TMZ Sports - Page 16

Christian Koloko -- who had a career-threatening blood clot issue earlier this year -- says he's ready for a fresh start with the Lakers, telling TMZ Sports he's optimistic he can play this season!

We spoke with Koloko at LAX just days after he signed a two-way contract with the Purple & Gold ... a 7-foot-1 center that could provide valuable depth with Anthony Davis prone to injury.

"I feel amazing," the Cameroonian athlete said.

Team USA rugby star Ilona Maher has skyrocketed in fame this year ... so could a career in Hollywood be in her future??

Well, don't count it out ... 'cause she tells TMZ Sports she's already got an idea for how she could get on one of the biggest shows in TV!!

We caught up with the bronze medalist out and about at recent Emmy festivities ... when we naturally asked if she'd ever consider giving her acting chops a try at some point.

Don King says his health's much better than Mike Tyson's suggesting ... claiming he's feeling fine and dandy after his 10-day stint in the hospital -- despite MT basically saying he's on death's door.

The legendary boxing promoter released a statement via his reps Saturday ... telling fans he's recovering and feeling fine -- and, he's got a lot of love for Mike Tyson.

It's a short, to-the-point statement ... but, clearly DK wants everyone to know his health issues aren't as bad as previously reported.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy says he's going to wait before vilifying Artem Chigvintsev for his domestic violence arrest ... saying his alleged actions don't jibe with the man he knows -- though he will hold him accountable if they turn out to be true.

The "Dancing with the Stars" pro sat down for a chat on "The TMZ Podcast" ... and, we had to ask him all about his friend and former costar -- and, he says he texted him after he heard about the arrest.

MC says the Artem he knows would never abuse a woman ... but, he also texted Artem and told him if he did hit his wife Nikki Bella, then he needed to accept responsibility for his actions.

Ryan Garcia's been trollin' Devin Haney heavy for his alleged link to Diddy ... but the boxing star tells TMZ Sports at the end of the day, it's no laughing matter.

Garcia -- who is currently suspended from boxing -- spoke with us in Los Angeles just a few days after Diddy was arrested in New York on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

The allegations center around alleged "Freak Off" parties ... and with photos showing Haney with Diddy in the past, Garcia has trolled Devin on social media.

Seems Travis Kelce's going to be just fine in Hollywood after he hangs up his football cleats ... 'cause award-winning actress Niecy Nash, who just worked with the Chiefs star on "Grotesquerie," tells TMZ Sports he's got some very real acting chops.

Nash shoveled the praise on her costar while she was leaving the Emmys earlier this week -- dropping compliments all over Kelce a few days before the duo's big series debuts on FX.

Nash said viewers will be "pleasantly surprised" by Kelce's performance ... before she predicted he will do "very, very well" if and when he makes acting his full-time career.

Diddy gets arrested in exclusive video obtained by TMZ, Kamala Harris says she's ready to shoot anyone who breaks into her house and the ball Shohei Ohtani hit for his 50th homerun is worth big money ... check out some of the best TMZ TV Hot Takes.

On "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles discuss the video of federal agents arresting Diddy and marching him out of a swanky Manhattan hotel.

Saints star Demario Davis is pumped the Super Bowl's coming to New Orleans, but the 5x All-Pro wholeheartedly believes Lil Wayne should be part of the halftime show!

TMZ Sports asked 35-year-old Davis about the controversial SB situation -- which has the internet/music world in a frenzy -- in the wake of the NFL announcing Kendrick Lamar as the halftime show performer, despite Weezy, a legend in the city, wanting the gig.

While DD makes it clear he's not disrespecting K-Dot -- in fact, he called Kendrick and Taylor Swift the hottest acts in all music -- he also talked about the importance of having someone from Louisiana, given the rich music history, be part of the halftime show.

Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler ain't happening -- at least not right now -- so, with that fight seemingly on life support, fans have put forth another name -- Justin Gaethje. But, is he interested??

The short answer is yes, according to the 35-year-old fighter's manager, Ali Abdelaziz ... who says the bigger question is whether McGregor would step into an Octagon with Gaethje.

"If this is what [Conor] wants, if this is what the UFC wants, I think Justin Gaethje will like to smash his face. 100%. I would love to see Justin Gaethje smash his face," Ali told TMZ Sports, adding ... "Everybody knows I don't like this guy. None of us like him. But, he brings a lot of unique things to the table. And, Justin is open to it, fighting someone like him."

The FaZe Clan won't have to worry about their subathon getting interrupted by the cops again ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the house that got swatted this week has been placed on a special location list to prevent similar issues in the future.

As we previously reported, cops and an ambulance rushed to the esports organization's current L.A. HQ after receiving a disturbing 911 call on Thursday ... when a man claiming to be 60 years old stated he killed his mother and brother -- and someone was still breathing inside the residence.

After checking everything out, law enforcement determined it was all a disgusting prank ... and all the streamers in the house were free to go about their day.

There are only nine games left in the Dodgers' season ... but Shawn Green isn't ready to rule out a 60-60 season for Shohei Ohtani -- telling TMZ Sports, "As long as he has games ahead of him, he can do things that no one expects."

Ohtani, of course, just crossed the 50 home run, 50 stolen base threshold on Thursday ... but when he did it with an absolutely monstrous 6-for-6 game -- many began wondering if the two-way superstar could really get to 60 and 60 by the season's end.

With only two weeks to go, there's largely pessimism ... but when we spoke on Thursday night with Green -- a Dodgers legend who once recorded a 35-35 season in his career -- he said it's absolutely possible.

Legendary boxing promoter Don King was hospitalized with health issues recently ... spending more than a week receiving treatment a local facility, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Mike Tyson -- who worked with King for nearly two decades -- first revealed the development during an interview with Cam'ron and Mase on the "It Is What It Is" podcast this week ... when he was asked about his current relationship with his former promoter.

"You know, Don is not doing well right now," the 58-year-old boxer said on Friday. "He's probably close to 100 years old, he's not doing well."

The Sunday afternoon shooting at a Detroit Lions tailgate party that resulted in the loss of two lives was all captured on video ... and, warning, the footage is graphic.

In the clip, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can see several men were out at Eastern Market in downtown Detroit following the Lions' loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field ... when an argument breaks out.

At least half a dozen people can be seen exchanging words ... when, suddenly, one of the guys wearing a black T-shirt and black jeans brandishes a gun in his right hand.

Caitlin Clark's breaking records on and off the court ... her autographed WNBA draft rookie card just sold at auction for a record-breaking $84,000!

The Panini Instant one-of-one card features the No. 1 draft pick holding up her Indiana Fever jersey on stage at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York ... moments after she was selected.

The Blue Viper rookie RC card was also signed by Clark, "guaranteed" authentic by Panini America.

Kendrick Lamar has plenty of hits to choose from when he hits the Super Bowl 59 halftime stage next year -- and has plenty of options with several of his fellow rappers as well!!!

We caught up with Rich The Kid at LAX this week and he tells TMZ Hip Hop that K. Dot can easily dominate the performance on his own ... but Rich wouldn't scoff at the opportunity to perform their 2017 double-platinum collab "New Freezer."

That said ... RTK admits he would immediately turn around and give that hypothetical slot to Lil Wayne, who was pitted into the Super Bowl convo when Kendrick got picked in Wayne's hometown.

8:09 AM PT -- After further review, David Kohler tells TMZ Sports he and his SCP Auctions team now believe the ball would sell for around $500,000 if it hits the block.

The man who pulled Shohei Ohtani's 50th home run ball from a scrum in the stands of LoanDepot Park on Thursday afternoon is about to be a whole lot richer ... 'cause, according to auction experts, the keepsake is worth a small fortune.

David Kohler, president of SCP Auctions tell TMZ Sports ... based on their initial evaluations -- the baseball that Ohtani socked over the left field wall during the Dodgers' blowout win over the Marlins will likely sell for over $300,000 on an auction block.