TMZ Sports - Page 50

A high school basketball player wound up and sucker-punched his opponent twice during postgame handshakes this week ... and now cops are investigating.

Here's what we know -- Nevada H.S. was facing off against Carlisle H.S. in Iowa on Tuesday ... and when both teams lined up to say "good game" after Nevada's 72-47 win, #4 on Carlisle attacked #5 on Nevada.

Unclear what happened in the game, but it appears the players were going through the line without incident before the Carlisle guard threw punches to the opponent's stomach and head.

The player who was attacked then falls to the ground as other players and coaches step in to put a stop to the altercation ... with the Carlisle player getting wrestled to the ground.

We spoke with Nevada superintendent Dr. Steve Gray, who tells us the player is currently doing okay.

"It's a very unfortunate situation," he tells TMZ Sports. "I'm happy they deescalated it. I thought our coaches and staff handled it well and got everyone out of there without it worsening."

Carlisle PD tells us they are aware of the incident and an investigation is underway.

An officer was present during the game, but the player was not arrested.

The Carlisle superintendent tells us ... "This is without question an unfortunate incident that is not representative of the school culture that exists in Carlisle Community School District."

"I want to make it clear that this type of conduct is not tolerated at Carlisle CSD. The district will follow the student code of conduct policy and procedures throughout the investigation of this incident and implement appropriate consequences.

"All proper authorities have been notified of the incident including IHSAA."

Dave Draper -- one of the most legendary figures in the history of bodybuilding -- has died ... and Arnold Schwarzenegger says he's torn up over the news.

Draper's wife announced the passing on her Facebook page on Tuesday, saying, "Dave died early this morning."

"I was with him and it was calm and peaceful," Laree Draper added. "It, as his doctor told me a little while ago, was a good death."

Dave was 79 years old.

Schwarzenegger took the news hard ... writing on his social media page Tuesday afternoon that Dave was one of his biggest inspirations.

"In Austria," Schwarzenegger said, "I kept his photo on the wall above my bed for motivation."

In fact, Schwarzenegger said when he eventually moved to the United States, he met Dave and they became pals and training partners.

"He couldn't have been more welcoming, and he always pushed everyone around him in the gym to be better," Schwarzenegger said. "He was an amazing writer and a great family man."

"I will miss the Blond Bomber, but his memory will always be with me. My thoughts are with Laree and the family."

Dave began bodybuilding at a young age -- and famously won the Mr. New Jersey title in 1962, when he was just 21 years old.

Dave went on to win a Mr. Universe crown in 1966 ... and later starred in a bunch of TV and movie roles, including Sharon Tate's famous 1967 flick, "Don't Make Waves."

Tank Davis and Ryan Garcia may have more Instagram followers than George Kambosos Jr. ... but when it comes to boxing skills, the newly crowned champ's adamant there ain't a 135 lb. fighter in the world who's better in the ring.

"Yes, by far. I got all the belts. I'm #1, and I took out the guy who took out the guy, so I'm the top dog in the division. And, they're all hunting me now, which is great cause it shows I am the guy now," the 28-year-old boxing star told TMZ Sports when asked if he was the best lightweight in the world.

FYI, the 135 pound division is STACKED ... with killers like Vasiliy Lomachenko and Devin Haney competing in the weight class, in addition to Gervonta, Garcia and a bunch of other tough fighters.

Of course, 20-0 Kambosos shocked the boxing world Saturday in NYC ... defeating heavy favorite and top-ranked lightweight fighter, Teofimo Lopez, via split decision.

Speaking of the judges' decision ... Teo's dad is adamant his son actually won the fight, a sentiment George says is "delusional."

"That's just delusional. He's probably the only guy in the world that's saying that right now," Kambosos told us, adding, "The world saw the fight. Everybody saw the fight. His own people in New York were booing him and were applauding me."

"Whatever they wanna say. Whatever delusional stories they want to have, that's fine. There's no disrespect there and I am the champion of the world."

We also talked to George about a possible rematch with Lopez, and who he's got his sights set on now that he's the lightweight king.

Mac Jones is following in Tom Brady's footsteps in more ways than one ... 'cause the New England Patriots quarterback just filed to trademark his own version of "TB12's" nickname -- "MJ10."

Records show Jones' "Mac 10 Enterprises" officially filed for the phrase on November 26 ... with the intent to use it for all things clothes -- from beanies to hats to pants to athletic jackets/shorts/shirts/sweaters and more, as reported by Darren Rovell.

We get it -- Brady didn't have the most original nickname to begin with, but the similarity is hard to ignore when the guy who held Mac's job for 20 years built a whole brand around his initials and number.

Now, if Jones ends up making avocado ice cream recipes and raving about "pliability," then we'd call the guy a copycat ... but for now, it's most likely a coincidence.

The filing is probably bad news for Cam Newton's nickname for Jones -- "Mac and Cheese" -- but let's be honest, that moniker didn't really have legs, anyway.

The NHL has suspended Los Angeles Kings winger Brendan Lemieux for 5 games ... after the league ruled he did, in fact, bite his opponent last weekend.

Lemieux was involved in a scrum with Senators star Brady Tkachuk last Saturday at Staples Center ... when, at one point, Tkhachuk accused the L.A. player of ripping into his hand with his teeth.

Video from the play shows Tkachuk was pissed over the incident -- showing his bloody hand to refs and screaming, "He f***ing bit me!"

After several days of investigating, the NHL announced Tuesday night Lemieux did take a chunk of skin out of Tkachuk -- and now, he'll have to pay for it.

The league revealed Lemieux will be forced to sit out 5 games, and he'll also have to cough up around $40k of his salary.

Lemieux -- the son of ex-NHLer Claude Lemieux -- had been having a solid season for the Kings, scoring 4 goals in 14 games.

Dallas Cowboys safety Damontae Kazee told a cop he had been with Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott hours before his DWI arrest ... saying he had partied with the two just before getting behind the wheel.

It's all in new police video, obtained by TMZ Sports, which reveals Kazee name-dropped his two superstar teammates after he was pulled over in the Dallas area back on Oct. 19 at around 3 a.m.

In the footage, a cop can be heard telling Kazee he had stopped him due to his failure to use a turn signal as well as some erratic driving.

Kazee -- who seemed to be slurring his words -- said "my bad" ... and then explained he had been with the Cowboys' quarterback and running back earlier in the evening.

"I was just with Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott and we were just having fun -- went out," Kazee told the cop.

The 28-year-old, who just signed with the Cowboys this offseason, told the officer he had "probably like three shots" while out -- adding that he, Prescott, Elliott and others were at a restaurant in downtown Dallas.

"Today we was just going out to eat," Kazee said, "because it's rookie night."

The cop then put Kazee through some field sobriety tests -- and you can see in the video, Kazee didn't appear to ace any of them.

Kazee seemed to struggle to count backwards and didn't walk cleanly in a straight line -- and he was eventually arrested and booked on a misdemeanor DWI charge.

Kazee addressed the situation with Dallas reporters a few days following the incident ... saying, "I apologized to my family, my teammates, my coaches and to the owner, who gave me a job."

"I'm happy the Lord helped me get out," he said, adding that he'd "deal with" any punishment the NFL levied on him over it all. "I didn't hit nobody, I didn’t hurt myself. Just thankful I’m here now."

LeBron James has been placed in the NBA's health and safety protocols and will miss tonight's game against the Sacramento Kings, the league announced Tuesday.

The news comes just hours before the Lakers are set to go up against the Kings.

It's unclear if 36-year-old James is COVID-19 positive, if he was a close contact or had a false positive.

Per the league's rules, if James is positive, he will be away from the team either for the next 10 days or until he submits at least two negative PCR tests before returning.

LeBron is fully vaccinated but has previously shied away from encouraging others to get the jab.

"We're talking about individuals' bodies," LeBron said back in September. "We're not talking about something that's political, or racism, or police brutality. Things of that nature. We're talking about people's bodies and well being."

"So, I don't feel like, for me personally, that I should get involved in what other people should do for their bodies and their livelihoods."

LBJ is averaging 25.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists for the 11-11 Lakers ... and previously missed several games this season due to an ab strain.

No need for Evander Kane to have a fake COVID-19 vaccine card now -- at least that's what he's claiming -- 'cause the NHL star says he's now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The 30-year-old pro faced the media as he was assigned to the AHL's San Jose Barracuda on Tuesday ... and naturally, he was asked about allegedly getting busted for submitting a bogus COVID-19 vaccine card to the NHL.

Kane was suspended as a result of the investigation ... and now that he's back after being waived by the Sharks, he was given the chance to clear the air -- but dodged the hell outta the question.

“You'll have to refer to the NHL statement they put out via suspension," Kane said. "I served my time, did my 21 games and now I'm back."

Ex-UCF star football player Otis Anderson Jr. was allegedly shot and killed by his dad on Monday night ... after the two had gotten into an argument over a dog bite.

It's all spelled out in new police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, in which cops say Otis Jr.'s mom, Denise Anderson, told them the whole, violent altercation started after her son's girlfriend's dog had bitten Otis Anderson Sr.

Cops say Denise told them Otis Sr. was so enraged over the bloody wound caused by the dog -- he and Otis Jr. proceeded to get into a verbal altercation.

Denise claimed the two were eventually separated when she told Otis Jr. to go upstairs ... but cops say she then got into an argument with Otis Sr., one in which Otis Sr. flipped over a recliner, causing Otis Jr. to come back downstairs to check on his mom.

When Otis Jr. made it back downstairs, cops say Denise told them the father and son "got into another verbal altercation and it appeared like they were going to fight."

It's unclear exactly what happened next -- the report was heavily redacted by police -- but in the docs, cops note when they arrived on the scene, they found Otis Jr. suffering from "at least one gunshot wound to the chest."

The cops also noted in the docs Denise was "suffering from multiple graze wounds."

Officers say Otis. Jr. was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, while Denise was treated for her wounds at the facility and later released.

In the docs, cops say they eventually arrested Anderson Sr. and booked him on charges of murder and attempted murder.

Jail records show he's still currently in custody.

As we reported, the NFL community is mourning the loss of Otis Jr. -- who signed with the Los Angeles Rams earlier this season before getting cut in September -- with stars like Jalen Ramsey and Micah Parsons expressing sadness over the situation.

UCF has also commented on the tragedy, saying in a statement, "He was revered by his teammates, our fans, and everyone within Knight Nation."

"Our deepest condolences go out to everyone who loved Otis. He was taken too soon and will truly be missed."

Cody Bellinger and his model GF, Chase Carter, are officially parents -- the Dodgers announced the couple's baby girl has just been born!

Bellinger's team said in a social media post Tuesday that the newest Belli entered the world this week ... and revealed her name is Caiden Carter Bellinger.

The team congratulated the star outfielder and his significant other ... giving a "welcome to the world" caption to the latest member of the Bellinger family.

No official word yet from either Mom or Dad on the birth -- we're sure a post is being prepped as we type -- but the two both shared the Dodgers' post and are no doubt thrilled about the addition nonetheless.

As we previously reported, Chase -- who's been dating Cody for about a year now -- revealed her pregnancy on Instagram back in July ... and Cody was thrilled about it all at the time, writing on Chase's post, "Ay ay ayyyyyyyy!!"

The best part for Cody -- baseball season is months away from kicking off ... meaning Belli's got plenty of time to enjoy his new role as Dad.

Lincoln Riley is opening up on his shocking exit from Oklahoma ... saying leaving the Sooners was a "tough" and "emotional" decision, and admitting he initially thought he'd decline USC's offer.

Riley joined Colin Cowherd on 'The Herd' Tuesday morning ... and Southern Cal's newest coach revealed just how quick the process actually was.

"It was very sudden. I was totally committed to our team as we made a championship and playoff run," Riley said. "And I made that clear to anybody that was interested."

Lincoln says that USC showed serious interest in bringing him on board ... and that by the time he met with them in person, he could sense the Trojans were the perfect fit for him.

"You could feel their energy," he added. "You could feel their leadership from the very top is willing to do the things that maybe haven't been done here as of recent to get USC to where it needs to be," Riley said.

The 38-year-old said he was initially reluctant to accept USC's offer saying ... "I honestly didn't think I would do it. I really didn't."

Lincoln also reflected on how leaving Oklahoma -- historically a football powerhouse -- meant way more than simply leaving an elite football program ... adding that the seven years he spent there featured some of the best moments of his life, including the birth of his second daughter.

Riley enjoyed success at Oklahoma -- the university went to four Bowl games under his watch -- and he's optimistic about his fresh start with his new team.

"When you combine that commitment from the people in this university with the history, the tradition, the opportunities here at USC, the future is so bright."

A UNLV student tragically passed away just days after taking part in a charity boxing event for his fraternity ... and now the incident is under investigation.

20-year-old Nathan Valencia -- a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity -- was part of the main event for the Kappa Sigma-hosted "Fight Night" on November 19 ... when he collapsed shortly after his match with a fellow student.

Valencia -- who had no prior boxing experience -- was taken to a nearby hospital with critical injuries ... where he passed away four days later.

Valencia's girlfriend told KTLV she had a "weird feeling" while attending the event ... and said Nathan was visibly trying to get away from the other fighter to regain his breath.

UNLV President Keith Whitfield sent a letter to students after the tragedy ... saying, "We are shocked and heartbroken as we mourn the loss of one of our own. Coping with the loss of life is always difficult, especially under these circumstances."

"UNLV is committing all available resources to review the incident and determine how off-campus events like these can be as safe as possible."

Valencia was a junior studying kinesiology ... and was described by peers as a loving and happy person.

"The amount of pain I’m feeling can’t be put into words," his girlfriend said on Instagram. "I love you more than I love myself. You have always been so amazing to me. I never knew what love was like until I met you."

"Every moment spent with you was a memory I knew I would cherish forever."

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department special investigation section launched a probe into the event. We also reached out to the Nevada State Athletic Commission for comment ... so far, no word back.

Virgil Abloh is getting a nod from his hometown, with nothing less than his own day to be recognized going forward ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for the City of Rockford, IL tells TMZ ... city officials are dubbing Wednesday, Dec. 1, as Virgil Abloh Day. There's no real significance in the day itself, we're told, other than them wanting to pay tribute to the Louis Vuitton artistic director as soon as possible.

The rep says Mayor McNamara will make the official announcement tomorrow, where he'll read the proclamation drafted for Virgil Abloh Day.

As for why they're even doing this in the first place ... we're told Rockford brass feel like it's warranted considering VA's impact on the community, especially the youth. The guy set a great example for citizens there, and they want to celebrate his contributions with something legit.

We're told Virgil's family was notified and thrilled with the news, but it's unclear if they'll be in attendance for Wednesday's ceremony.

Like we told you ... Virgil died over the weekend after succumbing to cancer -- a disease he was battling privately for years. His passing sent shockwaves all over the entertainment industry, as the man had lots of friends and influence in high places.

He was 41.

Former UCF football star Otis Anderson Jr. reportedly died on Monday night ... after he was shot during an altercation in Florida.

He was just 23 years old.

According to News4JAX, Anderson Jr. was shot during a domestic dispute that went down at around 9:30 p.m. in Jacksonville -- and he later died at a nearby hospital.

Cops said, according to News4JAX, that a woman was also shot in the altercation, but survived.

Details surrounding the incident are unclear -- but cops did say, according to News4JAX, that it appears all of the people involved were related.

Anderson Jr. -- who's not related to ex-New York Giants star Ottis Anderson -- was an outstanding football player for the Knights from 2017 to 2020.

Playing both wideout and running back, Otis piled up 2,182 rushing yards, 1,025 receiving yards and 26 total touchdowns. He did not get picked in the 2021 NFL Draft, but did sign with the Rams in the offseason.

He remained with L.A. until he was cut in September.

Reports of his death have hit the NFL community hard, with Rams star Jalen Ramsey saying on his Twitter page Tuesday, "Rest in Heaven Otis. We gotta do better on this earth smh. Big prayers up."

Added Dallas Cowboys star rookie Micah Parsons, "S*** sad!! Sending prayers to all."

China says Peng Shuai is okay, but the European Union ain't buying it -- with the organization demanding "verifiable proof" the tennis star is not in harm's way.

Peng disappeared earlier this month after accusing powerful Chinese politician Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault ... but popped back up recently during an interview with the International Olympic Committee and making an appearance at the Fila Kids Junior Tennis Challenger Finals.

There are still many questions surrounding Peng's well-being ... and on Tuesday, the EU made it clear it's not satisfied with the current "proof" that's been provided thus far.

"Her recent public reappearance does not ease concerns about her safety and freedom," an EU spokesperson said Tuesday, according to the AP.

"The EU joins growing international demands, including by sport professionals, for assurances that she is free and not under threat." the EU said.

"In this spirit, the EU requests the Chinese government to provide verifiable proof of Peng Shuai’s safety, well-being and whereabouts.

The EU also calls for a full and thorough investigation into Peng's claims against Zhang.

"The EU strongly opposes the use of the practice of enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention...and calls upon China to comply with its human rights obligations under national and international law."

Sorry, Chase Claypool ... there will be NO dancing at practice anytime soon ... so says teammate Cam Heyward, who's adamant music is the last thing Pittsburgh needs to get back to their winning ways.

CC made the interesting suggestion after the Steelers got blown out by the Cincinnati Bengals, 41-10 ... telling reporters having tunes blaring would help Pittsburgh practice better.

"We have music in the warm-ups and that, so it's fun," Claypool said Monday. "People are dancing, having fun. So, I think maybe music would make practice more fun and a little more up-tempo."

And, what's Heyward think of that idea??

"I hope he was kidding," he told Randy Baumann and the DVE Morning Show on Tuesday, "Because as soon as he said it, I was literally about to rip the speaker out."

"That is not what we need right now. It’s Xs and Os and it’s execution."

Of course, it's bad news for currently injured receiver and TikTok star JuJu Smith-Schuster, who absolutely LOVES to dance.

Heyward says he hopes Claypool was joking ... and when the guys on the show made it clear the guy was serious, the All-Pro defensive end brought the young star back to reality.