Awards / Awards Shows

LeBron James' childhood basketball coach says he's "honored" to be a part of the superstar's journey to becoming the top scorer in NBA history ... telling TMZ Sports he couldn't be happier for the King.

Dru Joyce -- who first noticed LeBron's potential at just 10 years old -- played a huge part in shaping the 4-time NBA champ's career ... coaching James and the "Fab Five" to a state championship at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary in 2003.

We spoke with Coach Dru about LeBron passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring list ... and he couldn't help but reminisce about their earliest memories together.

"It was an honor to know the little kid who used to be at my house, days on end, and young man I watched him grow into in high school, to now reach this historic moment in professional basketball ... I don't have the words to describe it."

"It's a special feeling, and to know we've been a part of the journey, it makes it even more special."

Joyce even recalls advice he gave LeBron at an early age ... and praised how James was already mature enough to make the right adjustments and get better -- parts of his game Coach notices he still uses to this day.

Joyce also sends a special message directly to LeBron ... saying, "You're the greatest of all time. It's a special time, and the way you've gone about it makes it even more special."

"Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this journey. I've enjoyed it -- much love. I'm kind of taken for words, but 28 years ago, I just remember knocking on your door ... and little did I know where this journey was going to take us. So proud and happy to be part of that journey."

As for LeBron, he also spoke about his journey to the top of the scoring list ... referencing the famous Cedar Point amusement park to get his point across.

Damar Hamlin just received an incredible honor from the NFL Players Association ... and in his speech accepting the award, he told a throng of reporters that he was thankful to God "for being here."

The NFLPA presented Hamlin with the Alan Page Community Award at a ceremony at a Super Bowl event Wednesday afternoon ... recognizing him as a player who went above and beyond to perform community service in his team city and/or hometown.

Hamlin hopped on the mic after taking the trophy -- and spoke publicly for one of the first times since he went into cardiac arrest during a game last month.

"First, I just want to say, 'Thank you,'" Hamlin said. "Just thank God for being here and thank the other guys who were nominated for the award as well who did the work in their communities alongside me as well."

Hamlin beat out four others -- Patriots DB Jonathan Jones, Commanders OL Charles Leno Jr., Raiders TE Darren Waller, and Buccaneers linebacker Devin White -- for the prestigious honor.

In his acceptance speech, Hamlin said giving back to his community "has always been a big part of who I am." He thanked his father for instilling that value in him when he was young.

Even before his medical emergency, Hamlin had found ways to inspire others in his community ... hosting toy drives constantly, and distributing gifts to children in need in Pennsylvania through his Chasing M's Foundation.

Damar actually created a GoFundMe page for his non-profit org. -- and following his health scare, it raised over $9 million.

Andy Reid does NOT need a second Super Bowl title this weekend to cement his eventual place in Canton ... so says ex-NFL head coach Brad Childress, who tells TMZ Sports the Chiefs honcho is already a Hall of Fame lock.

Reid's resume is ultra-impressive -- he's been a head coach for 24 seasons and has piled up a staggering 247 wins to just 138 losses ... but, some have wondered if dropping his Super Bowl record to 1-3 Sunday could somehow hold him back from eventual enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Childress, though, told us this week there's no chance that happens ... even if the 64-year-old loses to the Philadelphia Eagles in Arizona.

"He's already a Hall of Fame guy," Childress said. "All [a win] does is put some sprinkles on top of the sundae."

In fact, Childress -- who coached for years as an assistant on several of Reid's staffs -- said he believes the K.C. head man already has a case to be on the Mt. Rushmore of all-time NFL coaches.

"His professional career is second to none," Childress said.

As for if this could possibly be the finale of Reid's career -- there's been speculation he could choose to ride off into the sunset with a win -- Childress said there's certainly a chance ... though unlikely.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar might have mixed feelings when his scoring record gets broken ... but John Salley says the Lakers legend should ultimately be proud to pass the torch to LeBron James when he passes the Hall of Famer on the all-time list.

The 4-time NBA champ broke it down for TMZ Sports at LAX ... comparing the situation to another sports record that many believe to be impossible to break.

"The same way my boy Eric Dickerson thinks about anybody trying to break his record ... you don't want nobody to break your record!" the 58-year-old told us.

Nonetheless, Salley still believes Kareem will come around and give James his flowers when the Lakers star beats his record of 38,387 points.

"I think Kareem will take his hat off to him, be proud of him," Salley said. "He should."

Salley's comment may come off as shocking since he didn't believe LeBron was gonna break Kareem's record to begin with ... saying on Shannon Sharpe's Club Shay Shay podcast a few months ago, "I think they’re not going to let him get it."

He's obviously had a change of heart since then ... saying, statistically, James will be "the greatest player to ever play" and the way he carries himself off the court is admirable.

"What he's doing in television, film, the dude has definitely set the bar what a professional athlete is supposed to do," Salley said.

"I said I didn't think anybody was ever gonna break his record, but I'm so happy LeBron is breaking his record."

James is only a few points away from becoming the all-time scorer ... and barring something crazy, it's definitely happening.

If an artist begins carving a new sports Mt. Rushmore into the side of a mountain in South Dakota in the upcoming weeks ... Deion Branch tells TMZ Sports Tom Brady is a for-sure lock to have a place in it.

The ex-NFL star insisted Wednesday just hours after Brady called it a career -- for real this time (we think) -- the former Buccaneers and Patriots quarterback has done enough to be considered one of the unanimous four best athletes ever.

Branch didn't want to say where he'd rank TB12 amongst the quartet -- but he said the ex-signal caller definitely belongs in the same conversations as the Michael Jordans, Wayne Gretzkys and Derek Jeters of the sports world.

"We do know that Tom is the greatest to ever put on a football jersey," Branch said ... before adding, "Tom will go down as the greatest football player to ever play the game."

Of course, Branch is a bit biased -- he played seven seasons with Brady in New England, winning two Super Bowls and an SB MVP with the QB -- but there won't be too many people arguing against his opinion.

Brady played 23 seasons in the league, winning seven Super Bowls and three MVP awards. He also made 15 Pro Bowl teams, 3 All-Pro teams, and retired as the NFL's leader in passing yards (89,214) and passing touchdowns (649).

Branch tells us the QB should have absolutely no regrets about not hanging things up sooner ... and, in fact, he said he's happy for the 45-year-old over the way he got to do it all.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame unsealed its nominations for its 2023 class on Wednesday, and hip hop legends Missy Elliott and A Tribe Called Quest are on the ballot with rock and R&B royalty!!!

Missy has been teasing a musical comeback for months now, which could certainly be spurred on by the nomination ... which comes in her first year of eligibility, no less.

The veteran songwriter/producer shared her excitement with fans on IG and urged them to vote.

A Tribe Called Quest -- Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and the late Phife Dawg -- are hoping the 2nd time's a charm ... the Queens icons were nominated in 2022, but didn't get the votes.

Should they make the cut, Missy and ATCQ will mark the 11th and 12th hip hop acts to infiltrate the Rock Hall ... with Eminem being the most recent just last year.

No, the Eagles' MVP ain't their star quarterback ... it's actually their best offensive lineman -- so says ex-Philadelphia tight end Trey Burton, who tells TMZ Sports Jason Kelce is more deserving of the honor than Jalen Hurts.

Don't get it twisted ... Burton wasn't shading Jalen at all -- he called the guy "spectacular" this year -- he just thinks that highly of Philly's center.

"I've played on a couple teams," said the 31-year-old, who was a teammate of Kelce's for years in Philadelphia. "There hasn't been one guy that is comparable to Jason Kelce."

Burton said the 35-year-old future Hall of Famer does it all for the offense in Philly -- explaining to us Kelce calls out protection schemes in both the running game and the passing game.

"When you go to your battle you hope you have him standing next to you," Burton said. "And, you can look at him and everything's going to be all right. Just this calming presence that he has."

Hurts likely wouldn't disagree -- Kelce has been a big reason he's had a breakout year ... helping give the QB enough time to throw 22 touchdowns while rushing for 13 more.

Of course, Hurts -- not Kelce -- is up for the league's real MVP award this year ... alongside Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Jefferson and Josh Allen.

Emmett Till's family is saddened and stunned the Motion Picture Academy overlooked the film about this tragic and pivotal story in American history ... and it did so in every Oscar category.

Emmett's cousin and cofounder of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, Deborah Watts, tells TMZ ... the family is extremely disappointed the movie "Till" and its lead actress Danielle Deadwyler -- who plays Emmett's mom -- received zero nominations.

Deborah says Danielle "embodied and delivered the true essence of our cousin, a loving and courageous mother, Mamie Till Mobley. She reached deeply and poured her heart and soul in this role as she embraced us intimately like no other, while transforming into Mamie and bringing her true essence and story to life."

As you know, the film tells the story of Emmett's 1955 abduction and lynching in Mississippi ... which sent shockwaves across the nation when a photo of his brutally beaten body was made public.

The family's sentiment about Danielle being snubbed falls in line with a social media trend -- folks pointing out no Black women were nominated in the Best Actor category ... and this wouldn't be the first time.

Some users noted Viola Davis was another worthy contender for her performance in the box office hit, "The Woman King".

Going forward, Deborah says "The Emmett Till Legacy Family and community of supporters will ensure Emmett and Mamie's legacies and story will continue to be told with or without any awards."

Danielle has yet to react publicly -- we reached out to her reps, but the reality is, actors rarely say anything about snubs.

Austin Butler is celebrating his first Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Elvis Presley ... but the honor comes on the heels of tragedy.

The 31-year-old actor snagged his Academy Award nomination for best actor Tuesday for his performance of Elvis in the Baz Luhrmann movie "Elvis." Austin plays the King of Rock n' Roll from a teen up until his death.

Obviously, the nomination marks a huge accomplishment for the actor, and you have to imagine Lisa Marie would be thrilled ... so it's even more tragic she's not around to celebrate.

As you know, Elvis' famed daughter died January 12, after going into cardiac arrest ... first, at her California home, and then later the same day while she was in the hospital.

Lisa's family members, friends and countless Elvis fans just gathered Sunday at Graceland for a public memorial. The Memphis, TN estate is also where Elvis is also buried along with Lisa Marie's son, Benjamin, who she's buried next to.

A week before she passed away, Lisa Marie attended the Golden Globe Awards with her mom, Priscilla Presley, where Austin Butler won for best actor in a drama for his portrayal of the music legend.

The 28th annual Critics' Choice Awards went off without a hitch Sunday night ... and while celebs were takin' home gold all night long, they were having loads of fun when the cameras WEREN'T rolling,

Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan hugged it out behind the scenes, marking another emotional get-together for the 2 since last working together in 1992's "Encino Man." They both were winners of the night -- Brendan for "The Whale" and Ke for "Everything Everywhere All At Once."

Award season frontrunners Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett -- who won for Best Actress -- buddied up for the camera backstage, too!

Angela Bassett, who took home the award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," was all smiles at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in L.A.

It was a 'Big Lebowski' reunion, too -- as good buds John Goodman and Jeff Bridges were cheesin' hard together ... as you know, John had the honor of presenting Jeff with this year's Lifetime Achievement Award.

ICYMI -- Brendan gave an incredibly emotional acceptance speech for his win, breaking down while telling the crowd he was recently "in the wilderness," and is grateful to have been rediscovered. What followed those remarks was just as powerful.

Chelsea Handler isn't afraid to let Prince Harry know how she feels about all the intimate details he's been sharing ... as she made his royal family jewels the butt of some icy jokes at the Critics Choice Awards.

The comedian took the stage Sunday night in L.A., and during her opening monologue she took some jabs at a ton of folks ... including Harry and his recently released memoir, "Spare."

Chelsea was talking about Niecy Nash-Betts' nomination for the Netflix series "Dahmer", but deftly segued to poke fun at the Duke of Sussex.

She said, "Dahmer became the third highest viewed show on Netflix with a combined watch time of 1 billion hours, which apparently is the same amount of time we're going to have to listen to Prince Harry talk about his frostbitten penis. It's enough, already".

And, it seemed to go over well with a lot of the audience ... cause she got laughs all around the room.

Of course, she was referring to details from Harry's book, where he shares his John Thomas got frostbitten back in 2011 during a charity trek to the North Pole.

Prince Harry wasn't the only one to catch some strays from Chelsea ... she also made fun of James Corden and his restaurant debacle.

Brendan Fraser delivered a rousing speech at the Critics Choice Awards after taking home a big win -- and by the end of it, he pretty much had the whole room in tears.

The actor was presented with one of the top honors of the night -- Best Actor for his role in "The Whale" -- and when he got onstage, he immediately got emotional as he thanked his costars, as well as the writer and director of the Oscar-buzzy film.

Eventually, BF dropped the most poignant line ... saying he was recently "in the wilderness," and is grateful to have been rediscovered. What followed those remarks was just as powerful.

Brendan broke down with his closing words, evoking a standing O and a lot of waterworks out in the audience. He's been a clear favorite throughout this entire awards season ... and you can tell folks are happy for him.

As you might know ... he's been absent from mainstream Hollywood for years, and until somewhat recently, had faded into obscurity -- only to bounce back now with "The Whale."

In the flick, Brendan plays a morbidly obese man who's trying to rekindle a relationship with his teen daughter -- while also struggling with his health and mental health problems. His performance had been getting rave reviews since 'Whale' first debuted last year.

Of course, he didn't win at the Golden Globes -- Austin Butler did for "Elvis" -- but some have speculated politics might have been at play there. Brendan didn't even attend the Globes ... the reason being, he publicly accused the HFPA's former Prez of sexual assault in 2018.

Janelle Monae won the SeeHer Award at the Critics Choice show this weekend -- and it seems she wore something that was pretty on theme ... 'cause everyone got an eyeful.

The actress/singer hit the red carpet Sunday at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in L.A., where she was one of the clear standouts of the night in terms of fashion ... wearing an elegant black dress that appears to be from Vera Wang's Spring 2023 collection.

Of course, while she looked great ... what really turned heads was the fact that her gown was see-through, especially upstairs -- where she didn't seem to be wearing a bra.

There were other somewhat revealing cutouts in the dress -- around the pelvis area -- that made it a total stunner ... and Janelle pulled it off with style. She's naturally a knockout, but a lot of people were kinda shocked she went out there like this ... showing off the bod!

Eventually, she accepted her award for the night -- which was meant to honor artists who offer up representation and authenticity in their roles and performances and work ... and Janelle does both in film and in her music. She acknowledged as much in her speech.

JM identified her pronouns (she/her, they/them) ... and made a point to shout out any LGBT kids at home who might live with families who don't accept them. She said, "I see you."

Austin Butler's Golden Globes speech is suddenly carrying even more weight after Lisa Marie Presley's death ... because tears were shed as he told her he'd love her "forever."

As you know, Austin took home the gold Tuesday night for his portrayal of Lisa Marie's father, Elvis Presley ... and now that she's passed, his speech is going viral as social media users are even more touched by his words.

The actor went through his list of thank yous, before stopping to offer special gratitude to the Presley family -- specifically Lisa Marie and her mother Priscilla Presley, who were both in the audience. He thanked them dearly for opening themselves up to the project, adding "I love you forever."

Lisa Marie got really emotional during Austin's big win, and folks online took the moment to heart ... with one saying the exchange is "extra powerful now," and another calling it "shockingly sad."

TMZ broke the story ... Lisa was rushed to the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest Thursday morning.

Sources told us EMTs were able to regain a pulse before she was transported, but tragically was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The mother of one of Jeffrey Dahmer's victims is pissed Evan Peters won a Golden Globe for portraying the serial killer on Netflix ... she says he should've paid tribute to the victims.

Shirley, the mother of Dahmer victim Tony Hughes, tells TMZ ... Evan should have used his acceptance speech to mention the families who are still suffering from Dahmer's crimes, or to say Hollywood should put an end to telling stories about killers and glorifying them.

Evan won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for his work playing Jeffrey Dahmer in the Netflix miniseries "Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" ... and in his acceptance speech, he told the audience he hoped something good would come from his win, and the series.

Shirley's scoffed ... saying nothing good will come from Evan's award for the Netflix series. She says it just adds to the grief for the families of the people Dahmer killed, replaying the tragedy over and over.

Tony's mom also had this to say about Evan's big night ... "There's a lot of sick people around the world, and people winning acting roles from playing killers keeps the obsession going and this makes sick people thrive on the fame."

Also in his speech, Evan mentioned how hard it was to do the Dahmer series ... but Shirley's questioning why he took the role in the first place. She says he shouldn't have played the role out of respect for the families still living with heartbreak from losing loved ones.

Bottom line for Shirley ... "It's a shame that people can take our tragedy and make money. The victims never saw a cent. We go through these emotions every day."

This year's Golden Globes host, Jerrod Carmichael, garnered gasps when he mentioned Whitney Houston's death during the show -- something the estate was equally shocked by.

Pat Houston -- Whitney's longtime manager and sister-in-law -- tells TMZ through a rep ... "The Whitney Houston Estate is disappointed in the joke, and felt it was in poor taste." Pat is the sole executor of the estate, BTW ... so she controls all things Whitney-related.

As for whether Carmichael's joke was alerted to anyone connected to Whitney prior to Tuesday's broadcast -- sources with direct knowledge tell us nobody was given a heads-up.

It's unclear if anyone at NBC knew JC was going to mention Whitney during his hosting gig -- in the moment, his remark seemed off the cuff ... and it very well may have been.

In case you missed it ... after the Globes came back from commercial break at one point, Carmichael said he had been asked to shout out the venue, after which he quipped ... "So, we are here, live, from the hotel that killed Whitney Houston, the Beverly Hilton."

Of course, he's referring to the fact Whitney overdosed in one of the hotel rooms back in 2012. Some folks laughed, but a lot more seemed taken aback and others even groaned.

It was just one of the controversial moments from Jerrod -- another came when he mentioned Shelly Miscavige ... a high-ranking Scientologist who's been out of public view for years.