RIP

U.S. Senator and former NBA star Bill Bradley is remembering his beloved teammate, Willis Reed, following the Knicks legend's tragic passing this week ... saying he'll always remember "The Captain" as "a man with great dignity and strength."

Bradley -- who served as a United States Senator of New Jersey (1979 to 1997) after retiring from the NBA -- joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) where he talked about his teammate who remained his friend long after their playing days were over.

Of course, Reed and Bradley won two titles together ('70 & '73) during their stellar careers in The Big Apple ... but Bill believes a big reason why the Knicks took home their first title in 1970 was because Reed shocked everyone and suited up for Game 7, despite being injured.

"He was a tremendous leader," Bradley said. "And, you don't always have players who so overtly put their whole career on the line for their teammates, which is what he did in 1970."

"We won the championship and it was partly inspired by Willis' courage and dedication to his team," Bradley said. "You really just felt everything elevate in The Garden."

Bradley didn't only star on the pro level ... he was one of the greatest college basketball players ever.

His alma mater, Princeton, a #15-seed, will face #6-seed Creighton in the Sweet 16 on Friday ... after the team pulled off two upset wins over Arizona and Missouri last week.

Bradley -- an AP College Player of the Year who also won Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA tourney in 1965 -- doesn't believe the Cinderella run has to end here ... he wholeheartedly believes the Tigers can win.

"They stand a great chance," the 79-year-old said.

"They're playing seemingly well. I like the team and, of course, I respect Mitch a lot and it's great for the university."

Now, the Senator isn't guaranteeing Princeton's going to the Final Four, but like he says ... "anything is possible in sports."

A sickening story out of St. Louis as a local man -- who goes by the rap name Woozy The Goat -- has been accused of killing his own grandparents.

Lincoln Co. Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood tells us Davionne McRoberts walked into a psych ward covered in blood earlier this week ... he's been tied to the murders of his grandparents Donald and Kathy McRoberts, who were found dead in their home.

Wood told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch McRoberts is currently being held in the mental hospital under police watch.

There aren't many details yet on the specifics of the murders, but local law enforcement was reportedly looking for Davionne Tuesday night before he essentially surrendered himself to the psych ward.

Davionne's rap persona Woozy The Goat has a very small social media following and appears to have dropped some songs on SoundCloud. He posted some very disturbing messages on Facebook in the time leading up to his grandparents' deaths ... declaring he was God.

In one of the messages, he wrote, "WHO WANNA DIE TODAY? Y'all don't believe me? Come show me I'm not god."

Another reads, "Hey I really am god truly everyone I'm trying to help you all but I came to terms y'all got too comfy in hell I'm not trying to take peoples money when I say donate to $WoozyTheGoat I'm trying to show y'all new life ..."

Kayleigh Scott, a transgender flight attendant famous for appearing in a United Airlines commercial, is dead ... and it appears to be a suicide.

The 25-year-old was found dead Monday in her Denver, CO apartment ... the same day she posted on social media about planning to end her life.

In the Instagram post, Kayleigh wrote ... "As I take my final breaths and exit this living earth, I would like to apologize to everyone I let down. I am so sorry I could not be better. To those that I love, I am sorry I could not be stronger. To those that gave me their everything, I am sorry my effort was not reciprocated."

The post was flooded with comments from concerned fans, with many saying they were calling police in Denver to conduct a welfare check.

Kayleigh's post also continued ... "Please understand that me leaving is not a reflection of you, but the result of my own inability to turn myself for the better. To Ashley, Cynthia, Regine & Sophia. I am so sorry. Please remember me for the good memories we have shared, and never for my downfall. I will see you all again on the other side."

Her sister, Ashley, commented on the IG post confirming Kayleigh's death.

Kayleigh famously shared her transition story in a 2020 United Airlines commercial for Trans Day of Visibility ... thanking the airline for helping her transition.

Police in Denver are investigating ... and the city's medical examiner will determine an official cause of death.

Kayleigh was 25.

RIP

Stephen Smith's mom fired off a letter to the FBI about the mishandling of her son's death investigation, saying he was murdered for being gay and naming Buster Murdaugh as a possible suspect.

Sandy Smith sent the 4-page letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2016, hoping the agency would take over the case from local South Carolina authorities, whom she believed had covered up critical evidence in the case.

As you know, Stephen was found dead in the middle of a country road in Hampton County near the Murdaugh family estate on July 8, 2015. Police initially thought Stephen's death was a "homicide" because there were no signs he'd been struck by a vehicle. Yet, the pathologist who performed the autopsy ruled that it was a hit-and-run, but Stephen's manner of death was left undetermined.

In the letter, obtained by FITSNews, Sandy wrote Stephen's older brother, Christopher, was told by a classmate that Buster Murdaugh allegedly killed Stephen with a baseball bat because Stephen was gay. Buster is the eldest son of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh, who is serving life in prison for murdering his wife and younger son.

Sandy said Buster and the classmate were smashing mailboxes around town when they came upon Stephen, and Buster "seized the opportunity."

Sandy also claimed Buster threatened to kill the classmate if he spoke out about what happened. The information was allegedly turned over to local investigators, but nothing ever materialized.

What's more, Sandy said Stephen was apparently dating "someone from a prominent family in the county who was hiding his sexuality." But, Stephen kept the person's name under wraps.

Sandy alluded to a secret romance between Buster and Stephen in the letter. The same allegation was highlighted by their former schoolmates in a recent Netflix series about the Murdaugh murders.

And then there's this ... Alex Murdaugh's brother, Randolph, called Stephen's dad immediately after his son's death, asking to work the case pro bono and act as an intermediary between the Smith family and police, according to Sandy. Randolph was the county solicitor at the time.

Sandy said Stephen's father accepted the offer, although he was confused as to why Randolph wanted to help and how he found about the case before his son's body had been identified. But, Sandy said, Randolph stopped calling her family after a few interactions and wound up not representing them.

In a recent twist, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division officials announced they're now investigating the case as a homicide.

As for the feds, it's not clear if they acted on Sandy's letter and looked into Stephen's death.

Gunter Nezhoda, famous for appearing on A&E's hit show "Storage Wars," is dead after losing his battle with cancer.

"Storage Wars" star Rene Nezhoda tells TMZ ... his father died Tuesday night in his sleep in Salt Lake City as a result of complications from lung cancer.

Rene says his dad was diagnosed in September, and the chemotherapy caused holes in his lungs. We're told Gunter recently flew to Utah for emergency surgery, but doctors determined there was nothing else they could do. His youngest son, Ricky, was by his side when he died.

Gunter appeared on seven episodes of "Storage Wars" from 2015 to 2019 ... we're told he filmed an episode with Rene for the upcoming 14th season.

In addition to his reality TV work, Gunter also acted in a handful of movies ... and he played bass with musicians like Kevin Dubrow, George Lynch, Michael Schenker, Pat Travers and Leslie West, just to name a few.

Gunter, who was born in Austria and grew up in Germany before moving to Las Vegas, was also a professional photographer, working with big-name companies like Ford, Microsoft and Big-O Tires. Some of his photos were published in magazines and advertisements.

Gunter was 67.

Wayne Swinny, founding member and guitarist of the band Saliva, is dead after suffering a brain hemorrhage.

A rep for the band tells us, "It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Wayne Swinny, the guitarist of Saliva. Wayne passed away this afternoon from a spontaneous brain hemorrhage while on tour."

The tragic news comes only hours after the band revealed Wayne was in the ICU after having the medical emergency.

Bobby Amaru, Saliva's lead singer, says, "I’m not even sure what to think or how to feel right now. My heart aches for Wayne’s family, his friends, and anyone who had the joy of being around him. My heart aches for his daughter Nikki. He loved that little girl so much ... He would go out of his way to make sure you had a good time. I’m grateful that I got to share almost 12 years of my life with Wayne on the stage and most importantly off the stage."

Amaru continues, "He was the older brother I never had. I learned so much from him and we had a f***ing blast together! I will cherish it all for the rest of my life! God Bless you Wayne. I know we’ll meet again!!"

As we reported ... Wayne had been battling for his life in the ICU. He was rushed to a hospital Tuesday and diagnosed with a spontaneous hemorrhage in his brain.

Wayne was one of Saliva's founding members, helping to start the band way back in 1996.

The wife of Saliva's former lead singer, Josey Scott, also posted about Wayne's death, saying the band is in "complete shock and heartbreak."

She says Josey referred to Wayne as his "musical soulmate" and she's remembering him for having a great sense of humor.

Wayne was 59.

Reputed Inglewood rapper Boskoe100 is placing the blame on PnB Rock for his own murder ... all because he failed to recognize the restaurant he was killed at was located in the middle of a danger zone.

The Philly rapper was shot and killed inside a Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles in a sometimes-rough part of Los Angeles back in September 2022 ... and Boskoe100 thinks PnB should've known that, comparing him to an amateur camper attempting to impress his girl in the wilderness, only to be eaten by wolves and bears.

Boskoe100 thinks PnB mistook his rapper status for street cred and the hood only sees rich artists as dangling carrots in the food chain.

LAPD arrested a family of three in connection with PnB's murder shortly after the shooting ... father/son duo Freddie Lee Trone Sr. and Jr. as well as Trone Sr.'s wife Shauntel Trone ... but it was PnB's girlfriend Stephanie Sibounheuang who was vilified online the most after she posted pics from inside the Roscoe's shortly before the murder.

Kevin Garnett revealed he squashed his beef with former teammate Ray Allen because of Kobe Bryant ... saying the tragic and unexpected death of the NBA icon made him realize life's too short to be angry.

Quick refresher ... Allen, KG, and Paul Pierce were teammates with the Boston Celtics, where they won the NBA title together in 2008.

However, their Big 3 was split up when Ray left for the Miami Heat in 2012 ... a move that really pissed off KG, who felt some type of way when the 10-time All-Star chose their conference rival over him and Paul.

"What made the Ray situation so prolific with us is because the structure we built in Boston, the three of us built that," Garnett told Kevin Hart on his "Cold as Balls" show this week. "So if it was one team we had an issue with, it was Miami."

"I wasn't looking at it like, better business decision for Ray, [or] Ray has a chance to get another ring -- I ain't take on none of that! I was in my own feelings!"

But, when Kobe passed away on January 26, 2020, it changed Garnett's whole mindset ... culminating with the former friends turned enemies coexisting together, peacefully, at the NBA's 75th Anniversary event, as well as hugging it out at KG's jersey retirement ceremony in 2022.

“The passing of Kob and all of us getting older helped me understand that life is not given to none of us," the hooper said.

"It would have f***ed with me if something were to happen to Ray and I didn’t get a chance to amend this."

"I got off the bulls***."

Dak Prescott's plant leg just got a whole lot better lookin' -- TMZ Sports has learned the Dallas Cowboys superstar got it tatted over the weekend ... with tributes to his mom, brother, Kobe Bryant and more.

The quarterback hit up Andres Ortega out at Onder Ink in Arizona just days after his star wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb, got a back piece done by the artist -- and Prescott came away from the shop with a massive new tattoo.

The artwork covers nearly his entire right leg -- and it features a ton of imagery that's near and dear to the 29-year-old's heart.

The picture of the moose is a nod to his brother, Jace, who died by suicide in 2020. The photo of a Pegasus honors his mother, Peggy, who passed away from cancer in 2013.

The tattoo also pays homage to several sports icons -- there's images of a Black Mamba for Kobe, a Jumpman logo for Michael Jordan ... and a picture of Muhammad Ali.

The tat also features Daffy Duck doing Dak's signature touchdown celebration; Dallas' skyline; and a sign from the Pine Creek Estates mobile home park in Louisiana where Prescott grew up.

Stephen Smith -- the 19-year-old who was friends with Alex Murdaugh's son Buster and died 8 years ago -- was not killed in an accidental hit-and-run ... officials now say it was a homicide, and the change of heart has a link to the recent Murdaugh murder case.

The 19-year-old was found dead in the middle of a South Carolina road nearly 9 years ago.  At the time authorities called it a fatal hit-and-run, despite glaring evidence it was foul play. Among the evidence -- there were no car parts found at the scene, and Stephen's body had no injuries below the torso.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced they're reopening the case and investigating it as a homicide ... this based on new info they say they've gathered from the Murdaugh double murder case that just wrapped 2 weeks ago.

Unclear what exactly they've found or who it implicates ... but there's been widespread suspicion Alex Murdaugh's surviving son, Buster -- who was a former classmate of Smith's -- was possibly involved with him.

Buster addressed the speculation about him and Smith ... saying, "These baseless rumors of my involvement with Stephen and his death are false. I unequivocally deny any involvement in his death, and my heart goes out to the Smith family."

Smith's death case had actually been reopened in 2021, but SLED says they held off on announcing anything new until now due to the massive amount of attention on Alex Murdaugh's own murder case ... wanting to avoid ruining his chances at a fair trial. Now that he's been convicted, the word is out.

Smith's mother, Sandy, has been beating the drum about her son for quite a while now ... privately raising money to get his body exhumed/reexamined for a new autopsy.

Willis Reed will be honored by the NBA tonight ... with the Association holding a leaguewide moment of silence for the late Knicks legend, TMZ Sports has learned.

Our sources tell us there will be a pause to reflect on the Hall of Famer's passing prior to the tipoff of all six scheduled games Tuesday night.

Some of the games on tonight's slate include the Celtics vs. Kings and Cavaliers vs. Nets.

The Knicks don't play ... they're back in action on Wednesday, when they'll face the Heat.

Of course, Reed died at the age of 80 on Tuesday after battling health issues, including congestive heart failure.

Willis was a beloved figure, especially in New York, and news of his death rocked the league.

Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement addressing Reed's passing, calling him "the ultimate team player and consummate leader."

In fact, Silver said his first NBA memories were of watching Willis as a young boy.

"My earliest and fondest memories of NBA basketball are of watching Willis, who embodied the winning spirit that defined the New York Knicks’ championship teams in the early 1970s.  He played the game with remarkable passion and determination, and his inspiring comeback in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals remains one of the most iconic moments in all of sports," the statement read in part.

In addition to the moment of silence, it's all but guaranteed the Knicks will also honor their Captain.

The attorney for the family of the 19-year-old who was found dead years ago near Alex Murdaugh's home is telling us exactly why he won't accept the simple hit-and-run theory surrounding his death -- he believes it's cold-blooded murder.

Attorney Ronnie Richter joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday, making it clear Stephen Smith's mother is determined to get justice for her son, and the first step is exhuming Stephen's body for clues.

Ronnie ticked off a number of facts that clearly point to murder -- Stephen's body from the torso down had no injuries, there were no car parts found at the scene, his shoes were still on, he supposedly walked 3 miles in the dark without ever using his cell phone ... and there's a lot more.

As for looking into any possible Murdaugh connection, Ronnie isn't jumping to any conclusions the disgraced lawyer's family was involved ... although he's keenly aware the case was reopened as authorities were deep into the Murdaugh murder investigation. By the way, Stephen's body was found near the Murdaugh home.

Murdaugh's surviving son, Buster, knew Stephen and there have been rumblings in town the 2 had some sort of relationship. Buster released a statement Monday dismissing the rumblings and denying any involvement in Stephen's death.

Police still have not cracked the case involving the 2018 killing of Richard Jefferson's father ... but now, they're hoping a big monetary reward can help change that.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Dept. Lt. Patricia Thomas said on Tuesday they're offering $20,000 to anyone who can assist them in solving the four-year-old case.

Thomas told reporters at a news conference she and investigators believe there are people still out there who saw the suspects that shot 65-year-old Richard Jefferson Sr. in Compton, CA back on Sept. 19, 2018.

She said investigators believe a car full of gang members fired on the former NBA player's father while he was talking with neighbors -- mistakenly thinking he was part of a rival gang.

Thomas urged anyone with info to call the homicide bureau at 323-890-5500.

Jefferson Sr.'s brother, Kenneth, also spoke at the news conference -- and pleaded for anyone with information to come forward as well.

Knicks legend Willis Reed, arguably the greatest player in the history of the organization, has died at the age of 80, the team confirmed on Tuesday.

No cause of death was reaveled ... but Reed had been ill, battling congestive heart failure, longtime NYC columnist Peter Vescey reported.

"The Knicks organization is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Captain, Willis Reed," the Knicks said in a statement. "As we mourn, we will always strive to uphold the standards he left behind -- the unmatched leadership, sacrifice and work ethic that personified him as a champion among champions."

"His is a legacy that will live forever. We ask everyone to please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time."

Simply put, Willis was one of the best hoopers to ever step foot on the hardwood.

Reed, a 6'10" center, was drafted by the Knicks with the tenth overall pick in the 1964 NBA Draft. Over his 10-season career, he averaged nearly 19 points and 13 rebounds. Willis was a 7x All-Star, 2x NBA Finals MVP and the 1970 NBA MVP.

Willis' most famous moment came during Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. The Knicks and Lakers were knotted at three games apiece, with the title on the line. Reed missed Game 6 with a severe thigh injury, and almost no one expected the big man to play in the deciding game.

But, to the amazement of thousands of fans at Madison Square Garden, Reed limped onto the court during warmups, prompting the crowd to erupt. Willis hit the first two shots for the Knicks, and it was the only time he scored in the game.

However, Reed's presence gave his Knicks teammates the lift they needed to down Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and Jerry West's Lakers squad, 113-99. It was the Knickerbockers' first title.

NYK then won another championship three years later in 1973.

After retiring from the NBA in '74, Reed was hired by the Knicks as head coach in '77. His coaching stint in NY didn't last very long. In 1981, Willis went back to college, where he coached Creighton. He then had stints as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings.

In 1988, Reed was again named an NBA head coach when he was hired as the New Jersey Nets' headman.

The Knicks' last title was in 1973 ... and the franchise recently celebrated the 50-year anniversary, welcoming back stars from the team like Walt Frazier. Sadly, Reed, because of health issues, wasn't able to make it to NYC for the event.

The Garden played a pretaped message from the legendary hooper ... and the crowd loved it.

NBA commish Adam Silver released a statement on the legend's passing ... saying, "Willis Reed was the ultimate team player and consummate leader."

"My earliest and fondest memories of NBA basketball are of watching Willis, who embodied the winning spirit that defined the New York Knicks' championship teams in the early 1970s. He played the game with remarkable passion and determination, and his inspiring comeback in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals remains one of the most iconic moments in all of sports."

"We send our deepest condolences to Willis' wife, Gail, his family and his many friends and fans."

He may now be gone ... but Reed's #19 will forever hang in the rafters of the World's Most Famous Arena.

Two star high school athletes from Illinois -- who were enjoying their spring break in Colorado -- were tragically killed in a horrific sledding accident over the weekend.

They were only 17 and 18 years old.

The Summit County Sheriff's Office said the crash happened at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Frisco at 8:35 PM on March 19 ... after Dylan Bazzell and Drew Fehr's sled launched off of a massive snowbank at the bottom of a half pipe.

"The two individuals came down hard on the hard ice below," police said, "causing blunt force trauma."

Emergency medical personnel raced to the scene to tend to the two teenagers ... but they were pronounced dead a short time later.

The school district in Illinois where the two attended high school said counselors would be available to help students cope with the loss.

"As we know, 'it takes a village' to raise a child," Prairie Central school district officials said in a statement. "And it will take all of us working together to comfort and support our children through this tragic event."

Bazzell and Fehr, both high school seniors, played for Prairie Central's basketball and football teams. Bazzell had just been named to the Associated Press All-State First Team earlier this month.

Fehr, meanwhile, was a football team captain who logged 1,439 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns this past season.

Police said the deaths are under investigation ... and are urging spring breakers and other thrill seekers "to always practice safe on snow activity habits and to be aware of the risks associated with these activities."

Lance Reddick's tragic absence was felt at the "John Wick: Chapter 4" premiere this week -- but his costars made sure to pay tribute to him with a notable symbol ... including Keanu Reeves.

The cast and crew members who were on hand for the film's debut Monday night were all wearing a blue ribbon ... several of which were passed out before the screening in honor of Lance. There was even a little note everybody got that gave a nod to LR by name.

It read, "We kindly ask you to wear this royal blue ribbon in honor of our dear friend Lance Reddick." The color is actually in line with Lance's taste -- the guy loved blue, so they picked it with his preference in mind.

Like we said ... just about everybody in the 'JW' world was rocking this. Not just the stars themselves -- like Keanu, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and the rest -- but it looks like just about everyone who went to the premiere was able to wear the ribbon too.

Of course, Keanu and co. also got a chance to talk about Lance with the media.

Their interviews are touching -- you can tell how much Lance's passing has affected them. Keanu called him a beautiful person and a special artist, going on to say it was the honor of a lifetime to work with him. Laurence was even more emotional ... almost tearing up.

Lance had been in all 4 'John Wick' movies, playing Charon ... the concierge at the Continental Hotel, a home base of sorts in the flicks where JW would check in, get guns and have conversations with other characters ... including Lance's, who was a fan fave.

TMZ broke the story ... Lance died last week unexpectedly. A cause of death is yet to be confirmed, but we're told it appeared to be of natural causes.