TMZ Sports - Page 6

Dennis Rodman's girlfriend says the NBA legend's new face tattoo featuring a portrait of her was not her idea at all ... explaining to TMZ Sports that when he first told her he wanted to get it, she thought he was "crazy!!!"

Rodman and his GF, Yella Yella, spoke all about the new artwork roughly 24 hours after the former Bulls star got it done ... and the two made it clear to us, The Worm wasn't influenced by anyone other than himself when he decided to get the ink put on his cheek.

"I actually told him not to do it," Yella Yella said. "I'm like, 'What're you doing!'"

Rodman, though, said he was full-go on the idea once it popped into his head ... explaining, "This is my last dance with a woman."

"She's very lovely," he added. "And I thank her for loving me the way I am -- and that's why I did it for her."

Yella Yella says initially Rodman wanted the portrait to be even bigger than what it ultimately ended up being ... leading her to call him both "crazy" and "a wild boy."

Alex Volkanovski says he's totally focused on defending his featherweight title against interim champ Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 ... but openly admits there's a fight he wants in the future -- a rematch with lightweight champ Islam Makhachev!

"Obviously I've got to go do my thing. I'm focused 100% on Yair, but obviously, I want that rematch," Volk told TMZ Sports.

"Then you've got guys like Ilia's [Topuria] name gets thrown out there, and whoever it is I'm gonna turn up cause I wanna be active, that's that. It's pretty simple with me. Ya know people aren't gonna be waiting long, but it just depends on who the UFC wants, but obviously I want that rematch."

Of course, Alex and Islam fought at UFC 284 in February, a fight AV lost by unanimous decision. However, that doesn't exactly tell the full story ... many fans felt Volkanovski actually won the fight, and should've been double champ.

First things first, Alex, who is a sizeable favorite (around -380), has to beat Yair if he wants to be double champ. On the other side of things is Rodriguez ... who won the interim title in a fight with Josh Emmett (also at UFC 284).

Yair, like Alex, badly wants this win ... and says he's ready to go to extreme lengths.

"I accept anything that comes with [the fight]. I understand the sport and more than being prepared to win this fight, I'm ready to f****** die, and that's one of the things you've got to be prepared for every time that you step in the cage," Rodriguez says.

"Many people go in there only thinking I'm winning, I'm winning. I go in there with many fears, but also I beat my fears every single day. So I'm ready to die."

There's more -- we also talked to the men scrapping in the co-main event, Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja, who are fighting for a third time.

Pantoja, the #2 ranked contender, beat the flyweight champion twice ... but those fights were years ago.

Moreno says he's out to prove ... a lot has happened since 2018.

Fred VanVleet is fired up to be joining the Rockets ... telling TMZ Sports that after spending the past seven seasons in Toronto, he's "looking forward" to the new sitch!!

The All-Star guard explained his excitement to us over his new 3-year, $130 million contract with Houston while he was out getting some shopping done on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills this week.

While he obviously loved his time with the Raptors (the guy, after all, won a championship and made his first-ever All-Star team in Toronto), he did admit he's eager to get everything going in H-Town.

As for some of his new teammates -- guys like Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green -- he's clearly happy to be walking into a lineup featuring those guys as well.

"We're just trying to take a step forward," he said. "One day at a time."

VanVleet, Brooks and Green will all have a new coach this season in Houston -- the Rockets inked Ime Udoka to a new deal back in April ... so it'll be a bunch of fresh faces all around in 2023.

Britney Spears and NBA phenom Victor Wembanyama have critically different accounts of what went down before his security guard slapped her, and video of the incident, obtained by TMZ, supports Britney's version.

Check out the video ... you hear Britney approach Victor outside Catch restaurant in Vegas Wednesday night, screaming in a British accent, "Sir, Sir!"

Britney reaches up and taps Victor on his left shoulder. This is important because Victor described Britney "grabbing" him. The video does not support that claim.

You then see Victor's security slap her hand and either his hand struck her face or he made contact with her hand and the force of impact caused her hand to hit her face.

Either way, you hear the slap. As the police said, it does not appear he struck her intentionally ... it was more him swatting her hand away.

Britney's glasses flew off, but she did not fall as she indicated.

After the slap, you hear Britney clearly upset, screaming, still in a British accent, "That's America for you. F*** you all!"

Britney and friends went to dinner after the incident ... where a witness tells us she seemed super pissed.

As we reported, the Metro PD has closed it's investigation and no charges will be filed against Victor's security.

Originally Published -- 10:53 AM PT

Honey Boo Boo's dad was supposed to check in for some much-needed help to combat his prescription pill addiction at a rehab owned by Lamar Odom, but he's since gone MIA ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Lamar tell us Sugar Bear was scheduled to fly into Kansas Thursday night and begin treatment with Odom Recovery Group at the Gold Bridge Treatment Center for his serious issues. However, we're told he never got on that flight ... and he's giving the Odom group radio silence.

Our sources say Lamar and co. believe SB simply got cold feet, because first he told them he couldn't attend the rehab because of work, then said he couldn't go because he was in the hospital for another health issue.

We're told Lamar's team isn't giving up on Sugar Bear, and hope he'll change his mind on getting help -- but he's not been responsive in their efforts to get in touch.

As we reported ... Lamar purchased 3 rehab centers in California earlier this year, and he's built on that foundation ever since.

Luka Dončić didn't get a ring this year ... but his girlfriend did -- 'cause the Dallas Mavericks star just proposed to Anamaria Goltes in Slovenia -- and she said YES!!!

The NBA point guard and his new fiancee revealed their engagement in social media posts on Friday ... showing the basketball player got down on one knee at Lake Bled.

"💍❤️ 7.7," Doncic captioned the pic.

LeBron James was one of many who were stoked for the hooper ... writing in the comment section on Luka's Instagram post, "Congrats brother!!!!"

Dončić and Glotes have known each other since they were kids ... and, eventually, they began to date in their teenage years.

While the two were off and on for a bit, they ultimately became super serious as Dončić began establishing himself as one of the best players in the NBA.

Since then, she's been seen by his side often ... and she's even been spotted helping out at his charity events in Slovenia while he was back in the States playing basketball.

Now, they'll get to spend forever together ... something the two couldn't seem more pleased about.

Jay-Z just made a massive splash in the soccer world ... his Roc Nation Sports International agency opened shop in Brazil, and now represents one of the biggest international soccer stars alive, Vinicius Jr.!

Hov and Roc Nation landed Vini Jr. after acquiring famed Brazilian soccer agency, TFM ... which reps over 100 soccer players, including the international soccer star.

Of course, if you're a soccer fan, you know 22-year-old Vinicius Jr. ... winger for Real Madrid (and the Brazilian National Team), is widely considered one of the most talented players in the world. Period.

For as great as he is on the pitch, he's equally as popular off it ... counting nearly 40 million followers on Instagram alone. Speaking of social media, Vini posted a photo hanging with Hov in late May... and we're told the stars spoke about the potential partnership.

With the move, Roc Nation believes they're positioned to become an even bigger player in the soccer world.

“In terms of football, Brazil is the center of it all. I strongly identify with a culture that has such an incredible passion for sport and music. Our influence in this game is growing and this move shows our intentions to the world,” RNS president and founder Juan Perez said in a statement.

TFM Agency founder Frederico Pena will now act as lead for the new RNS wing.

"Roc Nation embodies the pinnacle of culture, sports, and entertainment. It made perfect sense to join Roc Nation, elevate our operations, and provide our athletes with comprehensive, global representation," Pena said.

Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann have pulled off the seemingly impossible ... calling off their divorce despite weeks of nastiness between the two.

According to court docs -- obtained by TMZ -- both Kim and Kroy filed Friday to dismiss their petitions for divorce.

Our sources say the two are really getting along well at the moment, and want to figure out how to make things work out ... especially for the sake of their 4 young kids. We're told love was never an issue between the two, and they've got a solid core.

The filing comes only days after Kim, Kroy and their kids were seen attending church in Atlanta.

As we reported ... the divorce has been seriously contentious. Kroy's accused Kim of having a gambling problem, and she's said she feared for their kid's safety around Kroy because he smokes weed.

TMZ broke the story -- Kim and Kroy fell under serious financial hardships just before the initial divorce filing -- with a more than $1M bill to the IRS.

Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld are having trouble keeping their mouths off each other in Mexico -- 'cause even at a lavish dinner earlier this week ... they were seen sucking face the entire time!!!

Just one day after the two put on a PDA show while taking a swim at their fancy Cabo resort ... the new couple was spotted getting in an oceanside meal -- and it, at times, got a little steamy.

In between bites, the two snuck in a bunch of kisses ... and there was even some heavy nuzzling and cuddling going on as well.

The NFL star and the "Starving" crooner have yet to publicly state they're an item ... but based on everything they're doing while on the out-of-the-country vacay, it's pretty clear this is more than just a fling.

The two were initially linked to each other back in May ... when they got a little snuggly at a sushi dinner -- and it seems things have certainly heated up since then.

Lil Baby recently participated in a Fanatics Global Volunteer Day with his buddy Michael Rubin, resulting in $20 million worth of merchandise being distributed across the country!!!

On Friday, Baby joined forces with VaynerMedia for his newest single and video combo "Merch Madness" ... which celebrates the charity blowout that took place on June 27.

The visual begins with Baby surprising students inside Harlem's Frederick Douglass Academy on the last day of the school year.

Baby eventually details his involvement by rapping, "Real trench baby, business with Fanatics/This like twenty million on a giveaway/Twenty buses, twenty cities, stadium to stadium/See they idols givin' back to them, makin' people go crazy/I get paid when I appear/To do this, I volunteer."

Similar to Rubin's "White Party," the celebs were in full support of the GVD movement ... top pro athletes Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Odell Beckham Jr., Russell Willson and Chris Paul were spotted among the fold ... as were superstar rappers Lil Durk, Meek Mill, Quavo, and A$AP Ferg.

The Victor Wembanyama security guard accused of slapping Britney Spears during a wild incident in Las Vegas on Wednesday night will NOT be charged with a crime, cops say.

According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. ... an investigation into the allegations concluded on Friday morning -- and "no charges will be filed."

No further details regarding the police probe were revealed.

TMZ broke the story ... Spears had attempted to get Wembanyama's attention while outside of Catch restaurant in the ARIA Hotel -- but in an effort to keep the singer away from the San Antonio Spurs star, Wembanyama's security guard struck her in the face.

Spears claimed she was hit with such force, it rocked the glasses off her head ... and nearly knocked her to the ground.

She demanded an apology ... while her husband, Sam Asghari, said he wanted to see the guard punished.

For Wembanyama's part, he said he had no idea it was Spears who wanted his attention until several hours later.

The No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft also told reporters Thursday that the whole incident with the guard was kicked off because Spears "grabbed" him from behind.

Spears, though, refuted that claim ... and said she simply "tapped him on the shoulder."

Photos we obtained from inside Catch later in the evening show Spears was visibly agitated at her table -- and according to one eyewitness, she seemed to be in shock ... and, at one point, made a beeline for the bathroom.

Spears has yet to publicly comment on the results of of the police findings.

Originally Published -- 9:32 AM PT

Britney Spears was extremely agitated after getting slapped by a security guard protecting NBA phenom Victor Wembanyama ... according to an eyewitness and photos obtained by TMZ.

TMZ broke the story ... Britney was outside Catch restaurant at the Aria Hotel Wednesday night when she saw Victor and made her way to him for a selfie. She says she tapped him on the back -- he says she grabbed him -- and Victor's security guy backhanded her across the face. Metro police are now conducting a criminal battery investigation.

An eyewitness who was dining at Catch when Britney walked in tells TMZ ... as she walked in she said in a "very animated voice" that the security guard "punched" her in the face, as she pointed at the guy who was sitting at another table.

The eyewitness says Britney's security guy went over to Victor's security and asked the guy to come over to her table and apologize. The eyewitness says the guy walked over and said "I'm sorry," and said something to the effect he didn't know it was her when he made contact.

Britney seemed in shock, according to the eyewitness, and angry. She said she couldn't believe it happened and beelined it for the bathroom.

We've learned so far ... neither Victor nor anyone else from the San Antonio Spurs has reached out to Britney, and she is not pleased.

We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Dennis Rodman took the saying "tattoo my name so I know it's real" to the extreme ... getting a portrait of his girlfriend's face inked on his cheek!!

The NBA legend hit up 'Black Ink Crew's Van Johnson on Thursday, getting tattooed at the artist's home. Dennis shared video of the new tattoo on social media.

As for anyone who thinks the ink is fake, Johnson tells TMZ Sports it's "really real," saying the job took a little over an hour to finish.

"He was a champ, he sat through it," Johnson says. "Pretty random, but he love the hell out that girl."

We're told Dennis and his GF love the piece, but not everyone feels the same way ... some fans in the comments weren't exactly loving the new artwork, with one person writing, "You should have tried to talk him outta that my G."

Another person wrote ... "His girlfriend should have been against that. Shows her immaturity to NOT STOP him from doing this."

Though, it's a safe bet Dennis, who has a ton of tattoos and has never been shy when expressing himself, isn't losing sleep over a few negative Instagram comments.

Former WNBA star and ex-Tennessee Lady Volunteers hooper Nikki McCray-Penson has tragically passed away at 51 years old.

The heartbreaking news was confirmed to The Tennesean on Friday by Rutgers University, where McCray-Penson had been working as an assistant coach for the women's basketball team.

The school did not provide a cause of death ... but Univ. of Tenn. reporter Maria Cornelius said McCray-Penson passed away after battling breast cancer for a second time.

The former guard starred at Tennessee in the 1990s ... winning SEC Player of the Year twice (1994, 1995) -- as well as earning Kodak All-American honors twice.

Following her stint with the Vols, she went on to become a three-time WNBA All-Star ... while playing eight seasons for the Mystics, Fever, Mercury, Silver Stars and Sky.

She also won two gold Olympic medals with Team USA in her career ... and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Her coaching tenure began in 2006 ... when she was hired to be an assistant on Western Kentucky's staff. She later became a head coach for Old Dominion, where she won C-USA Coach of the Year in 2019-2020. She then had a stint as Mississippi State's head coach ... before she began her career at Rutgers in 2022.

McCray-Penson also had a significant impact off the court ... she was selected by Bill Clinton to be a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She was also picked by the Library of Congress as a speaker for the Women's History Month Address in 1999.

News of the death has rocked the basketball world ... with many stars remembering her fondly after learning of her passing.

"Nikki McCray : Sweet person and cold hooper!," ex-NBA star Chris Webber wrote. "Rest in Peace."

Added Dick Vitale, "I am so heartbroken hearing this news a few minutes ago about Nikki McCray - Penson . Loved everything about Nikki - she was a Hall of Famer as a player & as a person . May Nikki RIP."

Lady Vols senior Rickea Jackson, who played under McCray-Penson at Mississippi St., also tweeted her condolences to the McCray-Penson family.

"One of the most beautiful souls I've ever met," Jackson said. "The one who genuinely went out their way to understand me when I was so misunderstood. The one who was always there."

"You fought so long and hard and I am grateful to have known you. I love you. Rest easy."

Josh Allen appears to be getting a lot more serious with Hailee Steinfeld … the two were spotted in a heavy makeout sesh while on vacation in Mexico!!!

The Buffalo Bills quarterback and the actress spent their Fourth of July south of the border, packing on the PDA during a romantic getaway.

Josh and Hailee looked to be all over each other in the resort pool, wrapping their arms around one another and sucking face.

Hailee showed off her body with a red bikini ... and Josh showed off his muscles with some board shorts ... no wonder they couldn't keep their hands -- and lips -- to themselves.

Josh and Hailee haven't publicly confirmed they are in a romantic relationship yet ... but the signs clearly appear to be there ... and we previously saw them get cozy back in May during a sushi dinner in New York City.

Now, Josh and Hailee are going international ... and kissing.

George Valera -- arguably the most touted prospect in the entire Cleveland Guardians farm system -- has found himself in some seriously hot water ... after he shoved an umpire during a game on Thursday night.

The wild scene all went down in the third inning of the Columbus Clippers' tilt against the Nashville Sound ... when Valera -- who was playing centerfield for the Clips -- stepped into the box for his second at-bat of the night.

Broadcast video from the game shows during the middle of the AB -- Valera appeared to take exception to something Sound catcher Alex Jackson said ... and he confronted him about it, halting play.

The two then got so heated, the home plate ump tried to intervene -- but that didn't stop Valera from sticking his finger in Jackson's mask. A few moments later, Valera pushed the ump in what seemed to be an effort to get to Jackson.

The shove ignited an all-out brawl on the field ... as both benches cleared to back their guys. Pushing and shoving then ensued -- before, thankfully, cooler heads prevailed.

Both Valera and Jackson ended up getting thrown out of the game over it all. It's unclear if Valera will face further punishment for putting his hands on an ump.