TMZ Sports - Page 15

Former LSU women's basketball star Danielle Ballard -- who helped lead the Tigers to the Sweet 16 in 2014 -- was tragically killed on Thursday ... after she was struck by a car in Tennessee.

She was just 29 years old.

The Memphis Police Department said the incident happened at around 1:30 AM at an intersection just a few miles away from the FedExForum in Memphis.

Cops said she was rushed to a local hospital after she was hit ... but she was sadly pronounced dead at the facility a short time later.

"The driver stayed on the scene," the MPD added in a statement. "This is an ongoing investigation."

Ballard was a standout for the Tigers during her time in Baton Rouge, averaging 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 steals in her three seasons (2012-15).

Among the accolades that she racked up in her tenure included Most Valuable Player honors and a selection to the All-SEC Defensive Team. She also earned recognition as the LSWA Louisiana Freshman of the Year.

Prior to joining LSU, Ballard was considered one of the best female high school players in the nation, being ranked No. 25 overall by ESPN after leading her Memphis Central team to its first class 3A state title in 89 years.

Fans of Ballard flooded social media following the news of her death ... with many leaving their thoughts and prayers on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Add this to the list of awesome things Flau'jae Johnson's done since winning the National Championship ... the LSU hoops star performed in front of a packed crowd, including LeBron James, at a star-studded ESPY's after-party on Wednesday!

Johnson put on a show for The King and other big-time celebs at Uninterrupted's after-party in Los Angeles (Uninterrupted was founded by LBJ and biz partner Maverick Carter in 2014).

Johnson performed her hit single, "Clickbait" -- a remix of Latto's "Put It on Da Floor" -- and the crowd loved it!

But, she wasn't the only hip hop artist that hit the stage ... Quavo also pulled up and did "Hotel Lobby" and "Bad and Boujee."

Of course, James was all smiles, dancing the night away ... just hours after the Lakers superstar won the award for Best Record-Breaking Performance. LeBron also announced he's not retiring from the NBA.

Chael Sonnen has put his Las Vegas hotel fight case behind him ... TMZ Sports has confirmed the UFC legend struck a deal with prosecutors Wednesday to close it all out.

The former fighter, according to court records, agreed to plead no contest to a lesser count of breach of peace ... and in exchange, officials dropped the rest of the charges it had levied against him.

As part of his sentencing, Sonnen was ordered to pay $750, records show.

The 46-year-old was originally facing double-digit charges in the case -- including one felony -- after authorities alleged he had a complete meltdown at the Four Seasons Hotel in LV back in Dec. 2021.

Officials claimed he beat up several men and one woman in a fit of rage while inside a hallway at the establishment.

According to a police report, Sonnen told officers at the scene he had no recollection of his alleged actions -- saying he had taken a sleeping pill and "could not recall" anything after that.

We've reached out to the Clark County District Attorney's office for comment on the case ... but so far, no word back yet.

Thalia Chaverria, a 20-year-old, junior soccer player at New Mexico State University was found dead in her home earlier this week. Cops are investigating, but don't believe foul play was involved.

The Las Cruces Police Department was called to the New Mexico home of Chaverria, who hailed from Bakersfield, CA, around 7 AM Monday morning for an "unresponsive woman." When first responders arrived, Thalia was already deceased.

Police say they "have no reason to believe Chaverria’s death is suspicious or the result of criminal activity."

New Mexico State's Athletic Director Mario Moccia released a statement addressing Chaverria’s death.

"[Monday] we lost an amazing young woman, and we are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of a member of our Aggie family. Thalia had a vibrant personality and those who were fortunate enough to spend time with her knew she had a bright future ahead of her," Moccia said.

"The New Mexico State community is very tight-knit, and this tragedy is felt throughout. Our most sincere thoughts and prayers go out to Thalia's family and friends in this time of mourning."

Head coach Rob Baarts also commented ... "The sudden loss of Thalia has completely rocked our Aggie soccer families' world. T was an inspiration and rock to this team. She will be missed but not forgotten. Her spirit will be with us every day, on and off the pitch. I will always love you T!"

Thalia, a defender, was going into her third season with the Aggies ... where she was expected to play a pivotal role on the team.

Last season Chaverria started 20 games, logging nearly 1,800 game time minutes ... a season in which NM St. earned its first-ever WAC conference title in women's soccer.

In the wake of the awful news, a Chaverria family friend has started a GoFundMe to help cover expenses related to the death.

Naomi Osaka couldn't wait to show the world her baby with rapper Cordae ... sharing a brief picture of her little girl -- and the newborn's already wearing a tennis-themed onesie!!

The 25-year-old superstar athlete recently gave birth to her first child ... and on Thursday, she broke her silence on the mom-umental moment in her life -- making it clear she's already excited to get back on the court.

"Well that was a cool little intermission, now back to your regularly scheduled program 🎾✌🏾💕" Osaka said on Instagram.

The four-time Grand Slam winner's friends all flooded the comment section to congratulate her ... with Sloane Stephens, Vanessa Lachey and more sending positive messages.

Osaka and Cordae have yet to spill on what they named their baby ... but the two confirmed last month they were expecting a daughter.

NO also shared other pictures from the pregnancy process ... including a selfie from the hospital bed, and a romantic picnic setup complete with "MOM" balloons and rose petals.

Boxing star Devin Haney was arrested on Thursday morning following a night out in Hollywood ... after cops say they found a semi-automatic handgun in his car during a routine traffic stop.

The 30-0 fighter -- who's coming off a huge win over Vasiliy Lomachenko -- was out at Catch L.A. on Wednesday ... when just minutes after he left the hotspot around midnight, law enforcement tells TMZ Sports cops pulled over his ride due to an unsafe lane change and a failure to use turn signal.

According to authorities, Haney was not driving ... but the person who was told officers during the stop there was a firearm inside of the ride.

Cops say they then got Haney and his security out of the car ... and when they searched the vehicle, they say they found a semi-automatic handgun under the driver's seat.

Law enforcement tells us ... no one took ownership of the gun -- and since the car was registered to Haney, he was arrested and booked for felony possession of a concealed weapon.

Jail records show he was released at 8:12 AM Thursday on $35,000 bail. He's due in court for a hearing on the matter next month.

Haney has become one of the biggest stars in boxing ... after recording impressive wins in the last couple years over Loma, George Kambosos Jr., Joseph Diaz Jr. and Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Forget Stipe Miocic ... Jon Jones apparently found a new rival at an ESPYs after-party Wednesday night -- 7-foot-4 Purdue hoops star Zach Edey!!!

The guys hit up The Pendry West Hollywood for the Talent Resources Sports bash in Los Angeles following the awards show ... and for some reason, Edey decided to test his reach against the UFC's best heavyweight.

The two traded a few jabs while cameras snapped away -- but don't worry, it was all completely in jest ... Edey's definitely too smart for that!!!

Following their impromptu shadowboxing session ... the fighter and the hooper posed for pics together -- and then partied the night away at an event that was packed full of celebs.

Damar Hamlin, Jamal Murray and Braxton Berrios were all there ... as were ESPN personalities Chris Berman and Hannah Storm.

They all had a lot to celebrate too ... as the ESPYs were a huge hit.

Entering the game for Magic Johnson's lavish European vacation ... number 23 -- Michael Jordan!!

The Jumpman joined the Lakers legend and his famous friends for dinner at Da Paolino Ristorante in Capri, Italy this week ... and the crew appeared to be in incredible spirits as the hot spot's staffers surrounded their table and broke out in song.

MJ was even handed a tambourine during the jam session ... and while he didn't sing along, the others appeared to know the words to Domenico Modugno's "Volare" as they showed off their pipes.

"Tonight we enjoyed an incredible dinner at the world-famous Da Paolino Ristorante AKA the lemon tree restaurant in Capri, Italy!" Magic said on Instagram.

"AND I got to hang out with my great friend and the greatest basketball player to ever live, Michael Jordan, and his wife Yvette, Sam and LaTanya Jackson, Judge Greg and Linda Mathis, and John and Vicki Palmer."

It looked like so much fun, even Jimmy Kimmel had a bad case of FOMO ... so he photo-shopped himself into one of the pics and joked about being present for the dinner.

It's been one helluva vibe for Magic's annual boat vacation with his buddies ... as they've made their way through paradise on the Phoenix2, a 296-foot ship that rents out for $1.2 MILLION a week!!

Alix Earle and Braxton Berrios took their romance to the red carpet on Wednesday ... hitting up the ESPYs together amid the NFL player's nasty breakup with Sophia Culpo.

The TikTok star and Miami Dolphins receiver eliminated any doubt about whether they're actually a couple at the sports award show ... with their appearance being considered a "hard launch" for their relationship.

The two initially sparked dating rumors following BB's split from Olivia Culpo's younger sister earlier this year ... which resulted in numerous cheating allegations from Sophia.

Braxton has adamantly denied being unfaithful at any point in the relationship ... and Earle insisted she is not "dating" the footballer, despite including a short snippet of them hugging in a TikTok posted to her page on June 25.

But let's be real -- they certainly looked like BF and GF as they dressed up in sharp outfits for the event ... posing for pics together before entering the Dolby Theater.

Sophia has seemingly decided to chill on posting any drama-related content surrounding Berrios and Earle's appearance ... but that could always change.

As for Earle, she shared a vid of her prep for the big night ... and revealed the couple had a 6 AM flight they'd most likely miss Thursday morning.

It's definitely no longer Prime day in Canada ... officials up north said this week they're recalling Logan Paul and KSI's popular energy drink -- due to its high caffeine content.

Health Canada announced the decision Wednesday ... saying at 200 milligrams of caffeine per can, Prime Energy needs to be pulled from store shelves.

Officials said the caffeine in each container -- which is equal to roughly two full cans of Red Bull -- is just too high ... coming in at 20 milligrams over the country's recommended limit of 180 per serving.

The move comes just a couple days after United States senator Chuck Schumer questioned whether the social media influencers' beverage should be sold in American stores as well.

The democrat argued that it posed a "serious health concern" for kids ... and he urged the Food and Drug Administration to investigate it all.

For their part, Paul and KSI have fired back ... noting that Prime Energy is different than the Prime Hydration beverage that they initially launched back in 2022.

The hydration one, they and the company reiterated, is for everyone ... while the energy version -- which dropped earlier this year -- is "not recommended" for anyone under 18 years old.

Paul recently created a sarcastic social media video where he attempted to demonstrate the difference between the drinks and water.

"As a brand," Prime officials added in a statement earlier this week, "our top priority is consumer safety, so we welcome discussions with the FDA or any other organization regarding suggested industry changes they feel are necessary in order to protect consumers."

All versions of the Prime drinks have become wildly popular since their debuts ... as the social media stars have aggressively advertised it to their legions of fans with a ton of success.

Jake Paul is a Sports Illustrated cover athlete -- the Problem Child just added to his growing list of accomplishments ... landing the big spotlight for the outlet's "Power List" issue.

S.I. published its submissions for the "50 most influential figures in sports" on Thursday ... where it highlights the biggest athletes, dealmakers, executives, icons and leaders and influencers over the past year.

The YouTuber-turned-boxer is front and center for the issue ... showing him throwing a punch in an underwater photoshoot.

It's a huge honor for Paul, who turned social media boxing into a multi-million dollar business ... even starting his own Most Valuable Promotions company.

Paul's also brought a bunch of new fans to the sport of boxing ... selling a ton of Pay-Per-Views for his fights against Tommy Fury, Tyron Woodley, Ben Askren and more.

We spoke with Jake about landing the cover ... and he said it's a "surreal" experience.

"It doesn't make any sense, but I've worked my ass off to get to this position, and I couldn't have done it without my supporters from back in the Vine days, from my Disney Channel fans, my YouTube fans," Paul told TMZ Sports.

"I really owe it all to them and their support of me through each lane and each vertical of my life as I've gotten older."

"Through all the negative, through all the hate, through all the things and the people trying to tear us down -- we've risen to the occasion and we've overcome it every single time," he added.

"And that, to me, is what means the most and this feels like a staple, monumental moment in my career and to be even considered for it is a humbling thing and I can't believe it's my life."

Incredibly powerful moment at the ESPYs just now ... when Damar Hamlin presented the Buffalo Bills staffers who saved his life back in January with the Pat Tillman Award for Service.

The 25-year-old safety took the stage and was visibly emotional as a video tribute played for the star-studded crowd in attendance ... with Hamlin detailing his commotio cordis incident against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.

"I didn't wake up that morning in January thinking that I would need someone to save my life that day," Hamlin said in the clip, "and I doubt the training staff thought that they would have to do what they did either."

"That, as much as anything else, is what I took away from what happened to me 6 1/2 months ago ... that any of us, at any given time, are capable of doing something as incredible as saving a life, and living a life in service of others."

After the video, the audience gave Hamlin a standing ovation as he welcomed the staffers on stage to accept the award, which is given to sports figures who served others like Tillman, who died while deployed in Afghanistan in 2004.

Hamlin shared a hug with several staffers for a bit before head trainer Nate Breske gave a touching speech.

"Damar, first and foremost, thank you for staying alive, brother," Breske said. "Seriously, we are so honored to be standing up here with such a strong and courageous human being."

Breske also stressed the importance of CPR training -- something Hamlin has campaigned for in the months following the incident.

LeBron James made a HUGE announcement at the ESPY Awards Wednesday night ... telling the world he's staying put in the NBA.

The L.A. Lakers superstar strolled onto the stage to accept the ESPY for Best Record-Breaking Performance after surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar this year to become the league's all-time leading scorer.

During his acceptance speech, 'Bron revealed he ain't going anywhere after 20 seasons, amid talk of his retirement from the Association ... talk fueled by LeBron himself.

At the podium, 'Bron said, "I don’t care how many more points I score, or what I can or cannot do on the floor. The real question for me is: Can I play without cheating this game?"

He continued, "The day I can’t give everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today."

As we reported, 'Bron floated the idea he might call it quits on his storied career back in May after the Lakers were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

At the time, 'Bron told reporters, "I've got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me, going forward with the game of basketball."

Shaquil Barrett paid tribute to his late daughter in a touching way this week ... getting the 2-year-old's face tattooed on his forearm -- just three months after she tragically died in a drowning accident.

The NFL star turned to Tattoo Red to get the piece of little Arrayah done ... and the homage came out perfectly.

The ink features an image of the little girl from her second birthday party ... as well as some stars and a ray of light shining through clouds.

Tattoo Red -- who's been inking athletes and musicians for 14 years -- tells TMZ Sports ... it all took about five hours to put down. The artist also said Barrett's wife, Jordanna, got a tattoo on her wrist in honor of Arrayah too.

"Knowing what an emotional piece this was for the family made me feel honored," Tattoo Red said. "I wanted to give them the best piece I could."

Jordanna -- who also has three other kids with Barrett -- recently announced they are expecting another baby ... saying in the big reveal, "Arrayah had a special hand in picking this sweet girl to add to our family!"

Brandon Royval believes he's next in line for a title shot at flyweight, welcome news for the UFC contender, who says he's clearly the best in the division after watching Alexandre Pantoja beat Brandon Moreno at UFC 290!

30-year-old Royval served as the backup to the co-main event between AP and BM -- training and cutting weight, in the event either of the competitors couldn't fight -- and while he hasn't been told he's next, Royval says his team thinks that's the case.

"I haven't been told necessarily anything," Brandon told us ... "As far as my management team goes, he's like, 'I'm pretty positive you're next, who else, you know? Which is pretty dope because me and Moreno have the same management team."

FYI, both men are repped by Iridium Sports CEO Jason House.

Of course, a rematch between Pantoja and Moreno is also on the table ... but as Royval points out, the guys have already fought three times (2016, 2018, 2023), and the score is 3 to nill.

Not to mention Royval doesn't believe the fight with Moreno was very close, saying he scored it four rounds to one for Alexandre ("I thought the judges f***ed up").

As for how a scrap would look between Royval and Pantoja -- despite losing to AP in 2021 via submission -- Brandon thinks he's got a big-time advantage, and it's his fight to lose.

"There's holes all over all their games," Royval said.

"Watching them fight, I'm like, 'Damn, this could be great for me. They could be walking into some dangerous shots and putting themselves in dangerous positions.'"

The takeaway, Brandon says ... "I know I could be both those guys."

With that said, if it sounds like there's beef between Royval, Moreno, and Pantoja ... that's not the case.

BR says he was touched emotionally by Alexandre's win ... that's how special it was to see him realize his lifelong dream of becoming champion.

"F***ing awesome job," Royval said of AP's performance, adding ... "The moments I've had with Pantoja outside the cage have been such beautiful moments. And that guy's such a good person. Same thing with Moreno."

Brandon continued ... "What a beautiful moment, man. And to watch him win and to watch his family go in and to hear him say what he said was such a beautiful, inspiring moment in my life."

Forget diamond pendants ... Univ. of Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels pulled up to Big 12 Media Day with something far cooler around his neck -- a mini-TV that plays his highlights!!

The Jayhawks signal-caller paired it with a crisp, tan suit and red tie ... telling reporters his whole inspiration for the chain was to pay homage to his journey to stardom at KU.

"Just a reminder to everyone I'm walking around, this is what I do," he said as the piece showed him piling up yards. "I like to play football. I like to play quarterback. I like to score touchdowns."

TMZ Sports has learned ... Daniels got the bling from Ivy J Jeweler in Los Angeles -- after the QB's dad saw store owner Gambit wearing a similar one earlier this year.

Gambit said Daniels hit him up just after his pops told him about it ... and the jeweler got to work right away on creating the junior a custom piece.

We're told Jalon's drip is made with 18 carats of VS diamonds ... and also features his "JD6" logo. It all sits on a Cuban link ... and according to Gambit, it cost around $50K.

As for the live pendant, Gambit tells us it's interchangeable -- saying Daniels can upload up to four minutes of any video he wants on it. It all charges like an Apple watch too, Gambit added.

"You can literally have a new chain every day," he said.

Gambit said Daniels -- who threw for 2,014 yards and 17 touchdowns last season -- is the first college athlete to rock his tech chain ... though he has made several other similar pieces for NBA players and UFC stars. He's now hoping the attention Daniels' piece gets opens the door for more football-playing clients.