Maya Moore WNBA Champ, UCONN Legend Retires ... Officially

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OFFICIALLY RETIRED
ABC

Maya Moore is hangin' up her jersey ... the 4-time WNBA champ and UConn legend announced Monday she's retiring from the game of basketball.

The former Minnesota Lynx guard broke the news on "Good Morning America," saying she's officially leaving basketball after a 7-year WNBA career.

"I think it is time to put a close on the pro basketball life,' the 33-year-old told 'GMA' host Robin Roberts.

"I walked away four seasons ago but I wanted to officially retire."

FYI, Maya last played in the WNBA in 2018.

Of course, Moore stepped away from basketball to focus on criminal injustice reform and Jonathan Irons ... who she helped free after he was wrongly convicted of burglary and assault in Missouri and sentenced to 50 years in prison.

The two got married shortly after his release in July 2020 and welcomed their first child in 2022.

In fact, Moore was on 'GMA' to promote her new book "Love & Justice" which is set to be released on Tuesday. It's about Maya and Jonathan's love story.

"This is such a sweet time for us and our family and the work that we've done -- I want to continue that in the next chapter," Moore said.

"I want to continue to be present at home, for my community, for my family, [for my] little baby, for Jonathan but also doing work with Win With Justice, our nonprofit, to continue to bring awareness about prosecutorial reform."

Before Moore's criminal justice advocacy, she was considered one of the best female basketball players to ever hit the court.

While playing under Geno Auriemma at UCONN from 2007 to 2011, the McDonald All-American won two NCAA championships, two Naismith College Player of the Year and broke several records including the most points (678) in a single season for the Huskies.

Moore was drafted as the overall #1 pick in 2011 and played for the Minnesota Lynx for seven seasons. She became a 6-time WNBA All-Star, a 4-time WNBA champ, WNBA Finals MVP, the WNBA's season MVP ... and the list goes on.

Maya also won two Olympic gold and FIBA gold medals ... making her one of only 11 women to win Olympic gold, an NCAA title, FIBA World cup gold, and a WNBA championship.

Congratulations and good luck!!

Nick Kyrgios Withdraws From Australian Open ... After Gross Fluid Drained From Knee

Nick Kyrgios is out of the Australian Open -- the tennis star officially withdrew from the high-profile tourney ... after he had some disgusting, ketchup-like fluid drained from his knee.

The 27-year-old called a press conference at Melbourne Park on Sunday to reveal the news ... announcing that a recent MRI scan showed he had a small tear and cyst in his lateral meniscus.

He shared on his IG story shortly before the announcement that the injury had led to a buildup of a gnarly substance in his knee that required a procedure to remove.

"I'm devastated," Kyrgios said. "It's brutal. This is my home tournament, and obviously, winning the tournament in doubles [last year] and playing the best tennis of my life. All I can do is my best to come back."

Kyrgios had faced Novak Djokovic, a nine-time Australian Open champion, in a charity match on Friday, but according to his physiotherapist, Will Maher, the knee didn't respond well to the action.

Kyrgios, the 19 seed, had been slated to go up against Roman Safiullin in the first round of the tourney on Tuesday.

Nick vowed to return from his surgery better than ever, saying in a social media post Sunday night, "Man……. this one hurts, to all my fans, I will be back stronger."

Bengals Coach Zac Taylor Hits Up Cincy Bar After Playoff Win ... Game Ball For Everyone!!!

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POST GAME PARTY
Kevin Herbers

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor continued his playoff tradition after his team pulled off a tight win over the Baltimore Ravens ... by hitting up a Cincinnati bar to present a game ball to fans!!

The fourth-year play caller showed up at The Blind Pig -- right across the street from Paycor Stadium -- following the Bengals' 24-17 dub over their division rivals on Sunday night ... and the crowd was clearly thrilled to have him join their party.

Taylor even addressed the patrons in attendance ... thanking them for their continued support.

"We appreciate it," Taylor said over the mic. "You all are the best fans in the whole world."

"Playoff win, the first of many," he continued. "Love you guys. Game ball to the Blind Pig. Appreciate all your support. We need you next week in Buffalo, find a way to get up there. Find a way, find a way. Who Dey!!"

The Bengals will now travel to New York to face the Bills in the divisional round ... setting up a matchup between Joe Burrow and Josh Allen.

Sunday can't come soon enough.

Alabama Basketball's Darius Miles Charged With Capital Murder ... After Shooting Near Campus

UPDATE

8:25 AM PT -- Darius Miles' attorneys have released a statement on his arrest ... saying the basketball player is maintaining his innocence in the case.

UPDATE

"[He] looks forward to his day in court," the attorneys said.

UPDATE

They added in the statement that Miles "and his family are heartbroken tonight over the death of Jamea Jonae Harris."

Univ. of Alabama basketball player Darius Miles has been charged with capital murder ... after authorities say he and another man were involved in the shooting death of a woman near campus on Sunday morning.

According to Tuscaloosa Police Capt. Jack Kennedy, the fatal shooting happened on The Strip ... a popular stretch of road near the school that's lined by bars and restaurants.

Kennedy said authorities were alerted to the shooting at around 1:45 AM ... after officers had responded to a vehicle at the Walk of Champions at Bryant Denny Stadium.

Kennedy, in a news conference Sunday night, told media members a 23-year-old woman, Jamea Harris, was dead in the car. The driver of the vehicle, Kennedy said, told officers their car had been hit by gunfire earlier in the night ... adding that they shot back in self-defense.

According to Kennedy, police reviewed surveillance video and interviewed multiple witnesses -- and identified Miles and 20-year-old Michael Lynn Davis, who's not affiliated with the Univ. of Alabama, as the suspects.

Both Miles and Davis were charged with capital murder ... and arrested Sunday evening.

Miles was seen sobbing outside of the Tuscaloosa County Jail following the arrest, telling someone at the scene, "I swear, I love you more than you imagine."

Kennedy said Miles and the alleged victims did not previously know each other ... explaining, "At this time, it appears that the only motive was a minor altercation that these individuals had with the victim as they were out on The Strip."

Miles played in six games for the Crimson Tide this season, logging nine points and nine rebounds. On Saturday, just hours before the shooting, the school had ruled him out for the season due to an ankle injury.

By Sunday evening, his player profile page had been removed from the university's website.

"First and foremost, we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the victim from last night’s incident," UA athletics said in a statement Sunday night. "We were made aware of the recent charge against student-athlete Darius Miles, and he is no longer a member of the Alabama men's basketball team. Athletics, in conjunction with the University, is fully cooperating with this investigation."

The school added in a statement of its own, "We are grieved by the incident that occurred near campus last night and extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends."

Origianlly Published -- 6:24 AM PT

Rich Paul Hey, Pro Tennis Players .... Switch To Pro Pickleball!!!

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PAUL ON PICKLEBALL
TMZSports.com

Listen up, pro tennis players ... Rich Paul is offering some free business advice -- explaining to TMZ Sports he believes a career switch to pickleball could yield huge benefits for athletes if they officially traded in rackets for paddles.

Paul broke it all down for us at LAX this week ... about a month after he, Patrick Mahomes, Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios and others joined forces to own a Major League Pickleball team.

The founder of Klutch Sports Group said he believes the sport is awesome and about to take off -- and noted that if a pro tennis player made the switch over now, it might lead to a big windfall of cash and fame later on.

"Those that play tennis that may be, you know, average or a little bit above average could be really great at this," Paul said. "It may be a little more lucrative."

He continued, "If I was someone who played a different sport that was kind of, what I would say would be an evolution or somewhat similar to another sport, and it was new, and it was hot and lucrative, I would take a look at it myself."

MLP began in 2021 with just eight teams -- but as the sport, played on a smaller version of a tennis court with paddles and a plastic ball with holes in it, has grown ... the org. expects to have 24 teams this year.

Paul's new squad will be one of the '23 additions to the league ... and he told us he's stoked for the potential it has, and the influx of talent that could be headed its way when people realize it.

As for his best friend LeBron James -- the King has also invested in MLP ... and is scheduled to actually compete against Paul's team this year.

Game on!!

Damar Hamlin Cheers on Buffalo Bills from Home ... Team Secures Another W!!!

Damar Hamlin continues to be with his team in spirit as their Cinderella journey toward a potential Super Bowl continues ... and it looks like he was even briefly with them in person.

The Buffalo Bills safety was tweeting out support for his guys Sunday as they took on the Miami Dolphins in a playoff game ... which they ended up winning by a few points to now advance to the AFC Divisional Round, making them one step closer to a SB appearance.

Right from the kickoff, Hamlin was tweeting ... one read, "My heart is with my guys as they compete today! Supporting from home as I focus on my recovery. Nothing I want more than to be out there with them! LFG." He attached an old video of him hyping up fans.

He sent other tweets throughout the game as well, including one that shouted out fellow safety Dean Marlowe and another congratulating running back James Cook. Both guys made great plays that helped the Bills secure the win in dramatic fashion -- with a 34 - 31 score.

Right after the game, Hamlin tweeted a "W" with some accompanying emojis that matched the team colors, and showed off a hand-gestured heart. Dude's clearly stoked.

Some thought DH was actually going to attend this matchup in person, as he showed up at the Bills' training facility at some point this weekend ... where he met face-to-face with his teammates and shared some smiles. A photo of this was posted to LB Matt Milano's IG Story.

It speaks to his remarkable recovery since his horrific on-field injury ... which nearly claimed his life. In the end, it seems like Hamlin is opting to take it easy, and that's probably for the best. While he seems good as new now, nobody expects him to hit the field anytime soon.

Considering the tremendous adversity the team has been put through these past two weeks ... it's kind of a miracle that they're continuing to play so well, clocking in victory after victory.

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RUSHED OFF THE FIELD
TMZSports.com

At this rate, they may well go all the way and show up gameday come Feb. 12 -- which would make for an awesome story ... especially for Hamlin. Feel-good stuff, no doubt.

UGA OL Devin Willock, Staffer Killed In Car Crash ... Hours After Championship Parade

Devin Willock, a redshirt sophomore and offensive lineman for the University of Georgia died in a car crash early Sunday morning, along with a UGA staffer ... just hours after the team's national championship parade.

Willock was just 20 years old.

The recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy, was driving a 2021 Ford Expedition with Willock and two other passengers south of campus when the vehicle somehow left the road around 2:45 AM Eastern and collided with two poles and several trees, according to police.

Devin was pronounced dead on the scene. LeCroy was transported to the hospital, where she later died as a result of her injuries.

The two other passengers were injured ... one seriously.

"The entire Georgia family is devastated by the tragic loss of football student-athlete Devin Willock and football staff member Chandler LeCroy," the University of Georgia said in a statement.

"Devin and Chandler were two special people who meant so much to the University of Georgia, our football program, and our athletic department. We ask that everyone keep their families in your prayers during this very difficult time."

Georgia football coach Kirby Smart also released a statement ... "We are all heartbroken and devastated with the loss of Devin Willock and Chandler LeCroy. Devin was an outstanding young man in every way. He was always smiling, was a great teammate, and was a joy to coach."

"Chandler was a valuable member of our football staff and brought an incredible attitude and energy every single day. We grieve with their families for this tragic loss and will support them in every way possible."

6'7", 335 lbs. Willock, from New Millford, NJ, played in all of Georgia's games this season, including two starts at right guard.

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BEFORE THE CRASH
Instagram / @devinwillock

UGA had been celebrating their second consecutive national championship, which they won Monday night after defeating TCU, 65-7, in the title game.

R.I.P.

Mike Tyson On Tank Davis ... He Can Be A Boxing Legend!!!

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BOXING BANTER
TMZSports.com

Gervonta Davis is going to love this ...

Mike Tyson just heaped some huge praise onto the star boxer ... saying if the 28-year-old continues fighting at the level he's currently at, he can without a doubt become a legend in the sport.

Iron Mike threw out the massive compliment in Beverly Hills on Friday afternoon ... while talking with TMZ Sports about people comparing Tank to a younger version of himself.

"Tank is a great fighter," Tyson said of the comp ... before adding, "He'll be [a legend] too if he keeps fighting."

Of course, Tyson has never been shy about his affinity for Davis ... calling the 28-0 boxer "probably the greatest fighter around now" after he beat Mario Barrios in 2021.

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THE GREATEST AROUND
DEEP MMA & BOXING

Others in the fight world, too, have shown big love for Tank's fighting skills ... comparing him to Tyson often due to his compact frame and propensity to end fights with one punch.

The biggest fight of Davis' career could very well happen at some point this year -- as he and Ryan Garcia appear to be on a collision course.

Will Davis be fighting for a belt AND "legend" status when the opening bell rings? Seems like Tyson certainly thinks so.

Floyd Mayweather Champ Training Armani White 🥊 Jab, Step, Push-Up Contest!!!

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SHOWIN' HIM THE ROPES
TMZ.com

Floyd Mayweather made the most of his downtime cameoing in Armani White's new music video -- he actually taught the Def Jam artist some of the tricks that kept him an undefeated champ!!!

TMZ Hip Hop got clips of Floyd showing Armani the ropes outside the ring at his TMT gym ... where they'd been shooting the rapper's "GOATED" video. In between takes, Armani's face was all business while soaking up the 50-0 prizefighter's tips ... which included some footwork pointers, lessons on the heavy bag and overall posture.

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FUN ON SET
TMZ.com

The real sweat poured when they switched to cardio training and Floyd calmly did 100 push-ups and showed off his ninja skills with the jump rope.

It wasn't all grind and grit, though. Armani showed Floyd "The GOATED shoulder" dance that's perfect for TikTok. The champ caught on right away, and his groove made co-directors Mikey D’Amico and Davey Robinson's final cut!!!

The animated visual also sports the lyrical contributions of Denzel Curry and will be featured on Armani’s upcoming EP, which we hear is due out sometime early this year.

His breakout hit “Billie Eilish,” graced the Billboard Hot 100 and crossed more than 40 billion streams. With Floyd in his corner for his next release, Armani's looking for another 'W.'

Nyjah Huston 82-MPH Skateboard Too Fast For Me ... 'That S***'s Scary'

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SPEED FREAKS
TMZSports.com

One of the best skaters in the sport doesn't have a need for speed -- 'cause Nyjah Huston tells TMZ Sports it's a HARD PASS on testing out the world's fastest skateboard.

Australian mechanical engineer Raine Kent recently broke the Guinness world record for the fastest speed ever recorded on a board ... after he reached an insane 82.25 miles per hour on his custom setup.

The next step is to make the product available to the general public ... but bad news for Kent, he already lost one customer.

"That s***'s scary, I'm not gonna lie," Huston told us at LAX.

"That's too fast for me. I'm good. I'm going to stick to my rails ... I'm good on that."

Of course, 28-year-old Huston is a 12-time X Games gold medalist ... and has several SLS Super Crown World Championship wins under his belt as well.

While he won't be hopping on the speedy wheels anytime soon, Huston says he's down to be a spectator.

"Go fast, send it!! Any send, I'm down," he added.

Huston says he'll stick to his stairs and rails ... but gives props to anyone looking to test out the new product.

Tory Lanez Hires Jose Baez for Appeal Team ... Plus, Ex-Suge Knight Attry.

Tory Lanez has a new top-notch legal team in his midst that he hopes can get him out of jail ASAP -- which now includes the man who famously got Casey Anthony off the hook.

Sources connected to TL's defense team tell TMZ ... the rapper has recently hired Jose Baez as his latest attorney, whom we're told is going to work side by side with David Kenner and Matthew Barhoma ... two other powerhouse lawyers Tory brought on this past week.

It's shaping up to be quite the squad around him. Of course, Baez has repped countless notable clients -- there's Anthony, but also ... Aaron Hernandez. JB was in the middle of filing an appeal for his conviction in the murder of Odin Lloyd before AH took his own life.

Prior to his death, Baez successfully got Aaron acquitted in a separate double murder case he'd been charged for -- and he's worked on behalf of several other celebs over the years.

Kenner, for his part, repped Suge Knight in the '90s regarding a robbery charge -- for which he got Suge probation. It appears Kenner was also working for Suge for his more recent manslaughter case ... appearing in court with Suge while he was fighting those charges.

On top of that, Kenner also successfully represented Snoop Dogg around the same time -- helping him beat a murder case. So, yeah ... the guy's got a pretty good track record.

As for the latest on Tory's case ... Kenner asked a judge this week to have sentencing delayed for a bit while he catches up on court transcripts from the trial, so that he can prepare a solid appeal. The judge granted that request ... sentencing is now on for Feb. 28.

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NO APPEAL

Tory fired the OG attorneys who were working for him during the trial. He's facing 22 years in prison (and possible deportation) after being found guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion.

Tristan Thompson Mother's Funeral Draws Celebs ... Drake, Kardashians, Etc.

Tristan Thompson held a funeral for his late mother this weekend -- which a handful of notable celebrities flew out for to pay their respects ... including the Kardashians.

The NBA player was on hand Saturday in Toronto -- where a service was held for his mom, Andrea, who died suddenly over a week ago after suffering a heart attack. Tristan was dressed in all black outside, where Andrea's casket was eventually carried through as well.

Looks like some famous faces attended the celebration of life ... Drake, for instance, was notably on the scene. Ditto for Kim, Khloe and what seems to be Kylie. We know Kris Jenner was there too, but she doesn't appear in any of these shots.

In addition to these stars, there were other friends and family who were supporting Tristan. Everybody looks somber, and most everyone was dressed in traditional funeral attire.

As we reported ... Andrea was rushed to a hospital on Jan. 5 after going into cardiac arrest. Doctors tried reviving her, but she passed. Tristan flew out almost immediately, and Khloe went with him. Of course, they share two children together -- True and a new baby boy.

The ex-couple is no longer romantically involved, but obviously ... they're still close. Andrea was also incredibly close to her son -- she'd met True and Tristan's other kids over the years.

RIP

NFL's A.J. Green Georgia Home Burglarized ... Cops Investigating

Arizona Cardinals WR A.J. Green's Georgia home was burglarized Friday night, TMZ Sports has learned ... and now cops are attempting to hunt down the alleged thief.

Law enforcement sources tell us Green's house was empty -- thankfully neither A.J. nor his family was home -- when the perpetrator somehow gained entry inside the Roswell, GA estate.

It's unclear exactly what was taken before they fled the scene. Thankfully, it wasn't exactly a clean getaway. The suspect tripped a house alarm, which notified the local police department, who responded around 8 PM.

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COPS ON THE SCENE
TMZSports.com

We obtained video showing multiple police vehicles with lights flashing parked outside Green's home. Officers are seen standing outside an exterior gate.

Investigators say there are surveillance cameras on the property ... which they plan to review in the hopes it captured images of the perpetrator during the alleged crime.

Green's 5,100-square-foot house, which sits on 2.7 acres, was built in 2018 ... and has 4 bedrooms and 4 baths.

Cops are also taking an inventory of what was stolen from the 7x Pro Bowler's home.

A.J., who just finished his 12th NFL season, previously starred at the University of Georgia from 2008 to 2010. Roswell is about 90 minutes from the UGA campus.

We've reached out to Green for comment ... so far, no word back.

KSI Dillon Danis Banned From Misfits Boxing ... I'll Slap Him If I See Him

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GET READY TO DROWN
TMZSports.com

KSI says Dillon Danis is persona non grata at all future Misfits Boxing events ... telling TMZ Sports if he ever sees the MMA fighter again, he'll "probably slap him in the face for all the disrespect he gave me."

As we previously reported, Danis backed out of his fight against KSI just days before the event was slated to go down in London ... with Misfits promoter Mams Taylor claiming his team told him Conor McGregor's buddy was underprepared to enter the ring.

We spoke with the 4-0-1 boxer about the whole ordeal ... and he's slamming the door on ever setting up another bout with Danis.

"No, I don't," KSI said this week. "I want him to go into irrelevancy. I don't want anything to do with him anymore. He's banned from Misfits. I don't ever want to see him anywhere near Misfits."

"I'm never gonna fight him, and if I see him, I'll probably slap him in the face for all the disrespect he gave me throughout this buildup."

Of course, FaZe Temper stepped up in Danis' place ... and will now face KSI at the OVO Arena Wembley on Saturday instead.

KSI says the FaZe Clan co-founder is no easy matchup ... but is confident his skills can outlast anyone in the social media circle.

KSI also talked about his future plans in the sport ... and he says he's aiming to finally fight Jake Paul in 2023, and gives us a time frame on when he expects it to go down.

Street Artist Mr. Brainwash Down to Design NBA Alternate Jerseys ... Basketball Courts, Too!!!

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MONUMENT TO L.A.
TMZSports.com

If the NBA needs someone new to design its alternate jerseys or basketball courts, Mr. Brainwash is clearly the league's guy ... the famous street artist tells TMZ Sports he'd love to do it if asked!!

Recently, teams in the Association have been finding ways to get creative by working with artists for their City Edition floor designs and alternate jerseys. In fact, with the Nets' most recent threads, they channeled Brooklyn artist Jean-Michel Basquiat for the theme.

When we got Thierry Guetta -- famously known as Mr. Brainwash -- out in L.A. this week ... we had to ask if he, too, would like to join in on the fun someday ... and he told us absolutely!

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LOVE FOR THE GAME
TMZSports.com

"Yes, definitely," he said while out in Beverly Hills. "I'm always open."

Of course, the gig wouldn't be Mr. Brainwash's first big assignment -- he's a legend in L.A. who's created some amazing artwork, including a famous mural of the late Kobe and Gianna Bryant.

The French-born artist says he loves what he does ... telling us his work is "not only with people with talent but with people with a lot of passion."

So, what do you say, Adam Silver? Let's make it happen!

O.T. Genasis I'm Down Bad Over Broncos ... 'S*** Is Awful Right Now'

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MAJOR MISTAKE
TMZSports.com

Russell Wilson and the Broncos have put O.T. Genasis in a really crappy mood ... the rapper who loves the Denver franchise tells TMZ Sports he's down bad after the team's abysmal 5-12 season.

"This s*** is awful right now," the "CoCo" crooner admitted out at LAX this week.

Thankfully for the Broncos, though, O.T. is still keepin' the faith -- at least, somewhat -- telling us he's got hopes that after giving head coach Nathaniel Hackett the boot towards the end of the season, they can turn things around.

Then again, he ain't exactly optimistic about Wilson ... saying he's got big-time regrets about the five-year, $242 MILLION contract the Broncos gave the star QB after trading for him this past offseason.

"We gave him too much money," O.T. said ... before adding, "We should have test-drove the car before we bought it!"

O.T., though, knows a thing or two about sticking by Denver in bad times. The big Broncos fan -- who's often seen rockin' Denver attire -- lived through some disappointing losses before finally seeing them win the Super Bowl in 2016.

"Hopefully, it's just coaching," he said. "Hopefully, we come up with a better scheme, bro."

Denver's got about eight months to figure things out before the 2023 season officially begins ... and you can bet O.T. will be watching intently!

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