TMZ Sports - Page 50

Sorry to crush the dreams of everyone hoping to see 49-year-old Brett Favre unretire (again) and suit up for 2020 ... the Gunslinger tells TMZ Sports his Instagram was HACKED.

Football fans lost their minds after Favre's verified IG account posted a throwback pick from Super Bowl XXXI with the caption "A true champion sticks to his or her calling. I will be coming out of retirement and making my return to play in the NFL for the 2020 season."

The post was deleted minutes later ... leaving people to speculate whether Favre was really coming back again.

Look, we've seen Favre throw passes recently and the guy still has a cannon for an arm. In fact, in late 2017 Favre told TMZ Sports he was confident he could still make NFL throws but didn't want to take the hits anymore!!!

So, when we saw the new Instagram comeback post, we had to call him up to see if he was REALLY trying to get back in the league ... but alas, it was not meant to be.

Favre says the explanation is simple -- someone hacked his social media account -- he's not trying to pull a Rafael Palmeiro and play pro ball into his 50s.

Now, Favre says the phony post was deleted and his team is scrambling to find the culprit.

Adam Silver is vouching for Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri -- saying the guy is a good dude ... but the NBA commish tells TMZ Sports he's still investigating Ujiri like he would anyone else.

Of course, Ujiri is facing some stiff allegations after shoving a cop after Game 6 of the NBA Finals ... with the officer's attorney saying his client suffered a concussion and a jaw injury in the altercation.

In fact, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office says it's pursuing a criminal misdemeanor battery charge against Ujiri ... saying it's set to meet with prosecutors this week.

When we got Silver out in NYC on Tuesday ... he told us he's known Ujiri for years -- but has still launched a full investigation into the allegations nonetheless.

"I've known Masai Ujiri for a long time," Silver says ... "I know he's a very decent person. But, at the same time, we of course respect law enforcement that does a great job protecting our fans in the arena."

"So, there's been an allegation here, so it's our job to look into the facts and make sure that everything's handled appropriately."

The cop who was shoved by Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri during a fight after Game 6 of the NBA Finals is blasting racism claims ... with his attorney telling TMZ Sports, "The injured officer's family is African American."

After it was revealed Ujiri and a white cop got into a pushing altercation last Thursday after the Raptors beat the Warriors at Oracle Arena ... some had suggested the incident was rooted in racism.

But, the cop's attorney, David Mastagni, says that's just not the case at all, telling us, "Insult to this injury is invoking race because the injured officer's family is African American."

"This case is credential vs. no credential. The issue is not race."

As we previously reported, Mastagni says his client -- who has yet to be publicly identified -- suffered both a "serious concussion" and a significant jaw injury after Ujiri shoved him.

Mastagni says the cop has NOT been able to return to work since the altercation, which Mastagni says was an "unprovoked" attack.

Mastagni also says they are still considering a lawsuit against the Raptors president.

Ujiri is also facing a criminal investigation ... with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office saying it will meet with prosecutors later this week to pursue a misdemeanor battery charge.

It ain't just the NFL asking bizarre, silly questions to potential draft picks -- NBA teams are hitting prospects with some crazy brainteasers too ... so says projected lottery pick Nassir Little!!

Little was a STUD at the University of North Carolina -- and has been meeting with teams ahead of Thursday's big draft night.

And, when we saw the 19-year-old out in D.C., we asked if he'd reveal the most interesting pre-draft question he got.

So, if you're ready to play ... HERE'S THE QUESTION!!!

You're locked inside of a car with only a hammer to aid you ... how do you get out of the car?!?!

Ya gotta watch the clip and see how Little answered the question -- it's probably the same answer YOU would give.

But, you're wrong ... and so was Little -- and the correct answer is probably gonna make you LOL.

Little definitely had a sense of humor about the situation -- couldn't have been nicer to us ... and told us all about what he plans on buying once he signs that first NBA contract.

Molly Qerim is breaking her silence after the LaVar Ball incident on "First Take" -- telling TMZ Sports she's grateful for the way ESPN execs "had my back" after the way LaVar talked to her on-air.

"ESPN was really supportive," Qerim told us Tuesday morning in NYC ... "All the executives had my back. Much appreciated."

The network quickly condemned Ball's comments to Qerim on Monday as "inappropriate" -- when he told her, "You can switch gears with me anytime."

We asked Molly if LaVar (or anyone in the Ball family) had reached out to apologize -- and she told us, "I haven't heard from anybody, but to be honest with you I shut my phone off after work."

As for her how famous NBA star husband, Jalen Rose, handled the situation -- Molly says, "I think Jalen would have just liked if [LaVar] would have apologized to me publicly."

Does Molly think ESPN should ban LaVar from coming back on "First Take" or any other ESPN show? We asked that too ... check out the clip.

For his part, LaVar is adamant the comments were NOT intended to be sexual in nature -- and he insists he meant no disrespect.

Good news about David Ortiz ... the Boston Red Sox say his condition has been upgraded from "serious" to "good" just 9 days after he was shot in the Dominican Republic.

"This morning, David's condition was upgraded to 'good' by his doctors and he continues to make progress with his recovery in the Intensive Care Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital," the team said in a statement.

"We remain grateful to everyone who has helped David through this ordeal, both in the Dominican Republic and here in Boston."

"David's journey to good health has been bolstered by the many expressions of love that have come to us from across the globe. Your support has lifted his spirits tremendously during this challenging time."

As we previously reported, Big Papi was shot in the back on June 9 while hanging out with friends outside of a hotspot in Santo Domingo.

Ortiz was initially treated in the D.R. -- but was flown to Boston in an air ambulance on June 10 to receive care in the U.S., where his family and personal doctors live.

DR police released the mug shot for the man they say shot Ortiz -- 25-year-old Rolfi Ferreira Cruz -- and at least 9 others have been arrested in connection to the shooting.

The cop who says he was attacked by Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri after Game 6 of the NBA Finals now claims he suffered a concussion during the incident ... and he's threatening to sue.

"He has a serious concussion; a templar mandibular joint injury, which is a serious jaw injury,” the officer's attorney David Mastagni told KPIX 5.

The incident went down Thursday in the moments after the Raptors beat the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena in Oakland ... the cop says Ujiri got violent over a dispute over credentials.

Alameda County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Ray Kelly said the officer claims Ujiri struck him in the chest and head. Ujiri is being investigated for misdemeanor battery.

"It’s an unprovoked significant hit to the jaw of the law enforcement officer," Mastagni said.

Officials have told TMZ Sports they are hunting for more video of the incident -- so far, the only footage that's surfaced publicly shows the direct aftermath ... NOT the alleged blow to the face.

The officer -- whose identity has not been made public -- has not filed a lawsuit yet ... but it seems it's only a matter of time at this point.

"All options are on the table. No options are off the table," Mastagni said ... adding, "No options are being ruled out as to how to rectify the situation."

Here is the moment several Toronto Police officers chased down, tackled and apprehended one of the suspected shooters at Monday's Toronto Raptors championship parade ... and it's intense.

The footage starts showing a man dressed in black trying to run -- but two bike cops grab the dude -- who appears to be holding a weapon ... and wrestle him to the ground.

Several cops in the area quickly realize what's going on and jump in on the action -- piling on top of the suspect while trying to neutralize the weapon.

At one point, one of the officers begins reigning down punches on the suspect.

You can hear some of the cops trying to clear the area -- screaming at people to "Get outta here!!!"

There's more footage that has surfaced from earlier in the parade -- in which you can clearly hear at least 4 gunshots pop off near crowds of people.

It's terrifying stuff.

Eventually, cops say 4 people suffered injuries in the shooting -- but all are expected to survive. 3 people have been arrested and 2 weapons have been recovered.

As for the Raptors, team announcer man Matt Devlin was credited with calming the crowd down after the gunshots were fired, telling the audience, "Please, stay calm."

For his part, Drake grabbed the microphone and told everyone in attendance to hug one another -- preaching love and unity.

NBA draft prospect Bol Bol -- the 7'2" phenom from Oregon -- just flew out of L.A. ... after getting in some partying with a bunch of attractive ladies.

The 19-year-old had been in L.A. to show off his talents to NBA teams ahead of Thursday's 2019 NBA Draft -- where he's expected to be a 1st-round pick.

The issue ... Bol battled a foot injury that sidelined him for most of the 2019 college basketball season -- and there are concerns about how the injury will affect him in the pros.

But, when we saw Bol Bol at LAX on Monday -- he told us he's 100% ... and didn't seem to have a problem using that foot to climb the escalator inside the terminal.

Over the weekend, Bol Bol was spotted leaving Bootsy Bellows with a female entourage -- because that's what you do when you're 19 years old and about to become a multi-millionaire!

Bol has a bright future in the NBA ... at least according to Shaquille O'Neal, who raved about the guy back in May telling us, "The guy everyone should be looking at is Bol Bol."

He added, "Bol Bol can play. He's the real deal."

Of course, Bol Bol is the son of NBA royalty -- his father is the late NBA legend Manute Bol ... the 7'7" phenom from Sudan.

L.A. Clippers star Patrick Beverley has one thing on his mind going into free agency -- WHO'S GONNA GET ME THAT BAG!!?!?!

The 30-year-old just finished up his 4-year, $25 mil contract -- and now he's free to ink another big deal ... and when we saw him at LAX he made it clear, the goal is to cash that check!

It's refreshingly honest considering most pro athletes try to convince the public it's NOT about the money -- it's about where they have the best shot at winning a ring.

But, ya gotta hand it to Beverley who essentially says he's gonna play his ass off WHEREVER he signs -- and the lucky team to snatch him up will be the team with the biggest offer, period.

There's reportedly been interest from the Lakers -- and Beverley says that could be a cool situation because the Lakers are "exciting" -- but they still gotta bring that bag if they want Bev!

We also spoke with Beverley about his on-the-court rivalry with Kevin Durant -- which heated up during the NBA Playoffs -- and you gotta check out what Patrick says.

Mark Cuban says he wouldn't be surprised if young NBA stars, like Luka Doncic, played into their 40s -- thanks to new medical technology that can prevent non-contact injuries ... and he's dead serious.

The Dallas Mavericks owner was super passionate about the new wave of injury prevention technology outside Craig's in L.A. this week ... especially after the NBA Finals, with injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson.

"Those are brutal, I feel really horrible for those guys," Cuban said.

But, in the future, Cuban sees a league where players can use tech to prepare their bodies to handle the rigors of pro basketball.

"There's new technology, sonogram-type stuff that allows you to analyze tendons," Cuban said ... "But, it's not advanced enough so we have to do some more research to figure it all out. So hopefully, that in the future, non-contact injuries will happen less."

Cuban says when he came into the league 20 years ago, players crossing the 30-year-old mark were considered old and on the decline ... but now, that's changing radically.

"We saw Dirk [Nowitzki] play until 40 years, 21 years [in the NBA] ... we'll see more that. Luka [Doncic] coming into the league today, the rookies that will get drafted this year that are 18, there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to play 25 years if they have the skill with the new advanced technology."

Sorry, LeBron ... you LOST the trade that made Anthony Davis your new teammate, so says Master P -- who tells TMZ Sports the Pelicans WON the blockbuster swap!!!

"We got everything!" P says.

Bron's squad orchestrated the biggest trade in L.A. history over the weekend ... sending off Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and a bunch of draft picks for AD.

If ya think Master P -- who's a New Orleans legend that loves his Pelicans -- is busted up over the move ... think again, 'cause he thinks New Orleans actually got better!!

P also tells us getting Davis will put a ton of pressure on LeBron in L.A. ... and says the King better start winning now.

4:00 PM PT -- Cops now say there were 4 people who suffered gunshot wounds in the parade shooting.

They also say they've now arrested 3 people.

1:24 PM PT -- Police say they have arrested 2 suspects and recovered 2 guns after an alleged shooting at the Toronto Raptors championship parade Monday.

Cops also say two people are being treated for "serious" injuries -- but the injuries are not life-threatening. The investigation is ongoing.

The championship parade continued after the shooting -- with Drake taking the stage and telling the reported 1.5 MILLION people in the streets to hug each other and spread love.

The parade ended with no further violent incidents.

Scary moment at the Toronto Raptors championship parade in Canada ... where gunshots were reportedly fired in the crowd and cops are now responding.

The party came to a screeching halt just before 1 PM PT -- when people in the crowd heard what sounded like 4 gunshots.

A woman was reportedly hurt and paramedics raced to the scene.

The Toronto Police Operations Centre put out a statement saying, "SHOOTING: Nathan Phillip's Square -Reports of woman shot -People running from area."

You can see people fleeing on video. At one point, Raptors play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin grabbed the mic and told the crowd to stay strong and stay calm while officials respond to the "emergency."

People at the scene are being advised to "get down" or to find somewhere safe.

A Dominican Republic hoops team showed MAJOR love for David Ortiz over the weekend ... ditching its normal set of unis for jerseys with Big Papi's face as the logo.

It all went down Sunday ... when Huellas del Siglo -- a local team in the D.R. -- rocked some bright orange gear that featured a picture of Ortiz tipping his Red Sox cap with the words "Big Papi" written underneath.

Of course, Ortiz was nearly killed last week when a man opened fire on his back outside of a nightclub in Santo Domingo.

But, fortunately for everyone, the MLB legend is doing better after surgery ... and Huellas del Siglo was so happy for the news, they broke out the custom jerseys against San Carlos.

"Today we pay homage to the living legend David Ortiz," the team said of the uniforms in Spanish ... "and we continue to pray for his total recovery."

WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry did a pretty cool thing on Sunday -- organizing an event in his hometown of Austin, Texas to give haircuts and shaves to people in need.

Henry says he didn't just want to hand out cash and call it a day -- his focus was put boots on the ground and do something for the people that would really make a difference in their lives.

So, after talking with local organizations, he decided to spearhead a shave and haircut event -- because a lot of homeless people had been telling him the way they look can be a tough hurdle to overcome when trying to find a job.

Mark connected with the people from the Austin Area Urban League and the Maestro's Classic beard care company to set up the event ... where they offered free shaves, haircuts, food and water to anyone who needed the help.

Henry says he learned A LOT while talking with the people who came through his event -- especially when it comes to the way homeless people are treated by the rest of society.

"People don't acknowledge them. They treat them like they're invisible. 9 times out of 10 people just look at them and don't talk to them. That's gotta be a horrible existence."

Mark says he was so moved by the experience, he's already planning more events in cities across the country.

"I got a lot of joy out of seeing people smile and feel good about how they looked, it meant a lot to them," Henry says.

Gable Steveson -- one of the top heavyweight college wrestlers in the country -- was arrested Saturday for criminal sexual conduct ... and he's still in custody.

Steveson is a superstar wrestler at the University of Minnesota -- where he just wrapped up his freshman year with an incredible 35-2 record ... finishing as the #3 ranked heavyweight in the country.

But now, he's in huge trouble ... the 19-year-old was arrested at his Minneapolis home on Saturday after a person told police Steveson and another UM wrestler committed sexual assault with an object on Saturday.

The teammate, 21-year-old Dylan Martinez, was also arrested Saturday for suspected criminal sexual conduct.

Both men are being investigated for allegedly penetrating another individual with an object. The accuser went to the hospital for treatment, according to the police report.

The accuser's identity has not been released. Details surrounding the allegations are unclear.

What is clear ... Steveson is adamant he did NOTHING wrong. His attorney, Christa Groshek, said the wrestler is cooperating with the police investigation and he's adamant he is innocent.

The University of Minnesota has issued a statement, saying, "We are aware of a situation involving two of our student athletes and are in the process of gathering more information."

"These students have been suspended from all team activity pending further information. Federal and state law precludes any further details at this time."