TMZ Sports - Page 50

If Lamar Odom thought he had a shot at rejoining the NY Knicks, he was sorely mistaken ... this according to sources in the Knicks organization.

As we previously reported, Odom's personal trainer says Odom had "recently" been in talks with the Knicks about coming back to the NBA -- and it was motivating him to get back in shape.

But our team sources tell us ... while they liked Odom as a person, especially Phil Jackson, the team never made an offer or even floated the idea of bringing him back as a player.

Odom was signed by the Knicks in 2014 but was waived a short time later ... with Jackson explaining that Odom was "unable to uphold the standards to return as an NBA player."

That said, we're told the Knicks organization is shocked and saddened by Odom's current condition -- and wish him a speedy recovery.

Lamar Odom's survival is right on the line.

Sources at the hospital tell us doctors are now saying Lamar has a 50/50 chance of surviving after enduring multiple medical problems ... the apparent result of complications from drug use.

Our sources say doctors are saying 4 of Lamar's organs, including his kidneys, are failing. As we reported, he's had a series of strokes in the hospital and has heart problems as well.

The doctors are saying with each failing organ the chances of survival go down significantly.

We're also told doctors are having trouble determining the extent of any brain damage because the organ issues make it difficult to test and get an accurate reading on brain function.

Lamar Odom had multiple strokes as a result of his medical emergency ... this according to witnesses at the hospital.

We're told an MRI revealed since being admitted to the hospital in Las Vegas Tuesday night, Lamar suffered multiple strokes. It's unclear if brain damage resulted from the strokes.

We're also told Lamar is on a 3-5 hour dialysis for kidney failure.

Our sources say Lamar remains unconscious and unresponsive, which is in contrast to what Jesse Jackson just told the media.

Jackson walked out of the hospital and said he spent 30 minutes with Lamar and his condition was improving and he had "signs of responsiveness."

Our sources inside the hospital say Jackson was allowed in for 3 minutes to pray with him, and that was it. The sources say Jackson is flat-out wrong about Lamar's condition.

Vanessa Bryant has a message for people like Lil Wayne and J.R. Smith -- stop spreading false reports that Lamar Odom is dead.

The rumors of Odom's passing were all over social media Tuesday night -- in part, due to celebs like Weezy, Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington and John Wall retweeting and posting about the bad info on social media.

Enter Vanessa Bryant -- whose husband Kobe visited Odom in the hospital Tuesday night -- who took to Instagram to set the record straight:

"People shouldn't be posting/reposting that [Lamar] is deceased when it isn't true. Just imagine what his loved ones must feel like to receive such terrible news."

She added, "Praying he gets through this. #LakerFam 💜💛 At the end of the day, he has a family and loved ones that care for him."

Khloe, Kim and Kris are by Lamar Odom's hospital bedside but reality show cameras are not ... according to sources close to production and at the hospital.

TMZ has learned that "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" is on a hiatus, so there's no staff to shoot anything even if the family wanted it. We're told none of the Kardashians want their hospital vigil public ... in no small part because Khloe is devastated.

There are reports the family walked in with cameras rolling -- not true ... cameras did not accompany them.

To the contrary, we're told the Kardashians have banned any photography in eyeshot of Lamar.

This was first reported by Gossip Cop.

Lamar Odom had cocaine in his system and track marks on one of his arms ... so claim witnesses at the hospital where Lamar lies unconscious.

The witnesses tell TMZ ... doctors have determined the former NBA star had cocaine and opiates in his system -- but it's still unclear if the track marks are fresh or from previous drug use.

We're told doctors have told people close to Lamar the fluid they found in his lungs was the result of crack cocaine use.

We're also told several of Lamar's party friends have come to the hospital to see him but they were turned away.

Sources at the Love Ranch where Lamar was staying have said he was taking an herbal substitute for Viagra but no drugs were found. Dennis Hof who owns the Ranch tells TMZ he can't swear Lamar wasn't doing drugs in his room.

Lamar Odom locked himself away in quiet, relaxing surroundings when he started his weekend getaway at a Nevada brothel.

We got these shots inside the VIP suite at the Love Ranch South outside Pahrump, Nevada ... where, as we reported, LO had been hanging out since Saturday.

Love Ranch owner Dennis Hof refers to the pad as his "house," since he stays there when he's visiting -- but it's usually rented out to VIP clients.

Lamar Odom lost it Sunday ... and the trigger was an episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."

Sources at Dennis Hof's Love Ranch South tell us, Lamar seemed normal during his stay until he got a call from someone about the show. Some of the women who were around Lamar say he became irate, complaining about the way he had just been portrayed on the show.

As for what was on the show ... Khloe got 2 calls from Lamar. When she got off the phone Kim criticized Khloe for being flirty with Lamar. In another clip, Lamar called Khloe to tell her that his good friend Jamie had died. When she got off the phone she worried Lamar might spin out of control. And in another scene Khloe fled a club after she heard Lamar was trying to get in.

We're told Lamar remained upset until he was found unconscious.

Up until getting the call, people at the Ranch say Lamar was "chill." There was no evidence he had been high on drugs or alcohol. We're told when he arrived Saturday, he ordered a single bottle of cognac and when he was found unconscious a third of the bottle was left.

As we reported, people at the Ranch say Lamar had been using an herbal substitute for Viagra. Someone at the Ranch who was around Lamar tells us he was popping 8 to 10 herbal substitutes for Viagra at a time. There are perils to the drug -- it can cause dangerously low blood pressure and it can restrict blood flow to vital organs.

Another source at the ranch says Lamar was taking the actual Viagra drug from a prescription bottle.

Lamar Odom had hooked up with a personal trainer and was busting his ass in the hopes of making a triumphant return to the NBA ... so says Odom's trainer Fareed Samad.

Samad says he was introduced to Odom through his friend, pro boxer Zab Judah -- and they had been training together in Vegas since June.

"He was down 35 pounds," Samad says ... "We talked to the Knicks about him going back to the NBA."

A visibly upset Kris Jenner tried wrapping her head around Lamar Odom's fight for life.

Kris and family hopped on a private jet 2 hours after TMZ Sports broke the news that Lamar was in dire shape.

We're told Khloe is distraught, sitting by Lamar's bedside. The Kardashians are the closest Lamar has to an actual family.

One hour after Lamar Odom was found unconscious in a Nevada brothel ... paramedics were fighting to save his life during a critical ambulance ride.

TMZ obtained video of the Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue vehicle that raced the ex-NBA star to Desert View hospital. You can see paramedics still working on Odom as they arrived at the hospital around 4:16 PM on Tuesday.

According to the Nye County Sheriff the fire department arrived at 3:34 PM to the Love Ranch South where, as TMZ first reported, Odom was found unconscious with liquid coming out of his nose and mouth.

Odom was eventually transported by another ambulance to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, where he is unconscious and on a respirator. Sources close to the situation tell us some of his organs are failing and he's listed in critical condition as of late Tuesday night.

We're told Khloe Kardashian is by his side. She flew to LV Tuesday night with Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner.

Kobe Bryant left a Lakers pre-season game in Las Vegas early ... and rushed to the bedside of his former teammate Lamar Odom Tuesday night -- where he prayed with members of the Kardashian family.

Bryant and the Lakers happened to be in Vegas to play the Sacramento Kings -- but when Kobe got word about his friend, he left the MGM Garden Arena and beelined it for the hospital.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak was also at the hospital with Kobe.

As we previously reported, Khloe, Kim and Kris Jenner had also rushed to the hospital to be with Lamar -- and when Kobe arrived, they all prayed together.

We're told as of this morning, Odom's condition is essentially the same ... he's in a coma and his heart is failing, but he's still alive.

11:00 PM PT -- Lamar is still in a coma and his heart is failing ... our source says he is having serious problems with his kidneys and lungs as well. Khloe Kardashian is currently by his side.

9:30 PM PT -- Lamar is still alive, but he is breathing with the assistance of machines and remains in critical condition ... according to sources close to the situation.

7:15 PM PT -- The Nye County Sheriff says the airlift of Lamar had to be scratched because his 6'10" frame was too big for the chopper. Instead, he was rushed by ambulance to a Las Vegas hospital.

The Sheriff also says the call came in at 3:15 PM for an unresponsive male at the Love Ranch. Paramedics treated Odom and he was taken to a nearby hospital. Sheriff's detectives conducted an investigation at the brothel. It's unclear what, if anything, they found on scene.

7:05 PM PT -- Sources tell us Khloe and Kim Kardashian ... as well as Kris Jenner are heading to Las Vegas shortly to see Lamar at the hospital.

Lamar Odom is fighting for his life after falling into unconsciousness at Dennis Hof's Love Ranch South in Pahrump, Nevada ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources at the Love Ranch tell us ... 35-year-old Odom arrived at the Ranch Saturday and was partying with the girls for days. A source at the Ranch said Lamar was taking an herbal substitute for Viagra.

We spoke with Hof ... who tells us Tuesday afternoon, a woman went into Odom's room in the VIP suites and found him unconscious.

We're told the woman began screaming for the manager -- who called 911.

The manager rolled Lamar over on his side and saw "mucus-type liquid coming out of his nose and mouth."

An ambulance took Lamar to Pahrump hospital, where doctors intubated him ... an indication he could not breathe on his own.

We're told Lamar is being airlifted from the hospital to Las Vegas for more treatment.

Our sources tell us, "It's not good."

We're told Lamar had been partying at the ranch by himself -- with no friends or entourage -- and is now alone at the hospital.

The ranch staff says they want to be in the room with Lamar but since they're not family they're not allowed.

Back in August ... Lamar told us how his life had gone downhill since the divorce from Khloe.

The eye in the sky don't lie ... and it seems to have exonerated NBA star Ty Lawson -- who was accused of punching a security guard at the Wynn hotel in Vegas ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Here's what we know ... Lawson was named in a police report filed by 25-year-old Kyle Gardener -- who says Wynn management ordered him to stop Lawson from entering the casino on one of those motorized scooter board thingies on August 30th.

But in the report, Gardener says the Houston Rockets star blew him off, continued to scooter into the casino -- all while Ty's entourage shouted various threats his way.

Moments later, Gardener claims Lawson pulled a fistful of cash out of his pocket -- and said, "I make money you broke bitch, I'll kill you and your family. I got people believe me."

Gardener says Lawson then struck him in the right side of his forehead and left the building.

Gardener says he informed Wynn management and the LVMPD -- and says he's on medication as a result of injuries sustained from the incident.

But get this ... a rep for the LVMPD says cops pulled surveillance footage from the casino and say the video does NOT show Lawson ever striking the guard -- so the case was closed.

Well, this is interesting ...

New England Patriots star WR Julian Edelman was just asked to list his top 5 wide receivers in the NFL -- and guess who didn't make the cut? Dez Bryant.

Edelman was hosting an AMA on Reddit -- where he talked about everything from Bill Belichick's spirit animal (a crow), who's hotter Tom Brady or Jimmy Garoppolo (Team Tom) and some serious NFL stuff, including, "Who are your top 5 WRs?"

His response:

"odell, jordy nelson, steve smith, julio is a beast, demayrius thomas ... no particular order just guys that are"

Look, Julian's entitled to his opinion ... but Dez led the league in touchdowns last year with 16 ... 3 more than anyone else.

Other people who may have a beef with the list ... DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, Larry Fitzgerald, Antonio Brown ...

It's DEFCON 1 at USC -- with several members of the football program reaching out the school's top recruits in the hopes they can talk the kids into sticking with the Trojans ... despite the P.R. nightmare.

One of the recruits SC is hoping to save is Josh Imatorbhebhe ... a 4-star WR, considered one of the best high school players in the country.

We spoke to Josh's mom Zizi who tells us the coaching staff reached out to Josh on Sunday and Monday to keep him in the loop about the situation with Steve Sarkisian and to let him know they still desperately want him on the team in the fall.

But Zizi says her family is waiting to see how things shake out before making a final decision.

"It's a challenging time, obviously, but we're waiting it out at this point. But [Josh] is going to have to keep his options open. That said, our family is solidly behind USC and the coaching staff."

Zizi adds, "[Josh] has been in contact with the other recruits, and they're going to reconsider also."

Another recruit SC is trying to salvage is Cary Angeline -- a 4-star tight end who has received offers from schools like Florida State, Alabama, Auburn and many, many more.

Cary's dad tells us his son got a call from SC's interim coach Clay Helton and the tight end coach -- both of whom assured the family the school is moving forward and "looking to win out this season."

So, where does Cary stand?