TMZ Sports - Page 32

The 2023 Home Run Derby champion will be walking away with a whole lot more than bragging rights next week ... they'll be getting a sweet new chain, too!!

The MLB revealed on Wednesday it's giving the event's winner some bling for the second straight season -- and this year's iteration of the jewelry is awesome.

According to the league, it weighs three pounds and features over 1,000 stones.

It also has a centerpiece made of recycled glass and 75 carats of white and yellow Swarovski Crystal embellishments. And, get this, the center even spins!!!

There will be eight guys gunning for it on Monday night at T-Mobile Park in Seattle -- Luis Robert, Pete Alonso, Mookie Betts, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Adolis Garcia, Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez and Adley Rutschman.

Last year's winner, Juan Soto, will not be involved -- but he sure seemed to enjoy the 2022 version of the drip after he locked it all up at Dodger Stadium.

Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann are still doing things as a family despite their extremely bitter divorce ... taking their children to worship and break bread together.

The former 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star and former NFL player went to church as a family last Sunday in Atlanta, bringing their 4 minor children with them to the service.

Afterward, Kim and Kroy took the kiddos out to eat ... and there were even a few smiles among the family.

Frankly, it's a bit unexpected to see the estranged couple together with their kids in tow ... the divorce has just been that acrimonious.

As we've reported, Kim called the cops on Kroy just last month, because he allegedly accused her friend of kidnapping their son. She also allegedly punched him during a different argument that led to a police response, and she's accused him of being mentally abusive.

Financially, Kim and Kroy allegedly owe $1 million to the IRS and they're both being hounded in court for allegedly falling behind on payments for everything from Target purchases, to fancy cars and gambling trips.

Magic Johnson's annual yacht vacation has somehow gotten even MORE lavish ... Samuel L. Jackson just revealed the boat trip now features acupuncture sessions!!!

Johnson, Jackson and a few of their close pals set sale yet again for their yearly European vacay earlier this month -- hitting the French Riviera this time -- and the "Pulp Fiction" star showed there's truly no expense spared on the getaway.

In photos that Jackson posted to his Instagram page Thursday morning ... you can see he got healing needles injected into his skin -- all while he was relaxing and soaking in rays on one of the boat's decks.

Samuel clearly knew the moment was one dripping with luxury -- 'cause he captioned one of the pics with the words, "Accu in da Sun!!"

"DAAYUUUM!!!!" he added.

The treatments didn't stop there, though ... he also got some cupping therapy done right on a lounge chair as well!!

Of course, the extravagant amenities shouldn't surprise anybody ... Johnson's been going all out for the summer trip for nearly a decade.

This year's yacht is called "Phoenix 2" ... and the 296-footer comes with all of the expected bells and whistles -- including jacuzzis, a gym, an outdoor cinema, a swimming pool, and so much more.

Mark Zuckerberg apparently can't wait to get into an Octagon with Elon Musk to take shots at the billionaire ... he spent plenty of time Wednesday night throwing keyboard jabs at his nemesis -- as part of the rollout of his new app, Threads.

The Twitter rival made its debut right around dinner time ... and just a few minutes into its kickoff, Zuck took to the site -- which many are calling the "new Twitter" -- to go after Musk and his bird app.

First, Zuckerberg tossed shade at Twitter while explaining to Mark Cuban he hopes Threads is a more "friendly" area for people to interact.

"That's one reason why Twitter never succeeded as much as I think it should have," he wrote, "and we want to do it differently."

Later, the Meta founder told UFC fighter Mike Davis he's got hopes Threads will outgrow Twitter one day.

"It'll take some time," Zuckerberg said, "but I think there should be a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it. Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn't nailed it. Hopefully we will."

There were some veiled comments from Zuck about a potential fight with Musk too ... while replying to new signups throughout the night, he consistently made references to winning "round one" of Threads. He also laughed at the prospects of the billionaire superfight being called "The Meta Threada." He spent a whole lot of time interacting with MMA stars like Jon Jones as well.

Zuck even appeared to get back on Twitter after an 11-year hiatus to get in another little ribbing at Musk ... with an account apparently associated with him tweeting out the Spider-Man meme.

No date has been set for the potential Zuck vs. Musk superfight -- there's a lot of hangups over the size discrepancy between the two -- but it's clear, the guys are more than content battling each other behind computer screens while it all gets sorted out.

Mike "Sugar Bear" Thompson is seeking help for an addiction ... and he's turning to one of Lamar Odom's rehab centers for treatment.

Sources close to Sugar Bear tell TMZ ... he reached out to Lamar over the weekend about going to one of his treatment centers, and on Thursday evening he will check into a facility in Kansas to focus on his recovery.

We're told Honey Boo Boo's dad is hooked on prescription drugs he started taking as part of his diabetes treatments, and he also has severe depression and anxiety.

Our sources say Sugar Bear first met Lamar last summer through their manager, and they've since established a friendship, which led him to start rehab at the Gold Bridge Treatment Center in Louisburg -- part of the Odom Recovery Group.

We're told Sugar Bear hasn't had a relationship with Honey Boo Boo for more than a year now, and he was noticeably absent from her graduation. It's unclear if their estrangement is tied to his addiction.

Our sources say Sugar Bear is still hoping he can mend fences with his daughter once he's completed his rehab stint.

As we reported, Sugar Bear underwent an astonishing makeover last year following a cancer scare, but since then he's hit a rough patch -- we're told his most recent girlfriend broke up with him a month ago, and he hasn't been handling it well.

It finally happened ... after months of trying to link up, Lil Wayne got to meet LSU hoops star Flau'jae Johnson -- and now, TMZ Sports has learned the two are getting to work on a rap collab!!

The "A Milli" spitter and the Tigers guard got to see each other face-to-face for the first time in New Orleans on Sunday ... after Weezy's surprise performance at the ESSENCE Festival.

The two shared a big hug backstage ... and then they posed for a couple pics. They got to exchange some quick words too -- before Wayne had to get to his other obligations.

But, sources close to Weezy tell us following their connection ... they've now put the wheels in motion on a new song -- with plans to get things started on it ASAP.

Of course, Wayne has been trying to get this all going since April ... when he said on ESPN during the women's NCAA tournament that he wanted to connect with Johnson -- an aspiring rapper who's signed to Roc Nation.

At the time, Johnson was stoked about the Wayne shoutout ... tweeting, "Imagine Winning A National Championship Your FRESHMAN Year! Then Getting A Lil Wayne Feature Right After ??! What is life."

LeBron James traded in his signature Nike kicks for a polo and clipboard on Wednesday, coaching up son Bryce James at one of the most heralded H.S. hoops tourneys in the world!

It all went down Wednesday afternoon at Nike's Peach Jam in North Augusta, SC ... which features some of the best high school players from around the country, competing against each other.

16-year-old Bryce hoops for SVG -- Strive For Greatness -- and while LeBron isn't technically the head coach, he shared some of his wisdom with the squad as they took on the Florida Rebels.

And, the King wasn't alone ... 2x NBA champ Rajon Rondo was also there, assisting.

FYI, Bron and Rondo aren't the only big names around ... Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, Carmelo Anthony, and several other NBA stars also have teams.

Rivals reporter Krysten Peek even captured video of Bron drawing up a play during a timeout, while the former Celtics star coached up one of their players on the side.

SVG won their first game on Monday ... where 6'4" Bryce, who recently transferred to Campbell Hall from Sierra Canyon, dropped 12 points (on 4-of-9 shooting).

The Victor Wembanyama effect is real -- the most hyped prospect since LeBron James isn't just generating an uptick in regular season tickets sales ... fans are paying big money to catch a glimpse of the 7'5" phenom in the SUMMER LEAGUE!

Wemby -- who sat out the Sacramento Summer League games earlier this week -- is expected to make his NBA debut in the Las Vegas Summer League on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets.

Ticket reseller Gametime, which specializes in last-minute tix, tells TMZ Sports they're seeing a "huge demand for tickets" ... and they're going for significantly more than other summer league games.

We're told ticket prices for most games are 40 around bucks, but for Wemby, prices start at $186!

"The top-priced seats are going for $617 per seat," a Gametime spokesperson told us.

It probably shouldn't come as a surprise... hype around the 19-year-old prospect, who became the first French-born player to be drafted first overall, has been insane.

He can run, jump, shoot, defend ... all of it, at his absolutely massive size (he has an 8-foot wingspan!)

Not even LeBron is immune to the hype around Wemby.

"Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, well he’s more like an alien," James said last season.

"His ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot step-back jumpers on the post, step-back 3s, catch-and-shoot 3s, block shots. He’s for sure a generational talent."

Wembanyama will have the eyes of the basketball world on him later this week ... but he won't be the only star playing in the game. Number two overall pick Brandon Miller (good enough to be the first overall pick in most drafts) will be across from Victor, playing for the Hornets.

Nina Agdal's showing off her engagement ring for the first time, and it looks like Logan Paul dropped a fortune.

Logan and Nina were spotted kissing and hugging this week on their hotel balcony in Portofino, Italy, and it was hard to miss the huge diamond ring on her finger.

As you can see, the emerald-cut diamond looks MASSIVE, and pretty sparkly too -- no wonder Nina was wearing shades.

The newly engaged couple looks super happy here ... lounging in robes and packing on the PDA. Now, that's amore!

As we reported, Logan popped the question Sunday at Italy's famed Lake Como.

The social media and WWE superstar started dating the supermodel last May, so the engagement comes a little over a year into their relationship.

TMZ broke the story ... Logan and Nina celebrated their engagement Monday with a boat day on Lake Como, smooching and working on their tans.

We didn't see the ring during the boat trip, which is pretty remarkable, given the size ... but now it's making a big splash.

The felony child pornography charges against Jalen Kitna have been dropped, TMZ Sports has learned ... after the ex-Univ. of Florida quarterback reached a deal with prosecutors on Wednesday.

Jalen, the son of ex-NFL star quarterback Jon Kitna, appeared in an Alachua County, Fla. courtroom to enter a guilty plea to two misdemeanor counts of breach of the peace, disorderly conduct ... and in exchange, the five felonies he was facing were dismissed.

Jalen spoke in court after making the plea ... apologizing to his family and friends -- while adding, "The valuable lessons that I’ve learned through this whole deal have been very helpful. I’m looking forward to applying those things and moving forward.".

Judge Susan Miller-Jones placed Kitna on six months' probation for each count but did not levy a fine.

As we previously reported, the 20-year-old former college football player was initially hit with five counts of possession of child porn back in November 2022 ... after authorities alleged he had shared images of exposed pre-pubescent females on a popular social media messaging platform.

Jalen, according to his rep, had insisted throughout the case that he believed the females in the images were of legal age.

Jalen's attorney, Ron Kozlowski, said in a statement following Wednesday's plea deal that it was all "a correct and fair result in this case, and the state clearly agrees."

We've reached out to prosecutors for comment ... and a spokesperson for the state attorney's office told us they're "happy we've come to this conclusion based on the law."

Legendary strongman Don Reinhoudt, winner of the 1979 World's Strongest Man competition and perennial powerlifting champ, has died at the age of 78.

According to police, Don was involved in a car crash on Monday in upstate New York. Further details are not yet clear.

6'3" Reinhoudt started competing in the early '70s ... and was a four-time IPF Men's World Powerlifting champ between 1973 to 1976, according to Generation Iron. He was also a 3x AAU US National Powerlifting champion from '74 to '76.

Then, the World's Strongest Man competition launched in 1977. After declining to participate during the first year, Don agreed to compete in 1978, where he came in second place (behind 2x champ Bruce Wilhelm).

The following year, Reinhoudt returned, and took the top spot ... earning the moniker the "world's strongest man." Don was just the second man to ever win the competition.

Reinhoudt, who set dozens of records throughout his career, was inducted into the National Strength and Power Hall of Fame in 2018.

News of Don's death has begun the spread throughout the powerlifting and strongman community, with competitors and fans alike expressing condolences over the loss.

Strongman Laurence Shahlaei weighed in, writing ... "Very sad to learn about the passing of Don Reinhoudt, the second man to win The World’s Strongest Man, and one of the pioneers of the modern sports of Powerlifting and Strongman."

"I was lucky enough to talk to Don a couple of times, and he was incredibly kind and a real gentleman with so many stories to share. Our thoughts are with his wife, family and friends."

New York Yankees relief pitcher Jimmy Cordero will not take the mound again this season ... the MLB has suspended him for the rest of the year for violating its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.

In making the announcement, league officials said Cordero has accepted the punishment ... and the ban will begin immediately.

As part of the policy, the 31-year-old will now also have to "participate in a confidential and comprehensive evaluation and treatment program," the league added.

The MLB and the Yankees did not reveal the specific allegations against Cordero that led to the suspension ... though New York officials said in a statement they "are fully supportive" of the decision.

"There is no justification for domestic violence," the Yankees said, "and we stand with the objectives, standards, and enforcement of MLB's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy."

Cordero had pitched in 31 games for the Pinstripes this season ... earning a 3-2 record and a 3.86 ERA. He had just thrown for the team on Sunday.

John Berylson, owner and chairman of English Football League team (EFL) Millwall FC, tragically died in a single-car crash in Massachusetts Tuesday morning.

He was 70 years old.

Berylson was driving his 2019 Range Rover around 8 AM when police say he lost control of the vehicle, which rolled over, and ultimately hit a tree. Despite rescuers' best attempts, John succumbed to his injuries.

"John’s sudden and tragic passing will unquestionably impact all those who were fortunate to have known him," Millwall Football Club said in a statement.

"He was a truly great man, incredibly devoted to his family, and a person of such remarkable generosity, warmth, and kindness. He lived a storied life, one full of colour and joy, and was infinitely thoughtful of others with an endless desire to share his immense knowledge and experiences to help people."

"John reveled in the club’s underdog status and mentality," the statement continued. "He related strongly to such values and identity and adored Millwall supporters. He was fiercely loyal to all his staff, and both they and the fan base will miss him beyond measure."

Millwall -- which just began preseason training camp in Spain -- honored Berylson during practice on Wednesday.

Berylson, who first became involved with Millwall in 2006, was very involved in philanthropy ... running the Amy Smith and John G. Berylson Foundation. He was also a trustee of the Smith Family Foundation, which awards grants of approximately $15 million a year, according to its website.

John is survived by his wife, Amy, and three children, Jennifer, James, and Elizabeth.

America wasn't alone in celebrating an anniversary over the Fourth of July weekend ... Deshaun Watson and Jilly Anais also commemorated 4 years together!!

The Cleveland Browns quarterback and singer/influencer GF expressed their love for each other on their anny with an IG photo dump on Tuesday, with JA writing ... "4 years with my 4lifer 💛🤞🏽"

Because their anniversary happens to coincide with Independence Day, the couple got to spend some quality time together while watching fireworks.

"Thank you Queen! We still carrying on, We still staying strong .. 4EVER! 💛🤞🏾," Watson wrote.

Of course, Anais -- who recently toured with Nick Cannon -- has been ride-or-die for the 27-year-old signal caller, through all his controversy, often showing up to his game rocking his jersey.

The couple's relationship began when Watson slid into her DMs after meeting her in Los Angeles. One of their first dates was at a hot yoga studio for an early 7 a.m. workout and a 5+ hour dinner.

"Ever since then, we've been rockin' with each other," Watson said in 2020. "We started off as best friends."

Patrick Mahomes' wife, Brittany, has found herself in the crosshairs of animal rights activists this week ... after she went on a vacation playdate with a dolphin.

Brittany had the meetup with the marine mammal several days ago while out in Hawaii with the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback ... but after she posted photos of the swim on her Instagram on Monday, fans went on the attack.

Dozens have left comments on the NFL star's wife's social media page ... ripping her for the outing -- and calling it cruel to the dolphin. PETA later jumped in, too.

"We know you love companion animals," the activist org. wrote in a lengthy note on Brittany's page, "but we hope to see you extend your compassion to marine life too."

In her photos, Brittany can be seen hugging, petting and even kissing the dolphin. At one point during her swim with the animal, she brought her 2-year-old into the water to get close to the sea creature as well.

In its note, PETA told Brittany none of it was healthy for the dolphin ... adding, "These types of interactions are dangerous for them AND us."

Brittany clearly didn't seem to believe she did anything wrong ... she captioned her pictures with "Ever snuggled a 400lbs dolphin?" She added a heart-eyed emoji as well.

She hasn't addressed the swim and its backlash publicly further.

Two protesters just brought a Wimbledon match to a screeching halt ... after they rushed the court and hurled confetti all over the place.

The bizarre scene went down just minutes ago during Sho Shimabukuro's first-round tilt with Grigor Dimitrov ... when a man and a woman wearing "Just Stop Oil" T-shirts leaped from the crowd and disrupted play.

The two unloaded boxes full of orange paper ... as well as puzzle pieces -- all while Shimabukuro and Dimitrov looked on from just feet away.

They quickly escorted the woman from the area ... but the man sat cross-legged on the court until security pulled him away from the scene.

Activist group Just Stop Oil (who are known for these kinds of stunts) took credit for the commotion in a series of tweets Wednesday morning ... saying the actions were in response to Wimbledon's sponsorship deal with Barclays, an org. which Just Stop Oil officials claim has "given £30 billion to oil and gas companies" in the past two years.