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Working out at 5 AM sounds like torture, but Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams tells TMZ Sports he's actually loving his early sweat sessions with DeMar DeRozan ... praising his teammate for being a great mentor!!

The 14-year vet has enlisted his younger teammates to join him in the gym before the crack of dawn this offseason ... with the 2020 fourth-overall pick being one of those guys.

We caught up with Williams in L.A. this week ... and he said the workouts are going "real well," and he's improving all aspects of his game.

The former Florida State star praised DeRozan as a player and a mentor ... saying, "[There aren't] a lot of guys like him, for sure."

"He doesn't get half of the credit he deserves."

As for his expectations for the upcoming season, Williams has only one thing on his mind.

"Win. That's always the goal. That's the main focus coming in. Obviously, everybody kind of has their personal accolades of what they wanna see but winning takes care of everything. That's always been mine."

11:12 AM PT -- LeBron just posted a video of Bronny playing the piano, seemingly further confirming that his boy is doing alright.

LBJ wrote, "GRAND RISING!! God Is Great! @bronny YOU ARE AMAZING!!! Simple as that! Keep going Young 🤴🏾!!! We’re here right with you every step of the way!"

LeBron James took the whole fam out for dinner in L.A. Friday night ... and his son, Bronny, was right there by his side looking better than ever.

The Lakers legend was spotted heading inside Giorgio Baldi restaurant in Santa Monica with his wife, Savannah, and his kids Bryce, Zhuri and, of course, Bronny, who was the main attraction after his medical scare this week.

Check out these photos, obtained by TMZ, which show LeBron arm in arm with Bronny, who appears strong and alert.

This is great news after what happened Monday when 18-year-old Bronny went into cardiac arrest while working out at the University of Southern California's Galen Center.

TMZ broke the story ... and the 911 audio revealed just how frightening and chaotic the incident was for Bronny, who initially fell unconscious, but was awake by the time paramedics transported him to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for treatment.

Bronny, who signed on to play for USC's basketball team in the spring, felt well enough to be released from the hospital Thursday.

LeBron has said Bronny is doing well, although doctors are still trying to determine what caused the teen's health issue.

The fact Bronny James is home recovering tonight has everything to do with the absolute urgency with which someone called for help when he suffered a cardiac arrest, and the 911 call reveals the gravity of the moment.

TMZ Sports obtained the call, made by someone at USC's Galen Center at 9:26 AM Monday ... and the caller got right to the point by saying, "Get an ambulance here now!"

As we first reported, LeBron James' son was in the middle of a basketball workout at the arena when he collapsed ... and it's clear the caller understood time was of the essence. After he demanded an ambulance, the 911 operator asks if there's a doctor or registered nurse on the scene to aid with CPR, and the caller says no.

The operator reassured the caller that paramedics were already on the way. We know 18-year-old Bronny was unconscious when the call went out for help.

However, doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was taken, have said he was alert by the time he reached the hospital -- a credit to the paramedics who worked on him at the Galen Center and in the ambulance.

On Thursday, doctors discharged Bronny from the hospital, and, according to LeBron ... his son is doing well, although doctors are still trying to determine what triggered the cardiac arrest.

One thing we all learned in the wake of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin's on-field cardiac arrest ... time makes all the difference in these types of crises, and it seems everyone around Bronny understood that mission when he went down.

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.