TMZ Sports - Page 50

NBA draft pick Thon Maker didn't need a college education to make a highly intelligent move Thursday night -- blowing off all the raging celebratory parties in NYC ... to focus on business!

Thon was taken with #10 overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks -- but after his name was called, the 19-year-old told TMZ Sports there was no way he was hitting the town ... he was hittin' the hay instead.

"I'm going to sleep," Maker said ... "I got an early flight, I got practice tomorrow, and a press conference ... I'm going to sleep."

First Kobe ... now Obama??

The President just announced he finally "hung it up" -- and will no longer play competitive basketball games.

54-year-old Obama revealed the move during a phone call with Cleveland Cavs coach Ty Lue -- saying he actually "hung it up about 2 years ago."

The reason? Fear of injury.

"You know, I had too many friends ... seen that achilles pop ... being in a boot for 6 months."

For years, Obama was a regular in pick up games -- and was praised for being a pretty good player. In fact, he once played in a game with LeBron, Dwyane Wade, Magic Johnson, D-Rose and Carmelo Anthony.

Now, it seems those days are over -- but there are reports B.O. wants to own an NBA team after he's done being the leader of the free world.

John Elway is finally responding to Von Miller's Instagram diss -- and he seems disappointed in the NFL superstar.

Elway -- the Exec. VP and GM for the Broncos -- was leaving Craig's in L.A. Thursday night when we asked how he felt about Von cutting him out of a pic he took with Elway and other teammates at the White House earlier this month.

Miller cut Elway out of the pic to show his displeasure with the Broncos 6-year, $114 million contract offer ($40 mil guaranteed) ... an offer Miller feels is WAY too low.

Elway responded to the slight last night -- and it seems obvious their relationship is still icy as ever.

Cris "Cyborg" Justino ain't mincing her words ... telling TMZ Sports she would "kill" Ronda Rousey if they ever stepped in the Octagon.

Here's Dez Bryant doing his best Bo Jackson impression ... trying to convince the world he can dominate in 2 sports by taking on some basketball competition in a L.A. pickup game.

Dez hit up L.A. Fitness in Hollywood Thursday ... and hopped on the hoop court with a couple of his homeboys and straight GAVE WORK to the local actors (waiters) in the building.

Sources at the gym tell TMZ Sports Dez's team went on a three game run ... and the All-Pro did his part -- stroking a game-winning 3 from Steph range, which you can see at the end of the clip.

Don't panic, Cowboy fans ... we're told Dez was taking it WAY easy ... just shooting jumpers and not driving into the paint AT ALL.

54-year-old Herschel Walker says he wants to get back in the cage and for an MMA bout THIS YEAR -- and tells TMZ Sports he's absolutely down to fight Rampage Jackson.

Walker appeared on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs Friday night on FS1) -- and told the guys he still has the fire and ability to compete in a real deal MMA fight.

In fact, Walker says he's already had conversations with Bellator CEO Scott Coker about fighting before the end of the year.

As for his opponent, Walker made it clear -- he wants a "worthy" adversary ... not "some bum" off the street. We brought up Rampage ... Walker said he's absolutely down.

FYI, Rampage is 38 and fighting this weekend at Bellator: Dynamite 2.

The NBA Draft is one of the biggest fashion stages in the world -- so ya gotta go big or go home!

A bunch of 1st rounders are already suited up and ready to make a statement -- including Marquese Chriss and Jaylen Brown ... whose custom threads were all designed by Jhoanna Alba and Jill Evans at ALBA Legacy.

They say rich guys get everything free ... which apparently includes dat ass ... 'cause a famous NYC strip club is giving all the guys drafted into the NBA Friday an all-expenses paid trip to bootyland.

TMZ Sports talked with Scores NY -- a world-famous strip club -- and they tell us all lapdances, food, and drinks are on them tonight for any guy whose name gets called by Adam Silver.

There is one problem ... the club is 21+ and a lot of players like Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram and Dragan Bender aren't even 20 yet.

Never fear, young pups ... Scores' honchos tell us they're bringing the club to you ... with a TURNT UP STREET PARTY outside of the club featuring dancers, food, and soft drinks for the tykes.

NFL star Elvis Dumervil is on his way to Haiti to check up on 58 HOUSES he's paying to have built for Haitians displaced by the devastating earthquake in 2010.

Dumervil -- a 5x Pro-Bowler -- is personally funding the construction of 58 homes (for his #58 jersey) ... this according to New Story Charity -- an organization that builds homes in crisis areas.

The charity believes there are 85,000 people who are still homeless due to the quake -- and 200,000 more are living in slums.

A rep for the charity tells TMZ Sports, Elvis is going to Haiti to check on the progress of the build ... which is said to be "a quarter to halfway done."

Panthers stud TE Greg Olsen is giving up something he loves for something he loves even more ... auctioning off his sweet '69 Chevy Camaro to help kids with heart defects.

Greg announced the auction on IG and said all proceeds will benefit TheHEARTest Yard -- a foundation Olsen started with his wife after their son, T.J., was diagnosed with a congenital cardiovascular issue.

The car is an absolute swagmobile ... featuring a professionally built Dart V8, 427ci small-block engine, a restored body, and sick mirror-silver paint job.

Bidding starts at 1 PM Friday (better hurry) with Barrett-Jackson auction house hosting the whole thing at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.

Paige VanZant's blockbuster movie debut has just been put on hold -- she's officially pulled out of the upcoming 'Kickboxer' movie ... so she can focus on fighting.

As we previously reported, PVZ had signed on for "Kickboxer Retaliation" ... joining stars like Mike Tyson and the guy who plays The Mountain on "Game of Thrones."

A bunch of people thought it could be the role that launched VanZant's acting career.

But Paige just put the kibosh on the project -- claiming the filming schedule interfered with training for her next fight with Bec Rawlings at "UFC on FOX" in August.

"I’ve recently declined to be in the Kickboxer movie because I want to be 100% for this fight and train 100%," Paige told ESPN.

"That movie filming was kinda gonna get in the way. We couldn’t get a date set that worked with my schedule.”

Ex-NBA superstar Antoine Walker famously blew through his $110 MILLION fortune -- so, with the NBA Draft going down in a few hours ... he dished some $$$ advice to the upcoming rookies.

Walker lays it out ... from the very FIRST thing the rookies should do with their money -- to warning the players to beware of the costly "fetish" that cost him MILLIONS!

More freakish athleticism from NBA star Bismack Biyombo -- who put his soccer skills on display in NYC Wednesday ... crushing 4 GOALS in a celebrity charity match.

The Toronto Raptors star teamed up with some soccer pros and ex-NBA star Steve Nash for Steve's annual "Showdown in Chinatown" game which benefits the Steve Nash Foundation.

But Biyombo didn't just phone it in -- dude played HARD against the likes of Landon Donovan and other soccer pros.

Here's the summary of this video -- Busta Rhymes LOVES Derrick Rose. He LOVES Carmelo Anthony.

Porzingis?? Not so much.

Busta is a huuuuge NY Knicks fan -- and says the combination of D-Rose and 'Melo is a major step in the right direction for his beloved squad.

But when we brought the other star on the team -- Kristaps Porzingis -- Mr. Rhymes didn't seem too enthused about the Latvian sensation.

"Carmelo and Derrick Rose ... and I'll vouch for that. I ain't vouching for nothing else."

(WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE)

Ben Affleck appeared on the series premiere of Bill Simmons' "Any Given Wednesday" and it was extremely bizarre ... to say the least.

A red-faced Affleck ranted about "Deflategate" on the HBO show and even though we can't say for sure what was up with him ... social media was quick to call Affleck out for his slurred speech and angry tone.

Sources close to Affleck tell us he's stone-cold sober, and the slurring is just how passionate he is about Tom Brady. We're told he and Simmons got into a heated, loud debate before cameras started rolling. So when the taping started at 11 AM, Ben was already fired up.

The 21-year-old fan who was pushed off an upper level deck at Oracle Arena during Game 7 of the NBA Finals is in intensive care and fighting for his life ... this according to his father.

The victim is Salvator Bimbo -- a Golden State Warriors fan who traveled from L.A. to see the game with his brother.

Bimbo's father says a fight broke out at the game and a rival fan grabbed Salvator by the legs and pushed him over a railing.

"My son’s cheekbone is smashed, his nose, his upper-eye, his head, his brain,” Salvator's father told KRON4.com.

"He’s leaking from his ears blood. Not very good. He’s a beautiful young man. Did not deserve this.”

Salvator's family started a GoFundMe page to help with medical costs. They're also begging anyone with information about the suspects to come forward.

So far, no arrests have been made.