TMZ Sports - Page 50

Who jet skis with a helmet? Michael Jordan ... that's who.

The NBA legend jumped on a watercraft off the coast of Italy and shredded the waves around some cool cliffs and caverns ... but he made sure to protect his billion dollar brain.

Good news, America -- one of the best basketball players in the country says she's NOT SCARED of Zika -- and will absolutely travel to Rio to lock up that gold medal at the 2016 Olympics.

We spoke with WNBA superstar Angel McCoughtry -- 4-time All-Star, 2-time scoring champ -- who tells us she believes the Zika situation is being blown WAY out of proportion.

"There's always something that comes out every year," Angel said.

"Last year it was Ebola. Before that it was swine flu. It was something before that ... guess what 00 we ain't worried about that Zika Virus!"

Team USA track star Lolo Jones has officially pulled out of the 2016 Olympics in Rio due to injury -- but says she's still determined to win a medal ... in 2020.

Jones made a video statement explaining that she isn't quite recovered from the hip surgery she underwent last year ... and should've known better.

Jones is 33 -- which is old for a track star -- but she's adamant she will NOT retire.

In fact, she added a caption to the video -- "See you in 2020 homies."

Thon Maker's former high school coach believes the NBA rookie's PASSPORT will help end the debate over Thon's real age ... so he posted it on social media.

In the days and weeks before he was drafted 10th overall, skeptics claimed the Sudan-born superstar is YEARS older than he claims to be ... and has been lying about his age to get a competitive advantage.

But Sky Smith -- one of Thon's coaches at the Athlete Institute prep school in Ontario, Canada -- believes Thon's expired passport (issued in 2009) will prove he's really 19 years old.

Check it out for yourself ... Smith says the passport was issued by the Australian government in 2009 -- when Thon was 12 years old. It says his date of birth is Feb. 25 1997.

Ex-college basketball superstar Isaiah Austin had a great week in L.A. -- hitting up some big parties ... with his former Baylor teammate Quincy Miller.

TMZ Sports has footage of the two hangin' out at Ace of Diamonds on Monday night -- the same night huge stars like Nicki Minaj, Meek Mill and Rae Sremmurd were all turnin' up inside the club.

Of course, Austin was ceremonially drafted into the NBA back in 2014 -- since he's unable to continue playing high level basketball due to a rare medical condition.

But get this ... he went back to school and is currently a marketing major at Baylor.

They're rivals on the field ... but Matt Stafford and Matt Ryan are on the same team when it comes to vacationing!

The Detroit Lions QB and the ATL Falcons QB just wrapped up a couples vacation with their smokin' hot wives in the Bahamas.

In fact, Matt Ryan's wife, Sarah, posted a pic of the 4-some with the caption, "Boats, hoes and bros."

Stafford's wife, Kelly, wrote, "Another epic trip in the books with our fav people. #doublebirds #imthekingoftheworld."

The couples are pretty tight -- and have even played in the same church basketball league together in Atlanta.

Shaquille O'Neal's son is in high demand -- the 16-year-old high school hoops star just got a brand new wave of letters from colleges hoping to land the 6'9" phenom.

Everyone knows ... Shareef O'Neal has become one of the most high profile prep basketball players in the country -- with big college programs like LSU, Arizona and Cal reportedly offering him a ride already.

Now, a bunch of other schools have joined the race -- Shareef posted a pic of brand new recruiting letters from Colorado, Saint Mary's, Gonzaga and Memphis.

Shareef says he hasn't made up his mind yet -- but it seems USC and UCLA are in the lead ... because his mom wants him to stay local.

Someone's doing drugs in the Mexico house where Johnny Manziel is staying ... but the QB swears it's not his stuff and further says he's going stone-cold sober ... in a few days.

Check out this picture posted by a woman staying in the house ... holding several bags of what appear to be drugs. She doesn't say whose drugs and does not even insinuate they're tied to Johnny.

We spoke with Manziel who was adamant they are NOT his drugs ... period.

"They're absolutely not mine. I don't even know that girl."

Here's what we do know ... Manziel is staying in the insanely expensive Cabo mansion with 20 people, not all of whom he knows.

For his part, Manziel tells TMZ Sports he's NOT doing any drugs in Mexico and says he's going completely sober starting July 1st ... no booze, eating right and training like crazy.

Manziel has said he's determined to make a comeback to the NFL -- and tells us he's finally ready to get back to work ... right after one last turn up.

Kanye West's new partnership with Adidas could make him A BILLION DOLLARS ... TMZ has learned.

Adidas announced Wednesday they've signed Kanye to a contract that will have a seismic impact on the sport and street fashion world. The deal calls for YEEZY retail shops that will hawk shoes, apparel, and accessories. We're told he'll also be designing athletic wear for basketball and football.

In addition to the stores ... we're told 'Ye's also getting his own design team made up of the best of the best in the industry.

Our sources say it will take a few years to get the stores and merchandising up to speed, but the projections call for profits that could line Kanye's designer pockets to the tune of a cool bil.

Your move, Nike ... and LeBron.

Trevone Boykin's agent is sorely mistaken if he thinks his client has already cut a plea deal for his Alamo Bowl bar fight.

Kevin Garnett to the Cavs????

Probably not ... but he got lunch with the coach Tuesday.

Turns out KG is longtime friends with Ty Lue -- and the two hooked up for a fancy lunch yesterday at Crustacean in Bev Hills.

How do you LOSE a gaudy $500,000 diamond ring? Ask Nick Young ...

Here's some quality smack talk from Jon Jones ... ripping Daniel Cormier as a petty jealous loser.

Of course, Cormier has been calling Jon a "bum" all over town -- and recently explained why it's the most disrespectful insult he could hurl at Jones (video below).

Well, Jon's got some fighting words of his own ... and blasted D.C. as a crybaby who's destined for another ass whooping when they step into the Octagon at UFC 200 on July 9th.

Remember when Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone said women were too physically weak to be taken seriously in the sport????

Well, Danica Patrick says she wants to challenge the guy to an arm wrestling match.

Ecclestone caused a firestorm at an advertising conference in April when he said, "I don’t know whether a woman would physically be able to drive an F1 car quickly, and they wouldn’t be taken seriously."

So, we asked Danica how she felt about the situation. Her response: "Guess we haven't arm wrestled. He has no idea."

Johnny Manziel is thumbing his nose at his father's death warning -- telling his dad he ain't gonna stop partying ... just days after Paul Manziel called him a "druggie" whose life is in danger.

Ex-TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin has been charged with assault for allegedly striking a police officer after he was thrown out of a bar days before the Alamo Bowl ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Boykin -- who has since signed with the Seattle Seahawks -- was captured on video being physically removed from Pat O'Briens bar in San Antonio on Dec. 31st ... while throwing punches at staff on the way out.

Once he was in the street, Boykin can be seen rushing toward bike cops who rolled up to the scene. Officials say he struck one of the officers while they tried to take him into custody.

Boykin was initially booked for assaulting a public servant (a 3rd degree felony), public intoxication and resisting arrest.

But it appears he caught a huge break -- 'cause according to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, the 22-year-old was only officially charged with one count of misdemeanor assault with bodily injury.

If convicted, Boykin faces up to 1 year in jail.

Court docs say ... multiple officers witnessed the alleged assault. The witnesses say they saw multiple cuts and scrapes on the victim.