TMZ Sports - Page 50

Expect to see Bronny James and Paige Bueckers in a fresh pair of Kobe Bryant kicks this season ... 'cause six bigtime NCAA hoops powerhouses were selected as "Mamba Programs" and will be wearing the NBA legend's Nike sneakers on the court this year!

Vanessa Bryant made the announcement via social media on Tuesday ... listing the universities that were picked as the first group to represent her husband's Nike brand.

"So excited to see their players wearing Kobe and Gigi’s NIKE shoes this upcoming season," Vanessa wrote in the caption.

No mid-majors here.

The selected schools were USC -- where LeBron James' son Bronny is playing -- as well as Kentucky, Oregon, Duke, LSU, and UCONN, the team Gigi supported.

"We are grateful for the amazing support of these prestigious universities (in no particular order) towards the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation - to further the legacies of Kobe and Gigi!" Bryant added.

Vanessa didn't disclose which Kobe's the teams will rock, but the Swoosh recently relaunched Bryant's line with the release of the Protro 8 "Halos" ... which hit the market on what would've been KB's 45th birthday (August 23).

Tom Brady has a new venture post-NFL life -- but it's one that has absolutely nothing to do with football, or even sports ... as he's partnering up with a massive American airline. 🤔

Indeed, Delta announced a multi-year agreement Wednesday that they've struck with TB12 -- making him a new long-term strategic adviser for their company ... which will see him give their employees, their customers and their stakeholders a piece of his mind on a number of topics -- including general greatness, something that's right up his alley.

Here's how the CEO pitches this ... "Delta’s people are driven by their commitment to world-class performance, excellence and a desire to achieve best-in-class results. Bringing a leader like Tom onto the Delta team furthers our mission to connect the world while accelerating our drive to continuously improve for our colleagues, customers and communities."

Specifically, Delta says Brady will assist them in developing/advising on strategic training and "teamwork tools" for their more than 90,000 workers. He's also going to be the new face of Delta, it seems, when it comes to marketing for current and prospective ticket buyers.

And finally ... Delta says TB's going to get involved in their shared "communities," but are kinda vague on what exactly that means. In any case, they've landed a major whale here.

As for Tom himself, he's quoted as saying ... "I am grateful to be joining the Delta family, a company I have loved and respected for years," Brady said. "Growing up with a mother as a flight attendant, I have always admired the people that make seamless air transportation possible. Throughout my career, my teammates and I flew Delta countless times, spending hours traveling for some of the most important games of our lives, even celebrating Super Bowl wins on the plane."

He adds, "Those championship teams were built off of great leadership and a commitment to excellence, and Delta certainly shares those qualities. Now, alongside Ed and the Delta team, I look forward to playing my part to continue the company’s success."

No word on what the money looks like here, but ya gotta imagine Brady's making a fortune off of this ... as he seems committed for the long haul, and his services don't come cheap these days. Remember -- he signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with FOX Sports already. Plus, he's got tons of other sponsorships under his belt -- Hertz and so many more.

Perhaps LeBron James wasn't kidding when he said he'd play in Saudi Arabia if the bag was big enough ... 'cause the King was spotted in the country, just weeks after he made the comment on social media.

Bron was in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, earlier this week. The exact reason for the trip is unclear, but James was seen hanging out in a gymnasium with a banner that said "Welcome to Arabia" and "Ministry of Sport."

LeBron was invited to watch a match between Saudi prospects at the AZM Academy, according to an online report.

So, while Lakers fans shouldn't worry (for now, at least) ... it doesn't seem impossible that James could play in Saudi for a massive amount of money after his NBA career is over.

In July, the Lakers superstar used a Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump GIF to show how fast he'd go to the Middle Eastern company if he got Kylian Mbappe-type money (the French soccer superstar got a staggering $776 million offer to play for Al-Hilal, but turned the money down).

Many fans perceived LBJ's tweet as a joke, but ... maybe not.

LeBron's not alone. We talked to Giannis Antetokounmpo a few weeks ago about the same subject ... and the Milwaukee Bucks superstar told us he'd be down to suit up in Saudi if the cash was right.

Just James visiting the country will likely be enough to spark a debate ... considering Saudi Arabia's history of human rights violations.

Despite the controversy, Saudi Arabia, with their enormous wealth, has lured some of the world's biggest athletes to their country, including Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo. Golfers like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, among others, also bolted for Saudi.

The son of ex-NFL star Hugh Douglas was tragically killed in a car crash on Monday ... the younger Douglas' college announced this week.

He was just 20 years old.

According to police documents, obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer, the accident occurred at around 5 PM in the Atlanta area. Police say Douglas' son, Hugh, and his Morehouse College roommate, Christion Files Jr., had been driving at a high rate of speed when their car careened off the road, hit two utility poles and flipped over.

Both men were pronounced deceased at the scene.

In its announcement of the tragedy, Morehouse College said the loss of the two "is deeply felt by all of us in the Morehouse family."

"Hugh Douglas was an exceptional student who displayed immense dedication and promise in pursuing a business administration degree with a concentration in finance," the school said, adding, "Christion Files Jr. was a remarkable young man who made his mark academically and in extracurricular activities."

The elder Douglas -- who made three Pro Bowls with the Philadelphia Eagles in the early 2000s -- has been posting tributes to his son throughout the past few days on X ... writing in one of them on Wednesday, "Your father is the only man that is truly happy you are better than them. You made me so proud."

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni expressed his condolences to the Douglas family on Tuesday -- saying in a press conference that he had always been told Douglas' son was "an unbelievable kid."

Spanish soccer star Jenni Hermoso has officially filed a criminal complaint against Luis Rubiales for planting a kiss on her following the country's World Cup victory last month ... claiming the act was sexual assault.

Prosecutors in Spain announced the development on Wednesday ... saying Hermoso testified against the soccer president a day prior. If found guilty, Rubiales could face a fine, or up to a four-year prison sentence.

The news comes on the heels of Rubiales' suspension from FIFA, as well as the Spanish government's investigation into the incident.

Rubiales has been adamant the kiss was consensual ... claiming the outrage was nothing more than a witch hunt by "false feminists."

Hermoso's side of the kiss is completely different -- she's stated she felt like "a victim of aggression," and that she and her family felt they were pressured by the federation to downplay the incident in favor of the soccer prez.

Damian Lillard may have his hopes set on playing with the Miami Heat next season but his heart’s clearly still with his Portland Trail Blazers fanbase … he recently crashed the wedding of two of his biggest supporters!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained video from September 3 of Dame in D.O.L.L.A. mode … at the nuptials for Jay & Kelly Virdee … a true Trail Blazers love tale if there ever was one.

We’re told the couple have been together for 6 years after meeting at a Portland winery and are huge fans of Dame … Jay actually grew up in the same Bay Area region as the NBA All-Star before making the move to Portland for work.

Their mutual friend, L.A. rapper Dreebo, collaborated with Dame in the past and convinced him to surprise the couple and perform a song during the wedding reception … fittingly their collab titled “Home Team.”

Aaron Rodgers has been seeing things before he ever dabbled in psychedelics -- the New York Jets quarterback went in depth about the time he believes he saw a UFO on "Hard Knocks" this week ... saying he felt like he was in a movie!!

The four-time MVP opened up on the 2005 experience on the season finale of the Max series Tuesday night ... when he was staying with his old college teammate, Steve Levy, in New Jersey prior to the NFL Draft and heard an alarm going off outside.

Naturally, the guys left the house to investigate ... and Rodgers couldn't believe his eyes.

"Up in the clouds, we heard this sound and we saw this tremendously large object moving through the sky," Rodgers said. "And it was like a scene out of 'Independence Day,' when the ships are coming into the atmosphere and they're creating this kind of like explosion-type fire in the sky."

"And we just saw this incredibly large object and froze, as anybody would because what the hell was going on? And eventually it went out of sight and nobody said a word."

Shortly after, the signal-caller says he heard the sound of fighter jets zooming above them ... as if aircrafts were chasing whatever they just saw.

"Again, we just stood there in just disbelief for another few minutes," Rodgers added. "Nobody said a word. Then we all looked at each other like, 'Did we just see what we think we just saw? What was that?'"

Rodgers -- who did his research on the subject after a lack of media coverage on the incident -- seemingly believes it was, in fact, a UFO ... because he heard an alarm go off at a nearby nuclear power plant, which tracks all the information he's gathered.

"And if you know anything about UFOs, there are a lot of sightings around nuclear energy, around volcanoes, around power plants," the Super Bowl winner said.

Carl Nassib -- the first openly gay player to ever log time in a regular season NFL game -- is retiring.

The 30-year-old pass rusher announced the news in a lengthy post on his Instagram page Wednesday morning ... revealing he's hanging up his cleats in order to focus on his business endeavors.

"This is a bittersweet moment for me," he said in his announcement. "Football has given me more than I ever could have imagined. I can truly hang up my helmet for the last time knowing I gave it everything I had."

Nassib entered the NFL back in 2016 ... when the Cleveland Browns took him in the third round. He piled up 5.5 sacks in two seasons, before he signed on with the Buccaneers in 2018.

Two seasons later, he joined the Raiders ... and after one year with the team, he came out as gay. In his first game following the historic announcement, he made a play that helped Las Vegas log a victory.

Nassib went on to play for the Bucs one more time last season ... before ending his career Wednesday.

"It was always my dream to play in the NFL, even as a walk-on," Nassib said, "and I really feel like the luckiest guy on the planet."

Jake Paul says Dillon Danis is doing exactly what Logan expected by spewing nonstop trash talk leading up to their boxing match ... telling TMZ Sports lines have been crossed, but at the end of the day -- it's only making his brother richer.

The Problem Child joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs on FS1) ... and he got into all things boxing, Betr ... and, of course, Logan's current arch nemesis.

In case you've been hiding under a rock, Danis has been unloading on Logan and his fiancée, Nina Agdal, on social media ... posting hundreds of pictures of the model with her previous boyfriends and other random men in an attempt to embarrass his opponent.

Many critics are going after Danis for bringing an innocent bystander into the prefight antics ... and while Jake agrees the former Bellator MMA fighter has sometimes gone too far, Logan is ultimately winning.

"My brother could've fought anybody, and he picks this kid who he knows is gonna make the fight massive," Jake said. "And right now, everybody wants to see the fight because of the things that are being said."

"So, all of that, all the pay-per-views are going directly into my brother's pocket, and that's why Dillon was picked. At the end of the day, Dillon's a puppet."

As for Paul's boomin' Betr business, he also talked about its new fantasy vertical, Betr Picks ... which is here just in time for NFL Week 1.

Jake explained Betr -- which also just launched in Virginia -- is way more than just a money-making opportunity for him ... as he's truly passionate about putting together the best possible user experience.

"Our goal is to make the product the best in the space, and the fans are the ones who are really gonna win here."

Amen and Ausar Thompson were the 4th and 5th picks in June's NBA Draft, but the star basketball players weren't immune to getting ripped by their coach last season ... and the intense moment was captured on camera in a new docuseries featuring the bros!

The twin brothers are starring in Prime Video's "One Shot: Overtime Elite" ... which follows Amen and Ausar's rise as two of the best players in the country at Overtime Elite in Atlanta.

Despite their immense talent, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the NBA lottery picks.

"I asked you two to give me something, didn't I?" assistant coach Corey Frazier screamed at the Thompsons during a timeout ... as their City Reapers trailed the Yng Dreamerz by double digits on January 20th.

"Don't say s*** right now, just listen! I said 'leadership.' I don't see it! I see a bunch of one-on-ones!"

Frazier was upset with the way the team was playing, and the brothers (who once graced the cover of Sports Illustrated) got the brunt of the blame as the team's best players.

The message was clearly received loud and clear ... the Reapers charged back after being down 16 at the half, ultimately winning 76-64.

Amen dropped 12 points and dished out 6 assists during the game. He also grabbed 7 rebounds. Ausar scored 10 points, and had 7 assists and 8 boards.

Eli Ellis, Amen and Ausar's teammate, was the game's high scorer. He scored 28 points ... and contributed to a dominating 4th quarter, where the Reapers outscored their opponents 36-16.

The City Reapers' winning ways continued ... and the team ultimately finished with the best record and the OTE league title.

All told, the show gives a cool behind-the-scenes look at the Thompsons as they not only hooped in the super competitive, six-team league ... but also prepared for the draft.

When summer rolled around, Amen, a shooting guard, ended up going 4th to the Houston Rockets. His brother didn't have to wait long. With the next pick, the fifth, Ausar, a shooting guard, was selected by the Detroit Pistons.

Boriša Simanić -- a 25-year-old member of Serbia's national team -- had to have his kidney removed over the weekend ... after the power forward was injured during a play in a FIBA World Cup game last week.

Simanić had been guarding South Sudan's Nuni Omot during their contest in the Philippines on Aug. 30 ... when Omot appeared to accidentally elbow the big man right in his side.

Simanić --- a member of the Utah Jazz's summer league team last year -- doubled over in pain ... and hours later, he required emergency surgery at a local hospital to fix the issues the inadvertent collision caused.

Unfortunately, Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic said Simanić suffered a setback in his recovery over the weekend ... and according to Serbian team officials, he then had to have one of his kidneys removed on Sunday.

He's expected to remain in the Philippines for the foreseeable future while he heals.

For his part, Omot released a statement Monday saying he had no intentions whatsoever of hurting Simanić.

"As a sportsman, I firsthand understand the severity of his situation and I am deeply sorry that this happened," Omot said. "No player should have to go through that. I pray for Simanić's recovery and speedy return to the court."

Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes walked the walk on Saturday in a huge win over TCU ... and on Tuesday, they were rewarded for their performance -- earning a place in this week's Top 25 rankings.

The Associated Press just revealed the Buffs slid into No. 22 on the list ... after they scored a massive, 45-42 win over the Horned Frogs in Texas despite being 21-point underdogs.

Sanders' squad -- which was just 1-11 last season -- looked impressive ... especially PrimeTime's quarterback son, Shedeur, who threw for 510 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.

Coach Prime knew it was a big win after the final whistle had blown ... 'cause he gloated throughout his postgame press conference, even asking one of his biggest detractors repeatedly, "Do you believe?!"

Sanders and his team will have another opportunity to prove they're the real deal this weekend ... when they face off with Nebraska on Saturday in Boulder.

Chandler Jones' days in Las Vegas might be numbered -- the star defensive end just bashed the Raiders in a bizarre rant ... saying he no longer wants to play for them after not being allowed in the team facility.

Jones' verified Instagram profile posted a number of stories on Tuesday ... calling out head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler.

"They won't let me in the building tho, tryna provoke a n****," Jones' story said ... adding he wants the team's current defensive coordinator to take over on the sidelines.

"F*** it, I don't wanna play for the Raiders if that's my HC or GM ... I want Patrick Graham Ivy League n****."

Jones' account also shared what appeared to be a text to McDaniels ... saying he had to go to a local gym to work out "for no apparent reason."

"This is wild to me Josh and you know it you need to do what's right."

There's more ... but it's hard to make heads or tails of what exactly is going on. The team has not addressed the situation.

The timing of it all isn't ideal ... especially with the first week of the NFL season just days away.

Jones joined the Raiders last season on a three-year, $51 million contract ... after spending his first 10 seasons with the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals.

Snoop Dogg is proclaiming Shaquille O'Neal to be the best NBA player to ever release hip hop music ... this, after getting wind of The Big Aristotle's latest rap collab!!!

As we told you last week, Shaq linked up with L.A.-based group Coyote for their single "3 Lokos" ... the first of a newfound partnership.

Shaq told the artists he wanted to bring "'90s energy" to the song ... which clearly struck a chord with Snoop to the point he crowned the big man with such a big honor!!!

Shaq's place in hip hop is indeed solidified ... having his 1993 debut album "Shaq Diesel" go platinum while earning respect from many established rappers at the time.

The NBA legend also brought 3 championships to Los Angeles with the Lakers in the early '00s ... undoubtedly an extra reason to get Snoop's top pick. 😉

NBA rappers have gotten a lot more competitive since Shaq's era and Damian Lillard, will likely have something to say about Snoop's taste ... he's long touted himself to be the best NBA player to ever clutch a mic.

He just dropped his new album with co-signs from Rick Ross and Lil Wayne and even performed during the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, where he also played.

Beyoncé celebrated her birthday with another packed L.A. concert ... one that was filled to the brim with celebs, and came with a surprise performance from the legendary Diana Ross.

The Beyhive was out in full force Monday night at SoFi Stadium to celebrate the singer's 42nd birthday -- with Kim & Khloé Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Corey Gamble, 10-year-old North, and 11-year-old Penelope Disick all showing up as one happy family.

The sold-out crowd, and perhaps Beyoncé, got an exciting surprise when Diana Ross hit the stage to sing "Happy Birthday" ... along with all the fans. Bey was rightfully emotional after Diana's gift -- shouting out, "Give it up for the queen!"

Other faces in the crowd included couples like Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, and Justin and Hailey Bieber -- and Adele, Winnie Harlow, Vanessa Bryant, Tom Sandoval, Scheana Shay, Keke Palmer, Zendaya, Chris Rock, Queen Latifah, Kerry Washington and even Meghan Markle all showed up for the big gig!

Beyoncé also brought out Kendrick Lamar to perform the remix of their collab, "America Has a Problem."

As we reported, Kylie Jenner and  Timothée Chalamet were also at the concert -- goin' public with their relationship by packing on the PDA while in the VIP section.

Jorge Vilda led his team to a World Cup title just over two weeks ago, but Spain's soccer coach is out of a job today ... as fallout from the Luis Rubiales kiss incident continues.

42-year-old Vilda was fired by the Spanish soccer federation on Tuesday, days after the coach applauded Rubiales for refusing to resign ... despite mounting pressure from within the country, and around the world.

Prior to getting the ax, Vilda -- who is an ally of Rubiales -- was the lone remaining member of the staff that beat England in the World Cup final on August 20 in Australia.

All of the other coaches, 11 in total, resigned in a show of support for Jenni Hermoso, who was kissed by Spain's soccer president during the postgame celebration following the championship-clinching game.

Of course, Rubiales was suspended by FIFA for 90 days ... as officials within Spain continue to investigate the incident.

It's hard to imagine a scenario where Rubiales returns ... the entire team has vowed not to play unless he is forced out.

As for Vilda, who took over control of the women's team in 2015, his tenure at the helm wasn't without controversy.

He barely survived a player-led revolt in September 2022, when many on his team accused the coach of treating them poorly, and demanded better working conditions. Vilda kept his job, but many of the unhappy players opted not to return for the World Cup.