TMZ Sports - Page 27

Brittney Griner is spending her 32nd birthday behind bars in Russian prison ... and her wife, Cherelle, is thanking President Joe Biden and his administration for working nonstop in hopes of bringing her home before her 33rd.

Monday marked 8 months since the Phoenix Mercury superstar was detained for having cannabis oil in her belongings at a Russian airport ... and Cherelle says the separation has been beyond challenging.

"I've felt every moment of the grueling seven months without her," Cherelle said in a video.

Despite Griner's ongoing imprisonment, Cherelle is hopeful the U.S. is continuing to fight for her freedom.

"I want to thank President Biden for the Administration's efforts to secure her release."

"As my family and I continue on this journey, I'd like to thank our friends, leaders and supporters who continue to stand with us and advocate for Brittney's swift and safe return."

As we previously reported, Cherelle opened up about Brittney's mental battles while behind bars ... saying her wife feels like her life doesn't matter anymore, and fears she has been forgotten in Russia.

"Let's share a unified commitment to bringing all Americans home to their families and loved ones," Cherelle added.

With Tuesday being Brittney's birthday, Cherelle is calling on her supporters to continue sending support on social media by using the hashtags #WeAreBG and #BringThemHome.

The government has been negotiating with Russia ... and claims it offered a "substantial" proposal to bring her home ASAP.

Roy Jones Jr. is returning to the ring ... the boxing legend has inked a deal with Celebrity Boxing, and now the promotion is seeking a big-name social media star or celebrity for the Hall of Fame pugilist to fight!

We're told 53-year-old Jones Jr. recently signed a contract with CB founder Damon Feldman, who's pumped over the signing.

"We are so excited. It's our biggest event ever, and we're looking for a big opponent for Roy," Feldman told TMZ Sports.

Roy last fought in November 2020 against Mike Tyson ... an 8-round exhibition match that was declared a draw. Most fans agreed it was a fun fight ... and a good event.

Prior to the fight with Iron Mike, Roy was last in a ring professionally in February 2018 ... when he defeated Scott Sigmon by unanimous decision.

Now, RJJ will again return to the squared circle.

Celeb Boxing has put on fights with famous people in the past ... for example, Lamar Odom vs. Aaron Carter fought last year.

But, this is next level for CB  ... Roy Jones Jr. is one of the most talented fighters to ever step foot in a ring. He held multiple world titles in four different weight classes.

Roy beat the best fighters up and down numerous weight classes in incredible fashion ... including wins over Felix Trinidad (2008), Antonio Tarver (2003), John Ruiz (2003), James Toney (1994) and Bernard Hopkins (1993), just to name a few.

Michael Myers was killin' it at the gym this week.

Sorry, had to.

Former pro pitcher Logan Chitwood gave meatheads a scare at the gym this week -- by dressing up as the "Halloween" villain and getting in a workout!!

The hilarious prank was caught on video ... showing the YouTube star working on his biceps and triceps while decked out in the slasher's navy jumpsuit, mask, wig, and boots.

Chitwood stayed in character the whole time -- you can even see him holding a fake knife while pullin' this off ... but he did struggle a bit when he tried to do a one-armed pull-up.

The prank got a mixed reaction from the folks at the gym ... with some laughing and recording while the serious gym rats stayed focused.

You know who thought it was hilarious, though?!? LeBron James ... saying on his IG, "That some 💩 I would do!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣"

In fact, the NBA superstar -- who seems to be a huge Michael Myers fan -- has a fake replica of the slasher at his mansion for Halloween decor and recently watched the new "Halloween Ends" movie.

"Halloween Ends was so GOOD!!!!" the 37-year-old said on Twitter, "@jamieleecurtis you're such a LEGEND & BADASS #MichaelMyers"

When mountain climbing isn't dangerous enough, add another life-threatening element -- an attacking bear ... a terrifying encounter the climber captured on video.

The wild interaction went down earlier this month at Mt. Futago in Japan, where the climber was descending a rocky ridge when he was suddenly face-to-face with a charging black bear that was seemingly protecting a cub.

You can see and hear survival mode kick in for the climber ... who punched, kicked and screamed at the bear as it came within inches of his face, and then tumbled down to a ridge below him.

Although he was able to ward off the bear's initial attack ... the guy had to keep fighting it off with punches and kicks at the animal's head -- and all while managing not to fall off the face of the cliff.

After about 30 seconds, the bear ran off with its cub in tow, disappearing into the brush.

For his part, the climber says he was the one invading the bear's territory ... but he had no choice but to defend himself after the bear attacked.

Vin Scully's Hidden Hills mansion -- complete with tennis court and theater -- is looking for a new owner ... and it's coming with a $15 MILLION price tag.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the late Dodgers legend's 7-bedroom, 9-bathroom palace hit the market this week.

The nearly 2-acre lot has a ton of bells and whistles -- including a pool, spa, putting green, oversized chef's kitchen, game room, marble wet bar and outdoor kitchen.

The 11,000-square-foot mansion also comes with a detached guest apartment, full guest house and a 6-car garage.

The interior is decked out with French country elements ... including oak wood floors and floor-to-ceiling fireplaces. The primary suite also comes with a nice view and plenty of privacy.

As we previously reported ... Scully -- who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame's broadcaster wing in 1982 -- passed away in August at 94 years old. He became the voice of the Dodgers in the 1950s before his retirement in 2016.

WNBA star Skylar Diggins-Smith has another bundle of joy on the way -- announcing on Monday she's expecting her second child!

The Phoenix Mercury point guard surprised everyone on Monday by posting photos of her pregnant belly on Instagram.

"New addition loading 🧡," the 32-year-old said in the caption.

This isn't Diggins-Smith's first blessing ... remember, the 6-time WNBA All-Star played the entire 2018 season while pregnant with her first child -- when she was with the Dallas Wings.

Skylar and her husband, former Notre Dame receiver Daniel Smith, hid her pregnancy from everyone -- saying back in October 2019 via Twitter, "I played the ENTIRE season pregnant last year!"

"All-star, and led league (top 3-5) in MPG....didn’t tell a soul."

Diggins-Smith opted out of the 2019 season after giving birth to her son that April due to postpartum depression ... and she's been public about not receiving the necessary help from her team.

"Having no support from your own organization is unfortunate," Diggins said.

"People called me a quitter, said I gave up on my team, etc., etc. Not knowing I took two FULL months away from everything because of postpartum depression."

Diggins-Smith added, "With limited resources to help me be successful mentally/physically. But just wait though....KEEP THAT SAME ENERGY."

Of course, Diggins-Smith ended up with the Phoenix Mercury after a sign-and-trade deal in February 2020 ... and has been a key player since.

In the last two years, Diggins-Smith -- the 3rd overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft -- averaged 17.7 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game, making the playoffs in both seasons.

Wrestling star Dean "Mojo" Muhtadi is officially the most hyped married man on the planet -- he just got hitched in Italy!!

The "TMZ Sports" co-host tied the knot with his lovely girlfriend, Gracie, at Villa Cora in Florence on Monday ... and it looked like an absolute blast.

Mojo and Gracie's closest friends and family were in attendance for the festivities ... and as the newly wedded couple made their big entrance at the reception, Mojo made sure to show just how happy he is to be married -- dancing his face off and even getting in a few kicks.

Mojo wore an all-white tux for his big day ... and Gracie sported a gorgeous white dress.

The Muhtadis have been together for a few years now ... and got engaged back in February.

Charlotte Hornets guard James Bouknight was arrested for allegedly driving while impaired early Sunday morning ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

The 6'4", 160-pounder was booked around 1:51 AM, according to the Mecklenburg Sheriff's Office in North Carolina. His bond was listed at $2,500.

Bouknight was a star for the UConn Huskies before going 11th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

He averaged 4.6 points in 31 games in his rookie campaign ... including a 24-point performance against the Sacramento Kings.

Bouknight's arrest adds to a hellish offseason for the Hornets ... after star Miles Bridges was accused of abusing his girlfriend in front of their children. Former Charlotte forward Montrezl Harrell -- who recently signed with the Philadelphia 76ers -- was also busted for having marijuana in his car.

The Hornets released a statement ... saying, "We are aware of the incident involving James Bouknight and are in the process of gathering additional information."

"We will have no further comment at this time."

Story developing ...

Former NFL cornerback Antonio Dennard was shot and killed outside a bar in Reading, Pennsylvania, over the weekend ... TMZ Sports has learned. He was 32.

The Berks County Coroner's Office tells us Dennard was pronounced dead at 3:15 AM on October 16 -- after being transported to Reading Hospital for a gunshot wound.

Dennard's death has been ruled a homicide ... and police are currently investigating.

Dennard spent time in the NFL with the New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, and Jacksonville Jaguars throughout his career.

An autopsy for Dennard is scheduled for Tuesday, October 18.

Izzy Drake, the social media troll who Drake has distanced himself from should probably just throw in the towel on the whole clone thing ... as well as any chances at a boxing career.

Izzy took a pounding in Atlantic City over the weekend via a Celebrity Boxing match against YouTuber/rapper M2thaK.

Izzy was originally supposed to fight Lamar Odom ... but claims real Drake paid him off NOT to fight, which Lamar has denied. M2thaK came out the gate swinging, connecting plenty of jabs to Izzy's noggin.

The fight was far from a professional bout, both fighters contributed to their own knockdowns, slipping all over the canvas.

But, M2thaK managed to stay consistent for all three rounds ... and the refs unanimously handed the dubya to M2thaK -- and his fists of fury.

Following the fight, M2thak taunted Izzy with the newest addition to his jewelry collection ... the golden Celebrity Boxing championship belt, gloating about how Izzy's pride got left on the mat.

Bronny James is following in his father's footsteps ... signing a NIL deal with Beats by Dre -- 14 years after LeBron James became the company's first athlete ambassador.

Bronny, 18, is making history with the deal ... becoming the first high school athlete ever to be signed by the company, which was founded in 2006 by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine.

Beats by Dre even dropped a commercial featuring the newest member of its family ... showing 37-year-old James listening to classical music and going one-on-one with Bronny on the court.

In the video, LBJ and Bronny exchange buckets back and forth ... including a series of dunks and jump shots, all while donning Beats by Dre headphones during the game.

"The Chosen One vs. The Chosen Son," Beats by Dre fittingly wrote as a caption for the commercial. At the end of the video, "The Legacy Continues" appears on the screen.

Last week, the Sierra Canyon High School guard inked a NIL deal with Nike, who signed LeBron to a lifetime contract in 2015.

LBJ and Nike have been partners since 2003 ... when LeBron burst onto the NBA scene as an 18-year-rookie dominating the league, so signing Bronny was a foregone conclusion.

The Boston Celtics came up with a special way to honor Bill Russell this season ... with the late Hall of Famer getting a tribute on the team's alternate jersey.

The Cs made the announcement on Monday via IG with photos of Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Grant Williams rockin' the new gear -- and they're pretty dope.

The jerseys are dark green, black, and gold featuring 11 gold diamonds on the sides ... to symbolize the number of NBA championships Russell had won during his career.

There's also another set of 11 gold diamonds surrounding Russell's No. 6 jersey number on the waistband ... and the new scripted Celtics wordmark was inspired by Slade’s Bar & Grill, a spot that was owned by Russell in the 1960s.

The Celtics also shared a tribute video of the jersey release ... showing throwback highlights of Russell and what he meant not only to the NBA but to the world.

"Paying homage to a true champion," Celtics said in the caption, "and the Gold Standard of what it means to be a Celtic ☘️."

FYI, Russell -- who played center for the C's from 1956 to 1969 -- helped design the city edition unis with the team before he passed this July at the age of 88.

The Celtics will wear the tribute gear 11 times this year -- another homage to his title wins -- and will start with their season opener against the 76ers on Tuesday.

Gisele Bündchen had a relaxing weekend amid her split from Tom Brady -- visiting her spiritual healer and spending time with her daughter -- while Tom took an L on the field.

Gisele was out and about Sunday in Florida, first visiting Dr. Ewa for a healing session. As we reported, GB paid the doc a visit earlier this month too, sans wedding ring.

After her one-on-one time with Dr. Ewa, Gisele switched gears and had some fun with her daughter, 9-year-old Vivian -- taking her to a horseback riding lesson -- snapping some cute pics of her kid.

Tom's Sunday was not so chill ... with the Bucs losing to the Steelers. T.B. was even seen screaming at his teammates during the game.

Darius Slay Jr. sent Meek Mill home from "Sunday Night Football" with a gift ... the Philly rapper got the Eagles stars interception ball as a souvenir.

The Eagles had been leading the Cowboys, 17-0, on "SNF" ... when Slay intercepted a Cooper Rush pass intended for wide receiver Michael Gallup.

After a short return, Slay, with his teammates nearby, approached Meek and gave the INT ball to the "Dreams and Nightmares" rapper after dapping him up.

Meek -- who had performed his iconic "Dreams and Nightmares" song before the game -- had good reason to celebrate throughout the night ... Philly was dominating the Cowboys.

In his third year with the team, Slay is having a monster season in the Eagles' secondary ... and has made it a tradition to hand over INT footballs to A-list celebs at home games.

Earlier this season on "Monday Night Football," 31-year-old Slay gifted 76ers star James Harden his INT ball after picking off a pass from Vikings QB Kirk Cousins.

Speaking of Harden, his Sixers teammate Joel Embiid -- who hit up the Phillies' closeout game against the Braves on Saturday -- got some facetime with Jill Biden at the game.

The First Lady led the "Fly Eagles Fly" song pregame ... standing alongside cancer survivors right before the Eagles and Cowboys battled it out for NFL East supremacy.

The Tennessee Volunteers football team is seeking help to replace the goalpost fans tore down after their upset win over Alabama on Saturday ... by starting a fundraiser for the cause.

They're serious, too -- the Vols shared a link to their campaign via Twitter ... one day after Tennessee fans threw the goalpost into the river to celebrate the victory.

"Y'all remember how we tore the goalposts down, hauled em out of Neyland and dumped em in the Tennessee River? Yeah that was awesome," the team said.

"Anywho, turns out that in order to play next week's game, we need goalposts on our field. Could y'all help us out?"

FYI, Tennessee will need that goalpost to play their Oct. 22 home game against UT Martin.

The team even found a way to troll the Crimson Tide on the donation page -- including using the final score as a dollar amount.

"Give $52.49. Final score of the breathtaking game."

There's also a $16 option -- the number of seasons since Tennessee beat 'Bama -- and a $1,019.15 choice ... which is the number of fans who sold out the Vol's stadium.

Of course, many ripped the team for the launch ... one person saying, "Is this real? You have a $130,000,000 budget. Get a new set. Problem solved. Good win."

As of Monday morning, the fundraiser has already received over $75k -- half of what they need -- from over 1,911 donors.

Draymond Green wants to keep it professional, and Jordan Poole says he'll do just that -- telling reporters his teammate apologized for punching him during practice ... and now his focus is on winning another championship.

Poole -- who just inked a 4-year, $140 million extension with the Warriors -- spoke with the media for the first time since the violent altercation ... and said he's looking to move past the whole ordeal.

“He apologized," Poole said ... calling their interaction "professional."

"We're here to play basketball and everybody in the locker room and on the team knows what it takes to win a championship, and we're gonna do that on the court."

Poole says the two will handle themselves in a professional manner moving forward ... adding, "We're here to win a championship and keep hanging banners."

As we previously reported, Green seemed indifferent about his personal relationship with Poole after the incident ... saying it's up to Jordan if he wants to repair their friendship.

"As far as us moving forward, Jordan's a professional, I'm a professional," Green said last week. "We have a job to do."

While Poole didn't blatantly take a shot at Green, his statement seemed cold ... leaving it fair to assume the guys aren't grabbing a beer together anytime soon.

Of course, we're told the practice altercation went down after Poole got cocky over his contract negotiations ... but Warriors players adamantly deny any change in his attitude leading up to the punch.

Now that Poole got paid, it leaves a big question mark on Draymond's future with the team ... especially since he didn't get an extension of his own.