TMZ Sports - Page 39

Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik revealed he's been dealing with a serious health condition .... admitting he was in kidney failure after he was diagnosed with a disease that left only 14% of the organ's function.

The 49-year-old went into detail about the discovery on Monday ... explaining his wife, Gina, was concerned that he looked thinner and tired -- so she begged him to get a physical after missing the last eight annual exams.

Zanik -- who became the NBA team's GM in 2019 -- set up an appointment with the Jazz physician David Petron in September 2023 ... and was told he was in kidney failure.

The diagnosis is Polycystic Kidney Disease -- an inherited disorder where cysts develop on the kidneys causing them to work less -- and Dr. Petron said Zanik only had 14% of the kidney's use left.

Zanik will have to get a transplant -- something his father did 21 years ago ... and he found a match with his wife's best friend's husband. The procedure will happen on Tuesday.

"I'm a fixer by nature. My job with the Jazz, my role with my family -- I mean, I was a [player] agent for 15 years. I fixed a lot of s***. I'm the one who's supposed to help," Zanik said.

"I'm the one who's supposed to take care of everything. I really didn't know how to ask for help, but I had to get over it. I knew I had to get over it."

Zanik's children were also diagnosed with advanced forms of PKD ... and were told that Ava, Oskar, and Lucy would need transplants before they were 30 years old.

"We're going to do this together," Zanik said. "We're stronger together."

Drake's got Travis Scott in his sniper scope, and unloaded fake gunfire on a prop representing him ... putting Trav on the impressive list of rappers -- Kendrick Lamar, Future and Metro Boomin -- he's targeting for revenge.

On Sunday, Drake and J. Cole's "It's All A Blur -- Big as the What?" tour rolled into Penn State University Park ... Drake launched into an angry performance of "Meltdown" ... his most recent collab with Travis from last year's "Utopia" album.

But, he ended the verse screaming at the top of his lungs, and then mimicked gunshots on the giant Travis Scott head -- popularized during the Astroworld era -- which Drake had been using as a tour prop during the performance of the song.

Several men attending the Giants vs. Padres game at Petco Park on Saturday evening got into a violent fistfight in a concourse ... and the wild scene was all captured on video.

Check out the footage, you can see at least four men were involved in the altercation ... with two tussling on the floor -- while the other two were slugging one another while upright.

At one point during the standing skirmish, a punch appeared to land so flush on the man in a No. 44 San Diego jersey, it knocked him to the ground.

Russell Westbrook unloaded on a heckling fan during Sunday's game against the Charlotte Hornets ... with the LA Clippers star cussing the guy out -- and it was all captured on video.

The tense interaction went down prior to the second half of the Clips' 130-118 road win at the Spectrum Center ... when Russ addressed a spectator who, according to witnesses, had been mouthing off about him in the first two quarters.

The clip of the interaction shows Russ scolding the balloon hat-wearing Hornets supporter ... explaining his jeers went too far.

"I got kids, don't disrespect my name," Russ is heard saying during the exchange ... adding, "I don't give a f***" to whatever the spectator replied.

It appears a team staffer was right next to Russ throughout the convo ... probably to make sure things didn't escalate.

The 35-year-old vet has been vocal about the hate thrown his way during games -- especially the "Westbrick" nickname -- saying the effect the name-calling has had on his family goes far beyond the average trolling.

The NBA has also taken action against mouthy fans ... kicking people out on numerous occasions if the athletes on the hardwood complain.

The Kardashians are on board with Caitlyn Jenner and Lamar Odom teaming up for their new sports podcast -- despite reports suggesting they were blindsided, the fam actually gave it a thumbs-up ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Caitlyn tell TMZ ... the Olympian spoke with her former stepdaughter, Khloe Kardashian, after she was approached last year about a possible collab with Koko's ex-husband. We're told Khloe was very supportive of the endeavor, which pays tribute to the family's famous reality show with its title, "Keeping Up With Sports."

Khloe thought it was a great idea for Caitlyn and Lamar to cohost the show together, given they are both champions in their own right. Remember, Cait and LO were always close during the NBA star's marriage to the Good American founder, and afterward, they remained friendly.

Dashcam footage from the Dallas car crash allegedly involving Rashee Rice’s car shows just how gnarly the collision actually was … and yeah, it’s intense.

Check out the video ... which captures the moment 2 black cars -- previously identified as a Lamborghini and a Corvette -- collide with a grey car on the left side of the North Central Expressway.

The initial hit pulls everyone across the road ... subsequently knocking the Lambo and Corvette into more vehicles before coming to a halt.

Mike Vrabel's got a lot more free time on his hands these days -- it is, after all, his first season out of head coaching since 2017 -- and TMZ Sports has learned he's spending at least some of it in Sin City!

Check out photos we obtained of the former Tennessee Titans honcho in Las Vegas on Thursday evening ... you can see he was getting after it on a craps table at the Wynn.

One witness tells us it didn't seem like he won much -- hence the long look on his face -- but nonetheless, a bad day in Vegas has to feel better than a bad day on the coaching headset, right?!

Larry David seems to have had a miserable time watching UConn make its way into the Final Four on Saturday ... at least that's what the internet is thinking from this footage of him.

The "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star couldn't hide his disdain as UConn beat out Illinois during the March Madness faceoff on Saturday at TD Garden in Boston. The famous curmudgeon was filmed biting his nails and looking seriously annoyed as UConn dominated Illinois.

LD appeared less than comfortable in his front row seat too ... as he was also photographed stretching out his onto the banister in front of him.

The car accident that cops say Rashee Rice's vehicle was involved in was a mess on the side of a freeway in Dallas -- which you can now see in these photos from the scene we've obtained, including what we're told are some of the occupants beelining it out of there.

Check out these pics we got a hold of from Saturday's wreck on the North Central Expressway. We're told these were taken in the immediate aftermath of the accident -- which affected several vehicles, per police -- and you can tell how bad it was by the damage done.

Not only do you see what it all looked like once first responders arrived ... but eyewitnesses tell us these photos also capture some of the guys who were allegedly in the 2 cars involved in causing this mess -- and you can see them casually leaving the scene.

7:50 AM PT -- Dallas PD tells TMZ ... "Police were called to a multi-vehicle accident in the 6600 block of northbound North Central Expressway. The preliminary investigation determined two drivers, one in a Corvette, the other in a Lamborghini, were speeding in the far-left lane."

Cops add, "The drivers lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing a chain reaction collision involving four other vehicles." A total of 6 vehicles were involved in the crash, too.

Kim Zolciak filmed a reality show pilot with her daughters Brielle and Ariana, but her estranged hubby Kroy Biermann is completely MIA from the project ... TMZ has learned.

Production sources tell us ... despite the awkwardness of Kim and Kroy still living under the same roof, cameras were rolling at their Georgia home in January after a production company approached Kim, asking to document her post-split life.

Our sources say the pilot has been getting shopped around for over a month now ... and there's one particular network showing a lot of interest. We're told Bravo -- Kim's old 'RHOA' stomping ground -- isn't the network where the series would potentially land.

Jake Paul believes his upcoming boxing match against Mike Tyson could be the "biggest fight the world will ever see" ... but Canelo Alvarez sure as hell won't be tuning in -- 'cause the superstar pugilist tells TMZ Sports he has ZERO interest in the event.

There's a bit of history between the Problem Child and the multiple-time champ -- Paul has constantly called out Canelo for a fight ... and while the latter has eased his stance on the internet sensation's presence in the sport, he's made it clear the two won't meet in the ring.

With Paul vs. Tyson slated to go down in July, we had to ask Canelo if he's interested in checking it out ... and sorry, Jake -- it's a big, fat "no."

Caitlyn Jenner is blasting President Biden over what she seems to think is a coordinated effort to conflate a Christian holiday with a day that also celebrates transgender people.

The reality star sounded off on Saturday -- a day before International Transgender Day of Visibility, which just so happens to fall on Easter this year -- and took aim at Joe specifically ... as it appears she believes he might've made one land on the other on purpose.

She writes, "I am absolutely disgusted that Joe Biden has declared the most Holy of Holy days - a self proclaimed devout Catholic - as Transgender Day of Visibility. The only thing you should be declaring on this day is ‘HE is Risen’."

Robbie Avila's about to make himself a LOT of money ... 'cause the Indiana State hoops star tells TMZ Sports there are eyewear companies lining up to work with him after becoming a viral sensation!!

The 6'11" goggle-wearing center was quite the fan favorite this college basketball season ... with his impressive highlights earning him nicknames like Cream Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Nerd, and, his favorite, Rob Wave.

Since then, the NIL business has been boomin' for the Sycamores star ... and he's lovin' it!

"NIL is huge now!" Avila told TMZ Sports. "It's a really big thing with college sports."

"Obviously, I've had a couple of eyewear companies reach out to kinda brand with my goggles. Being able to take full advantage of this is, you know, something I'm able to do here."

The sophomore athlete -- who averaged 17.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game this season -- said the team doesn't mind all the attention he and his specs have been getting ... but admitted it can get bothersome at times when he's out and about.

Despite the rising stardom, Avila and the team's focal point is the National Invitation Tournament semifinals on Tuesday against the No. 2-seeded Utah Utes.

"They're another really, really good team playing at a high level right now," Avila said. "So just being able to execute what we need to do well."

Tyron Woodley is champing at the bit to get in the ring with Manny Pacquiao -- the former UFC fighter claims he's thiiiiis close to setting up a scrap against the boxing great ... telling TMZ Sports he wants to get the contracts signed ASAP.

Woodley -- who last fought Jake Paul in December 2021 -- told us he's been negotiating with Pacquiao for MONTHS ... but as of right now, they haven't been able to agree on the deets.

Woodley said he's now resorting to putting some serious pressure on Manny and his camp ... especially considering they're slated to make way more than he ever did in his two bouts against the Problem Child.

"When I say good numbers -- great numbers," the former MMA champ said. "Multi-multi-multi-million-dollar fight."

Woodley explained there have been plenty of options out there -- names like Floyd Mayweather and KSI -- but his sights are solely set on PacMan.

"I don't wanna have to start ruffling Manny Pacquiao's feathers, but if that's what I gotta do to get this done because I can't just linger around waiting," Woodley said. "If I take another fight, that can f*** this fight up."

Woodley shared his dilemma -- he respects the hell outta Pacquiao for being a "nice, humble, gracious guy," but fears the whole event could slip through the cracks if his side doesn't pick up the pace.

"I been around and I feel like legacy is about making great choices and fight big fights and take big risks and nobody is remembered for playing it safe," Woodley added.

The weekend is coming to a close ... so you know we're wrapping things up with some TMZ TV hot takes.

Let's start with "TMZ Live," where Harvey and Charles shared some unexpected shade Billie Eilish seemingly dished out towards Taylor Swift. As discussed, the Oscar winner appeared to take shots at Tay releasing multiple versions of her vinyl recordings ... calling it wasteful.

While she didn't name the "Bad Blood" singer by name ... it was clear Billie was talking about TS.