TMZ Sports - Page 50

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd has a strict rule for his players -- NO MAKING IT RAIN BEFORE GAMES ... and says he scolded his players for hitting a strip joint before the Lakers game.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... O.J. Mayo, Greg Monroe, Khris Middleton and Miles Plumlee partied at Ace of Diamonds L.A. until 2AM on Tuesday ... hours before they got spanked by the Lakers.

Kidd was clearly not pleased -- and told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the move was immature and irresponsible.

"This is a young team learning to be professional," Kidd said ... adding that when the team travels on the road it's not a free pass to hit the clubs.

"You're going to have dinner and you have to be responsible."

When asked if the players would face discipline, Kidd replied ... "We had that discussion today, so that was enough discipline to have to listen to me."

"I think what he said was sexist and I'm not ugly. I know that and I don't need him to tell me I'm not." -- WNBA champ Mistie Bass on Gilbert Arenas.

This video is awesome ... the Phoenix Mercury star joined "TMZ Sports" (tonight on FS1 at 9:30 PM PT, 12:30 AM ET) ... and sounded off about Gilbert's "sexist" tirade about female basketball players.

Bass is great -- and spells out her issues with the ex-NBA star ... telling him he should RESPECT female athletes instead of objectifying them.

Don't worry about Ickey Woods this flu season ... 'cause he's running about 98 Degrees!

Check out this footage of the Bengals legend hanging out with Nick Lachey at LAX ... bro-ing out over Cincinnati's impressive 10-3 record this season.

Both guys are stoked about Cinci's chances at a Super Bowl run -- even with an injured Andy Dalton -- with Woods saying the red head has a real shot to be one of the NFL's all time greats!

BTW, Nick grew up in Cinci and happens to be a hardcore Bengals fan -- so we had to ask Ickey where Lachey ranked on the all time Bengals celebrity fan power list.

His competition -- George Clooney, Woody Harrelson, Carmen Electra ... and (wait for it) Barney Stinson.

The WNBA is coming out swingin' at Gilbert Arenas -- saying his comments about WNBA players are "repugnant, utterly disrespectful and flat-out wrong."

A league spokesperson issued a statement on behalf of the WNBA and the NBA condemning Gilbert's suggestion that the league get rid of ugly players ... and force the hot ones to play in more revealing uniforms.

CC Sabathia says he feels like a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders after completing a stint in rehab for alcoholism ... but adds, "I feel fantastic."

The NY Yankees pitcher was at the Yankees holiday food drive Wednesday when he raved about how well his recovery is going ... after spending a month receiving treatment in Connecticut.

"It’s always going to be a struggle with different things, but I feel fantastic," Sabathia told reporters ... "I think it’s just a weight coming off my shoulders. I feel good. I’m in a good mood, always."

Sabathia first entered treatment back in October -- one day before the team took on the Houston Astros for the wild card spot in the playoffs.

Still, CC says the Yankees have been incredibly supportive -- "The Yankees have been fantastic, from Cashman to the Steinbrenners to Joe to my teammates."

WNBA champ Swin Cash has declared WAR on Gilbert Arenas -- and people like him -- saying she needs to save strong female athletes from sexists who are trying to shame them on social media.

Cash was clearly upset after Gilbert blasted the WNBA -- saying the league needs to ditch the ugly players and make the hot ones play in less clothing.

"[Gilbert] obviously needs a hug & attention so y'all give it to him," said Cash ... a 4-time WNBA All Star and 3-time WNBA champ.

"To all my smart, beautiful young female ballers... No one ever asked NBA guys to hoop in a speedo so laugh at haters & Dab on dem folk."

She added, "We are at war trying to save our young girls from a lot of social media shaming & I am not here for it!"

NY Jets stud defensive end Sheldon Richardson says he's not the same guy who was arrested earlier this season ... claiming he's seen the error in his ways and is now dedicated to helping others.

The former Pro Bowler took the mic at "Kevin Powell's 15th Annual Holiday Party And Clothing Drive" Tuesday night -- an event he put on with the former congressional candidate -- and opened up about his tumultuous summer.

"I was negative in the community ... I'm gonna change."

If you remember ... Richardson was arrested back in July for allegedly driving 143 mph in his Bentley and was also suspended for the first 4 games of this season for weed in a separate incident.

Check out the clip ... Sheldon says he's dedicated to putting all that behind him now ... and even pledged $5,000 to help homeless people in NYC.

11:01 AM PT: Sources tell TMZ ... Scott showed up for a few hours but was NOT drinking while he was at the club.

Chris Brown had a hugely successful listening party for his new album "Royalty" ... and Scott Disick was right in the middle of it.

A slew of people were front and center at Hyde on the Sunset Strip ... Usher, French Montana, Kendall Jenner, Andre Berto, Big Boy and lots of others.

Scott's presence was a little weird ... it was turnt up for sure, and Scott just got out of rehab.

BTW, "Royalty" drops December 18.

16 hours before the Milwaukee Bucks crapped the bed and lost to the last place Lakers -- several Bucks players hit an L.A. strip club and partied until 2 AM ... and TMZ Sports has the footage.

O.J. Mayo, Greg Monroe, Khris Middleton and Miles Plumlee rolled into Ace of Diamonds L.A. on Monday night ... and we're told they stayed a little after 2 AM.

The Bucks played the woefully bad Lakers on Tuesday night and lost -- just days after upsetting the previously undefeated Golden State Warriors -- leaving many people scratching their heads.

Here's Serena Williams SLAYING at her S.I. Sportsperson Of The Year celebration party in Manhattan Tuesday night.

Bet you wish you'd have thought of Reddit.

Gilbert Arenas says he can save the WNBA -- get rid of all the ugly chicks who look like they belong in "Orange is the New Black" ... and swap 'em out for hot chicks in thongs.

Cam Newton called out Kevin Hart -- challenging the comic to bang out a set of 225 on the bench press ... AND KEVIN HART ANSWERED THE CALL!!

Cam, Kev and Ice Cube were at Harding High in North Carolina -- where they donated $7,500 for a new weight room -- when Cam put Kevin on the spot with the question that shook his manhood to the core ... how much can you bench, bro???

Cam started a "225" chant -- Kev asked Cube to hold his Santa hat -- and then it was on!!!

People aren't pissed off enough about Rajon Rondo's gay slur -- which is why he only got a 1 game suspension ... so says Jalen Rose.

Check out the clip ... the ex-NBA superstar essentially says society isn't sophisticated enough yet to understand the full negative impact of a homphobic slur like the F-word -- though we're moving in the right direction.

"That same statement now is [a 1 game suspension] ... but as we get more sophisticated as a country ... that comment will be worth more games."

As for NBA sensitivity training -- Rose says the players should KNOW by now not to hurl slurs at people.

NBA great Steve Francis says he's 100% DRUG FREE ... and talk that he's using any type of illegal narcotic is baseless and totally out of left field.

TMZ Sports spoke to Francis about the health rumors that reignited last weekend after he showed up at the Lakers-Rockets game looking ... kinda different. Social media comments were brutal and included speculation he might be on drugs.

But Steve said all that drug talk is "so far from the truth. That's why I don't worry about social media." He added he's purely focused on his family, and his community in Houston. "I'm trying to be a positive influence on people."

As for his appearance at the game -- a source close to Steve told us there's no health issue, "He's just old."

NY Jets player Sheldon Richardson is trying to make everyone forget his TERRIBLE summer ... by putting on a clothing drive in NYC with a former Congressional candidate.

Richardson is hooking up with Kevin Powell for his 15th Annual Holiday Party and Clothing Drive Tuesday night.

Sheldon needs some positive vibes -- this summer he was hammered with a 4 game suspension from the NFL for doping, then arrested for driving 143 MPH with a 12-year-old kid in the car ... and a gun.

Admission to the party is free as long as you donate a piece of clothing to the homeless. Good stuff.

A couple of Arizona State football players got busted for burglary, and the excuses they gave cops live up to every ASU student stereotype you've heard.

Campus police say they caught Jayme Otomewo and Deonte Reynolds in the hallway knocking on an apartment door on Sunday afternoon. A female student had called police to report 2 unknown black men in her entryway without permission.

When police questioned Otomewo and Reynolds they admitted entering a couple of rooms, but said they were merely looking for a vacuum. Y'know how college kids love to clean.

Police suspect they used a butter knife to jimmy the doors because Otomewo had a bent one in his pocket. He told police it was there from the night before. He had no explanation for why it was still there the next day.

Cops say the guys also had several credit cards -- not in their names -- a Beats Pill portable speaker, 2 iPods and 1 iPhone. They claimed the cards belonged to friends. As for the speaker, cops say they were blaring music from it as they went room-to-room, and Otomewo admitted pilfering it.

Reynolds was booked for 2nd degree burglary, and Otomewo for theft and 3rd degree burglary.

Gooooo Sun Devils!