Megan Rapinoe Honors Brittney Griner At White House W/ Custom '🌹BG' Blazer

Megan Rapinoe's in Washington D.C. to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, but while the soccer star's physically at the White House, it's clear her thoughts are very much with Brittney Griner in Russia.

Just hours after the Phoenix Mercury star pled guilty in a Moscow court, the Olympic gold medalist shared a photo of her outfit for Thursday's ceremony at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave ... and it features the WNBA star's initials stitched into the suit.

In addition to the "BG" ... there's also a flower stitched onto the lapel of the pearl-colored blazer.

"The most important part of today," the 37-year-old said.

Rapinoe is on her way to the White House where she'll be presented with the medal ... the highest honor a civilian can receive from the government.

President Biden -- who recently spoke with Griner's wife, Cherelle, about Brittney's imprisonment -- will present the medal to Rapinoe.

"The President called Cherelle," the White House said on Wednesday, "to reassure her that he is working to secure Brittney’s release as soon as possible."

Besides Rapinoe, 16 other people will receive the award, including star gymnast Simone Biles, Denzel Washington, and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who will posthumously receive the honor.

Rafael Nadal Withdraws From Wimbledon ... Over Abdominal Injury

UPDATE

11:26 AM PT -- Nadal just confirmed with reporters in London that he's pulling out ... explaining he simply can't serve with the injury.

UPDATE

He said he's saddened by the withdrawal, but admitted there was just no way he could win two more matches while injured.

UPDATE

He also said if he had somehow continued, the injury could have been made significantly worse, sidelining him from the sport for a far more lengthy period of time.

The dream Wimbledon final of Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic is no more ... Nadal just pulled out of the event due to an abdominal injury.

The Spanish tennis superstar just informed officials of his decision ... one day before he was set to take on Nick Kyrgios in a semifinals match.

Nadal had been battling the injury throughout this month's tournament in London ... but after testing it out in a practice session on Thursday, he couldn't push it any further.

Nadal, according to reports, could swing his forehand and backhand just fine while dealing with the tear in his abdominal wall -- but serving with velocity and accuracy was a different story.

Kyrgios will now advance to the final and play the winner of Friday's Djokovic vs. Cameron Norrie matchup.

Nadal is expected to discuss his decision with media members later Thursday afternoon.

Originally Published -- 11:20 AM PT

Macy Gray 'Today' Show Wouldn't Let Keyboardist Wear 'Free Britney Griner' Shirt

Macy Gray's performance on the "Today" show was supposed to include a Brittney Griner protest ... but the singer and her keyboardist says network honchos wouldn't let it happen.

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TMZ.com

Billy Wes arrived at NBC Studios in New York City on Thursday morning rocking a black tee shirt with bold white letters reading, "FREE BRITNEY GRINER" ... but when he was on-air, the message was mysteriously hidden.

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TMZ.com

We asked Milly what happened after the show ... and he told us "Today" honchos told him he couldn't wear the shirt and made him turn it inside out. Macy stopped to talk to us, saying Brittney's situation is really a sad one, and says the plan was for Wes to wear the shirt.

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Milly wouldn't tell our camera what explanation he was given as to why he couldn't wear the shirt on-air ... but you can tell he was bummed out.

As we reported ... Brittney pled guilty in Russian court to drug possession and smuggling charges on the heels of President Biden saying he was ramping up efforts to secure her release.

Macy also sat down for an interview with Hoda Kotb on top of performing her new song, "Every Night" ... addressing her recent controversial comments to Piers Morgan about trans people.

Colin Kaepernick Not Investing In Ice Cube's BIG3 League ... Despite Report

Colin Kaepernick is NOT buying into the BIG3 -- despite a report the star quarterback was teaming up with Ice Cube to invest in the hoops league -- with a rep for Kap telling TMZ Sports the story is bogus.

On Wednesday night, Shams Charania reported 34-year-old Kap was stepping in as an investor to help Cube's hoops league, which the NBA insider said was "on the verge of potentially shutting down."

But, a rep for Kaepernick tells us the story just isn't true ... Colin is not working with BIG3.

Ice Cube -- alongside several business partners -- launched the league in 2017. The games feature mostly former NBA players -- many stars -- who play 3-on-3 games.

As for the league's reported struggles ... in an interview last month, the rap legend said the Association hasn't exactly been a supporter of the young league, saying the NBA "hasn't been the nicest to the Big3."

Cube continued ... "Of course, publicly, they say all the right words, Cube said, "but we know privately, there are things done behind the scenes [with] sponsors, broadcasters, blah blah blah. It soured me a little bit ... It did tarnish my fandom a bit."

Meanwhile, Kaepernick -- who hasn't played in the NFL since 2016 -- is still very interested in returning to the league where he once led the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

The Raiders held a tryout for the 34-year-old in May, and although they've yet to offer the QB a deal (or talk about the workout), Kap maintains he's ready if the Raiders, or any other NFL team calls him!

F1's Zhou Guanyu 'Good To Go' For Austrian GP ... After Terrifying Crash

Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu will be behind the wheel for the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend ... just days after surviving a horrifying crash at Silverstone.

"Finished the final medical check, all good to go!" Guanyu tweeted Thursday morning ... sharing a pic with FIA staffers.

"Thanks to all of the people who supported me during this time, means the world. ❤️ #AustrianGP LET'S GO! 💪🏼"

The news is pretty incredible ... especially considering how serious the scene was during the first lap of the British Grand Prix.

As we reported, the crash happened after Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly tried to squeeze between Zhou and Mercedes' George Russell ... but ended up making contact with Russel, who then bumped into Zhou.

Despite his car flipping and going over the tire barrier, Zhou -- F1's first Chinese driver -- shared positive news shortly after the incident ... saying he was all good and in great spirits.

Zhou has earned 5 points so far this season and is 16th in the driver standings ... so it's awesome to see him get cleared in time for practice on Friday.

NFL's David Moore Arrested ... After Allegedly Falling Asleep In Taco Bell Drive-Thru

NFL wide receiver David Moore -- who just signed a contract with the Chicago Bears this offseason -- was arrested this month after he allegedly fell asleep in a Taco Bell drive-thru, TMZ Sports has learned.

According to the Gainesville Police Dept., officers found Moore asleep in the driver's seat of a 2018 Ford F250 at the local fast-food joint at around 11:18 PM on July 3.

Cops say they were able to make contact with Moore -- and claim he smelled of weed during questioning.

An ensuing search, police say, revealed he had "a package of THC edible candies along with three pistols" in his car. Moore was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of weapons.

Records show Moore was booked into Cooke County, Texas jail on July 4 ... on the weapon and drug charges. The records show he bonded out a short time later.

Moore -- who's from Gainesville, Texas -- was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and quickly became a reliable target for Russell Wilson.

In four seasons with the 'Hawks, he recorded 78 catches for 1,163 yards and 13 TDs.

He later went on to play for the Panthers, Raiders, Broncos and Packers -- before signing with Chicago in April.

Moore is now the third Bear to run into legal trouble this offseason -- receiver Byron Pringle was jailed in April, while linebacker Matt Adams was just arrested last month.

Kazuki Takahashi 'Yu-Gi-Oh' Creator ... Dead At 60

UPDATE

9:36 AM PT -- The official Yu-Gi-Oh Twitter account sent out a statement on Takahashi's passing, saying, "We are shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Mr. Kazuki Takahashi."

UPDATE

"We are deeply grateful for the wonderful 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' universe that he has created, and our thoughts are with his friends and family at this difficult time."

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"Together with his countless fans, we pledge to carry on the 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' legacy with all the love and care it deserves."

Kazuki Takahashi, creator of the hit TV series "Yu-Gi-Oh," and eventual inspiration for the trading card game, has passed away in Japan, according to the country's Coast Guard.

He was 60.

A spokesman told the New York Times that Takahashi -- who had been traveling alone while vacationing -- died from unknown causes while snorkeling.

His body was found Wednesday floating off the coast of Nago -- a city on Okinawa Island in Southern Japan -- the spokesman said.

The Coast Guard is investigating his death.

Takahashi's success with anime began in his early 20s, but it wasn't until 1996 -- when he created "Yu-Gi-Oh" -- he would realize just how popular the series would become.

Takahashi said in 2019 that when he created the manga, the original concept was to show different ways to battle each week. However, after two weeks of drawing out the characters he created, he decided to make the series about a trading card game.

Of course, the Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game -- which debuted in the United States in March 2002 -- went on to become one of the most popular card games in the country rivaling the likes of Pokemon.

The franchise is estimated to have made over $17.1 billion, including over $960 million in sales of Takahashi's manga series, according to Newsweek.

Fans of Yu-Gi-Oh were shocked once they learned Takahashi died ... including former NFL player Cassius Marsh, who posted a picture of Yugi -- the show's main protagonist -- on his Instagram story with a sad emoji.

R.I.P.

Originally Published -- 8:10 AM PT

Mini Depp v. Mini Heard Court Battle Replays in Mini Wrestling!!!

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MINI MATCHUP
BACKGRID

Amber Heard's getting a small shot at redemption -- not in court, but in a wrestling ring where, you guessed it ... Mini Johnny Depp squares off against Mini Amber!!!

Yeah, they might be testing the limits of the world's fascination with the bitter exes, but Wednesday night the good folks at Micromania M****t Wrestling put on their version of the defamation trial at the Whisky A Go-Go ... complete with a Mini Camille Vasquez in Johnny's corner.

Ya can't knock the theater of it all -- Amber entered the ring to the Buckcherry hit, "Crazy Bitch," and Johnny swashbuckled in to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme.

As for the ring action ... well, you really just gotta see it, but here's a short summary: Both minis get in their shots, with Amber delivering the most humiliating blow. As the ring announcer so eloquently put it, "She wiped s**t on his face! What the f**k?!?"

Poetry.

Anyway, just like in the Fairfax courthouse, Johnny came out on top ... delivering a Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka finishing move, and then pinning Mini Amber. Mini Camille even got in a parting shot.

Ya happy, America? This is what happens when you feverishly watch every moment of a trial and flood TikTok with your takes. We're sure the minis will be standing by if Amber really does appeal.

Jake Paul I'm Fighting Hasim Rahman Jr. ... Boxing Champ's Son

It's official -- Jake Paul has found Tommy Fury's replacement for his August 6 fight ... he's going up against former boxing champion Hasim Rahman's son.

25-year-old Paul shared the big news just minutes ago ... saying he will be stepping in the ring against 31-year-old Hasim Rahman Jr. at Madison Square Garden.

Paul praised his new opponent in the announcement ... saying HRJ is bigger, stronger, more experienced and has more knockout power.

"But it doesn't matter," Jake said Thursday. "They don't have my heart, don't have my drive & definitely don't have my team."

"August 6 I'm showing the world that Jake Paul is a bad motherf***er."

Paul is moving on from a boxing champ's brother to a boxing champ's son -- HRJ's dad is the former two-time world heavyweight champ, who posted a 50-9-2 record throughout his career.

As for HRJ, he is 12-1 ... most recently losing to James McKenzie Morrison via TKO.

Rahman Jr. and Paul have experience in the ring together, with Hasim praising the YouTube superstar after sparring in the past.

Folks wanting to see Jake fight Tommy may not want to hold their breath ... 'cause the two had a back-and-forth on Thursday, where Jake offered Fury $500k to fight after Aug. 6.

Naturally, Tommy declined.

Paul vs. Rahman Jr. will be part of the main event at MSG ... co-headlining with the Amanda Serrano and Brenda Carabajal fight.

The presser will be next Tuesday ... and luckily, Rahman is from the States, so there shouldn't be any hiccups this time around.

Rafael dos Anjos Gaethje & Chandler Wouldn't Fight Me ... Rankings Obsession

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STOP PLAYIN' GAMES
TMZSports.com

Rafael dos Anjos plans to be a UFC champ again, but the future Hall of Famer isn't fighting a top 5 ranked opponent when he returns to the Octagon Saturday night ... 'cause RDA tells TMZ Sports the dudes at the top of the division simply won't fight him.

"We're trying to get a fight with all the guys ahead of me on the rankings, but nobody seems to want to fight," #7 ranked dos Anjos says, adding many fighters will only face guys ranked higher than them.

We asked the soon-to-be 38-year-old fighter -- who's beaten guys like Nate Diaz, Robbie Lawler, and Donald Cerrone -- specifically who turned down the fight.

"Everybody. We tried everybody. We tried [Michael] Chandler, we tried [Justin] Gaethje. We tried everybody. It seems to not work. We threw all the names out there. Trying to get a better fight with a better-ranked opponent. But, besides Beneil Dariush, he's my friend, I didn't try to fight him. But other than that, seems like nobody wants to take a 'step back.'"

FYI, there's (technically) no lightweight champ. The strap was stripped from Charles Oliveira (#1) after he missed weight prior to his title fight with Justin (#3) in May. Dustin Poirier is ranked #2, Islam Makhachev #4, Chandler #5, and Dariush is #6.

As for the guy RDA is fighting ... 29-year-old Rafael Fiziev is a savage. He's ranked #10, and has only lost once (11-1) in his professional career. RF last fought in December 2021 ... when he knocked out Brad Riddell with a spinning head kick in the final round.

Both top 10 fighters are attempting to get to the same place ... the top of the lightweight division. Dos Anjos has been there before ... defeating Anthony Pettis for the LW belt in 2015.

Fiziev's trying to claw his way to the top for the first time.

Bottom line ... only one Rafael can emerge the winner Saturday night.

'Cheer' Star Jerry Harris Sentenced to 12 Years ... In Child Pornography Case

UPDATE

5:28 AM PT -- 7/7 -- Jerry's attorney Todd S. Pugh just released the following statement to TMZ ... "Jeremiah "Jerry" Harris is exceedingly grateful for Judge Shah’s recognition of his humanity, worthiness, rehabilitative potential. While Jerry has a difficult road ahead of him, his uncompromising spirit and strength has carried him through challenging times before. He has nothing but empathy and remorse for the people he has harmed and hopes that [the] proceeding provided them some peace."

UPDATE

In court yesterday, Jerry showed remorse for the crimes he committed, directly addressing the trauma he caused his victims. "I am ashamed as I know that I took advantage of your youth and weakness. I was wrong and selfish. I caused you harm and I do not blame anyone. I regret my decisions and I am deeply sorry."

Jerry Harris, star of Netflix's "Cheer," has just been sentenced to 12 years behind bars in his child pornography case.

Harris was in court for sentencing Wednesday, where a string of his friends and supporters read statements about the disgraced reality star's character. After the lengthy hearing, the judge announced the 12-year sentence.

Fed source tells TMZ … Harris has been ordered into 8 years to pay $35,000 into AVAA crime victims fund, along with court-supervised release after imprisonment.

As we reported, Harris was facing up to 50 years behind bars after pleading guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct ... federal prosecutors recommended Harris spend 15 years locked away.

The "Cheer" star had been under investigation by the FBI dating back to 2019. Authorities claimed he was soliciting sex from minors at cheer competitions, and coercing teen boys to send inappropriate photos.

He was arrested in September of the following year -- the Netflix series even dove into his arrest during their second season.

Harris' cheerleading coach, Monica Aldama, was completely shocked by the news ... saying, "Our children must be protected from abuse and exploitation, and I'm praying hard for the victims and everyone affected."

He was denied bond while awaiting trial ... prosecutors successfully argued Harris might prey on minors if released on bond, reverting back to the same behavior he once had.

Originally Published -- 7/6 3:06 PM PT

SoFi Stadium Body Found In Lake ... Cops Investigating

An investigation is underway at SoFi Stadium after dive teams found a body in the lake in front of the Rams and Chargers' home venue in L.A. on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles County Fire Dept. says firefighters were dispatched to the stadium at around 6 AM after they received reports that someone had jumped into the man-made body of water in Inglewood and never resurfaced.

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THE SEARCH IS ON
FOX 11 LA

Dive teams searched the lake for hours, using sonar operations, and eventually recovered the body of what officials said was a 45-year-old male.

Inglewood Mayor James Butts said Wednesday afternoon a motive for the man jumping into the lake was unknown. Butts added surveillance video showed it "kind of" looked like the man "didn't know how to swim."

"This is someone that made a conscious decision to trespass onto the property, get into the lake and he ended up having some distress and difficulty," Butts said. "So I don't think there's anything SoFi could've done to prevent this."

The lake -- located just south of the stadium -- is 5.5 acres big, around 15 feet deep and holds up to 11 million gallons of water.

It was reportedly designed to capture rainwater to water the plants around the stadium.

Story developing ...

GOP Candidate Jerone Davison Claims AR-15's Necessary to Kill Klansmen ... In Violent Campaign Ad

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READY FOR ANYTHING

Jerone Davison, a Republican running for Congress, is embracing assault weapons, saying there's a place for them in America ... especially when it comes to subduing members of the KKK.

It's a bizarre and disturbing political ad ... Davison leans in hard on Democrats with his hypothetical that he would need 30 rounds fired in rapid succession to protect his family.

Davison, a former Oakland Raiders running back who's running in Arizona, suggests Democrats are the ones inside the Klan hoods.

The video shows hooded Klansmen with donkey patches on their robes menacingly approaching a home where Davison is hanging out with an AR-15. He's the only one with a firearm, and when he brandishes the rifle the Klansmen turn and run.

The ad ends with a white hood floating in a pool ... and in a social media post promoting the spot, Davison says, "Make Rifles Great Again 💪🏽."

Davison posted the ad Wednesday, just 2 days after an assault rifle was used in a mass shooting at an Independence Day parade.

Bryan Marchment Ex-NHL Defenseman ... Dead At 53

Bryan Marchment -- a former NHL defenseman and the father of current Florida Panthers forward Mason Marchment -- has passed away, the league announced on Wednesday.

He was 53 years old.

No cause of death has been revealed at this time.

"The National Hockey League mourns the passing of San Jose Sharks scout and former NHL player Bryan Marchment," the league said in a statement.

"Our deepest condolences go out to his family, the Sharks organization, and Bryan's many friends, former teammates, and fans."

Selected 16th overall in the 1987 draft, Bryan made his NHL debut at 19 for the Winnipeg Jets.

The defenseman played 17 total seasons in the NHL ... including stops with the Oilers, Sharks, Whalers, Blackhawks, Lightning, Avalanche, Maple Leafs and Flames.

After retiring from the Flames in 2006, Bryan became a scout for the Sharks in 2007 and was attending the NHL's draft when he unexpectedly passed away, according to the league.

Aaron Rodgers Gets 1st Tattoo ... 'Deep And Meaningful' Piece On Forearm

Aaron Rodgers' body is no longer tattoo-free ... the quarterback just revealed he got ink put on him for the first time in his life.

The Green Bay Packers star shared photos of the new tat on Wednesday afternoon ... revealing his left forearm now features an eyeball, astrology signs, lions and much more.

Rodgers declined to get into the specifics of what the ink meant to him ... but he did say the artwork was both "deep and meaningful."

Famous artist Balazs Bercsenyi did the piece on Rodgers ... and Aaron made sure to shout him out while revealing the body art.

"Grateful for his mastery and friendship," Aaron said of Bercsenyi. "There's a deep and meaningful story and connection to absolutely each element of this art piece, and I'll share a little more about that one day."

"For now, just thankful for @balazsbercsenyi and his patience and artistry. #tattoo #astrology #theelements"

Several of Rodgers' Packers teammates are already weighing in on the new ink ... with his good buddy David Bakhtiari writing in a comment on the pics, "I hope this is a henna tattoo."

"Yatted up 🤘🏽," receiver Allen Lazard added.

Pau Gasol Attempts Ballet W/ Kobe's Daughter ... 'We Love You Uncle Pau!'

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BALLET LESSONS
Instagram / @vanessabryant

How adorable is this ... to celebrate Pau Gasol's 42nd birthday, Vanessa Bryant shared video of the former NBA star trying to do ballet -- with her and Kobe's 5-year-daughter.

It's unclear when the footage was taken ... but Bryant posted the clip Wednesday morning on social media, showing the 7-foot-1 power forward, rocking a 'Kobe 24' T-shirt, trying his hardest to mimic Bianka's dance moves.

It's hilarious! You can even hear Gasol's wife Catherine McDonnell -- who captured the Kodak moment -- laugh at her hubby while giving him some ballet advice.

"Point your toes, pal," McDonnell said.

Despite not having the best technique, Gasol was having a blast with Bianka as they showcased all the moves ... Plié, twirls, and bows.

"Feliz Cumpleaños Hermano!" Bryant said in the caption.

"We love you uncle"

Bryant's oldest daughter, Natalia, also showed Uncle Pau some love on his bday -- sharing IG photos of them at Disneyland and a golf course.

"Happy birthday Uncle Paul," Natalia said, "Best golf buddy by 'par'."

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@vanessabryant / Instagram

Gasol, who was close friends with Kobe, spent a ton of time with the late legends' three daughters since the helicopter crash in January 2020, from celebrating the holidays together to shooting hoops at the Lakers facility.

Happy birthday, Pau!