TMZ Sports - Page 50

Soccer star Paul Pogba is revealing more information about the terrifying burglary that he says happened at his home earlier this month ... saying his World Cup championship medal was stolen in the heist.

The Manchester United midfielder made the revelation in an in-depth interview with Le Figaro this week -- saying in addition to the prized award, his mother's jewelry was also taken.

Pogba won the medal in 2018, after he and his French national squad beat Croatia, 4-2, in the 2018 World Cup Final.

But, in his interview, Pogba -- who said he was playing in a soccer match on March 15 at the time of the incident -- just seemed grateful that his kids and their nanny weren't hurt during the break-in.

"What scared me the most," he said, "was that my two children were at home with the nanny during this incident. She overheard everything, called my wife and security, then locked herself and the boys in a room."

NBA star Dejounte Murray is a candidate for best brother ever -- the Spurs guard just gifted his sister a new car for her 18th birthday!!

DM broke it down on Tuesday via Instagram ... saying he promised his sis if she did well in school, got a job and passed her driver's test, he'd get her a new whip for her special day.

As it turns out, she did just that -- earning a 3.7 GPA, finding a job and getting her driver's license!!

"She did that so I had to stand on my words with actions," Murray said.

The 25-year-old All-Star showed off the big surprise for his sister on video ... poppin' up in Seattle to gift Jacaiyah, a brand new Honda ... saying "no more Uber!"

"I thank God for allowing me to do things like this," Murray said, "because I swear this type of stuff brings a smile to my face more than doing anything for MYSELF!!!"

Murray -- whose made over $35 million since 2016 -- says he didn't wanna just hand over a new car, but make her earn it with hard work ... just like he did to get into the NBA.

"I wanna use my hard working earning to help change the cycle I grew up on," Murray said, "and start a whole new cycle to where the kids know if they work hard and be good people good things will happen."

Murray did the exact same thing for his brother, Nate, who graduated with honors in 2019 ... surprising him with his first car -- a purple Dodge Challenger.

Shawn Marion is PISSED.

The 43-year-old NBA champ went on an all-time rant this week ... eviscerating hoop fans for criticizing his unique jumper and demanding some damn respect.

Marion made his fiery comments in a Twitter Space that was discussing the topic, "Who WOULD'VE been the GOAT, if they had more help?" ... after, apparently, someone clowned him over his unorthodox stroke.

And he didn't hold back.

"They talk about my motherf***ing shot," Marion said. "Don't nobody in the f***ing league shoot the same. Get the f*** out of here."

"I'm shooting 35-40% from the f***ing 3-point line at one point in my career," Marion added. "I was a very consistent jump shooter, so you want to sit there and tell me you want to talk about my motherf***ing shot, but don't want to talk about everything else I do on the f***ing floor?"

"Get the f*** out of here. Suck my d***. Like, seriously."

The Matrix went on to list his accolades throughout his 16-year career ... and he's got a point -- the dude is a 4-time All-Star, 2-time All-NBA and scored 17,700 points and grabbed 10,101 rebounds while suiting up for the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Marion has been passionately defensive of weird jumpers in the past -- he gave some solid advice to Lonzo Ball via TMZ Sports back in 2017 ... after the young hooper was getting crap for his own shot at the time.

Tyreek Hill is no longer a Chief -- the speedy wide receiver has been traded to the Miami Dolphins for a mountain of draft picks.

ESPN's Adam Schefter just reported the news ... saying the 'Fins are sending a 2022 first-round pick, a 2022 second-round pick, a 2022 fourth-round pick as well as two picks in the 2023 draft to get the deal done.

Schefter added the Dolphins are giving Hill a $120 million contract extension that will make him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL as part of the trade.

Hill spent 6 seasons with Kansas City ... where he played in 91 total games, recording 479 receptions, 6,630 yards, and 56 touchdowns.

In his final season with the Chiefs, Hill logged 111 receptions on 159 targets and scored 9 TDs.

The 28-year-old speedster was no doubt an integral part of the Chiefs' success over the years -- they went to 4 straight AFC Championship Games and back-to-back Super Bowls -- so his presence will be certainly be missed in Patrick Mahomes' huddle.

If you thought Mike Tyson was a badass before, wait until you see how he handled himself when a guy pulled a gun within 15 feet of him -- let's just say you can call him Cool Hand Luke.

TMZ obtained this insane video of what we're told was a small comedy show Tuesday night on a rooftop bar in Hollywood, and MT was in attendance with a few friends.

At first you see Mike seated calmly at his front row table taking in the show -- but the whole thing was interrupted by a random guy who approached Mike and co. and attempted to chat him up, disrupting a comedian's set and everyone's good time.

While you can't hear exactly what was being said in the footage, eyewitnesses tell us the man was actually challenging Mike to a fight -- suggesting he wanted to elevate his "status."

Mike, of course, kept it chill and didn't engage with the man ... mostly just letting him talk. Eventually, though, another man intervenes and tells the dude to scram. We're told this was actually the host/MC of the night.

That pissed off the guy challenging Mike ... who threatened to shoot the host, and then pulled out a gun from his waistband and cocked it in front of everyone. Naturally, everyone gasped and started ducking under tables.

Luckily, he never fired, put the gun away and almost immediately regretted it. He once again approached Mike, and asked him not to call the cops. Once again, Mike just sat there in relative silence, heard the guy out and in the end, embraced him.

Mike actually hugged the man, at which point he finally left without further incident. We're told people started to trickle out after that with some trepidation -- not knowing if the dude was lurking somewhere down below in the streets. After a bit of time, Mike departed too.

Ex-NFL running back Mark Walton has been arrested again ... after cops say he helped rob a person at gunpoint in February.

According to police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, cops say Walton and another person pulled a gun on someone on Feb. 4 in Miami and demanded "everything."

In the docs, cops say there was a confrontation between the three, but claim Watson and his alleged accomplice made off with the person's Rolex. Cops say in the docs the robbery was captured on surveillance footage.

Police say they eventually arrested Walton on Tuesday after they obtained a search warrant to go through the home he was staying in.

Jail records show Walton was booked at 4:49 PM ET and is being held without bond. The records also show the 24-year-old was booked on a charge of robbery/armed/firearm or deadly weapon.

Walton is certainly no stranger to run-ins with the law -- he's been arrested several times in the last few years, including last year when he was accused of exploding on employees at a Florida Pizza Hut.

Walton was also accused in 2019 of striking a pregnant woman, who told police in a 911 call, "My boyfriend beat me up."

Walton was picked in the 4th round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He later played for the Miami Dolphins, before he was cut over his legal troubles.

Caitlyn Jenner is teeing off on transgender athlete Lia Thomas' recent NCAA championship ... claiming the Penn swimmer's accomplishment should NOT be counted.

As we previously reported, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a proclamation declaring runner-up and Sarasota native Emma Weyant the "rightful winner" of the women's 500-yard freestyle race ... after the Olympic silver medalist lost to Thomas by 1.75 seconds.

Jenner is siding with DeSantis ... saying Weyant is clearly deserving of the #1 spot, and anyone who agrees isn't a bigot -- they're just using their brain.

"It's not transphobic or anti-trans, it's COMMON SENSE!" Jenner tweeted on Tuesday.

While 72-year-old Jenner has fully supported Thomas' decision to be her true self, the 1976 Olympic gold medalist has been critical of her participation in women's sports in the past.

Jenner's stance is women's sports need to be protected ... and when trans athletes like Thomas compete against biological women, it's creating an unfair advantage.

As for the NCAA, the org. decided transgender athlete participation would be determined on a sport-by-sport approach ... which means the national governing bodies for each sport are in charge of creating their own set of rules on the matter.

Thomas started at Penn on the men's team in 2017 ... and had some of the fastest times in the country. She started undergoing hormone replacement therapy in early 2019, and publicly came out as trans later that year.

Amanda Bynes is a hot commodity on the interview circuit ... CBS' Gayle King and all the major players are reaching out ... but she's just not ready to answer questions.

Amanda was freed from her 9-year conservatorship Tuesday, and everyone is dying to book her first interview since the judge's ruling ... we're told her team heard from Logan Paul's team and a bunch of news outlets from all over the globe.

The former child star's attorney, David A. Esquibias, tells TMZ ... while Amanda's being flooded with offers, most of which came pouring in over the last 5 days, she's not ready to talk and is laying low for a while.

Amanda's interview suitors are a who's who of media. There's big interview names like Gayle and Logan, newspapers like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal, magazines like Vanity Fair and Elle, not to mention every entertainment and morning show.

We're told producers from every above outlet are begging to sit down with Amanda in the wake of her conservatorship ending ... heck, even a big Australian news program, The Project, wants a piece of her.

And it's not just on-camera interviews, cover stories and features ... Amanda's attorney says several production companies reached out to her team about filming documentaries or a potential reality show on her life moving forward.

Amanda's not welcoming the media circus just yet ... but we're told she's not completely ruling out any of these opportunities in the future. For now, we're told she's super excited about buying furniture for her new place in L.A., where she will live with her fiancé.

Interviews aren't the only thing Amanda is shying away from ... we're told there are no major celebrations taking place following the end of her conservatorship, and she's just spending time with her man, Paul.

Knicks owner/Hawks superstar Trae Young continues to TORCH New York, and then rub it in their faces ... and last night was no exception -- Ice Trae was as cold as ever, dropping 45 points and telling a heckling fan to "hold that L."

Young and the Hawks visited the world's most famous arena ... to square off against their Eastern Conference rival, the Knicks, and Trae more than lived up to his nickname.

The game was back-and-forth throughout the first half, and the faithful at MSG were letting Trae hear it all night.

At one point, while Trae was walking to the corner, comedian Roy Wood Jr. (who was sitting courtside) recorded video of an exchange between Young and some Knicks fans who'd apparently been trolling the hooper.

In the video, you can see Trae walking in the fans direction to cover Immanuel Quickley ... when he suddenly walks right up to a fan and says "Ayy hold that, hold that. Hold that L."

Of course, the rivalry between Young and Knicks fans dates back to last season's playoffs ... when Trae and his Hawks eliminated New York in 5 games in the first round.

Young averaged close to 30 points and 10 assists ... and played even better at the Garden than he did at his home arena, prompting Knicks fans to chant "F*** Trae Young" whenever he touched the ball.

Super Knicks fan Spike Lee had a front row seat for Trae's brilliant performance ... and the film director didn't look too thrilled as he watched Young torture his squad.

Humiliating Knicks fans wasn't all #11 did last night -- Trae hit Knicks big man Taj Gibson with a sick crossover before nailing a sweet pullup midrange jumper, and the crowd ate it up.

The U.S. government has finally been given access to Brittney Griner in Russia ... and in positive news, she's said to be "in good condition."

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price made the announcement on CNN on Wednesday ... explaining Russia is now allowing the U.S. to provide consular access to Griner.

Price said an official from the U.S. embassy was able to see her "within the past couple hours" -- saying they checked in on her condition and found she's doing okay while detained.

"There's only so much I can say," Price said, "but what I can say is that our official found Brittney Griner to be in good condition. And we will continue to do everything we can to see to it that she is treated fairly throughout this ordeal."

Price vowed that the U.S. government will "work very closely with her legal team, with her broader network, to see to it that she is treated fairly."

"That is a message that we will continue to convey in no uncertain terms to the Russian Federation," he added.

As we previously reported, Griner has been detained in Russia since mid-February, after she allegedly tried to bring hash oil through airport security.

Zion Williamson threw down a monster dunk on Tuesday with no shirt on ... and it certainly looks like he's recovering from his foot injury nicely.

The New Orleans Pelicans star -- who fractured his foot during the 2021 offseason -- posted video of the ridiculous slam on his social media page ... showing signs that he might finally be putting his foot ailments in the rearview mirror.

In the video, you can see Zion getting up with ease, putting the ball through his legs, and then hammering it through the rim.

It's an amazing sign for Pelicans fans, because even though the former No. 1 overall pick is unlikely to play the rest of this season, it at least shows he's on the road to getting back to the NBA hardwood at some point.

Williamson has yet to play an entire season due to multiple injuries he's suffered in his career. In fact, since his rookie year in 2019, he's only started 85 games.

He's suffered multiple setbacks with his foot injury this season -- but if this clip is any indication, it's clear he's well on his way to returning ... and with no shirt on, it seems he's showing to his haters he's ready to keep his weight down when he gets back too.

Bellator welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov won't be taking the cage against Michael "Venom" Page in May -- instead, he will be continue to fight for his home country of Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

Bellator honcho Scott Coker confirmed the news on Wednesday ... putting his full support behind the 26-0 star as he defends his turf.

"Like the rest of the world, we’ve been shocked by the tragic events in Ukraine and the thoughts of everyone at Bellator MMA are with Yaroslav and all the Ukrainian people during this time," Coker said.

"We wish he and his family the best and look forward to seeing him return safely to happier times, both inside and out of the Bellator cage."

Amosov was originally slated to defend his belt against Page on May 13 ... but "Venom" will now square up against Logan Storley, a 13-1 fighter out of South Dakota, for the interim world title.

"Dynamo" has been providing updates on social media ... saying he recently took his family to a safe zone as he defends his country the "best I can, with what I can."

"I love this country, our own. Russia came to our house and started a war here, many people are dying -- innocents, women and children," he said on Instagram.

"We are in a real war. I cannot understand those people who do not believe that Russian troops entered Ukraine. I see it with my own eyes ... I hear it. Terrible things are happening here."

Amosov joins Ukrainian boxer Vasyl Lomachenko, who turned down a bout against George Kambosos to continue to fight for his country.

The Orlando Pride is saying a big sorry to its fans ... after it forced a group of its supporters at its home stadium to take down a banner that had the word "GAY" painted on it.

The National Women's Soccer League team issued the mea culpa on Tuesday afternoon -- explaining it erred when it forced the removal of the sign at its home game on Saturday.

If you missed it, a Pride support group called the "Black Swans" attempted to hang the sign at the team's home game against Washington on Saturday, in what appeared to be a clear effort to oppose Florida's controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill.

The Swans, though, said the team made them take it down for "political reasons" -- something they said they were furious over.

But, the Pride "deeply" apologized for the action this week ... saying in a statement it screwed up.

"The organization admits it wrongly focused on signage policies and procedures, instead of allowing the important meaning of this message," said the Pride, who actually have 49 rainbow seats set up in their stadium to honor Pulse nightclub victims.

"It is a privilege and duty to create a safe, inclusive environment at Orlando Pride matches, and the Club deeply apologizes for violating that trust through this incorrect decision."

The team added the Swans will be allowed to hang the banner -- or something similar to it -- at home games moving forward if it wants.

Jennifer Hudson's 10-year engagement to WWE wrestler David Otunga is a thing of the past with lots of hard feelings ... and now the bling is hitting the auction block.

David had Neil Lane design the 5-carat cushion cut diamond ring for Jennifer back in 2008, which has an estimated retail value of $45K.

When they broke up in 2017, Jennifer returned the ring to David. FYI ... in legalese, an engagement ring is a "gift in contemplation of marriage." If the marriage doesn't go through, in most states the person who gave the ring -- in this case David -- gets it back.

So David has now teamed up with IDoNowIDont.com to unload it. We're told David plans to give a portion of the proceeds to a fathers' rights org.

The ring has a pretty cool history ... the pop singer wore it when she snagged a Grammy in 2009 ... a Grammy presented to her by none other than Whitney Houston. And yes, it's the real deal ... meaning it's GIA certified and comes with official certification docs signed by Lane.

Jennifer and David share a 12-year-old son, David Daniel Otunga Jr., together. Their custody war was brutal, but they both seemed to have moved on separately.

David Robinson -- a famous football trainer who works with some of the NFL's best -- says multiple NFL teams have contacted him to inquire about Colin Kaepernick following a recent workout he had with the QB.

Robinson -- who's trained NFL stars like Dez Bryant and Antonio Brown over the years -- tells TMZ Sports "at least" five different teams have reached out to him in the last few days after he helped run a training sesh for the former 49ers star in Dallas earlier this month.

"A few teams have reached out to me and asked how his arm looked," said Robinson, who declined to get into which specific teams have called. "They have reached out and asked about him."

It's interesting, considering no NFL team has given Kaepernick a roster spot since the 2016 season.

Robinson, though, said members from orgs across the league called and appeared to have a legitimate interest in getting his take on the QB -- after the 34-year-old threw in front of him for several hours at a Texas H.S. last week.

As for what Robinson told them -- he said he was very impressed with what he saw from Kaepernick, despite the signal-caller's lengthy time away from NFL action.

"He definitely has the ability to play on somebody's roster -- like, right now," Robinson said. "Like, a couple of the guys that were in the session that were on NFL teams were saying that his arm is just as strong as guys' that we got on our roster right now and can play."

"So, yeah. He looked real good."

Robinson added Kaepernick hasn't lost his fastball, and insisted the guy still has "a cannon" for an arm.

Kaepernick has been traveling all over the country this month with the hopes of catching NFL teams' eyes -- working with NFL QBs and wide receivers and posting the footage of the workouts on social media.

Big E is lucky to be alive ... the WWE superstar says he learned he could've died after he was dropped on his head during a recent wrestling match, suffering a broken neck.

E, whose real name is Ettore Ewen, made the stunning revelation on Twitter, saying, "Had my first doctor’s appointment and learning (because of the C1 fracture) I narrowly escaped a stroke, paralysis or death is very sobering."

"Life feels even more precious and valuable now."

The former WWE champ sustained the horrific injury after his opponent, Ridge Holland, botched a belly-to-belly suplex attempt on the near 300-pounder.

The scene was tough to watch ... E landed on his head and had to be taken out of the arena on a stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital.

Big E, a fan favorite, gave fans an update on his condition while still at the hospital ... telling the WWE universe he could move all his fingers and his strength felt fine.

More recently, E posted another video taking a walk outside in a neck brace ... showing the world he was in "good spirits" despite the fact he's sidelined with the serious injury.

E has received support throughout this time from his contemporaries ... with wrestlers like WWE Intercontinental Champ Ricochet sending words of encouragement to the big fella on social media.

"Love you, buddy. I have no doubts you’ll be stronger at the end of this," Ricochet said.

"Thank you for all the talks and advise, life really is precious."