TMZ Sports - Page 38

Kanye West signed one of the greatest football players of all-time, Aaron Donald, to Donda Sports ... and the 7x All-Pro says a cleat collab could be on the way!

The 3x NFL Defensive Player of the Year sat down with Brandon Marshall, Adam "Pacman" Jones and LeSean McCoy for an episode of "I Am Athlete" ... where AD broke the big news he’d inked a deal with Ye’s company.

"It was an opportunity that came to us, me and [my wife], and it made sense. Hearing the whole spectrum of what they were going to be bringing, the whole family atmosphere that they got in Donda Sports. Not just me, but my wife being a part of that. For me it was a no-brainer," Donald told the guys.

"I think it's a helluva opportunity to open up a lot of different doors and a lot of different things outside of football that I wanna be involved in, that I wanna do, that my wife wanna do. So to be a part of that, and be one of the best first athletes to be a part of that, it's pretty dope. We're excited about it, and we're gonna see where this thing goes."

Kanye launched Donda Sports earlier this year.

As for the plan, Brandon asked Aaron if he might release a cleat with Ye.

"Ain't nothing in full circle, but we've been talking. We got a lot of different things that are planned."

But, it's not all business for the men ... Aaron says he hung out with Ye, and West even asked him to be in one of his music videos.

"He cool man. He real cool. A cool dude. Got to talk a little bit. Vibe. Was at one of his video shoots. He actually wanted me to get in one of the videos, but I was like, 'Naw.' I was out my element. But he was cool," Aaron told the guys.

And, Donald made it clear DS isn't a flash in the pan or a fad for West ... it's something Ye is committed to building.

A super-rare item from LeBron James' legendary high school career is about to hit auction -- a basketball signed by the King and his teammates from St. Vincent-St. Mary ... and it could come with a big price tag!!

Of course, James was one of the biggest hoops stars as a high schooler ... and his accolades tell it all -- 2-time Mr. Basketball USA, 2-time Gatorade National Player of the Year, 3-time Ohio Mr. Basketball, McDonald's National Player of the Year and a 2003 national title to top it all off.

Before all that, the squad from LBJ's 2000 season all teamed up and scribbled their Hancocks on a ball ... and anyone who followed LBJ since day one will recognize some names.

Besides LBJ's autograph -- which received an 8/10 grade -- you can see his teammates Dru Joyce, Sian Cotton and others inscribed on the ball.

In fact, right next to James' signature is Maverick Carter ... who is currently business partners with the Lakers superstar and one of the founders of LRMR Ventures.

The ball -- that hits Heritage Auctions on June 4 -- has 11 overall signatures and is expected to sell for over $5k!!

TikTok star, Bryce Hall, will NEVER be friends with Tayler Holder ... so says Bryce, who believes Tayler is guilty of some serious allegations.

We caught Bryce leaving Bradley Martyn's Zoo Culture Gym in Woodland Hills, Tuesday night, and he went off on Tayler Holder and their never-ending beef.

Bryce says Tayler's interview with TMZ was absolute BS, especially when he claimed he didn't know Bryce. He adds, Tayler was actually the undercard for his Professional boxing event and they've collaborated, despite not being friends.

Going forward though ... Bryce makes it clear he would NEVER be friends with Tayler, "after the s*** he's done," referencing rumors about sexual allegations against Holder. He says Tay should worry about the "lawsuits on his name," instead of contacting the media and promoting his music -- which he gave a pretty damning review.

ICYMI, Tayler sat down on "TMZ Verified Podcast" and denied any, and all, sexual assault allegation rumors against him. During the interview, he also claimed he didn't know Bryce.

Camila Cabello put on a great performance before the UEFA Champions League Final this weekend -- pristine in presentation ... but exactly the opposite of what was unfolding outside.

The singer was tapped for the opening ceremony show at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis just north of Paris -- where Real Madrid was facing off against Liverpool in a huge showdown between Europe's best soccer teams ... a must-see match fans were dying to see.

That might even be literal, because tons of prospective gamers were outside the stadium shortly before kickoff -- while Camila was doing her gig -- and desperately trying to get in by any means necessary ... with several of them hopping gates and having run-ins with security.

Some of these videos are absolutely insane -- people are climbing over each other and risking it all just for a chance to get inside. Unclear if these are people who purchased tickets and were turned away, or if they're simply hooligans trying to take it in for free.

At any rate, the cops and security officers on hand weren't having any of it ... pepper spraying people who were trying to rush the gates and who wouldn't back down. There are some reports (and videos) of minors getting tear gassed as well.

Even the cops themselves were trying to wipe the residue from their eyes ... that's how much they fired off, it seems.

As for Camila ... it appears she was completely oblivious to the pandemonium happening just a couple hundred feet from her on the pitch -- and paid it no mind, doing what she was there to do ... sing. Even if she knew what was going on, it's not really her problem.

BTW, she killed it during the show ... performing for a packed stadium and putting on an elaborate spectacle with backup dancers and a grand entrance to set everything off.

While no one is faulting her for continuing on with the ceremony, some are pointing out it's funny that the contrast here is so stark -- and frankly, it is. A lesson learned ... get to your seats early and often. Also, Euro soccer fans are low-key bonkers for the beautiful game.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Tommy Pham has been suspended 3 games for SLAPPING San Francisco Giants slugger Joc Pederson over an alleged fantasy football beef.

Pham, who admitted to reporters in an interview on Saturday he purposely went after Pederson, received the three-game ban for "inappropriate conduct" and was hit with an undisclosed fine.

The incident went down on Friday as the Reds and Giants were preparing to start their series -- Pham approached and slapped Pederson over a dispute stemming from a fantasy football league.

In the video of the alleged incident circulating on social media, Pham appears to walk up to Joc and slap him in the face.

The Giants outfielder spoke candidly about the encounter with Pham after the Reds' 5-1 victory over his club ... saying the whole thing stemmed from Pham accusing him of cheating in the fantasy league they're in together (you can't make this stuff up).

Pederson said the dustup was the first time Pham ran into him ... and claims there was no argument between the two before the slap occurred.

Giants skipper Gabe Kapler -- who announced Friday his decision to skip the national anthem moving forward due to the current state of the country -- refused to comment on the situation between Pham and Pederson.

Former Gonzaga basketball superstar Chet Holmgren clearly ain't stressin' about next month's NBA draft ... telling TMZ Sports his goal is to find the best "fit" for him, not necessarily to be the top pick.

We got the 7-footer out shopping in L.A. this week ... and asked if he was hoping to be taken by the Orlando Magic at No. 1 overall on June 23.

While it's obvious the guy wouldn't mind it (who would?!?) -- he stressed to us being in the best spot for his growth as a hooper is what's most important to him ... not what slot he'll be picked in.

"Man," the 19-year-old said. "I want to land in the best fit for my career, and the best possible situation."

Of course, many experts believe that very well could be in Orlando -- with most mock drafts having him slated to be taken by the Magic just minutes after Adam Silver kicks off the event.

Rolando "Rolly" Romero, boxing star/financial advisor, has some advice IF you wanna make money ... bet the house on him when he fights Gervonta "Tank" Davis this weekend.

Or, "you gonna go broke!"

TMZ Sports talked to the 26-year-old, undefeated (14-0, 12 KOs) boxer ahead of his highly anticipated matchup with Tank (26-0, 24 KOs) ... with the WBA lightweight title on the line.

While both men are undefeated, the bout isn't even in oddsmakers' minds

In fact, Davis is around a -1,000 favorite ... meaning you need to risk a grand just to win $100 on Tank.

The inverse of that -- if you bet on Romero and he wins, you're going to make bank. And, that's exactly what Rolly says you should do.

"Go place your bet, make your money. I get rich, y'all get rich," Rolly said.

"The only people that don't get rich are dumbasses who bet on Tank. You bet on Tank, you're gonna go broke."

The 14-0 boxer is so sure of himself he's suggesting folks put everything on the line ... 'cause he's leaving the ring with the WBA belt.

"I'm gonna tell everybody to bet everything they got 'cause the thing is, I'd bet everything I got because that's the thing is, I'd bet everything I got!"

But, don't think the advice is free, 'cause once he wins, Rolly wants something back in return.

"Everyone who bets on me is gonna thank me and honestly I hope everybody buys me a nice dinner after this s**t!"

"I'm gonna win. I'm gonna knock him out!"

As for Tank, (as you'd imagine) he believes the fight will go a little differently ... and he told us as much when we talked to him on Thursday.

"It's gonna take some time to break him down because of his body size but he's definitely getting broke down for sure," Gervonta told us.

"He bruises easily. His face was messed up against someone who can't hit -- imagine me."

Kyrie Irving has been ripped to shreds over his COVID-19 vaccine stance, but John Salley is coming to his defense ... telling TMZ Sports he tips his hat to the Nets star for standing up for what he believes in.

We spoke with Salley -- who won 4 NBA titles -- out in NYC this week ... and the former Detroit Piston spoke glowingly about Irving, who faced immense backlash this year for refusing to get the jab.

"I think Kyrie Irving is the premier athlete -- professional," Salley said. "I think he's conscious. I think he thinks it through. I think it's very important that people pay attention too, he's not into the lies, the glitz. He's into taking care of his body."

Salley said he knows Irving is into science and does his own research, but because his stance differs from the views of mainstream society ... people hate Kyrie because of it.

"I'm the biggest Kyrie fan," Salley added. "Everything he does, I take my hat off to him."

Of course, Kyrie received a lot of heat for his personal decision to remain unvaccinated despite being forced to miss games ... drawing criticism from the likes of Howard Stern and Chris Rock.

But, Salley isn't in the same camp -- he says the Nets did the right thing by standing by Kyrie amid the vaccine drama this season.

"You have a guy who didn't get the virus, and everybody who talked about smack about him got it really bad," Salley said. "He had a very strong immune system."

It's unclear if the Nets -- or Nike -- will commit to a long-term relationship with Irving in the future ... but either way, Salley thinks the 30-year-old is an exceptional talent.

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler is very upset about the direction of our country after the latest mass shooting ... and now he's protesting the national anthem.

Gabe says he's breaking from baseball tradition and plans to no longer join players and coaches on the field before games for the playing of the national anthem.

The Giants manager told reporters Friday in Cincinnati before his club played the Reds, "I don’t plan on coming out for the anthem going forward until I feel better about the direction of our country."

In a post on his personal blog earlier Friday, Gabe reflected on the Uvalde school shooting and the response across the sporting world.

Gabe wrote ... "The day 19 children and 2 teachers were murdered, we held a moment of silence at sporting events around the country, then we played the national anthem, and we went on with our lives."

The all-too-familiar response is not sitting well with GK, who adds ... "We didn’t stop to reflect on whether we are actually free and brave after this horrific event, we just stood at attention."

Gabe says his father taught him a lesson early on in life, and he's applying it to his anthem protest.

"When I was the same age as the children in Uvalde, my father taught me to stand for the pledge of allegiance when I believed my country was representing its people well or to protest and stay seated when it wasn't," Kapler writes. "I don't believe it is representing us well right now."

Gabe says he tried to protest the anthem earlier this week, but it didn't materialize.

"My brain said drop to a knee; my body didn’t listen," he wrote. "I wanted to walk back inside; instead I froze. I felt like a coward. I didn’t want to call attention to myself. I didn’t want to take away from the victims or their families. There was a baseball game, a rock band, the lights, the pageantry. I knew that thousands of people were using this game to escape the horrors of the world for just a little bit. I knew that thousands more wouldn’t understand the gesture and would take it as an offense to the military, to veterans, to themselves."

Gabe says after a few days of reflection, he decided on his anthem protest.

Tank Davis couldn't wait to put his hands on Rolando Romero ... the undefeated fighter shoved Rolly off the stage moments after they faced off before their highly anticipated boxing match, nearly sparking a brawl between the fighters and their camps.

TMZ Sports was just feet away, outside Barclays Center in Brooklyn, when the incident kicked off ... in what was supposed to be weigh-ins and the final face-off for the undefeated boxers before they scrap Saturday night in NYC.

After squaring off, 26-year-old Rolly (14-0, 12 KOs) took a half-step forward and flexed, with his right arm appearing to come close to 27-year-old Tank's (26-0, 24 KOs) head.

Gervonta clearly didn't like that, and gave a one-armed push to the back of Romero, who was forced to jump down from the stage ... an elevated platform a few feet high.

Rolly immediately made a beeline for Tank, but was held back by people on stage. Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions (Davis is splitting with the promotion after the Romero fight), was in the mix, keeping the fighters away from one another.

While the scene was chaotic, peace was ultimately restored, and no one was injured.

It's not a surprise the men tried to hurt each other ... there's A LOT of bad blood between them. And, on the surface it doesn't seem to be manufactured beef to sell a fight -- these guys flat out don't like each other.

Good thing for Tank and Rolly, the fighters get to beat the hell out of each other in about 30 hours.

Warren Moon says if the Raiders do sign Colin Kaepernick, the Hall of Famer could see them using the QB in packages similar to ones that Cam Newton and Tim Tebow have had in the past.

Speaking just a day after Kaep completed a workout for Vegas coaches and execs ... Moon told TMZ Sports he didn't see the tryout as some sort of publicity stunt for the Raiders.

Instead, Moon told us because of the way Josh McDaniels has coached Newton and Tebow in special roles at previous stops -- he could see the Raiders head man developing similar dual-threat packages for Kaepernick.

"[McDaniels] knows how to work with that type of quarterback," the NFL legend said. "Maybe there's a package of plays that he can put in that help the Raiders maybe in game time situations."

Moon says in addition to that, he sees Kaepernick's experience also being a benefit if the Raiders do ultimately sign him to a deal.

"If you look at the backups they have right now, they don't have a whole lot of experience as far as game time," Moon said. "So, I think it makes a lot of sense to bring him in and take a look and see what he's still got left."

If Kaepernick -- who hasn't played in the NFL since the 2016 season but has been training like a madman recently to get back -- doesn't ultimately get a Raiders contract ... he said he's hopeful the Vegas tryout opens the door for other teams in the future.

Future Hall of Famer James Toney says his class -- "Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather, Laila Ali, Holly Holm" -- is simply the greatest of all time, telling TMZ Sports it's point-blank, the "best ever!"

Now, there's a bit of an asterisk here. Floyd isn't technically part of the 2022 class like the retired, 54-year-old former 3-weight class world champ.

Mayweather, 50-0, was supposed to be inducted last year (2021) -- along with Wladimir Klitschko and Andre Ward -- but the ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19.

Same deal with Laila ... class of 2021.

2020's HOF class also had to wait ... that group includes Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley.

The International Boxing Hall of Fame decided to hold a massive event, inducting three classes into the hall in one star-studded weekend.

That event will go down next month in New York, and Toney is pumped ... just not as much as his family.

"Man, I'm excited. My mom, my wife, they're more excited than I am."

In the ring, Toney had quick hands and good power, but it was his defense and counterpunching that made him a world champ across multiple weight classes.

James was nearly champ in a 4th weight class, heavyweight (he actually beat John Ruiz in 2005), but was stripped of the title over a drug test he flunked following the bout.

All told, "Lights Out" fought professionally 92 times, ending his career with a 77-10-3 with 2 no contests. James beat Evander Holyfield in 2003. He also fought Roy Jones Jr. in 1994. Despite Toney losing the bout, Roy has credited James with being the best pure boxer he faced.

Bottom line, James was a problem ... and now he'll be celebrated alongside the greatest pugilists ever.

"Now I'm originally, literally, one of the greats of all time. I'm forever in history. So I'm excited, happy."

An autographed Luka Dončić rookie card with an actual patch from a game-worn jersey is about to hit the auction block, and TMZ Sports has learned it could sell for 7 figures!!

The super-rare card -- soon headed to the PWCC Premier Auction -- is 1 of just 5 copies in existence. The last time a similar card sold, it went for a million bucks.

Officials at PWCC tell us this isn't just any ordinary NBA rookie card ... in fact, reps say the keepsake is one-of-a-kind due to the Emerald color scheme it boasts.

The front of the card features 23-year-old Luka shooting a jump shot ... along with the patch from his Mavs jersey.

Luka, the third overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has become one of the most effective offensive players in the world ... he's virtually unstoppable.

Dončić, a native of Slovenia, has drawn parallels to NBA legend Larry Bird for his ability to score, rebound, and facilitate at an elite level -- in addition to the leadership skills he displays.

Despite only playing 4 full seasons, Luka is already 10th on the NBA's all-time triple-double list -- with 46 -- behind Bird, who's ahead of him at 9th on the list.

And, PWCC exec Jesse Craig says the card could actually end up being a bargain.

"The question now is if he can win a ring. If he leads Dallas to a championship – or to multiple championships – the demand for his assets is likely to keep going up. To find this card, in this low of quantity, right now is an incredible opportunity.”

John Calipari is mourning the loss of college hoops legend Reggie Warford -- the first Black basketball player to graduate from the University of Kentucky -- after he died on Thursday morning.

Cal called the former hooper his "brother" in an emotional tweet ... and added, "I know how much Reggie meant to Kentucky & how he inspired others."

"Reggie and I worked together at Pitt in the 80s and have remained friends," the Wildcats head coach said. "I'm going to miss my brother, may God bless you Reggie."

No cause of death has been revealed ... though the Kentucky icon battled various health issues in the waning years of his life -- requiring several transplants.

He was 67 years old.

Warford played at Kentucky from 1972-1976 and was the program's second-ever Black player. Tom Payne, who signed with the Wildcats in 1969, was the first.

Over the course of his four-year career, Warford played in 50 total games -- scoring 206 points.

Warford went on to graduate from UK with a degree in arts and sciences ... making him, at the time, the first Black four-year player to accomplish the feat.

Kentucky officials remembered the college standout on Thursday while emphasizing the "important role" he played in the landscape of Wildcat sports history.

"It is with great sadness we share the passing of Reggie Warford," the school said in a statement. "Our deepest sympathies go out to his family, friends and teammates."

"Warford was an NIT Champion and the first Black men's basketball player to graduate from the University of Kentucky."

Reggie is survived by his wife, Marisa, and sons, Grant and Tyler.

Ray Liotta is dead ... the actor passed away while in the Dominican Republic.

Ray was shooting a movie called "Dangerous Waters" on the island, and a source close to the actor tells TMZ ... he died in his sleep. We're also told there was nothing suspicious about the death, and no foul play is suspected.

Ray's fiancée Jacy Nittolo was with him in the D.R. while he was working on the project.

Deadline first reported his passing.

Liotta is most known for his starring role in the 1990 Martin Scorsese masterpiece, "Goodfellas," where he played mobster Henry Hill alongside Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci.

Ray lobbied hard for the role, and the film's success opened so many doors for him in Hollywood ... he worked almost nonstop.

The year before "Goodfellas" he had co-starred with Kevin Costner in another iconic film, "Field of Dreams" ... in which he played Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Ray went on to star in countless other films, including "Cop Land," "Corrina Corrina," "Operation Dumbo Drop," "Unforgettable," "Wild Hogs" and "Blow" ... in which he played Fred Jung, father to Johnny Depp's character, George Jung.

Jacy and Ray got engaged in 2020, right around Christmas. He excitedly shared the happy news on Instagram.

He has one daughter, Karsen Liotta, from his previous marriage to Michelle Grace. Karsen is following in her dad's acting footsteps.

Ray was 67.

Von Miller can breathe a sigh of relief -- the NFL superstar's revenge porn lawsuit has been dismissed.

Court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, show the case was officially tossed out with prejudice on Wednesday.

We broke the story -- the 2-time Super Bowl champ was accused of sending sexually explicit pictures taken with a woman to two celebrities "in a fit of jealousy, anger, and rage" in May 2020.

The unnamed woman claimed Von sent texts to the celebs ... saying things like, "This the bitch you want? You can have her dawg."

It's unclear whether a settlement was reached ... but the woman was seeking "monetary damages."

The 8-time Pro Bowler had not spoken publicly about the lawsuit ... and it's unclear if the league ever looked into the claims.