TMZ Sports - Page 36

The Big Diesel is officially The Big Generous now ... 'cause Shaquille O'Neal just raised $2 MILLION for charity -- all by selling some unique NFTs of himself.

The NBA legend, along with NFT platform Notables, dropped the collection of the digital images earlier this month ... and TMZ Sports has learned they all sold out on Monday.

In total, they brought in a small fortune -- which Shaq and his camp say is all going toward The Shaquille O'Neal Foundation, which helps underserved youth in America.

The NFTs were pretty awesome -- each one featured unique depictions of The Big Aristotle ... showing the former Lakers superstar in different costumes with funny facial expressions.

Some had him in Lakers-colored gear, while others had him wearing a Magic-themed uniform. Some even showed him with donuts, pizza and Christmas lights.

Shaq's team says they're all "1-of-1 unique digital collectibles" -- and the hope is they continue to bring in money for charity going forward.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says LeBron James' use of a COVID Spider-Man meme was so reckless ... it could cost people their lives.

The NBA legend sounded off on the Lakers superstar in a scathing post on Monday ... ripping LeBron for sharing an image that showed three Spider-Mans pointing at each other.

In the meme -- shared by LeBron over the weekend -- the Spider-Mans were labeled "COVID," "Flu" and "Cold" ... and LeBron captioned the image by saying, "Help me out folks."

Abdul-Jabbar said he was so peeved by the implication of the post ... he straight-up called it all a "blow to [James'] worthy legacy."

"By posting the uninformed meme," Abdul-Jabbar said, "LeBron has encouraged vaccine hesitancy which puts lives and livelihoods at risk."

Abdul-Jabbar then implored James to urge people to get the vaccines ... saying his support for the shots "could save thousands of Black lives right now."

As we reported, LeBron is vaccinated ... although he's said he will not pressure people to do the same, telling reporters before the season "That's not my job."

NBA star Jordan Clarkson was so pissed off over a fan's heckling on Monday ... he attempted to go after the man in the stands, but fortunately, he was held back by his teammates.

The Jazz guard's drama with the fan happened during Utah's game with the Spurs in San Antonio ... when Clarkson clearly had enough of a fan's ribbing.

According to journalist Raul Dominguez Jr., as Clarkson was headed toward his bench during a timeout ... a fan stood up and had words with the basketball player.

A short time later, Dominguez Jr. reported, Clarkson took steps toward going after the fan.

Thankfully, Clarkson's teammates and security stepped in before things turned ugly ... and ultimately, the fan was ejected from the arena.

After the game, Clarkson told reporters the fan had absolutely crossed the line with his trash talk -- saying the dude's comments were straight-up "malicious."

"The guy just keeps antagonizing me, like almost challenges me, like, 'What you going to do?'" Clarkson said. "Fans got to learn, we human. We people too."

The 29-year-old said he often has playful banter with courtside supporters during his games ... but he said to media members this exchange was very different.

"It did cross the line," Clarkson said. "I was walking away initially, and then he said something again. And, I turned back around and then he said it again. And, I'm just like, 'What's going on?!'"

Clarkson said he didn't press the issue further, explaining a potential fine and a possible suspension deterred him from escalating things.

Houston Rockets star Christian Wood nailed a fan in the forehead with a wayward pass on Monday ... and he felt so badly about it afterward, he offered up free tickets as an apology.

The wild scene all went down in the Rockets' tilt with the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center, when Wood was trying to start a fastbreak at the end of the first half.

Wood grabbed the rebound, turned, and then heaved a pass to his teammate that was so errant, it sailed into the stands and plunked a woman right in the noggin.

You can see in the video, the ball hit the fan flush -- sending her crashing to the ground.

Wood and the rest of his Rockets teammates clearly felt awful -- but somehow, the woman appeared to walk away without any sort of injuries.

After the game, Wood apologizes for the terrible throw ... saying, "happens to the best of us."

"Courtside tix to any rocket game of her choice," he added.

By the way, things didn't get much better for Wood as the night went on ... Houston ended up getting blown out, 123-99.

JWoww is the proud new benefactor of a safe space for people with disabilities at the Barclays Center in NYC -- a room for folks with sensory sensitivities ... all inspired by her kid.

The 'Jersey Shore' star broke down what exactly a sensory room is with us on "TMZ Live," and why she thinks it's going to help countless people with special needs in the arena for various events  ... and why she also hopes it's a trend that catches on nationwide.

Basically, it's a designated section of a facility -- like the one she just helped bestow on Barclays -- where people who might need to calm down from all the commotion on the main floor can decompress ... with a variety of activities, all of which engage the senses.

This is something folks with autism often struggle with, and a sensory room -- as JWoww explains -- can provide relief to a variety of individuals with an array of disabilities, like Down's Syndrome, PTSD ... or other afflictions that might require some type of quick stimulus therapy.

Her own son, Greyson Mathews, is the inspiration behind Barclays' new room -- which is now up and running. She's got a sweet story about her own journey with her son ... and hopes this is the start of a new norm at other public venues.

Belal Muhammad wants to fulfill a dream he's had for a literal decade ... punching Colby Covington in the face!!

TMZ Sports talked to the 33-year-old fighter after his unanimous decision victory over perennial title contender, Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson on Saturday ... and we asked Belal who he'd fight if the 170 lb. champ, Kamaru Usman wasn't an option.

"I always wanted to hit Colby in the face," Muhammad told us.

The 20-3 fighter continued ... "I've been calling for this fight for like 10 years now. Even before he was higher up there, before he was in the rankings, before he was all this. I just dislike that guy, hated that guy. Always wanted to punch him in the face."

33-year-old Covington is coming off a loss to Usman ... a rematch of their December 2019 fight. Both fights were exciting/action-packed ... but Kamaru won both.

Still, Chaos is the #1 ranked contender ... and eventually wants to get another shot at the title.

What if Belal doesn't get Kamaru or Colby?

Well, Muhammad also says he's down to scrap with Leon Edwards and Jorge Masvidal ... two guys with which he has some history.

Belal and Leon fought in March 2021 ... but the fight was ruled a no-contest after Edwards inadvertently poked Muhammad in the eye.

As for Masvidal ... Belal has issues with Jorge's management company, First Round Management, claiming he fired them back in the day, and now there's bad blood.

LeBron James seems to agree with Jay-Z -- that no one can stand on the same stage with him for a 'Verzuz' -- and maybe, just maybe, he feels the same way about himself on a basketball court.

LBJ was definitely feeling good Sunday night ... rapping along, line-by-line, to Jay's "Imaginary Player" while in the middle of what looks like a pretty swanky evening with his wife, Savannah, and friends.

What's interesting is ... the video plays like a public service announcement to all the haters dissing the Lakers for their sub-par season -- they're only 16-18 right now. Check the look on LeBron's face as he drops lines like, "Y'all rapping ass n***as, y'all funny to me ... Selling records, being you, but still you wanna be me."

As we previously reported ... Jay-Z recently shot down any hopes he would do a "Verzuz" battle, boasting there's no one on his level in hip-hop who even deserves to stand on a stage with him.

It's no secret LeBron's a big fan of Jigga -- so, you'd expect him to ride with Mr. Carter, but it's also clear certain Jay tracks are really speaking to the Lakers superstar right now.

BTW, LeBron's biz partner, Maverick Carter, joined in later, rapping with him to "Hova Song." Remember, Maverick was kicking it with Jay-Z, Adele and her BF, Rich Paul ... who, of course, is LBJ's agent.

Magic Johnson says he won't be tuning in when HBO's "Showtime" Lakers series comes out ... telling TMZ Sports he's "not looking forward to it."

"Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty" -- starring John C. Reilly, Sally Field and Jason Segel -- is a highly-anticipated new drama series that covers the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers.

While most people are excited to watch the show, Magic ain't one of them ... saying he's working on his own project.

"No, we got different shows coming out," Magic tells us. "I got one, then you got Jeanie Buss got one on Showtime coming out."

"Those are the ones I'm looking forward to."

Of course, Magic helped lead the "Showtime" Lakers to 5 NBA championships in the '80s ... alongside fellow NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy.

Johnson's Lakers have been celebrated over time ... for the impact they had on the league and for the up-tempo, fast-paced style of play they cultivated.

But Magic seems very adamant he's not thrilled about the release of the HBO project ... saying, "I'm not looking forward to it. I'm going to leave it at that."

Let's do math, combat sports math with Nate Diaz's teammate and close friend, fighter Chris Avila ... who explains to TMZ Sports why he'll beat Tommy Fury, IF Tyson's younger bro accepts a fight.

We talked to 28-year-old Avila in Tampa after he picked up a unanimous decision win over Anthony Taylor ... and he told us he wants Fury next and believes he has an advantage.

Why? Because they both faced Taylor ... and Avila tells us Fury struggled with a guy he easily handled.

"Tommy Fury got beat up by the guy I beat tonight which is funny. He obviously won but he did get beat up in that fight. It's light work. It's just another fight, Tommy Fury, don't be scared. You're a bitch and so is AJ McKee."

Fury did beat AT ... but Chris says he struggled more than he did in the fight.

Now, if the Fury fight doesn't happen ... Chris says he wants to box Bellator champ AJ McKee.

Avila and McKee's friends are beefin' ... and actually got into a mini brawl at an event the day before the Jake Paul-Tyron Woodley fight.

"Although I fought Anthony, whatever his name is, he's a no-name. Don't ever bring up his name with my name again because he's a nobody," Chris says.

"But even though his boy, his teammate is AJ McKee, Bellator champ, he's next! He's next. He can come get inside the ring with me as long as it's not a bitch ass and he ain't scared. Bring it on!"

And Avila believes he'll win, easily ... 'cause "Size, experience, everything. Bellator f*****g spoon-fed that lil' bitch. He's a bitch."

Nate Diaz also made a cameo ... and addressed Jake Paul's callout of him after he knocked out Woodley.

The Oregon man who blurted out to President Biden, "Let's go Brandon," has tried to clarify his remark, saying he was joking, but he's clearly not apologizing.

Jared Schmeck was on a call with the Prez and First Lady on XMAS Eve, and it was super cordial ... even jokey. The 35-year-old, former Medford cop talked with J&J about Christmas presents for his kids and other non-controversial stuff. At the end of the call, Schmeck says with clear intent, "Let's go Brandon," code for "f*** Joe Biden."

Biden weirdly repeated the phrase and then at least made it appear the insult rolled off his back, as he continued to wish Schmeck a Merry Christmas.

As for regrets ... not even a few. Schmeck says he meant no disrespect, but telling the Oregonian, “At the end of the day, I have nothing against Mr. Biden, but I am frustrated because I think he can be doing a better job."

If there's any question as to whether Schmeck meant it ... well, he posted the vid on his YouTube page.

Schmeck says he stands "100% behind what I did and what I said." He told the Oregonian he's not a Trumper but thinks Biden's way off base when it comes to federal vaccine mandates. He's also pissed off over inflation.

A game-worn Tom Brady jersey that the quarterback wrote "G.O.A.T" on has just hit the auction block -- and TMZ Sports has learned it's so rare, it could fetch over $600,000.

Check out the uniform ... it's an all-black Buccaneers kit that Brady wore when he carved up the Atlanta Falcons on Jan. 3, 2021, just a few weeks before he won Super Bowl LV in Tampa.

Brady autographed it uniquely -- writing down his stats from the game (26/41 for 399 yards and 4 TDs) and also jotting down "SB LV MVP."

But, he also added another inscription at the bottom of the #2 -- putting the letters "G.O.A.T."

The guys at Goldin -- which is handling the auction -- tell us it's believed to be the only game-worn jersey in Brady history that he's written "G.O.A.T." on.

We're told it's such a one-of-a-kind piece, getting over half a million dollars for it should be no problem.

Lakers co-owner Jesse Buss just got a whole lot richer -- and LeBron James just got a new neighbor -- 'cause the youngest of the six Buss siblings just sold his L.A. mansion next to LBJ's for $10.7 million.

Buss put the home on the market in October after buying it in 2018 ... and TMZ Sports has learned it just sold this week.

Buss got darn-near asking price for it -- he originally listed it through Jennifer Beron of Compass for $11 million -- and it's easy to see why.

In addition to being near LeBron's famous L.A. pad, the mansion has over 6,500 square feet and features 6 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, a home theater, a yoga room, and an infinity pool which offers great views of the city and canyons.

There's more -- the crib also comes with a chef's kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances, a full gym, an illuminated bar, and a temperature-controlled wine cellar.

President Biden heard what his haters have been saying in code for months now -- a "f*** you" jab that one guy had the gall to say right to POTUS' face, on Christmas Eve no less.

JB and the First Lady were making calls to military families and their kids Friday from all over the country ... talking Christmas, presents, wish lists and of course, Santa Claus. In fact, 46 and the missus were using the trusty NORAD Santa tracker to help in their discussions.

During one of the calls ... a father hopped on, and wished the Bidens a Merry Christmas. All seemed fine until his last words before hanging up ... as he clearly said, "Let's go Brandon."

Joe and Dr. Biden didn't seem to understand what it really meant, especially Joe -- who actually repeated it word for word himself and added, "I agree." Both even chuckled upon hearing it, which doesn't make sense on its face ... y'know, since it's super derogatory.

You probably know by now ... the phrase "Let's go Brandon" has become a joke in conservative circles. It actually means "F*** Joe Biden" ... and got flipped into 'LGB' because of a reporter's attempt to cover up what a NASCAR crowd was chanting during a live shot.

Even though the guy who unintentionally spurred the meme, Brandon Brown, has said he's not a fan of it at all ... that hasn't stopped lots of people from adopting it and using it in several different settings ... like on the intercom of an airplane, for example.

Some have called this a slur, and highly disrespectful -- but in light of Donald Trump receiving similar treatment from his own opposition throughout his presidency, others say it's fair game.

LeBron James is playing his hand on COVID, or at least it seems this way ... suggesting we've gotten a little crazy with panic over contracting the virus.

LeBron posted a meme called "Spider-Man Pointing at Spider-Man" ... featuring 3 Spidies -- one representing COVID, another representing the flu and the third repping the common cold.

When you break it down ... it seems LeBron is shading the NBA for protocols that have sidelined a bunch of players -- even some who have tested negative -- and canceled a number of games.

The Lakers have benched head coach Frank Vogel, along with Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, Avery Bradley, Malik Monk and Austin Reaves ... all because of its COVID rules. There's a big game set for this weekend -- Lakers vs. Nets -- but Kevin Durant is out because of COVID protocols.

You'll recall ... LeBron played his cards close to the vest for a fairly long time before finally acknowledging back in September he was vaccinated, but he made it clear -- he wouldn't pressure other players to get jabbed, saying, "That's not my job."

Brett Favre says, at most, there are only 4 NFL QBs who have ever played better than Aaron Rodgers ... telling TMZ Sports the Packers star is a top-5 signal-caller of all time.

The Green Bay legend made the claim just days after Rodgers tied his Packers record for most passing TDs ... saying he thinks Aaron has just been that prolific in his 17-year career.

"You have to put Tom Brady and Joe Montana right at the top," Favre says. "And I think Aaron Rodgers falls in the top five."

Favre didn't elaborate on who the other two quarterbacks on the list would be ... but it's obviously high praise for Rodgers nonetheless.

A top-five ranking would mean Rodgers could be considered to be better than Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Dan Marino, John Elway, Troy Aikman, and a bevy of other Hall of Famers.

"I think Aaron should be in the top five," Favre said. "If he quit today, he's a top five guy."

Rodgers' resume is certainly deserving of the honor, he has a Super Bowl ring, 3 MVP trophies and he's been selected to 10 Pro Bowls.

The Grinch will be making its way to the NFL this Christmas ... courtesy of Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines' super furry cleats!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Hines hit up his go-to guy, artist Rodney Jackson, to make some cleats that will get him in the holiday spirit before taking on the Cardinals on Christmas Day.

The finished product channels one of the most iconic Christmas movies ever -- "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" -- and they came out mean and furry!

Each cleat is covered with a crazy amount of green hair -- just like the Grinch's signature fur -- and features the Mean One's evil grin sketched on the side.

Jackson tells us it took 3 days to put this masterpiece together ... with the help of a sewing machine and glue.

But, Hines ain't the only Colts player celebrating the holidays on his feet -- cornerback Isaiah Rodgers also copped some pre-game Christmas cleats.

Rodgers went with a different holiday classic, "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" ... and Jackson used a tricky wiring technique to get Rudolph's very shiny nose to light up!