -- a good sign given her purported abdominal surgery. PW is right by her side as they walk out of the Farm Shop with bags in hand.

Nobody around looks to be bothering them ... and Kate, sure enough, does indeed look pretty cheerful here -- smiling wide and even carrying on a conversation with her husband.

One of the eyewitnesses who saw them, Nelson Silva, says ... "I noticed a couple choosing loaves of bread and the woman turned her face and I felt like I had seen the face before. It was familiar. I knew it from somewhere."

He adds, "I went to my car and as they came out of the shop I just filmed them. I think they walked out through a gate out of the grounds. They just vanished and I didn't see a car. I just wanted to share with my family footage and show just how normal they were."

Silva finishes ... "Kate looked happy and relaxed. They look happy just to be able to go to a shop and mingle. Kate looked relieved like it was a success going to a shop. It felt natural."

The couple was walking at a relatively brisk pace ... and Kate, on its face, seems to be okay. Frankly, it's as if nothing was ever wrong with her ... although, of course, we know she was in the hospital for a while for a serious procedure that took her out of commission.

The exact nature of her ailment was never made clear by Kensington Palace officials.

BTW, for all the skeptics who might not believe this was taken as it's been relayed to us -- we've delved into the metadata ... and there's no doubt, this was filmed on Saturday right near the Prince and Princess of Wales' home in Windsor. So yes, it's a legitimate video.

Like we said, this is the first time we've seen Kate out in public -- outside of a car, that is -- since December -- and now that we're seeing her in the wild, on her own two feet, ya gotta wonder if this will satisfy conspiracy theorists who have taken over TikTok.

Remember, the Palace says she underwent abdominal surgery in January -- and was scheduled to be sidelined until at least Easter. Despite this timeline ... that hasn't stopped people from floating jokes/conspiracy theories, which got gravely serious on Mother's Day.

Of course, we're referring to the Photoshop fail seen 'round-the-world ... which showed that Kate (or someone at Kensington Palace) tried to pull a fast one on the public. There were 16 alterations made to the photo ... and it's been debunked as a fake many times over.

Kate ended up copping to it herself ... albeit, in nothing but a social media statement. Lots of people felt she was falling on the sword and that the Palace was behind the edits.

After that botched job ... everyone thought something very serious was going on -- but now, we're seeing Kate out and about and seemingly fine.

Are you believing your lying eyes?

Angel Reese is the latest celebrity victim of artificial intelligence gone bad after several nude images of the LSU hoop star hit the internet ... photos she's adamant are FAKE!!!

The 21-year-old college basketball star addressed the controversy on social media on Tuesday, writing point blank, "Creating fake AI pictures of me is crazy and weird AF!"

Despite the invasion of privacy (even though the pics are fugazi), the SEC Player of the Year is taking an upsetting situation and making the best of it ... all while making it clear she'd never pose nude on social media.

"Like i know im fine & seem to have an appeal to some but im literally 21 and yall doing this bs when i would neverrrrrr"

Of course, Angel has tons of fans ... and many ran to her defense.

"It's only bored people sweet Angel, put your eyes on the goal and that's a championship," a supporter responded on X.

Speaking of championships ... Reese, averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds, is preparing for March Madness. Her LSU squad is a three-seed in the Albany bracket, where they're hoping to run the table. The Tigers' first game is against 14-seeded Rice ... a contest they're heavily favored to win.

Louisiana State Univ. is looking to go back-to-back after winning a Natty last year under legendary coach Kim Mulkey.

Angel was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Sadly, for all the possibilities that come along with AI, there's also this ... and Reese isn't the first to have to deal with fraudulent images flooding the internet. In fact, Taylor Swift and Bobbi Althoff went through a similar situation recently.