TMZ Sports - Page 50

Damian Lillard agrees with former head coach turned broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy ... halftime's pointless, and the league would be wise to eliminate the 15-minute break!

"I’m w [Van Gundy] on halftime lol… I do not fw it," the 7x All-Star proclaimed on social media, responding to the former Knicks coach's proposed rule change.

It was during a recent interview with The Athletic that Van Gundy suggested several substantial ways to speed up/improve the game.

"This whole idea of what goes on at halftime, I think is so misunderstood," Jeff told the outlet. "It’s a lot of either praising what just happened or correcting. But you could do that in two minutes out by the bench in an elongated timeout."

Bottom line, Jeff feels halftime is too long and drawn out, describing it as "the biggest waste of time," adding players only need time to go to the bathroom and possibly make a few adjustments, which could be done within 5 minutes.

The 61-year-old analyst didn't stop at halftime ... JVG also said the NBA should save free throws for crunch time.

“So my most radical one is to eliminate free throws until the last four minutes,” Van Gundy said. "If you get fouled on a shooting foul, you just get the points. You don’t go to the line. And you don’t go to the line for technical free throws."

While the networks probably won't love Jeff's halftime idea (commercials!) -- likely making it a nonstarter -- Van Gundy is adamant his free throw rule change needs to be adopted.

LeBron James is giving his stamp of approval to the actors who played him and his high school teammates in an upcoming movie ... saying the talented group of guys knocked it out of the park.

The NBA superstar and the rest of the St. Vincent-St. Mary "Fab Five" squad attended the "Shooting Stars" premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday ... and King James was super complimentary of the final product as he addressed the crowd before the start of the flick.

James admitted it was a weird experience for him, Romeo Travis, Sian Cotton, Willie McGee and Dru Joyce III to see their lives played out on the screen ... but said the cast perfected every last detail.

"You guys did an unbelievable job," James said.

Of course, the Peacock project -- produced by Bron's SpringHill Entertainment -- is based on the book James released alongside Buzz Bissinger in 2009 ... which focuses on James and Co.'s journey to winning high school state championships.

Tom Brady is NOT coming out of retirement to play quarterback for the team he'll soon own ... emphatically saying a return to the football field simply ain't happening, despite endless speculation.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, the 46-year-old 7-time winning Super Bowl champ made it clear he's done for good ... and there will be no unretirement this time around.

"I'm certain I'm not playing again. I've tried to make that clear and I hate to continue to profess that 'because I've already told people that lots of times but I'm looking forward to my broadcasting job at FOX next year," Brady said.

Tom, who retired for the second time in February, continued ... "I'm looking forward to the opportunity ahead with the Raiders and we're in the process of that along with the other different things I'm a part of professionally and in my personal life."

Brady recently agreed to terms with Mark Davis and is in the process of becoming a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.

During a conversation with Troy Aikman last week, the NFL legend told us he could envision a situation where Brady came down from the owner's suite, threw on pads, and played QB for the team.

The 3-time Super Bowl champ was far from alone in considering the possibility. Add to it, the NFL allows owners to play, provided 75% of the teams approve via a leaguewide vote. Getting the votes would presumably not be a problem ... as Brady is great for business.

But, it's all just talk ... 'cause Tom says it simply isn't going to happen. His days as a signal caller are over.

As for what he will do, Brady's plans center around his children.

"Just spending as much time with my kids as I can and seeing them grow up and support the different things that they have going on. That's a very important job. I take them all pretty seriously."

Longtime NBA referee Eric Lewis won't be needing his whistle anytime soon ... the league just announced he will not work the Finals amid an investigation into claims he used a Twitter burner account to defend himself and his colleagues.

The Association just announced the officials for the Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat series ... and Lewis, who previously worked the last four NBA Finals, was not one of the 12 individuals selected for the matchup.

NBA spokesperson Mike Bass confirmed the omission is directly related to the investigation ... saying, "Regarding Eric Lewis and the social media posts, we are continuing to review the matter, and he will not be working the Finals."

The NBA launched a probe into Lewis, a 19-year veteran who has officiated over 1,200 regular and postseason games, after a Twitter account responded to posts on league officiating, seemingly defending Lewis and his contemporaries.

The tweets in question have reportedly been deleted, but the account, listed under "Blair Cuttliff" with the handle @CuttliffBlair, is still active.

It's unclear if Lewis was really behind the burner account. It's a big problem if he was ... as the NBA has a rule prohibiting referees from publicly commenting on officiating without authorization.

MMA fighter Mike Dragich is used to squaring up against proverbial beasts inside of a cage, but last month, he got to go up against a literal one -- wrestling a 10-foot alligator away from onlookers ... and the wild scene was all captured on video!!!

The crazy matchup happened outside of an elementary school in Jacksonville ... when Dragich -- a 33-year-old amateur fighter and licensed gator trapper -- was summoned to help Florida fire and rescue officials wrangle a giant reptile away from a campus full of students.

You can see in footage that Dragich posted to his social media page, he didn't look nervous about the upcoming fight at all ... strolling up to the gator in a cut-sleeve shirt and tight pants.

Video shows Dragich tried to grab the alligator by its tail multiple times ... but the animal wasn't budging.

Finally, Dragich was able to hook its head with a catch pole ... but the alligator didn't go down easily, causing a group of spectators nearby to scream with fear.

It rolled multiple times in an effort to break free from Dragich ... though, eventually, the man was able to corral it with the help of JFRD responders.

After the battle, the gator wrangler told Fox 35 Orlando, "I felt like Batman, for real."

"A lot of fighters will understand that uh, when you go to the cage, you're nervous but once that cage door closes, you gotta be focused and honestly that's what I remembered from that night," Dragich said.

The mixed martial artist is no stranger to these kinds of situations, in addition to taking multiple fights in his career ... he's also taken down a bunch of gators over the years too, showcasing many of his conquests in videos on his IG page.

Of course, he's far from the first notable figure to get in brawls with scary creatures -- UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov gained fame for wrestling bears regularly. And, who could forget Chuck Norris' own tilt with a bear?!?

Begs the question, what's crazier ... fighting a gator, or a bear???

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have FINALLY bought a house after 2 years of looking ... and it's amazing.

The house boasts a cinema, wine room, whiskey lounge and a spa with a hair and nail salon, and a sauna and massage room. And get this, there's also a separate, 5,000-square-foot sports facility, which includes an indoor pickleball court, boxing ring and sports lounge. On top of that, there's a 2-bedroom guard house.

In all, there are 12 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms and 15 fireplaces!

Ben and Jen paid $60,850,000 ... and they paid in cash. The whole deal took 1 week, start to finish.

It sounds like a lot of loot, but it turns out they got an incredible deal. The property was listed in 2018 for $135,000,000 and relisted this year for $75M.

It sits on a 5-acre promontory and the security is unmatched ... the estate is double-gated.

It's considered the crown jewel of Wallingford, and that's saying something.

The newlyweds have had several false starts, going into escrow on a few other estates but pulling the plug before closing.

Ben and Jen were repped by celeb realtor Brett Lawyer. The seller was repped by Ginger Glass.

Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is a real-life hero ... the L.A. assistant coach helped save a 3-year-old boy from drowning at a Las Vegas hotel pool over the weekend.

The terrifying incident happened at the Encore, when, according to a post on Morris' wife's social media page, a little boy was pulled from the water without a pulse by his father.

An on-duty lifeguard raced over to provide aid to the toddler ... and, thankfully, a quick-thinking Morris jumped in to help too by grabbing a nearby automatic external defibrillator (AED).

"I saw people calling 911 so my first question was, where is the AED?" Morris said to ESPN on Wednesday. "When I got back, we had a doctor on site that was able to start the compressions. I was able to hand the AED to him, get it open for him, put the pads on the child, and he ended up being OK."

Morris' wife said the kid was taken to a nearby hospital ... and, thankfully, discharged a day later.

Morris -- who joined Sean McVay's Rams staff in 2021 -- said training he received recently in the wake of the Damar Hamlin medical emergency helped him know what to do in the horrifying situation.

Rams COO Kevin Demoff added that he believed the training played a significant role in the heroic efforts as well.

First, an NCAA championship ... up next -- a collab with J. Cole?!?

LSU hoops star Flau'jae Johnson says she's hoping that's exactly the way her life will play out ... telling TMZ Sports that after helping the Lady Tigers win a title, she's now got her sights set on making music with the "All My Life" rapper.

"J. Cole," she told us this week out at Sirius XM in Los Angeles, "that's my dream!"

If you're unfamiliar -- in addition to being one of the best women's basketball players in the country ... Johnson is also a rapper -- and a very talented one at that.

In fact, the 19-year-old is so good on the mic ... she's already signed with Roc Nation -- and Lil Wayne even said during her NCAA tournament run in April that he wanted to work with her in the near future.

While Johnson was for sure fired up about that -- she said this week she'd be all-in on a duet with Cole too ... and she's confident that it will happen!!

"He ain't reach out yet," she said with a smile, "but it should be coming soon."

For now, Johnson says she's got music on the way with rapper 2Rare.

As for how she's planning on balancing basketball and rap going forward -- the SEC Freshman of the Year says it'll take a lot of a discipline ... but she's sure LSU head coach Kim Mulkey will ensure that all happens.

"Coach don't play," Johnson said. "So I gotta stay tight."

SHEIN is taking swift action after being accused of selling knockoff Jordan 11s on its site this week ... with the company telling TMZ Sports the product has been wiped from its store.

The Chinese-based online fast fashion retailer recently featured athletic kicks described as "professional basketball sports shoes for men" ... which were selling for $49.99.

However, the shoes looked just like the Air Jordan 11s (which come with a $225 retail price tag) ... all the way down to the patent leather mudguard. The only key difference?? The obvious absence of the iconic Jumpman logo.

Sneakerheads got wind of the bootleg kicks ... and quickly went to social media to call SHEIN out for the item.

One person joked on Twitter saying, "SHEIN got space jam 11s y’all better get y’all a pair" while another person tweeted, "Fordan 11s to go with my Fucci bag and Folex watch."

We reached out to Shein about the matter ... and the company is placing the blame on an outside retailer.

"SHEIN takes all claims of infringement seriously and we have removed the product in question," a spokesperson said Wednesday.

"Third-party sellers are required to comply with our SHEIN Marketplace policies and certify their products do not infringe IP."

It's not the only issue the company has -- the site also appears to have bootleg versions of the MSCHF Big Red Boots, Yeezys, Balenciaga, and more.

Pittsburgh Pirates minor leaguer Travis Swaggerty is asking his fans for prayers ... revealing on Wednesday his wife is dealing with a rare blood disease after she was attacked by a raccoon.

Swaggerty -- the No. 10 overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft -- said his partner, Peyton Swaggerty, was bitten by the rabid animal over a year ago ... and her life has been hell ever since.

In a statement posted on his social media page, the outfielder said Peyton has been "riddled" with "unresolved pain and problems" that have "completely taken her quality of life away from her."

Travis said in his note that she was headed for an appointment at the Mayo Clinic later Wednesday to try to find solutions to the issues.

"I wanted to share this to ask for support and prayers for her," he wrote, "along with reminding everyone to not take anything for granted in this life, especially the little things."

Travis said in a separate tweet that Peyton, despite all of the medical issues, has remained a stellar mom to their baby daughter.

"She fights through everything she’s feeling to be the best mom she can be," Travis said.

Peyton thanked her husband and his fans for their support in a tweet of her own on Wednesday morning ... adding, "We're on our way to the Mayo Clinic right now."

"I'm trusting God and the doctors!"

Bam Margera's uncoupling with his estranged wife is moving full-steam ahead, 'cause she's now made her child custody and financial demands official in court ... and she wants thousands.

Nikki Boyd filed new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, spelling out exactly what she wants the court to impose as it pertains to child support, spousal support, and custody over their son, Phoenix.

For starters, Nikki wants sole physical and legal custody ... adding that visitation for Bam can be on the table, but only if it's supervised and he completes drug/alcohol rehab programs first.

Now, when it comes to money, she wants Bam to cough up just over $15k/month in child support -- which she says roughly equals her monthly expenses. She's also asking for whatever spousal support is due to her under the applicable guidelines for their relationship. She doesn't suggest any hard figure.

Nikki also wants Bam to cover her attorney fees of at least $50k. At the moment, she says she's bringing in very little income -- less than $4k a month between family support and public assistance.

In the docs, she says she's found a house, but needs Bam's financial support to make it work -- and she argues he's more than capable of making support payments.

Nikki claims Bam's net worth is reportedly around $55 million, considering his longtime success in TV/media -- but she's concerned he might be hiding assets and being reckless with money.

As we've reported ... Bam and his team claim Nikki have been keeping Phoenix from seeing him, despite Bam wanting to bond and connect. Clearly, things are very ugly right now.

Travis Kelce is one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, but he could be looking to dominate an entirely different industry next ... 'cause the superstar Kansas City Chiefs tight end just signed with a big-time entertainment agency!!!

The 33-year-old Super Bowl champ recently inked a contract with Creative Artists Agency for all off-field representation, per THR ... paving the way for a career in Hollywood.

The move is a no-brainer -- Kelce hosted "Saturday Night Live" earlier this year ... and his performance was met with rave reviews. In fact, comedian Jeff Dye compared the athlete to one 'SNL' legend.

"He reminded me of Phil Hartman, that's how good I'd say he was," Dye told us back in March. "Not being sarcastic, it was very Phil Hartman-esque."

The 4-time first-team All-Pro is no stranger to being in front of the camera -- how could we forget his "Catching Kelce" dating show?!? -- but he previously told TMZ Sports he wasn't sure if he was cut out for an acting career.

Jake Paul's giving us a firsthand look at his brand-new, massive $15.7 MILLION mansion in Puerto Rico ... loaded with just about everything you could want in a Caribbean compound, including the "biggest TV" on the island!

The 26-year-old boxing star shared the video tour with his over 20 million YouTube subscribers on Wednesday, revealing he's already living in the house with some of his best friends.

Paul starts off in the backyard, which he calls his "favorite part of the house" ... and with the huge pool, lounge area, palm trees, and guest house, it's not hard to understand why.

"Very good vibes," Paul said. "Very amazing. Wake up in the morning, meditate, get some sun, play some football."

The Problem Child also explains he has TVs all over his new pad, including an insane 120-inch flat screen in the "hangout room" of the guest house.

"This is the biggest TV in Puerto Rico. It's like a special edition. 120 inch. It's the only one that Sony ever shipped to the island," Paul said.

The cruiserweight boxer continues throughout the mansion ... showing off his huge sneaker closet, man cave in the basement, outdoor shower, red elevator, and a music studio where brother Logan, a WWE Superstar and podcaster can belt out a tune on the mic.

Jake also shows the master suite ... complete with a housewarming gift from GF, Olympic speed skater Jutta Leerdam.

"Jutta, if you're watching this, I love you," Paul said.

Jake -- who originally rose to fame on social media and on the Disney series Bizaardvark -- says he wants everyone watching the clip to view it as inspiration, and not him bragging or showing off.

"Go! Chase your dreams! Start today!" Paul passionately said. "We had a vision of what we wanted to do which was to be entertainers. We went for it and didn't ever stop!"

"You will be far more fulfilled chasing your passions and doing something you love than if you just sit around and maybe work that 9 to 5 job."

Tom Brady could, indeed, both own a part of the Raiders AND quarterback the team this fall ... that is, if a large majority of the NFL's owners would allow it.

A spokesperson for The Shield tells TMZ Sports ... two NFL-wide votes would need to happen in order for Brady to be a part of the Las Vegas ownership group and be under center at the same time.

The first ... 3/4ths of the league would have to approve his acquisition of a piece of Mark Davis' franchise. The second ... 3/4ths of the league would then need to vote on whether or not he'd be allowed to play.

If both votes passed -- and it doesn't feel like there'd be much opposition to either -- Brady would then be free to help out in the Raiders' front office and on the field.

Of course, Brady has insisted over and over again since February that he is done playing ... but after it was revealed this month that Raiders starter Jimmy Garoppolo required surgery on his injured foot this offseason, rumors of a potential TB12 return have swirled again.

In fact, Hall of Famer Troy Aikman told us this week it wouldn't surprise him one bit to see Brady unretire for a second time.

"I wouldn't rule anything out," Aikman told us.

For now, only one vote is on the docket for NFL owners -- sometime in the near future they'll make a ruling on Brady's bid to own a piece of the Raiders.

After that, though -- another vote to see if he can strap on the helmet one more time???

Harry Kane is doubling down on his plans to switch from football to football -- the Tottenham star says he's still interested in becoming an NFL kicker after his soccer career is over ... saying he understands it'll be a ton of work, but he's down for the challenge.

The 29-year-old English striker reaffirmed his intentions during a sit-down with Michael Strahan on "Good Morning America" ... making it clear he's not joking about hopping over the pond to take a stab at American football.

"It's something I want to definitely explore," Kane said on Wednesday. "I know it will be a lot of hard work. I'm not expecting to just walk up and start kicking field goals."

"It will be a lot of practice, a lot of hard work," he continued. "But, yeah, it’s something I'd love to do. The NFL is something I've been following for about 10 years now, and I love it. So, yeah, I would love to give it a go."

Kane has previously talked about becoming an NFL kicker in years past ... but despite showing off what he can do with the pigskin, some critics like legendary leg Morten Andersen have scoffed at the idea.

Kane isn't the only soccer star to show interest in the NFL -- as we previously reported, USWNT hero Carli Lloyd floated the idea back in 2022 after spending time with her hometown Philadelphia Eagles.

Robert Horry played alongside Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, and Tim Duncan -- three of the greatest players to ever grace a court -- but who was the best?? Big Shot Bob says it's The Dream, and it's not even close!

52-year-old Horry recently joined Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on their "All The Smoke" podcast ... when the convo turned to the 7x NBA champ's list of the top five big men in NBA history.

"Dream is number one by far," Horry told the guys. "Nobody wants to talk about it. I think you have these guys who are quiet. Dream, he's a really quiet guy. You can't get him to do much, to say much. So, we kind of veer away from him. We don't talk about him."

Of course, Horry was with Hakeem for four seasons, Shaq for seven, and Duncan for five.

Rob says if you look at the totality of Hakeem's career (winning Defensive Player of the Year and MVP in the same season), he deserves the top spot over Shaq and TD. Dream also made 12 All-Star teams.

Horry won back-to-back championships with Olajuwon in 1994 and 1995 before joining the Los Angeles Lakers, where he was an integral piece in winning three championships with Shaq and Kobe Bryant.

After his time in L.A., Rob finished his career with the Spurs, winning another two titles alongside Duncan.

As for who's the best ... pick your poison. All three legends have out-of-this-world numbers and career achievements.

Shaq won an MVP in 2000. He's also a 15x All-Star and 3x NBA Finals MVP. Duncan was a 2x NBA MVP and 15x All-NBA defender who was named to 15 All-Star games.

Ultimately, Rob says he's grateful he was able to play with Hakeem, Shaq, and Tim, but it's Olajuwon who gets the nod.