TMZ Sports - Page 50

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux was deeply emotional while discussing his season-ending ACL injury with reporters on Tuesday ... calling the whole ordeal "heartbreaking."

25-year-old Lux suffered the devastating setback when his knee buckled while running the bases in the Dodgers' spring training matchup against the San Diego Padres on Monday ... closing the curtain on his 2023 campaign.

Lux was visibly upset while discussing the injury with the media just minutes ago ... fighting back tears as he spoke about it.

"You put in a lot of time and work and you really enjoy the guys in the clubhouse," Lux said at the Dodgers' facility. "The hardest part is just not being able to be on the field, for sure."

Lux says he felt his knee pop right away ... and the outside of his leg went numb.

"S*** happens, so control what you can control and crush my rehab and try to be ready for 2024 when it rolls around and that's kinda all you can do," he added.

It was slated to be a big year for Lux, who was going to be the Dodgers' starting shortstop -- a role he's wanted since he was a kid.

"I think every baseball player's dream is to play shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers. So, yeah, I think that's one of the hardest parts."

Lux said his teammates have been nothing but supportive throughout the process ... adding it just goes to show "how good these guys in the clubhouse are."

Lux will have surgery next week ... and is expected to be out 8 months.

The Tennessee Titans appear to be giving Taylor Lewan the ex treatment after releasing him last week -- the 9-year vet says the team savagely dropped off his football equipment on his front porch.

Lewan posted a pic of the scene to Twitter on Monday ... showing 3 garbage bags on his doorstep.

"Shout out to the @Titans dropping my stuff off today. They even let me keep the shoulder pads," Lewan, who spent his entire NFL career with Tennessee, said in the tweet.

In the pic, you can see what appears to be an assortment of red and white cleats in a clear plastic bag ... and a pair of football pads as well.

The 31-year-old was selected by the Titans in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft ... but after Lewan failed a physical last week, the team decided to move on from the 3-time Pro Bowler.

Lewan was a force on the field ... but he tore his ACL in 2020 after playing in five games, and tore his ACL again this season in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills.

Unclear if Lewan will retire following his release  ... but Taylor has been keeping the Internet buzzin' after pretending he was in a romantic relationship with Jeffree Star.

Star appeared on Taylor's podcast ... and revealed that the photos of him and his "mystery boo" was the NFL star tackle -- but the two said it was strictly business and nothing more.

A massive brawl broke out at an Oklahoma high school basketball game, where players, spectators, and even cheerleaders were goin' at it -- and the insane melee was caught on video!

The fight happened after Star Spencer H.S. girl's team lost to Tulsa Central High at Regionals last Friday in Morris, Oklahoma.

What started the fight is unknown, but someone sitting in the bleachers had their camera rollin' when it began ... showing two female players on the ground pulling each other's hair while several people tried to stop them.

However, their efforts were futile, and actually started a larger altercation ... as people started pushing, shoving, and fighting. Players. Fans. Cheerleaders. Everyone.

In fact, you can see a man viciously throw a player during the brawl.

Morris Police Department officers were able to break up the fight, according to KFOR, and no one was injured or arrested.

Oklahoma Public School's spokesperson tells us they're investigating the incident and "students involved have been disciplined according to our Student Code of Conduct."

"This was an unfortunate incident and does not reflect the values or sportsmanship that OKCPS expects of our students and fans," the spokesperson said. "OKCPS officials worked with Tulsa Public Schools and the OSSAA to investigate the incident."

Several adults have also been banned from Tulsa Public Schools athletic events for the rest of the year.

Despite the incident, the Central Lady Braves played the following day against Millwood and won ... making them the Regional Consolation Champs.

Hold your tomatoes -- Tom Brady is NOT pursuing a full-blown second career in stand-up comedy, but the recently retired NFL superstar might still be making people chuckle at his expense in the future, TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... recent reports of TB12 wanting to venture into the funny business are bogus. The 7-time Super Bowl champion is, however, in talks with Netflix to be the center of a roast special ... with a working title, "The Greatest Roast of All Time."

It's a bummer for anyone who wanted to see more of Brady dancing and singing like he did in his "Saturday Night Live" monologue in 2005 ... but for now, his focus is on being with his family before joining Fox Sports in 2024.

As Brady previously said, he will spend his year off "catching up on other parts of my life that need some time and energy" before honoring his 10-year, $375 million broadcasting deal.

Giannis Antetokounmpo took some big-time shots at Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant on Monday -- and while they were totally scripted and not his words ... it was hilarious to hear the 2-time MVP talk-trash nonetheless!

The Milwaukee Bucks superstar's "roast" of his peers all went down on "The Daily Show" ... when host Hasan Minhaj wanted to get Giannis out of his ultra-nice-guy role and into villain mode.

Minhaj queued up some scorching burns for Giannis to read out loud ... and while the basketball player didn't quite get through the one about Doncic, he certainly delivered on the other two.

"Joker," the Greek Freak read off a teleprompter, "how are you going to make it through the Finals when you look like you can barely make it through a Burger King drive-through."

Giannis tried to then compliment the Denver Nuggets center -- before Minhaj interrupted ... and then made him go after KD.

"You keep joining these super teams to win an NBA title," Antetokounmpo said. "How about we work out together sometime so I can teach you how to carry your own team."

Yeeeeesh.

Of course, Antetokounmpo didn't last long in the character ... 'cause then he proceeded to shower Durant with praise, before refusing to even remotely come close to saying a negative word about LeBron James.

Zac Stacy's ex-girlfriend says the former NFL player is a changed man after he attacked her on two separate occasions in 2021 ... claiming therapy has helped him turn his life around.

Kristin Evans -- the mother of Stacy's child -- addressed the ex-running back's 6-month jail sentence in an Instagram post on Tuesday ... saying she was against putting him behind bars as a result of his abuse because it would not provide him the resources he would need to get better.

In the video, Evans claimed Stacy made the decision to seek cognitive behavioral therapy ... which resulted in a "significant adjustment in his behavior and communication."

FYI -- CBT is a psychological treatment that helps those battling mental illness, drug/alcohol abuse, depression, anxiety and more.

"And over the last six months, he's consistently shown an improvement, as well as our son enjoying spending time with him."

Evans added she also opposed jail time ... as it could have an impact on their kid's mental health.

"So please give me some grace in understanding that I’m not being easy on Zac, rather I am trying to protect our son from anymore trauma," she continued.

Ultimately, Evans believes the head trauma Stacy suffered during his football career played a role in his previous actions ... and she wants to give him another chance to prove he can change.

Evans' video has sparked numerous responses in the comment section ... with many calling for her to rethink her forgiveness for the sake of her family.

Shakira is going after her ex Gerard Pique's new boo ... putting her on blast for seemingly not following the "girl code" of dating.

The singer didn't hold back in a recent interview with Mexican TV network Canal Estrellas, dragging Gerard's 23-year-old GF Clara Chia Marti by saying there's a "special place in hell" for women who don't support each other.

She also says she's become a much more independent woman since last year's split, mentioning she thought she needed a man to truly feel whole -- but that isn't the case anymore.

She notes she was always emotionally dependent on men in the past, but today she stands "sufficient on my own."

As you know, Shakira and Gerard called it quits last year ... after she says she spotted a jar of jam eaten while she was away.

Gerard and Clara went public on Instagram last month, with a close and personal pic that quickly garnered millions of likes.

William and Kate are in serious need of some Lululemon ... because they look ridiculous in their business attire as they peddle furiously at a fitness center.

The Prince and Princess hit up the Aberavon Leisure & Fitness Centre for a worthy purpose -- showing how exercise can benefit mental health.

That said, they both hopped on bikes during a spinning class and showed what they got ... for a grand total of 45 seconds. They both looked like they were going to pass out.

Kate was dressed in a jumper and skirt, choosing heels over tennis shoes.  William was in his go-to suit and tie.

William looked exhausted at the end of the ride, as others in the class ignored the obvious and gave them a hearty round of applause.

The couple competed against each other, and in the end, Kate was the victor ... winning a tiny gold trophy. 🏆

Ross Stripling's first season in San Francisco ain't off to the best start -- he revealed Monday he accidentally went through the team's picture day with food in his teeth!!!

The new Giants pitcher posed for the photos a couple days ago -- but when they came back this week ... he noticed something wasn't quite right with his pearly whites.

In between two of his top incisors -- there was something black wedged in ... and it didn't take him long to realize it was actually part of his lunch that day!!

The 33-year-old, though, was a good sport about it all ... tweeting a photo of the mishap and laughing it all off.

"Went the entire picture day with a piece of pepper in my teeth and no one told me," he said, adding a crying emoji.

No word yet if the Giants will retake the photos for the guy, who signed with the team in free agency in December, or if they'll simply work some photoshop magic.

All trash talk aside (and there's been a good deal of it), Ciryl Gane says he's a competitor and that's why he's so amped for his fight against the "G.O.A.T." Jon Jones.

"I love this sport. Yes, it's my job, but first I'm a competitor, When I lost my fight against Francis [Ngannou], I was really not happy," 32-year-old Gane told Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weeknights on FS1), adding, "So yes, I'm gonna test myself with the G.O.A.T., and this is a pleasure for me."

"When you have a fight and you don't have any challenge, that's not exciting. Today I have a big challenge so I'm really excited about that."

Gane, 11-1, is coming off a KO victory over Tai Tuivasa in September, and will now fight 35-year-old Jones at UFC 285 this weekend. It'll be Jon's first fight in the heavyweight division, and his first time in an Octagon for a sanctioned fight in over 3 years (he last fought/beat Dominick Reyes on Feb. 8, 2020, at UFC 247).

We've seen Jon fight in a cage 28 times as a professional, but never as a man this big ... so we asked Ciryl how he believes the added weight will affect Jones.

"I think [Jon's] gonna be less faster than before. He's really normal. When my weight was around [220 to 231 lbs.], I was a little bit faster. So yes, for sure, 100% he's gonna be a little bit less but for a heavyweight, he's gonna have speed."

Jon's been critical of Ciryl's resume in the Octagon ... going at everything from the quality of his opponents to his wrestling ability. We asked Gane if he was bothered by Jones' comments.

"No [laughs]. No matter what he say, I'm not really on the game. I know there's guys sometimes that wanna get in your head but for me, it's not personal. I'm gonna do my performance. I'm gonna do my job, I'm gonna do my sport."

Zac Stacy will spend more time behind bars for attacking his ex-girlfriend on two separate occasions in 2021 ... the former NFL running back was just sentenced to six months in jail in the cases.

An Orange County, Fla. judge made the ruling in a courtroom on Monday evening, according to WESH 2 News ... also sentencing the 31-year-old to one year of probation.

Stacy had initially been accused of getting violent with the mother of his child, Kristin Evans, in mid-August 2021 -- when he allegedly flew into a violent rage over rent money.

Evans said in court documents Stacy "physically assaulted me several times because he wanted the money back he gave me for our rent."

She added, "He punched my legs, slapped me, picked me up by my arms, and threw me into my window, which broke. I had glass in my feet that I removed myself."

Evans provided TMZ Sports photos of the injuries she says she suffered in the alleged attack ... showing large bruises and cuts on her body.

Three months later, in mid-November, Stacy was involved in another incident ... this time captured on camera punching Evans in the head, before slamming her into a television ... all while their months-old son sat feet away.

Stacy was hit with multiple charges over the two incidents -- but reached deals with prosecutors earlier this month ... agreeing to plead guilty to one count of misdemeanor domestic violence battery and two counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief.

Bam Adebayo believes he should have won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year Awards -- saying when it comes to the last two winners, Rudy Gobert and Marcus Smart, he can do more than they can -- and when it matters most.

The Miami Heat star was asked by Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks to state his case for why he thinks he's the best defender in the NBA ... and Adebayo said he's one of a handful of players who guards all five positions.

"I guard 1-5," Adebayo told Rooks. "It's not a lot of us. Me, Draymond [Green], Giannis [Antetoukoumpo] ... Who else?" he asked.

Adebayo's biggest gripe with Gobert, who won the DPOY award three times in his career (2018, 2019, and 2021), and Smart, who won the award last season, is the Timberwolves big man's defense doesn't translate in the postseason ... and the Celtics guard is too small too defend centers.

"It has to translate and I feel like Rudy in the playoffs didn't translate and Marcus Smart guards 1-4," Adebayo said. "That's the thing that I thought was different between me and them."

Adebayo finished fourth in the DPOY voting last season behind Gobert, Mikal Bridges, and Smart, who became the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton did in 1996. In 2021, Bam came up short as well ... finishing behind Green, Ben Simmons, and Gobert.

Tommy Fury is back on his home turf -- the boxing star just touched down in London following his huge win over Jake Paul ... and he's putting his new belt on full display.

Tommy, Tyson and John made their way through the airport on Monday ... and the Furys were happy as could be, posing for pics and meeting with fans.

It's been a wild 24 hours for the Fury fam -- Tommy went 8 rounds with Jake and earned the split decision win in Saudi Arabia ... and they've been celebrating ever since.

Aside from a bandage over his right eye, Tommy looks pretty clean ... and he appears to be in good health.

Tyson was turning heads going through the airport, too ... but his hot pink luggage might be responsible for that.

After the fight, Tommy said he was eager to spend time with Molly-Mae Hague and their newborn daughter, Bambi ... and now that he's back home, we're sure some much-needed R&R is on the horizon.

As for Jake, he's bummed about the loss ... but he can wipe his tears with the $30 million he claimed to make off the fight.

Naomi Osaka wasn't lying when she said she would be back for the 2024 Australian Open ... 'cause the tennis superstar looks like she's preppin' for it already -- during her pregnancy!!

The 4-time Grand Slam singles champ shared three Instagram videos of her workout on Monday, a month after she revealed to the world that she was pregnant.

You can see Osaka hasn't lost a step as the 25-year-old shows her powerful backhand on the tennis court. She also had a sweat sesh on the beach -- all while carrying a baby in her belly!!!

"Outside but barely," Osaka said in the caption.

Osaka's fans loved what they were seeing ... and applauded her for keeping up with her routine during pregnancy.

One of the comments said "Huge props!! Being active while pregnant is THE MOST exhausting. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼" ... while another fan said, "look at you gooo 🔥🔥 they aren’t ready for 2024 Naomi."

Remember, Osaka said she would not be competing this year since she's expecting her first child with Cordae ... but plans to return for the 2024 Australian Open.

"I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future," Osaka said when she broke the news.

LeBron James is missing his wife, Savannah ... who's killing it at Milan Fashion Week, and the Lakers superstar is ready to reunite with his Queen -- saying, "Get your ass home and get what you can't get in Europe!"

🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵

James took to Instagram to show Savannah some love ... after she posted photos of her modeling a Black Dolce & Gabanna set for the Italian luxury fashion house at MFW.

"Ok now you just showing out!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. Get your ass home now and get what you can't get in Europe! 😜😈" James commented on Savannah's post.

Savannah's all-black look had LeBron and the Internet buzzin' ... she wore a lace bodysuit, fitted puffer D&G jacket, and combat boots to go with a black purse.

Serena Williams, Jordyn Woods, Pretty Vee, Tamar Braxton, and a host of other names rushed to Savannah's comment section to shower her with love and praise.

James is no stranger to publicly expressing his love and admiration for Savannah ... and has been supportive of her and her different looks during Milan Fashion Week.

Savannah also modeled for Gucci while at Milan Fashion Week and James approved -- tweeting, "🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤😍😍😍😍🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. You SO FKN COLD!!!"

A young Virginia Cavaliers fan made an amazing gesture for D'Sean Perry's family ... by gifting them a game-worn glove he received from the late football player.

D'Sean's dad, Sean, shared the keepsake from 13-year-old Cole Pratt on Twitter ... which features the glove, a touching, hand-written letter and pictures of his interaction with their son.

In the note, Cole explains he attended the UVA vs. Georgia Tech game ... and D'Sean waved him over to give him his gloves.

"That made me feel really special," Cole said in the letter. "He was so nice to me. These gloves were the best birthday present that I could have ever asked for."

"So I wanted to give you one of his gloves. I really want you to have it. I have his other one so we can remember him forever."

Perry was one of three Virginia football players who were shot and killed in a terrifying incident back in November ... a tragedy that shook the entire sports world.

As we previously reported, Perry, Devin Chandler, and Lavel Davis Jr. were posthumously awarded degrees in December.