TMZ Sports - Page 50

The Super Bowl's national anthem this year will have a little bit of a twang to it ... 'cause the NFL revealed Thursday it tapped none other than Reba McEntire to belt out the song!!

The league made the announcement just minutes ago ... adding that Post Malone will croon "America The Beautiful" just before the country music legend takes the stage on Super Sunday next month at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

The duo's performances will be preceded by a show from Grammy Award winner Andra Day, who's scheduled to sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" to kick off the pregame festivities.

Of course, the acts will have some big shoes to fill ... as last year, Chris Stapleton's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was so good, it brought Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni to tears.

As for halftime of this year's Big Game, the NFL announced a few months ago Usher will handle those duties.

LeBron James was fired up during his postgame interview on Wednesday ... but it had nothing to do with what the Lakers did on the court -- he was busy shouting at the TV as he watched Bronny play for USC!!

King James switched gears from NBA superstar to supportive dad just minutes after L.A. beat the Dallas Mavericks in a 127-110 victory at Crypto.com Arena ... multitasking by answering questions from reporters while giving analysis of the Trojans' matchup against Arizona at the same time.

LeBron -- who had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists for the Purple and Gold -- was super passionate as he kept his eyes on the screen ... interrupting a response to call on an unidentified player to "shoot it!!"

Bron apologized a few times for losing his train of thought ... but in all honesty, he did a great job bouncing between takes on both games.

The clip is hilarious -- James struggled to contain his emotions at some points ... even letting out a "God dammit" at one point.

James has made it clear in the past he wants to prioritize being there for Bronny throughout his own basketball career ... and proved that by running through the tunnel after his game to catch the rest of his eldest son's contest.

Richard Simmons is apparently pissed off enough at the unauthorized movie about his life that he's broken his silence for only the second time in 10 years.

Richard posted Wednesday, "You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don't believe everything you read."

We had Pauly Shore on "TMZ Live" recently and he said he was pumped about the possibility of a doc on Richard and hoped the fitness guru would be on board. Clearly he is not.

As you know, Richard disappeared from public view more than a decade ago, and aside from a few fleeting glimpses, he hasn't been seen since.

TMZ produced a documentary in 2022, "What Really Happened to Richard Simmons," and our conclusion was this -- Richard left the public eye in part because he was experiencing physical problems -- particularly with his knees -- and he was also just exhausted from his unrelenting missing to help just about anyone he came in contact with.

Richard said in Wednesday's statement, "I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful."

The Wolper Org, which is producing the biopic with Warner Bros., told TMZ, "While we would love to have him involved, we respect his desire to privacy and plan to produce a movie that honors him, celebrates him, and tells a dramatic story."

Champion bodybuilder Chad McCrary -- who continued competing even after a horrific motocross accident decades ago left him paralyzed from the waist down and in a wheelchair -- has died.

He was 49 years old.

McCrary's brother, Lance, confirmed his brother died earlier this month, and sent thanks to everyone who sent love "during this difficult time."

The Texas native started his bodybuilding career in 2000, weighing just 160 pounds before bulking up to 240 by 2003.

Unfortunately, Chad was involved in a serious accident while riding his dirt bike during a cross-country motorcycle race in 2005.

McCrary was attempting a 100-foot triple jump, when he landed hard, and it wreaked havoc on his body, damaging his spinal cord, which left him a paraplegic.

Despite the misfortune, McCrary didn't stop living, and doing what he loved -- including competing in bodybuilding. Chad became an inspiration to people in similar situations.

"I was already involved in bodybuilding," McCrary said, "and just carried it over to the wheelchair."

Over the years, McCrary competed in several IFBB PRO Contests ... including the Arnold Classic in 2022, where he placed 4th. He also finished in the top 10 in the 2022 Wheelchair Olympia.

Chad also won several NPC Wheelchair Nationals (2020, 2016) and other Amateur Contests.

Jay Briscoe was honored in an amazing way on the anniversary of his death Monday ... his daughter -- who was seriously injured in the crash that took his life 12 months ago -- showed the world she can walk again.

The powerful moment happened at AEW Dynamite -- after Jay's brother and former tag-team partner, Mark, jumped on the microphone to remember his sibling one year after the wrestling star passed away in a wreck in Delaware.

Mark started his speech by hyping up the crowd, before he remembered Jay as his "partner" and "brother." Then, he started talking about Jay's daughters.

"Man, my nieces were in the truck with him," Mark said on the mic in front of the South Carolina crowd. "Tragically, they told my oldest niece -- they were injured severely -- they told my oldest niece, 'You know, you'll never walk again.'"

But, suddenly, Gracie, Jayleigh and their brother, Gannon, walked out behind Mark -- all looking as healthy as can be.

"God is on the throne!" Mark said as his family joined him. "We Dem Boys, dammit. We won't stop, 'cause we can't stop. We ain't going nowhere!"

Mark then hugged Jay's kids -- before AEW revealed a video tribute to the late wrestler.

As we previously reported, Briscoe -- real name Jamin Pugh -- was pronounced dead on Jan. 17, 2023 after a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 veered into his lane and slammed head-on into his 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.

He was just 38 years old.

Jillian Michaels is floating a serious accusation about Oprah and Ozempic -- suggesting the TV icon is promoting the weight-loss drug 'cause it allegedly lines her own pockets.

The legendary fitness figure did an interview with Page Six this week in which she dished her thoughts on O's stunning body transformation over the past year -- which she recently revealed was tied to a medication she says she's now taking ... without naming Ozempic.

Still, most people assume she's on it -- just like every other celeb in Hollywood these days -- and Jillian thinks there's a big reason Oprah hopped on the bandwagon ... a monetary one.

Jillian points out that Oprah is a significant shareholder in Weight Watchers -- indeed, she has at least a 10% stake in the company -- and notes WW did, in fact, purchase a digital health platform that dabbles in the weight management last year, including Ozempic.

These things are true, and while Oprah might technically be benefitting financially from that deal -- as a shareholder of WW -- JM makes the leap that that's her true motivation here.

Of course, there's no solid evidence that's true as she frames it -- and yet, Jillian's standing firm on her theory.

Jillian's been railing on Ozempic for a minute, BTW.

Things are rolling at TMZ this week -- and on Wednesday, there was no shortage of hot-button topics that made our shows ... and which made for some great convos.

Starting with "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles broke down this wild customs run-in that Arnold Schwarzenegger went through this past week -- where he got stopped in Germany after officials found this super expensive watch that he was trying to auction off over there.

Check out the clip ... the guy got put through the wringer just to pay taxes on this thing!!!

Jumping over to "TMZ on TV" ... more airport drama, only this time it ended in someone throwing hands and getting into an all-out brawl at a coffee shop she worked at. Supposedly this all began over a heated conversation about espresso shots ... and it got ugly fast.

In the "TMZ Sports" world ... the boys broke a story Wednesday -- and it was all about Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay -- who suffered a medical episode last month.

It's a pretty crazy story ... especially since cops say they found him unresponsive in what they believe was a suspected OD. The Colts ended up saying he's still recovering right now.

Former NHL star Tony Hrkac played hero recently, likely saving the life of a league employee who was choking on a pretzel in the press box during an L.A. Kings game.

The harrowing incident went down at Crypto.com Arena on January 4 ... where the Kings were playing the Detroit Red Wings.

Sources tell TMZ Sports an NHL employee (who wishes not to be identified) began choking and turning "purplish" while eating inside the arena.

It was an incredibly dire situation ... but fortunately, 57-year-old Hrkac -- a Tampa Bay Lightning scout -- was on the scene.

We're told Hrkac sprung into action, administering the Heimlich maneuver on the choking person, who then ejected a piece of pretzel. The employee then began to breathe normally.

People who were on the scene believe Tony saved the choking person's life.

If you're not familiar with Hrkac, he played 14 seasons in the NHL ... after winning the Hobey Bakey Award at the University of North Dakota in 1987 (they also won a national championship), given to the nation's best college hockey player. Tony went on to play for the Blues, Blackhawks, and Stars, among other organizations during his pro career.

He even won a Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999.

Hrkac hung up his skates in 2005 (though he did come back years later).

The Miami Heat just bronzed Dwyane Wade's legacy with a statue that'll go up outside the team's arena, but Mase can't focus on that milestone -- instead, he's zeroing in on something else, and in the process, proving he's a dinosaur.

Mase wasted no time laying into the fact D. Wade painted his nails -- Heat colors, red and black -- during his "It What It Is" podcast. He didn't just criticize Dwyane ... Mase and his cohost Cam'ron were both doubled over in laughter, as Mase compared the fashion statement to seeing Michael Jordan model lingerie.

Cam'ron suggested Mase would be going viral for the remark ... and he was right about that.

Their not-so-subtle phobia aside ... both guys are making it clear they're not up on the fact younger generations of men -- including athletes, artists and actors -- don't have the same hang-ups.

Their co-host Treasure Wilson pointed out that celebs like A$AP Rocky, Harry Styles and others also paint their nails.

It doesn't appear Treasure's words cut through with T-Rex and Brontosaurus, but we're certain D-Wade couldn't care less about their take.

1/18 9:35 AM -- The minor's attorney, Gloria Allred, tells TMZ Sports ... "It does not surprise me that law enforcement would close their investigation since our client who is a minor and her parents have chosen not to speak to law enforcement to protect their privacy."

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey will not face charges stemming from a police investigation into whether he had an improper relationship with an underage girl ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Newport Beach PD tells us the case -- which was launched back in November -- is officially closed ... after officials found no corroborating evidence.

In other words, no one involved was willing to talk ... and 21-year-old Giddey is in the clear.

As we previously reported, Giddey was the center of serious allegations made on social media during Thanksgiving weekend ... with photos and videos showing him interacting with a girl believed to be a high school junior at the time.

The NBA looked into the claims at the time ... but once Newport PD got involved, Adam Silver said it would take a "backseat" and let law enforcement do its thing.

Our sources told us at the time that the minor and her family were unwilling to cooperate with investigators ... which was a major roadblock in the process. We were also told the minor even lawyered up with prominent attorney Gloria Allred.

Giddey -- who has not publicly addressed the allegations -- has continued to play for the Thunder throughout the probe ... and has faced jeers from opposing fans on numerous occasions.

This is awesome ... Jason Kelce (you thought the guy couldn't be any more likable?!) hooked a local McDonald's employee up in a supersized way, giving the fast food worker a signed Philadelphia Eagles jersey as a thank you!

36-year-old Kelce, who is mulling his football future, grabbed breakfast Wednesday morning -- 2 sausage, egg and cheese McMuffins with a coffee -- and also found time to spread some serious Brotherly Love!

Jason got to know Danielle Bonham through his repeated trips to the restaurant (hey, lineman's gotta keep on the size!), and with his playing career possibly over, he hooked the woman up with the autographed threads.

“To Danielle. Go Birds! Thank You!” JK wrote on the #62 jersey. The future Hall of Famer also found time to pose for a photo from his driver's seat.

As for Kelce's decision on his football future, while it sounds like he may be done ... it's not a done deal just yet.

In fact, on his New Heights podcast this morning, Jason said it was too soon to make a decision ... despite reports he told his teammates he was done playing.

1:17 PM -- NBA commissioner Adam Silver just addressed the tragedy ... saying, "The NBA mourns the sudden passing of Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojević, a beloved colleague and dear friend to so many in the global basketball community."

"In addition to winning the 2022 NBA Championship in his first season with the Warriors and mentoring some of the best players in the world, Dejan had a decorated international playing career and was a distinguished head coach in his native Serbia."

"Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Natasa, their children, Nikola and Masa, and the Warriors organization during this tragic time."

Golden State Warriors assistant coach and former professional basketball player Dejan Milojević has passed away. He was just 46 years old.

Milojević suffered a heart attack during dinner at a Salt Lake City restaurant on Tuesday ... and despite life-saving efforts, he tragically passed late Wednesday afternoon, the team revealed in a statement.

The Warriors were in Utah to face off against the Jazz -- a game that was slated to go down Wednesday night, but has since been postponed.

The Serbian power forward went unpicked in the 1999 NBA Draft, but he had a stellar career in Europe nonetheless -- winning ABA League MVP honors three straight times.

He also won the ABA scoring title in consecutive seasons.

Milojević's playing career ended in 2009 ... and he found success leading the bench for organizations in Serbia and Montenegro before joining the Warriors in 2021. He coached several future NBA players -- most notably two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

He also spent time as an assistant coach for the Serbian national team.

On the Golden State staff, Milojević focused on helping the big men on the roster ... and won a championship when the Warriors beat the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr released a statement on Milojević's passing ... saying the entire organization is "devastated."

"This is a shocking and tragic blow for everyone associated with the Warriors and an incredibly difficult time for his family, friends, and all of us who had the incredible pleasure to work with him," Kerr said.

"In addition to being a terrific basketball coach, Dejan was one of the most positive and beautiful human beings I have ever known, someone who brought joy and light to every single day with his passion and energy."

1:13 PM PT -- The Wolper Organization tells TMZ ... "While we would love to have him involved, we respect his desire to privacy and plan to produce a movie that honors him, celebrates him and tells a dramatic story."

They add, "We know he is deeply private and we would never want to invade that, how ever he is an amazing person, that changed millions of peoples lives and the effect he has had on the world needs to be recognized."

Richard Simmons wants to make it crystal clear he has absolutely NO involvement in an upcoming biopic starring Pauly Shore -- which is now officially in development and coming to a theater near you soon ... TMZ has learned.

Richard's rep reiterated to us Wednesday that Pauly's project -- which just recently got the green light -- isn't authorized, and notes Richard might not even be aware the movie's on the Hollywood conveyor belt at this point.

We're told Pauly and Richard's team spoke last year about PS portraying him in a film, but Richard's people told the comedian the timing wasn't right for Richard to get on board.

We already knew Pauly didn't have RS' blessing for this project -- something Pauly really sought -- and now ... we know Richard's position hasn't changed, though his rep says there will come a time when Richard wants to tell his story. Pauly's thing just ain't it, though.

Remember ... Pauly told us in September he was getting a pitch ready for Richard, and now Deadline is reporting a biopic is being developed over at The Wolper Organization, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. The rest of the deets on who else might be coming aboard to help make this thing a reality are unclear for now -- but Pauly says he's "excited."

Pauly is also portraying Richard in a short film called "The Court Jester," which is premiering this week at The Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

Richard has not been seen in public for years -- but, in 2022, TMZ released "TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons" on FOX and Hulu ... which drew a huge response and resulted in Richard posting a rare message to his fans.

Pauly and Richard have some connections ... they've known each other for decades, and Richard also knew Pauly's late mother, Comedy Store owner Mitzi Shore ... but, so far, they're not connecting for this flick.

We'll see what comes of it in the end, and whether Richard changes his tune once it's actually out. Considering his incredible story, it also sounds like an Oscar waiting to happen.

A California man is suing Floyd Mayweather ... claiming the legendary boxer ordered one of his bodyguards to beat him up during an incident at a restaurant nearly two years ago.

Eduardo Andres Torres Martinez says the incident took place at a Yard House in Los Angeles near Crypto.Com Arena on Feb. 10, 2022.

In Martinez's lawsuit, which was filed on Tuesday, he says Mayweather and his Mayweather Money Team rolled into the eatery ... and caused such a large commotion, he whipped out his phone to take videos of the scene.

But, Martinez claims when Floyd noticed he was recording ... the legendary pugilist signaled for one of his bodyguards to handle the situation.

A short time later, according to the suit, the bodyguard struck Martinez, causing him to fall to the ground. The Mayweather official then allegedly wrestled with Martinez to get his phone away from him.

Martinez alleges in the suit he suffered injuries during the incident that still require treatment. He added that he's also dealing with mental suffering and emotional distress from it all as well.

He's suing Mayweather and his company ... as well as the Yard House -- all for unspecified damages.

This is not, however, the first time Martinez has brought these allegations to public light. Martinez filed a battery report with authorities when the alleged incident first went down.

Law enforcement sources told TMZ Sports at the time, however, that a witness had contradicted parts of Martinez's story.

A rep for Mayweather, meanwhile, said Mayweather stopped by the restaurant, but left because the place was too crowded.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's known for his gun-toting characters ... but it was actually a benign watch that caused him problems at an airport Wednesday -- and the aftermath was a freaking mess.

The actor-turned-politician was held at the Munich Airport on Wednesday after trying to take an "unregistered" luxury watch through customs ... the Terminator didn't try to fight his way out of this one ... instead being spotted calmly hanging with customs agents.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... customs detained AS for three hours for traveling with a watch he owns -- one he might auction tomorrow in Austria.

They say Arnold was never asked to fill out a declaration form, but once he got to customs he was hit with what they describe as an "incompetent shakedown."

But, the former bodybuilding champ didn't make a fuss ... agreeing to prepay potential taxes on the watch -- again, a watch he already owns -- in order to get on with his day.

Authorities tried to have Arnold use a credit card machine for an hour ... but failure after failure forced the customs agents to take Schwarzenegger to a bank so he could withdraw cash from an ATM.

That should've been the end of the story ... except the ATM had too low a limit -- the taxes ended up costing AS $10,613 -- and the bank was closed too! The group headed back to the airport, and another officer brought a new, working credit card machine.

Our sources say the watch will still likely be auctioned off tomorrow for the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative -- a nonprofit dedicated to supporting clean energy efforts worldwide.

A spokesperson for the Munich Main Customs Office says it's simple, telling a local German outlet they've initiated criminal proceedings because the watch is an import staying in the EU -- it has to be declared.

As for why it took so long, the spokesperson explained the rest of Arnie's luggage had to be checked ... and that takes time.

9:03 AM -- The NBA just announced Wednesday night's Warriors vs. Jazz has been postponed in wake of Dejan Milojević's medical emergency.

A makeup date has not yet been announced.

Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević was reportedly hospitalized Tuesday night after he suffered a serious medical emergency while out at a restaurant in Utah.

The incident, according to ESPN, happened while Milojević and other Golden State players and coaches were dining out in Salt Lake City ... some 24 hours before their Wednesday night game against the Jazz.

Further details surrounding the 46-year-old's status were not made immediately available.

Milojević became a part of Steve Kerr's staff in 2021 ... after he built up an impressive coaching resume overseas. He played pro ball Serbia, Turkey, Spain and Montenegro ... and was a star on the Serbian national team.