NCAA

Deion Sanders' son, Shilo, will head into his first season at Colorado looking as fly as ever ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned he just copped a sweet new chain -- that features 28 carats of diamonds!!

Primetime's kid -- who transferred from Jackson State to Boulder after his dad made the same move earlier this year -- got the bling from Saki Diamonds ... and the drip has an awesome story behind it.

Shilo considers himself a force on the field -- and when he makes tackles, he says it leaves his opponents with headaches.

So, naturally, when Saki Diamonds went to make Shilo some custom jewelry -- he ended up icing out a "Headache" pendant for the Buffs cornerback ... and it came out awesome.

In addition to the 28 carats of VVS diamonds, it also comes with a 19-inch style ball and link chain ... and while it's unclear what Shilo paid for it, we're told a similar piece would run a normie over $30,000!!

Shilo joins Colorado after a great two seasons with JSU ... where he recorded five interceptions in addition to being named second-team All-SWAC in 2021. Shilo also played two seasons with the South Carolina Gamecocks before his time in Jackson.

By the way, he won't be the only young Sanders iced out heading into CU's season opener next month ... Saki also created a sweet 28-carat diamond chain for Shedeur last year.

Shareef O'Neal has already offered to help Bronny James in his recovery from his cardiac arrest ... revealing this week he's actually spoken with LeBron's son -- making it clear he'll be there for the 18-year-old if and when he needs assistance in his road to recovery.

Shaq's son, of course, survived his own heart health scare back in 2018 -- when he had to undergo a scary surgery to fix an irregularity in his ticker.

He told Good Morning America on Thursday that getting back to 100 percent following the procedure was anything but easy ... explaining that, initially, he couldn't even walk.

"What is my future looking like," he remembered wondering during his first days out of surgery. "That's when I kind of realized, I don't know if basketball is ever going to be an option again."

O'Neal, though, eventually returned to the court at full strength ... and he says his dad's words -- which he's now passing on to Bronny -- helped tremendously in getting back.

"He's like, 'If you make it out of this, you'll be the baddest man on the planet,'" Shareef said of Shaq's advice. "And that kind of just builds a fire up in you and makes you want to go back and get it."

It's unclear how similar Bronny's situation is to Shareef's -- few details surrounding the cause of James' medical emergency on Monday have been released -- but sources close to the situation have told TMZ he's doing well enough now that both LeBron and Savannah are feeling "relieved."

From here, however, it'll likely be a hard road for Bronny to get back on his feet and potentially return to USC's basketball team ... but Shareef made it abundantly evident he's going to do everything he can to help.

Livvy Dunne is too cool for school -- literally -- the LSU gymnast says she can't go to class like a normal college student due to "safety reasons."

The popular influencer -- who has millions of followers on social media -- opened up about her struggles with fame in an interview with Elle this week ... admitting she always has to be "careful" when she walks around campus in Baton Rouge, 'cause there are always people watching her every move.

In fact, the interdisciplinary studies major says fellow college kids even sometimes approach her for selfies ... but some interactions were not so friendly, and she had to switch up her routine as a result.

Dunne says she now handles all her studies online ... claiming, "There were some scares in the past, and I just want to be as careful as possible."

"I don’t want people to know my daily schedule and where I am."

Of course, Dunne has made a killing off her brand ... reportedly earning millions of dollars through Name, Image and Likeness deals.

Deion Sanders is back!!!

The Colorado football head coach has returned to campus after having surgeries last week ... and he was in such a good mood, he was caught on camera dancin' and groovin' to some old-school music in his office!!

Deion Sanders Jr. posted the fun footage to Primetime's social media page Tuesday afternoon ... showing the 55-year-old Buffalo head man sitting at his desk and blasting One Way's "Push."

You can tell the former Dallas Cowboys star was feeling great ... 'cause he was belting out some of the lyrics, while dancing up a storm in his chair.

It's all an amazing sight ... considering what the NFL legend had to go through just a couple days ago. You'll recall, he needed another procedure on his foot ... in addition to a surgery to remove some blood clots. The time with the doctors was so serious, it actually wiped him out of his scheduled appearance at Pac-12 Media Day.

But, Sanders Jr. wrote as a caption on the vid that everything appears to be going smoothly now.

"My dads 1st day back In the office and he was happy as can be!" Sanders Jr. said. "Even tho he's supposed to be at home resting… but he said 'I’ve got to see my Dogs.'"

"We’re about to shake up college football like never b4!"

LeBron James' son, Bronny, was rushed to a hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during a basketball workout, TMZ Sports has learned.

A James family spokesperson tells TMZ Sports ... "Yesterday while practicing Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest. Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU. We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when there is more information."

The spokesperson continues, "LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes."

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Sports ... a 911 call was made at 9:26 AM Monday from USC's Galen Center -- the venue where the team plays and practices -- and the 18-year-old hooper, who was unconscious, was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

Our sources say it was a Code 3 -- meaning the ambulance had lights and sirens going -- which signifies the seriousness of the emergency.

Bronny is a rising talent in his sport -- he recently committed to the Trojans and is expected to end up in the NBA.

Bronny was a McDonald's All-American during his high school senior season ... and LeBron has expressed his desire to play alongside his son in the League.

Bronny also followed in his dad's footsteps and competed in the slam dunk competition at the high school showcase in March.

Bronny will have a close friend to lean on in this situation if he needs one ... as Shaquille O'Neal's son, Shareef O'Neal, dealt with a heart issue of his own back in 2018 when he was a teenage basketball star. You'll recall, Shareef required surgery to fix an abnormality in his ticker ... and while it's unclear if Bronny's medical emergency is even remotely similar -- the two are good pals and appear to be totally fine in confiding with one another.

In fact, they were recently spotted out together in Hollywood earlier this month trying to party with one another at Saweetie's birthday bash.

Bronny -- who was just recently seen looking fine at the ESPY Awards two weeks ago with his family -- was a 4-star recruit who averaged 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists at Sierra Canyon during his senior season.

Shareef O'Neal just unleashed on a troll for blaming him for Bronny James' cardiac arrest ... calling out the distasteful comment in a fiery interaction on social media.

It all went down shortly after TMZ Sports broke the news of Bronny's medical emergency on Tuesday ... with one user referencing Shareef's own heart issues in an awful attempt to poke fun at the situation.

"Bronny started hanging with Shareef and now look," the tweet read. "@SSJreef stay yo ass away from him he’s destined for greatness not overseas 😆"

Shaq's son -- who had open-heart surgery to correct a right anomalous coronary artery in October 2018 -- got wind of the jab ... and he clapped back with a passionate response.

"That is very disrespectful of you to say," Shareef said in a since-deleted tweet. "I’ve been around Bronny for a very long time before this happened ... I’ll pray for you. You need help ... sick that you would even say something like that 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️#dummy."

Deion Sanders is going under the knife again -- Colorado's head coach is slated to have surgery on his leg and foot on Thursday ... but he says he'll be good to go for the Buffs' season opener in September.

The NFL legend shared the news in an Instagram video on Wednesday ... saying he'll miss Pac-12 media day on Friday as a result of the procedures.

The medical professional in the clip says Sanders will have work done on his left toes to get them straightened out ... in hopes they no longer give him pain when he wears shoes. Remember, Prime had to have two toes amputated on that same foot after complications from a surgery he underwent in September 2021.

Prime also mentions the hospital visit will also focus on blood clots in his leg ... after having the same procedure done on his other leg last month.

But the job won't be done just yet -- Sanders said he will also have to address a foot dislocation at a later date.

Sanders -- who's making his debut as Colorado's HC this season -- is in good spirits despite all the health issues ... and vows to be ready for Buffalo's season opener at TCU.

"I promise you when we go to TCU, I'm running out in front of our team, I promise you that."

Ohio State freshman receiver Carnell Tate's mother was tragically killed in a shooting on Sunday. She was just 40 years old.

Law enforcement says the fatal incident happened around 2 AM in the Garfield Park neighborhood in Chicago ... where a woman was shot multiple times in an alleged drive-by.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital ... where she, unfortunately, succumbed to her injuries. She was later identified as Ashley Griggs, Tate's mother.

Four others, aged 38 to 42, were also injured in the shooting. Reports say they are in fair condition.

Chicago PD says one of the injured victims claimed the shooter was "traveling in a vehicle at the time of the shooting."

Tate -- a Chicago native -- moved to Florida to play at IMG Academy, where he averaged 20.3 yards during his senior year in 2022. He was 247Sports' 22nd-ranked player in the country.

The 4-star prospect committed to OSU that December ... and is considered one of the best incoming freshman receivers.

Ashley was excited about Tate's upcoming season -- in fact, one of Griggs' last posts was about his No. 17 Buckeyes jersey going up for sale online.

Lil Wayne was undeniably a vital part of this year's ESPY Awards ... the Young Money rap star had every athlete in the building rocking when he opened the event with a sports-themed rendition of his classic banger "A Milli!!!"

The electrifying performance peaked when Wayne went into the crowd and bounced with reigning Super Bowl champ Travis Kelce, but the hip-hop legend wasn't done highlighting the festivities.

Weezy F. Baby later introduced WNBA 🐐 Sue Bird to the podium and linked up with Angel Reese, 2 Chainz and NBA champ Jamal Murray throughout the evening.

Backstage, Wayne and Quavo dapped it up, and we're told it was the first time they've seen one another since Lil Weezyana Fest last year -- which, tragically, was Takeoff's final show before he was killed.

We're also told Wayne's choice of attire was intentional -- he repped for the late Kobe Bryant in a "Mamba Mentality" sweater, and also donned an LSU hat to signify women's accomplishments ... most notably Angel and Flau'jae Johnson, who has a song collab with Wayne dropping soon.

Former LSU women's basketball star Danielle Ballard -- who helped lead the Tigers to the Sweet 16 in 2014 -- was tragically killed on Thursday ... after she was struck by a car in Tennessee.

She was just 29 years old.

The Memphis Police Department said the incident happened at around 1:30 AM at an intersection just a few miles away from the FedExForum in Memphis.

Cops said she was rushed to a local hospital after she was hit ... but she was sadly pronounced dead at the facility a short time later.

"The driver stayed on the scene," the MPD added in a statement. "This is an ongoing investigation."

Ballard was a standout for the Tigers during her time in Baton Rouge, averaging 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 steals in her three seasons (2012-15).

Among the accolades that she racked up in her tenure included Most Valuable Player honors and a selection to the All-SEC Defensive Team. She also earned recognition as the LSWA Louisiana Freshman of the Year.

Prior to joining LSU, Ballard was considered one of the best female high school players in the nation, being ranked No. 25 overall by ESPN after leading her Memphis Central team to its first class 3A state title in 89 years.

Fans of Ballard flooded social media following the news of her death ... with many leaving their thoughts and prayers on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Add this to the list of awesome things Flau'jae Johnson's done since winning the National Championship ... the LSU hoops star performed in front of a packed crowd, including LeBron James, at a star-studded ESPY's after-party on Wednesday!

Johnson put on a show for The King and other big-time celebs at Uninterrupted's after-party in Los Angeles (Uninterrupted was founded by LBJ and biz partner Maverick Carter in 2014).

Johnson performed her hit single, "Clickbait" -- a remix of Latto's "Put It on Da Floor" -- and the crowd loved it!

But, she wasn't the only hip hop artist that hit the stage ... Quavo also pulled up and did "Hotel Lobby" and "Bad and Boujee."

Of course, James was all smiles, dancing the night away ... just hours after the Lakers superstar won the award for Best Record-Breaking Performance. LeBron also announced he's not retiring from the NBA.

Thalia Chaverria, a 20-year-old, junior soccer player at New Mexico State University was found dead in her home earlier this week. Cops are investigating, but don't believe foul play was involved.

The Las Cruces Police Department was called to the New Mexico home of Chaverria, who hailed from Bakersfield, CA, around 7 AM Monday morning for an "unresponsive woman." When first responders arrived, Thalia was already deceased.

Police say they "have no reason to believe Chaverria’s death is suspicious or the result of criminal activity."

New Mexico State's Athletic Director Mario Moccia released a statement addressing Chaverria’s death.

"[Monday] we lost an amazing young woman, and we are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of a member of our Aggie family. Thalia had a vibrant personality and those who were fortunate enough to spend time with her knew she had a bright future ahead of her," Moccia said.

"The New Mexico State community is very tight-knit, and this tragedy is felt throughout. Our most sincere thoughts and prayers go out to Thalia's family and friends in this time of mourning."

Head coach Rob Baarts also commented ... "The sudden loss of Thalia has completely rocked our Aggie soccer families' world. T was an inspiration and rock to this team. She will be missed but not forgotten. Her spirit will be with us every day, on and off the pitch. I will always love you T!"

Thalia, a defender, was going into her third season with the Aggies ... where she was expected to play a pivotal role on the team.

Last season Chaverria started 20 games, logging nearly 1,800 game time minutes ... a season in which NM St. earned its first-ever WAC conference title in women's soccer.

In the wake of the awful news, a Chaverria family friend has started a GoFundMe to help cover expenses related to the death.

Forget Stipe Miocic ... Jon Jones apparently found a new rival at an ESPYs after-party Wednesday night -- 7-foot-4 Purdue hoops star Zach Edey!!!

The guys hit up The Pendry West Hollywood for the Talent Resources Sports bash in Los Angeles following the awards show ... and for some reason, Edey decided to test his reach against the UFC's best heavyweight.

The two traded a few jabs while cameras snapped away -- but don't worry, it was all completely in jest ... Edey's definitely too smart for that!!!

Following their impromptu shadowboxing session ... the fighter and the hooper posed for pics together -- and then partied the night away at an event that was packed full of celebs.

Damar Hamlin, Jamal Murray and Braxton Berrios were all there ... as were ESPN personalities Chris Berman and Hannah Storm.

They all had a lot to celebrate too ... as the ESPYs were a huge hit.

Forget diamond pendants ... Univ. of Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels pulled up to Big 12 Media Day with something far cooler around his neck -- a mini-TV that plays his highlights!!

The Jayhawks signal-caller paired it with a crisp, tan suit and red tie ... telling reporters his whole inspiration for the chain was to pay homage to his journey to stardom at KU.

"Just a reminder to everyone I'm walking around, this is what I do," he said as the piece showed him piling up yards. "I like to play football. I like to play quarterback. I like to score touchdowns."

TMZ Sports has learned ... Daniels got the bling from Ivy J Jeweler in Los Angeles -- after the QB's dad saw store owner Gambit wearing a similar one earlier this year.

Gambit said Daniels hit him up just after his pops told him about it ... and the jeweler got to work right away on creating the junior a custom piece.

We're told Jalon's drip is made with 18 carats of VS diamonds ... and also features his "JD6" logo. It all sits on a Cuban link ... and according to Gambit, it cost around $50K.

As for the live pendant, Gambit tells us it's interchangeable -- saying Daniels can upload up to four minutes of any video he wants on it. It all charges like an Apple watch too, Gambit added.

"You can literally have a new chain every day," he said.

Gambit said Daniels -- who threw for 2,014 yards and 17 touchdowns last season -- is the first college athlete to rock his tech chain ... though he has made several other similar pieces for NBA players and UFC stars. He's now hoping the attention Daniels' piece gets opens the door for more football-playing clients.

Lincoln Riley can cook opposing defenses with his playbook, but he still needs some serious help when it comes to preparing food ... 'cause USC's head football coach is getting ripped apart AGAIN for his most recent kitchen creation.

Two years after he was mocked to hell for his awful-looking Easter brisket, the leader of the Trojans' sideline still hasn't learned his lesson ... and this time, his victim was an innocent tuna.

The 39-year-old coach shared a pic of a cooked fish caught by his WR coach Dennis Simmons (sorry to bring ya into this, coach) this week ... and a lot of his followers struggled to figure out what it was by the time he was done with it.

"Did you smoke a red velvet cake?" one confused Twitter user said.

"Feed the team this before the Oregon game," another user added. "Will clear a locker room out faster than Rona."

There's more -- "IDC if this is filet mignon or tuna. I don't trust this dude on the grill any more than I do with a defense."

"You can afford a private chef, for the love of god get one," a pretty logical tweet pointed out.

Some users were trying to help out by suggesting different temperatures and using other seasonings... but ultimately, the general consensus is the dude is pretty much hopeless.

Despite the backlash, it doesn't seem Lincoln will be feeding into the hate anytime soon ... and who knows -- maybe you'll see him on a future episode of "Worst Cooks in America!!!"

Former WNBA star and ex-Tennessee Lady Volunteers hooper Nikki McCray-Penson has tragically passed away at 51 years old.

The heartbreaking news was confirmed to The Tennesean on Friday by Rutgers University, where McCray-Penson had been working as an assistant coach for the women's basketball team.

The school did not provide a cause of death ... but Univ. of Tenn. reporter Maria Cornelius said McCray-Penson passed away after battling breast cancer for a second time.

The former guard starred at Tennessee in the 1990s ... winning SEC Player of the Year twice (1994, 1995) -- as well as earning Kodak All-American honors twice.

Following her stint with the Vols, she went on to become a three-time WNBA All-Star ... while playing eight seasons for the Mystics, Fever, Mercury, Silver Stars and Sky.

She also won two gold Olympic medals with Team USA in her career ... and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Her coaching tenure began in 2006 ... when she was hired to be an assistant on Western Kentucky's staff. She later became a head coach for Old Dominion, where she won C-USA Coach of the Year in 2019-2020. She then had a stint as Mississippi State's head coach ... before she began her career at Rutgers in 2022.

McCray-Penson also had a significant impact off the court ... she was selected by Bill Clinton to be a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She was also picked by the Library of Congress as a speaker for the Women's History Month Address in 1999.

News of the death has rocked the basketball world ... with many stars remembering her fondly after learning of her passing.

"Nikki McCray : Sweet person and cold hooper!," ex-NBA star Chris Webber wrote. "Rest in Peace."

Added Dick Vitale, "I am so heartbroken hearing this news a few minutes ago about Nikki McCray - Penson . Loved everything about Nikki - she was a Hall of Famer as a player & as a person . May Nikki RIP."

Lady Vols senior Rickea Jackson, who played under McCray-Penson at Mississippi St., also tweeted her condolences to the McCray-Penson family.

"One of the most beautiful souls I've ever met," Jackson said. "The one who genuinely went out their way to understand me when I was so misunderstood. The one who was always there."

"You fought so long and hard and I am grateful to have known you. I love you. Rest easy."