TMZ Sports - Page 50

Deshaun Watson may be a Cleveland Brown, but he's still in the city of Houston (for now) ... the QB was spotted out with his girlfriend Jilly Anais at a music festival on Saturday.

The blockbuster trade shocked the entire NFL last week for several reasons -- some questioned the controversial move, considering the mountain of sexual misconduct lawsuits filed by massage therapists.

The mixed feelings didn't stop Watson from going out to support Anais' rap performance ... as she opened up for 2 Chainz at the Texas Smoke Break Fest in Houston.

FYI, Anais was originally supposed to perform at the Toyota Center for Chris Brown's tour ... but the show was canceled during soundcheck.

"I am so thankful my team and I were still able to perform what we spent months preparing for," Anais said via IG on Sunday.

"I thank God that through the unimaginable we held it together and came out on top!"

In the video, you can see Watson -- wearing a button-down shirt and a dark cap -- right there to see her shine ... and the couple left the event looking happy as ever.

Lorenzen Wright's family finally got some justice on Monday ... 51-year-old Billy Ray Turner was convicted of murdering the former NBA player, and was sentenced to life in prison.

Wright, the 7th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, was killed in July 2010 in his hometown of Memphis. Lorenzen had gone missing days earlier ... before his decomposing body was discovered in a marshy field.

Prosecutors alleged Wright's ex-wife, Sherra Wright, hired two other people, including Turner, to commit the murder by luring Wright to the field under the guise they were there to meet someone who owed his ex money.

Turner, who pled not guilty to first-degree murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy, was found guilty by a jury after only 2 hours of deliberation.

The judge sentenced BRT to life in prison for the murder charge. He will again go before a judge sometime in the future where he'll be sentenced for the other two charges.

As for Sherra, she previously plead guilty to facilitation of murder and facilitation to commit first-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in July 2019. She will be eligible for parole after only 9 years.

Star boxer Vasyl Lomachenko is turning down a title fight with George Kambosos Jr. ... all so he can stay in Ukraine and help his home country fend off a Russian invasion.

Promoter Lou DiBella announced the decision to ESPN's Mike Coppinger on Monday ... explaining the planned June 5 Lomachenko vs. Kambosos tilt is now off while Loma continues to take up arms in Ukraine.

Lomachenko, of course, has been front and center in the country since Vladimir Putin decided to invade the land back in February.

Just days after the war began, Lomachenko was seen holding a rifle and wearing army fatigues ... and he's been in the country fighting ever since.

Kambosos said Monday he respects Loma's decision to pull out of the planned boxing match -- saying in a tweet, "I totally understand and I pray for you and your country."

Kambosos added, "Please stay safe," and promised to remake the fight down the road.

Team USA superstar Caeleb Dressel just put on another gold-medal performance -- this time, the Olympic swimmer did a drum cover of "Good 4 U" by Olivia Rodrigo ... and the dude's got skills!!

Of course, the 7-time gold medalist LOVES to bang on his drums all day (when he's not training his ass off) ... and has previously opened up about how he uses the beats per minute from his drum riffs to help with his stroke rate in the pool.

The 25-year-old showed off his talents with the sticks on Monday by playing along to OR's Billboard-topping hit track ... and we are impressed!!

"Well good 4 u," Dressel captioned the video.

The superstar swimmer also shared his new drum kit setups at his home ... and you can tell he's pumped about his toys.

Dressel learned how to play when his dad got him a drum set as a kid ... and it's been nothing but rocking ever since.

Tony Hawk's superhuman recovery from a broken leg continued on Monday ... when the legendary skater actually rode a board!!!

The 53-year-old posted footage of the incredible feat on his social media page ... showing him skating away from the exact spot on a ramp that he smashed his femur on just two weeks ago.

"This is right where I slammed, right here," Hawk said before jumping on his board. "This is where I discovered my leg was broken exactly two weeks ago. I'm now going to skate away from this area."

In an amazing achievement, Hawk then hopped on his skateboard, pedaled away, and rode it toward the end of the ramp with no help from crutches or his friends and family.

Hawk then vowed in his caption on the video to not only walk across the stage unaided when he presents an award at the Academy Awards next month -- but also to skate again at an event in May.

"I am not defying doctors' orders by doing so," Hawk said, "but I realize I might not be at 100% trick / power capacity by that time."

"But I have a lot of grit...," he continued, "and many 80’s tricks as backup."

As we previously reported, the leg injury Hawk suffered back on March 7 was so bad -- he initially wondered if he'd ever walk again unassisted.

But, Hawk's made incredible progress since having surgery to repair the damage -- walking just days after the operation, and now, skating again.

Delonte West -- who publicly battled mental health, addiction and legal issues -- is opening up about his basketball comeback for the first time ... with the NBA hooper saying he feels he has more bounce than ever in new workout footage we obtained.

We broke the news in February ... the 38-year-old, former 8-year NBA vet was training with the goal of making the BIG 3, participating in a try-out in Washington D.C. earlier this month (DW was invited to an upcoming workout).

Now, West is speaking out ... saying he's hyped to return to the court.

"It's important really to be honest about how you feel physically and what you're capable to do," West said in the new video.

"I lost some weight so I actually feel a little more athletic. I can jump a little higher now."

And, you can see in the footage ... 6'3" West goes up for a reverse dunk at an outdoor court in Maryland, throwing it down like it was nothing.

His jumper and handles look pretty good, too. West's manager, Donovan Fordham, tells us the former 24th overall pick (2004 NBA Draft) has been working nonstop, on and off the court.

"He's constantly working on mental health," Fordham tells us on Monday, "he's really fighting."

There's more. We're also told West and Fordham are working with 214 Films to create a documentary about Delonte's life.

The hooper has been through a lot ... and wants to shine a spotlight on the importance of mental health.

"It will be about him dealing with mental illness, addiction plus his personal life story," Fordham says, "He wants to highlight mental illness and help others with the same issues."

"He wants to be a voice for not just athletes but everyone who struggles with mental health."

Fordham says West is trying to change for his family ... with his 2 kids and mom being his motivation.

Shaquille O'Neal was an awful free-throw shooter during his career, but the Hall of Famer might've finally sorted it out ... 'cause he drained a shot right in the middle of his DJ set!!

The Big Aristotle has had a successful second career as a DJ since retiring from the league in 2011 ... and combined both of his passions at once at a recent concert by taking a mini ball and shooting at a hoop in the crowd.

But, unlike half the free throws he shot in his career (love you, Shaq) ... this one actually went in!!

O'Neal -- who shot an abysmal 52.7 percent from charity stripe during his career -- was never known to be able to hit clutch free throws late in the game ... but this time around, he hit it with ease!!

Everything from the form to the release looked good ... with Shaq even using his patent one-handed push shot ... and everyone loved it!!

A huge gator with only three feet invaded a Florida golf course this past weekend ... and somehow, the golfers who were near the mini-beast didn't even flinch!!

The Jurassic Park-like scene took place on a hole in Bonita Bay ... and video of the creature's trek across the grass, shot by a witness on the course, is surreal.

In the footage, you can see a gator who's missing its right front foot plodded along the turf while several golfers in the distance acted as if there was nothing going on.

People behind the camera, though, gawked at the gator as it slowly moved -- with multiple noting its missing foot.

Of course, gators on courses down in Florida are hardly new -- PGA Tour players have had to maneuver shots around them for years.

In fact, back in 2020, an absolute unit of a gator was spotted near a hole in Naples.

Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larrañaga not only saved the world from a shirtless Charles Barkley ... but then clowned Chuck during his post-game presser.

Yes, not all heroes wear capes.

It all started when Barkley, known for his larger-than-life personality as a commentator, joked he would take off his shirt if his alma mater, Auburn, beat the Hurricanes last night.

Jim got wind of Chuck's comments, and after knocking off Barkley's old school, had a hilarious reaction to it.

“I listened to Charles Barkley tell the CBS crew that if Auburn won, he’d take off his shirt. And, I thought to myself, no one wants to see that, Chuck," Larrañaga said.

Of course, Barkley has ties to Auburn -- he played for the Tigers for three years averaging 14.1 points per game -- so, it's safe to say he was a bit biased in his prediction.

But, Auburn was 7.5 point favorite over Miami, so Barkley, like most people, was stunned when the Hurricanes easily handled Auburn.

Miami dominated the Tigers, 79-61, to advance to the Sweet 16 ... and it seems coach Larrañaga and his team played with extra motivation thanks to Chuck.

After the game, Barkley was a good sport about Larrañaga's pot shot ... and even heaped praise on Jim for the way the Hurricanes beat up on his Tigers.

We also got video of the Hurricanes arriving back in Florida thanks to our intern, Ryan, and the scene on the ground in Miami was pretty incredible.

A group of passionate fans was there to greet coach as early as 2:15 AM ... and coach spent time high-fiving students as they chanted "It's great to be a Miami Hurricane."

How'd Devin Booker celebrate beating the Kings in overtime on Sunday?? He jetted down to L.A. for a date night with his smokin' hot GF, Kendall Jenner.

The two were spotted at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica hours after Booker dropped 31 points in a 127-124 win in Sacramento.

The couple -- who's been dating since around July 2020 -- held hands on their way out of the restaurant ... with Booker looking pleased with the way his evening shaped up.

It should be noted Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey Bieber, were also at the restaurant -- and while it's unclear if the two couples dined together ... Hailey and Kendall are BFFs, so it seems likely.

The Suns don't play again until Wednesday when they square off with the Timberwolves in Minnesota -- and it's clear with the short time off, Booker's soaking up as much QT with Kendall as he possibly can.

Urban Meyer allegedly did not know who Aaron Donald -- arguably the best player in the NFL -- was while he was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

According to The Athletic, multiple sources who worked with Meyer during the 2021 season claimed the head coach was unfamiliar with Donald and other NFL stars like Deebo Samuel and Jamal Adams.

In fact, one source, the outlet reported, said Meyer actually asked one staffer at some point during the year, "Who's this 99 guy on the Rams?"

"I'm hearing he might be a problem for us."

Of course, Donald is a future Hall of Famer, a 7-time All-Pro and a 3-time Defensive Player of the Year. He's played on the league's biggest stage -- the Super Bowl -- 2 times in his 8-year career.

Donald and the Rams ended up playing the Jaguars just days before Meyer was fired in December -- and AD recorded a sack and a forced fumble in the contest.

Meyer's attorney, according to The Athletic, declined to comment on the allegations in the story.

As we previously reported, Meyer was officially canned by the Jags on Dec. 15, after former Jaguar Josh Lambo accused the coach of kicking and bullying him at practices and meetings before the season.

Patrick Mahomes and his new wife, Brittany Matthews, got real adventurous during their "perfect" honeymoon ... exploring the Caribbean together -- and it looks awesome!!

Mrs. Mahomes says the newlyweds went to St. Barts after tying the knot earlier this month ... and broke down the details with photos and video of their trip.

"Took a tour around the whole island," Brittany said on Sunday. "Hiked up a mountain down to this natural pool. It was quite beautiful."

"Everywhere ya went on the island the views were amazing."

The Kansas City Chiefs QB and his wife were all about the marine life -- from watching a sail boat competition to jumping into the Atlantic Ocean.

They also kayaked and enjoyed a boat ride viewing the sunset ... and even spotted a few sharks and turtles!!

In addition to the ocean wildlife, Matthews says the couple enjoyed  delicious food and their luxurious honeymoon suite.

"Went and are at some pretty yummy places and some pretty cool places," Matthews said, "Our view from our villa was just pure perfection."

Mahomes and Matthews got engaged in Sept. 2020 before saying "I do" on March 12 in Hawaii ... where their 1-year-old daughter, Sterling, was the flower girl.

Jusuf Nurkić didn't play a single minute Sunday night, but the Blazers big man got some action after the game ... walking over to a heckling Pacers fan and tossing his phone.

The incident went down following the Blazers' 129-98 blowout loss to Indiana ... when Nurkić apparently heard a fan say something he didn't like, confronted him with an intimidating stare-down, and chucked his cell.

The fan was completely shocked ... saying, "Why'd you throw my phone?"

Security staff intervened by stepping in between Jusuf and the fan ... and the Portland center ended up walking away before things escalated further.

It's unclear what exactly was said that led up to the altercation ... but it's clear whatever words were exchanged didn't sit well with the Bosnian hooper.

Nurkić -- who's sidelined at the moment due to plantar fasciitis -- wasn't required to talk to the media after the game ... so details surrounding what happened are minimal.

Nurkic's showdown with the fan is an ongoing theme this season -- NBA players have been clearly fed up with the hecklers "taking it too far" ... prompting the ballers to take matters into their own hands.

Guys like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have had fans tossed from the arena ... and most recently, their teammate Russell Westbrook confronted a fan before a game for calling him "Westbrick."

Several items that belonged to Demaryius Thomas -- including a jersey signed by Tom Brady -- were allegedly stolen after a break-in at the late football player's home earlier this month.

According to police documents, obtained by 95.5 WSB, several people broke into Thomas' Georgia home on March 13 -- just 3 months after the former NFL star died there.

In the docs, cops say Thomas' mother told them an ESPY award, a Brady autographed jersey, football memorabilia, a hyperbaric chamber, guns, cash and more were all taken in the incident.

A spokesperson for the Roswell Police Dept. tells TMZ Sports officers responded to Thomas' home after a family member had told them there were "several unauthorized individuals inside."

Cops say after questioning people at the home, three men -- 29-year-old Vashone Jones, 27-year-old Perfect Robinson and 30-year-old Malcom Daniels -- were arrested, and all later charged with criminal trespass.

In police documents, according to 95.5 WSB, cops say Jones told them that "he used to live at the home and helped Thomas with his medical issues" prior to his death. Jones allegedly told cops he still visited the place on weekends to check on it.

The outlet reported Thomas' mother, though, told police the home should have been empty and that they had changed the locks following Thomas' passing.

Police tell us Thomas' family members and reps met with them last week regarding items missing from the home following the arrests, adding "that theft investigation is still active and ongoing."

Breathe easy, Rams fans ... Aaron Donald isn't retiring, so says his former L.A. teammate Andrew Whitworth, who tells TMZ Sports A.D. ain't going anywhere but the gym this offseason.

The ex-Rams left tackle, who just walked away from the game this month, said out at Wally's in Beverly Hills this week that he is 100 percent sure Donald won't hang up the cleats this year.

"He'll be back on that field dominating again," Whitworth said, confidently.

Of course, according to NBC's Rodney Harrison, Donald was considering retirement just before the Super Bowl -- with the former Patriots star explaining A.D. had told him he'd strongly think about giving up the game if the Rams won it all.

Donald hasn't given a solid indication that he's leaning one way or the other following the big championship win -- but according to Whitworth, that chatter can be put to bed now.

"Dominate on the football field again," Whitworth said when asked what he expected to see from Donald in 2022. "That's what I know he knows how to do well and I'm sure he's going to be doing it again."

Aaron Rodgers' off-season is off to a sunny start -- the guy is back in California with his girlfriend, sippin' a little vino and cashing in chips ... riding out the high of his fat payday.

The Packers QB -- who just got a huge deal from his longtime team in the form of a 3-year, $150-million contract -- was spotted out in Los Olivos this weekend with Shailene Woodley by his side ... with the two of them tagging along for a little wine tasting with friends.

We're told this photo, obtained by TMZ, was shot Saturday at the Demetria Winery -- and as you can see ... Aaron's chillin' with his shades on, and his glass tilted back. SW is right by his side ... but eyewitnesses tell us they were getting quite cozy, with lap-sitting, etc.

The boozy outing here follows what sounds like a little high-rolling in a nearby casino the day prior -- some folks saw Aaron and Shailene on Friday trying their luck at the Chumash Casino Resort in neighboring Santa Ynez, which is a stone's throw away from this winery.

Of course, Shailene was there too at what appears to be a cashier window ... standing right next to Aaron and sporting her signature curly 'do. Seems like a nice, long romantic getaway for the pair.

As if the recent runway plane photos didn't spell it out clearly enough, here's just more evidence that they're definitely back together and an item again. On top of this, they also recently went to a wedding together -- for a fellow Packer, no less -- so it's confirmed.