TMZ Sports - Page 50

Richard Simmons is sparking concern for his well-being once again ... this time announcing he's been diagnosed with cancer.

The fitness guru says he got the skin cancer diagnosis after a recent visit to the dermatologist -- an appointment he made when he noticed a strange bump under his right eye that wouldn't go away.

Richard said Tuesday, in a Facebook post, his doctor removed the blemish, examined it and came back with a basal cell carcinoma diagnosis -- the most common form of skin cancer.

As the 75-year-old detailed it ... he was referred to a specialist, who did a procedure that involved burning his skin twice -- so all the cancer could be removed.

This is the second time Richard has sparked concern for his health this week. Remember, a couple days ago, he announced on Facebook that he was dying.

After countless fans posted messages of love and concern, Richard clarified he wasn't actually dying -- anymore than the rest of us -- and he apologized for causing any confusion.

He explained ... "Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today ... I am not dying. It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have."

Richard has been interacting with his fans quite a bit in recent months -- quite a turnaround, considering he completely disappeared from the public back in 2014.

That fueled years of rumors about his well-being ... until 2022, when we dropped "TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons," detailing the real reasons he's pulled back from his adoring fans.

Most recently, he's also been posting a lot about Pauly Shore's planned biopic about his life -- a project Richard's not down with, but Pauly insists he's moving forward.

Jalen Green has been playing at a crazy high level, and the Rockets hooper says there's a reason ... he's motivated by his family, just weeks after announcing GF Draya Michele was pregnant!

The Houston star scored 42 points on Tuesday in a 137-114 win against the Washington Wizards, tying his career-high ... and after the game, he was asked what was responsible for the surge in production.

"My family," the 22-year-old shooting guard said. "My baby, so yeah."

The Rockets are in the midst of a six-game winning streak, and Green's exploits on the court (he's averaging nearly 28 points during the stretch) line up almost exactly with Draya announcing she was expecting a baby.

Fans wondered if Jalen, the former 2nd overall pick who's 17 years younger than Michele, was the father. His comments last night would seem to put that question to bed.

Draya -- creator of the Mint Swim fashion line -- is beyond excited for their bundle of joy, saying, "We are overjoyed to share our love for you, little girl," the 39-year-old said on Instagram.

"I’m am excited to speak words to the daughter I never thought I’d have. We are anxious about your arrival, but take your time — this world can be tough."

"But know you are being brought into a space of love, security, and adornment."

Michele already has two sons ... one child with former Dallas Cowboys CB Orlando Scandrick. This will be Green's first child.

Shohei Ohtani's wife couldn't contain her excitement when the MLB superstar earned the first hit of his Dodger career ... cheering on her man from the stands throughout his big debut!!

Mamiko Tanaka -- who was recently revealed as the Japanese athlete's partner -- was present for L.A.'s season opener against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea on Wednesday ... and there was plenty to be happy about.

Ohtani logged the first hit of the contest in the third inning ... hitting a line drive to right field for a single.

The broadcast quickly cut to Tanaka -- à la Taylor Swift at a Kansas City Chiefs game -- and she was shouting and clapping with fellow family members and friends as Ohtani reached first base.

The vibes continued in the 8th inning ... when Ohtani's second hit of the night brought home a run.

She was spotted high-fiving with fans decked out in Ohtani merch ... and had a huge smile on her face.

The $700 million man ended up going 2-5 from the plate on the day ... securing an RBI and a stolen base en route to the Dodgers' 5-2 win over the division rival.

As we previously reported, Tanaka is quite the sports star in her own right -- she played several years of professional basketball in Japan.

Shohei Ohtani had a much more stressful leadup to his Dodgers' debut Wednesday than anyone could have imagined -- he was reportedly the target of a pregame bomb threat ... although, thankfully, it all turned out to be fake.

According to the Yonhap News Agency, just prior to L.A.'s season-opening matchup against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, someone had sent a menacing email to local authorities.

The outlet reported that in the note, the person claimed they were going to detonate a bomb at the Gocheok Sky Dome ... specifically looking to harm Ohtani and others.

Fortunately, however, it was deemed to be a non-credible threat.

The MLB said in a statement they were investigating the matter -- calling "the safety and security of our fans and everyone in the ballparks where we play" their top priority -- but continued with the game nonetheless.

So far, there's been no issues whatsoever with the contest -- in the top of the ninth inning, the Dodgers lead, 5-2.

Ohtani, meanwhile, is clearly feeling no effects from the scare ... he's 2-for-5 on the night with an RBI and a stolen base.

The Dodgers arrived in Korea last week and played a couple exhibition games before taking on the Pads in the season opener.

Jake Gyllenhaal was the man of the moment at the NYC premiere of his new movie, "Road House," posing for a slew of photos with his costar – none other than UFC Legend Conor McGregor!

Jake first hit the red carpet with his model girlfriend Jeanne Cadieu at Manhattan's Lincoln Center Tuesday night -- and the two were total knockouts. The actor looked super spiffy in his black suit and tie while Jeanne was the epitome of glamour in her long dark dress.

A bunch of shutterbugs snapped pictures of the smiling couple surrounded by shimmering powder blue neon signs that read, "Road House."

At one point, the couple was joined by Jake's parents, Stephen and Naomi, and all four mugged for the cameras.

But the real treat was when Conor popped up and shared the floor with Jake for their little photo shoot. The costars stood side by side, shaking hands, putting up their dukes and laughing and joking with one another.

Afterward, everyone went inside the theater to enjoy the film, which was a remake of the famous 1989 bar fight drama starring the late Patrick Swayze, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2009.

Jake took on Swayze's iconic role of tough guy protagonist Elwood Dalton while Conor played the villainous hired muscle named Knox. Post Malone also had a cameo as a character called Carter.

Braxton Berrios and Alix Earle don't appear to be close to tying the knot anytime soon ... but the Dolphins wide receiver certainly ain't ruling out the possibility of future nuptials!!

We got the "it couple" out in Los Angeles this week ... and as they looked smitten walking through city streets -- we just had to ask Braxton if an engagement was on the horizon.

The football player laughed -- but when Earle jokingly prodded him to answer the question ... he didn't say no!!

Berrios then added that he and Earle are happy together ... and things are "going well."

Berrios and Earle have only been dating for around a year -- but the two have been inseparable since making things official.

Berrios has been seen in a myriad of her TikToks -- while the social media star has attended a few of his NFL games at Hard Rock Stadium.

In fact, they've grown so close, they each got matching pendants to memorialize their "Panda" nicknames back in February.

It's hump day here at TMZ, but we're still kicking ass on TV ... especially with these topics.

Starting out on 'TMZ Live,' Charles and Harvey talked about Oprah's new TV special that's all weight loss drugs -- like Ozempic -- which she says she's turned to amid her ongoing challenges with weight ... something O says is now under control due to these miracle drugs.

Next up, we got 'TMZ on TV' ... where the gang continued to discuss Kate-Gate -- namely, the ongoing conspiracy theories surrounding Kate Middleton amid the latest sighting.

Finally, we land on 'TMZ Sports' ... where Babcock and Mojo talked Steph Curry for Prez!

Check your local listings for when TMZ is on in your area or catch up on past episodes!

Longtime NHL player Chris Simon -- known as one of the most ferocious and scary athletes on the ice -- has died at 52.

Simon played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League, including stops with the Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, and New York Islanders where he was a feared enforcer, racking up over 100 fights and nearly 2k penalty minutes throughout his decade and a half career.

The NHL Alumni Association broke the news of Simon's death on Tuesday, saying ... "Chris was never afraid to stand up for his teammates, and played a key role in the dressing room. He was a beloved friend, father, brother, and son."

Simon's pro hockey career started in 1990 when the Philadelphia Flyers selected the Canadian native with the 25th overall pick in the NHL Draft.

CS won a Stanley Cup title with the Avalanche in 1996.

Chris also played in the Ontario Hockey League and eventually joined the Kontinental Hockey League before retiring in 2013.

Simon was most known for being a dog on the ice ... and having the backs of his teammates. In fact, he was suspended eight times during his NHL career for a total of 65 games.

Unfortunately, Simon's death comes just hours after news of Konstantin Koltsov's passing ... a suspected suicide.

He was 52.

Gradey Dick is denying any tomfoolery was involved in his jersey exchange with Anthony Black ... telling reporters he simply wanted to show love to his buddy.

The Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic rookies went stupid viral with their postgame trade over the weekend ... with many pointing out the suggestive phrase their last names spelled out when they posed for a pic (hint: Black's surname came first).

Dick was asked about all the hoopla on Tuesday ... and he swore up and down it was nothing more than two longtime friends reconnecting.

"That's my guy," Dick said at practice. "I've been playing against or with him around since middle school days. So, that's been my guy for a long time."

Dick defended the move ... adding, "Guys jersey swap with their boys. That's my friend."

When asked if he has any other jersey swaps lined up, Dick said he only has one criteria.

"If I played with them growing up and they're my guys, then I'll jersey swap with them. Nothing more to it."

While Dick's reasoning behind choosing Black for the popular tradition checks out, it's pretty clear the guys purposely positioned themselves to have a bit of fun ... especially considering it appeared they orchestrated the whole thing before smiling for the cameras.

Travis Kelce's apparently got his eyes on taking his tight end to a new seat ... he's now reportedly in talks to become a game show host in the very near future.

The Kansas City Chiefs star and Prime Video reps are working to hammer out a deal that would make the three-time Super Bowl champion the face of a "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" reboot, according to Variety.

The outlet reported Tuesday, however, that it's far from a foregone conclusion ... as there's at least some concern on the suits' end that Kelce wouldn't be able to do the gig properly if he continued his NFL career.

Jeff Foxworthy hosted the first iteration of the show on Fox way back in 2007. John Cena then picked up hosting duties years later when a new version of the program landed on Nickelodeon.

The show was a popular one -- as it, in part, tested adults' knowledge of information generally taught to elementary school students.

Variety reported Tuesday the new Prime Video version would feature celebrity contestants.

Of course, if Kelce does score the role ... it'd hardly be his first foray into the television world. He was once the center of a reality dating show called "Catching Kelce." He also famously hosted "Saturday Night Live" last year. And, don't forget, he's on-camera weekly with his brother, Jason, for their ultra-popular 'New Heights' podcast.

If Kelce's sweating the talks, he's not showing it much ... 'cause he's rumored to be down in the Bahamas with Taylor Swift at the moment -- and, yeah, kinda hard to focus on business there.

10:42 AM PT -- The Miami-Dade Police Department tells TMZ Sports ... Konstantin Koltsov was found dead in an apparent suicide at around 12:39 AM on Monday at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort.

An investigation into the death is ongoing, but cops said no foul play is currently suspected.

Ex-NHL player Konstantin Koltsov -- the boyfriend of tennis star Aryna Sabalenka -- has died.

The hockey player's former club in Russia, Salavat Yulaev, announced the heartbreaking news Tuesday ... though further details surrounding his death were not made immediately available.

"He was a strong and cheerful person," Salavat Yulaev officials said, "he was loved and respected by players, colleagues, and fans. Konstantin Evgenievich forever wrote himself into the history of our club."

"May he rest in peace."

Koltsov got his start in the NHL after the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him with the 18th overall pick in the 1999 draft. He eventually logged time on the ice for the team in the 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2005-06 seasons.

After becoming a free agent in 2006, he jetted to play professionally in Russia, signing on with Salavat Yulaev. Following his playing days, he later returned to the team as an assistant coach.

In 2021, Koltsov began dating Sabalenka -- the No. 2-ranked women's tennis player in the country -- and the couple appeared inseparable.

Throughout their years of dating, 25-year-old Sabalenka posted him on her Instagram page often ... most recently sending him birthday wishes in April with a sweet collage of pics and videos.

Sabalenka was just seen competing at Indian Wells last week ... and had been slated to play in this weekend's Miami Open.

Koltsov was just 42 years old.

RIP.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Ryan Garcia just got super emotional on video ... crying as he tried to create a TikTok to thank his fans for their recent support.

The boxing star can be seen in the footage -- which was posted to his social media page on Monday -- listening to Hillsong UNITED's "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" ... before he suddenly starts to break down.

In the clip, Garcia tearfully explains that he's "been going through a lot lately," but his faith -- and the love from his supporters -- have helped him get through it.

Garcia noted he was torn up over the fact that despite trying to do good in his community -- some tried to muzzle him ... and even cancel his upcoming megafight with Devin Haney.

"I was trying to do something good, you know?" he said ... adding, "I love you guys. And I appreciate every one of you guys. And I love all you guys."

Garcia ended the vid by promising to address his fans again soon.

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks for the 25-year-old ... especially when it comes to social media postings. Since announcing his April 20 tilt with Haney, he's shared bizarre messages and clips frequently on both his X and Instagram pages.

At one point following a series of unusual posts earlier this month, he actually vowed to no longer talk about anything but sports, boxing, and his fight with Haney.

Clearly, however, he's still making content ... although Haney's father and trainer, Bill, said on Tuesday he's sure Garcia is fine and the fight will go down as scheduled.

"No matter how many distractions, no matter the antics Ryan has displayed, I know the kid ain't crazy," Bill said.

Angel Reese is the latest celebrity victim of artificial intelligence gone bad after several nude images of the LSU hoop star hit the internet ... photos she's adamant are FAKE!!!

The 21-year-old college basketball star addressed the controversy on social media on Tuesday, writing point blank, "Creating fake AI pictures of me is crazy and weird AF!"

Despite the invasion of privacy (even though the pics are fugazi), the SEC Player of the Year is taking an upsetting situation and making the best of it ... all while making it clear she'd never pose nude on social media.

"Like i know im fine & seem to have an appeal to some but im literally 21 and yall doing this bs when i would neverrrrrr"

Of course, Angel has tons of fans ... and many ran to her defense.

"It's only bored people sweet Angel, put your eyes on the goal and that's a championship," a supporter responded on X.

Speaking of championships ... Reese, averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds, is preparing for March Madness. Her LSU squad is a three-seed in the Albany bracket, where they're hoping to run the table. The Tigers' first game is against 14-seeded Rice ... a contest they're heavily favored to win.

Louisiana State Univ. is looking to go back-to-back after winning a Natty last year under legendary coach Kim Mulkey.

Angel was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Sadly, for all the possibilities that come along with AI, there's also this ... and Reese isn't the first to have to deal with fraudulent images flooding the internet. In fact, Taylor Swift and Bobbi Althoff went through a similar situation recently.

Jake Gyllenhaal says he suffered a nasty injury while shooting the new "Road House" movie with Conor McGregor ... revealing he cut his hand right open during an intense fight scene -- and ended up with a staph infection.

The Academy Award nominee and UFC superstar opened up on working together on set during a recent episode of "Armchair Expert" with Dax Shepard ... and while they both praised each other's professionalism, there was a bit of bad blood involved.

Gyllenhaal -- who plays former MMA fighter Elwood Dalton in the flick -- explained he was shooting an intense showdown with Conor's character, Knox ... and the scene involved a ton of breakaway glass.

As it turns out, it didn't matter if it was real or fake ... 'cause when Gyllenhaal put his hand down on the bar in the middle of the take, a piece went right through his mitt.

But, there was no quit in the lead actor -- he said he trucked through the shot and finished the scene because they had already run through it several times and he knew this take was a good one.

Once the director called "cut" -- shoutout irony -- Gyllenhaal said he looked down at his hand and noticed his whole arm had swelled up ... and he later found out it was a staph infection.

Of course, staph can be a real pain in the ass ... but it can also be deadly in some cases if it goes untreated.

Luckily, Jakey G is still kickin' ... and he said that was really the only injury he had while filming the Prime Video flick.

Conor ain't the only big-name non-actor in the project -- Post Malone also showed off his acting chops ... and based on BTS pics, the musician got pretty bloody, too.

Jalen Hurts is lending a big hand to the family of a high school football player who was shot and killed in Texas earlier this month ... paying for the teen's funeral expenses.

The footballer -- 18-year-old Jarvon Coles -- died on March 9 ... after authorities say at least one shooter fired gunshots in the direction of a Houston house party he had been attending.

Cops say Coles was struck by the gunfire -- and despite life-saving efforts, the North Shore H.S. linebacker was pronounced deceased a short time later at a nearby hospital.

Hurts, who attended a rival high school of North Shore, was so moved by the tragedy after learning of the news ... he decided to pay for Coles' memorial service, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The funeral was held over the weekend at The Light of the World Christian Fellowship Church in Humble, Texas.

"He was like a light in the tunnel," Coles' grandfather, Braxton, told KHOU. "Everybody loved him. He had absolutely no enemies and it’s just beyond my comprehension that something like this would happen."

Coles, who wore No. 10, was a team captain in 2023. He helped lead North Shore to a 15-1 record this past season.

He had a 4.1 GPA and received several college offers ... but was planning to go to Lamar University.

Even Anthony Edwards was blown away by his dunk of the year candidate on Monday ... giving a hilarious reaction to the replay of the insane slam right after the game.

The Minnesota Timberwolves star set the internet on fire with his emphatic dunk over Utah Jazz player John Collins in the third quarter of the home contest ... taking a pass from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and leaping over the 6'9" big man to rattle the rim.

Ant gave his immediate take on the jaw-dropping highlight shortly after the T-Wolves' 114-104 win ... and he didn't hold back.

"Aaaeeuuuuaahhhhhh!!!! Little ass n****!!" Ant said on camera. "Oh my God."

"Ay, that's my best dunk of my career, I'm not gonna lie."

Ant explained he dislocated his finger during the wild attempt ... so he wasn't really able to react the way he wanted to after the dunk.

BTW -- Ant was actually fouled on the play ... and there was fear he wasn't going to be able to make it to the charity stripe for his and-one attempt, but he managed to fight through it.