TMZ Sports - Page 50

Chandler Parsons is leaving the Atlanta Hawks and heading back to California for treatment ... after the NBA player claims he suffered serious and permanent injuries in a car accident with a drunk driver.

The 31-year-old was on his way home from practice around 2:00 PM on January 15 when a man -- who admitted to drinking and had alcohol in his car -- hit Parsons and caused a 3-car wreck.

The Hawks provided an update on Parsons' condition Thursday ... saying he will head back to his home in California for recovery.

"Atlanta Hawks forward Chandler Parsons remains in the first stage of the NBA’s concussion protocol and has not progressed to exertional challenges, such as light conditioning."

The team added ... "Additionally, Parsons continues to receive treatment for symptoms of whiplash and the associated cervical disc injury."

"After discussing with Parsons, his medical team and the doctors at Emory Sports Medicine, it was agreed by all parties that it would be best for Parsons’ recovery for him to return home to California and continue to recover and rehabilitate under the treatment of a team of doctors and therapists overseen by the Hawks and Emory Sports Medicine staff."

Gervonta Davis has nearly $250,000 worth of bling in his closet that he never properly paid for because he wrote a bogus check -- this according to a new lawsuit obtained by TMZ Sports.

Shyne Jewelers in Philadelphia, Penn. claims they reached a deal with Davis last year to make him some sick ice ... but they say the boxing star ultimately ended up stiffing them.

According to court docs, the jewelers say Davis ordered a $130,000 green Richard Millie watch, a $60,000 custom pendant, a $30,000 Rolex and four $12,000 "GTD" pendants.

They also say Davis had another blue Richard Millie watch -- which he had previously bought from them -- repaired for $19,000.

But, they claim when it came time to pay up for the $250K bill ... Davis and his team paid with a counterfeit check.

The jewelers say this was no accident either ... saying, "Davis knew that the cashier's check was counterfeit and he acted intentionally and with malicious intent."

Now, the jewelers are asking for the jewelry to be returned or the $250,000 with interest ... plus damages.

We've reached out to Davis' camp for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Scary moment for tennis superstar Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open ... he hit a return shot right off a ball girl's face ... but he made up for it by kissing her owie!!

Rafa was in the middle of his 2nd round match with Federico Delbonis on Thursday, when he ripped a vicious return shot that ended up missing his target and going wide.

The shot hit the ball girl that was standing near the umpire's chair ... and Nadal rushed over to make sure she was okay.

After exchanging a few words, Nadal gave her an apology kiss on the cheek before returning to the match.

Nadal went on to win and move on to the 3rd round ... but admitted he was shook by the incident.

"For her, it was probably not a good moment,” Nadal said after the win ... "She is a super-brave girl."

Nadal added, "It was one of my most scary moments that I had on the tennis court, as the ball went straight onto her head."

The brave ball girl didn't leave empty-handed ... 'cause Nadal gave her his headband after the win!!

Usain Bolt is adding a lil' bolt to his family ... 'cause the fastest man ever just announced he's expecting a baby with longtime girlfriend Kasi Bennett.

33-year-old Bolt broke the big news on Instagram ... writing, "I just want to say a KING or QUEEN is about to be HERE."

Kasi added ... "Our golden child ❤️ Coming soon..."

It's unclear if the the little bundle of joy is a boy or girl.

The 8x Olympic gold medalist and Bennett -- 30 years old -- have been dating for about 5 years ... and haven't been shy about their desire to have kids.

'We just got really serious, we are taking it one step at a time. I definitely want a family, though. For me, over the years, I've waited because I want to make sure it's the right person," ... Bolt told People Magazine in 2016.

"I’ve always said I want three kids. The other day I hung out with my buddy who has three kids and it was crazy. I was like, 'Hmm do I really want 3 kids?' But yes, yes I do. I’m sure of it."

Vanessa Hudgens was the life of the party in the crowd at the Knicks vs. Lakers game ... cheering and snappin' pics while Kyle Kuzma played.

Hudgens hit up Madison Square Garden on Thursday for LA's matchup with New York .. one day after she was spotted at an intimate dinner with Kuz in Brooklyn.

The recently single actress made sure to check out her new man(?) at work ... cheering him on and drinkin' a beer as he scored 10 points and picked up 7 rebounds.

Other huge names in attendance include J. Cole, Spike Lee, Sterling Shepard, Howard Stern, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Jim Gaffigan ... so yeah, the big names came out of the woodwork to see LeBron James and Co. ('cause who's coming to see the 12-33 Knicks??)

Back to Hudgens -- no word on whether things are getting serious with the 24-year-old hooper ... but she has been getting a lot of Kuz in her life this week.

Sterling Shepard says Eli Manning is a no-doubt Hall of Famer ... telling TMZ Sports the New York Giants legend is going to Canton on the FIRST BALLOT!!!

"For sure!" Shepard says.

Of course, Sterling's a bit biased ... the star wide receiver has spent most of his career catching passes from Eli -- but he tells us Manning truly deserves the honor.

"He meant a lot [to New York]," Shepard says. "He meant a lot to me and my career."

Eli just announced his retirement after 16 seasons Wednesday ... and the debate about his Hall of Fame candidacy is already raging strong.

Some feel like his two Super Bowl MVPs punch his ticket regardless of the rest of his resume ... while others feel his up-and-down regular season plays weren't good enough.

Kansas Jayhawks player Silvio De Sousa is breaking his silence following the bench-clearing brawl on Tuesday night ... saying straight-up, "I messed up and I am sorry."

De Sousa received the harshest punishment handed down for his part in the melee ... getting slapped with a 12-game suspension.

Remember, De Sousa stood over DaJuan Gordon after a chase-down block, which kickstarted the brawl. During the fight, the 21-year-old is seen holding a stool over his head before a coach yanks it from his hands.

De Sousa owned up to his actions on Wednesday, saying there is no excuse for what he did.

"Yesterday, during the Kansas State game, I displayed highly unacceptable behavior that was a poor representation of my team as well as my own character. There is no excuse for my behavior, and I cannot justify the unreasonable choices that I made yesterday on the court. I not only showed a lack of sportsmanship, but I put myself, my teammates and the fans in danger."

He added ... "I am truly embarrassed by my actions and have let everyone down who has supported me on my basketball journey. There is no amount of regret that I can express that will correct this mistake."

"I understand that I am extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to play for KU and I recognize that I never should have let my emotions get the best of me, but unfortunately that is what happened. By doing so, I put the Kansas reputation at stake because of a moment of weakness and inconsideration."

"I will continue to support my team and do everything I can to help while serving my suspension."

"I messed up and I am sorry."

Shareef O'Neal is done at UCLA ... Shaq's son just announced he's transferring from the school after less than two years -- and it's unclear where his next stop will be.

"A part of my heart will always be at UCLA figuratively and literally," Shareef said in an emotional goodbye letter to the university. "I'm looking forward to the next chapter, wherever that may be."

Shareef came to UCLA in 2018 with sky-high expectations ... the 6-foot-9 forward was nationally ranked and had superstar potential.

But, his freshman season ended before it began after UCLA doctors discovered an irregularity with his heart ... and he was forced to undergo scary surgery to fix the issue.

Gervonta Davis has threatened to "kill" Ryan Garcia if they actually sign a contract to fight.

Now, Ryan Garcia has a message for Tank ... LET'S DANCE IN DECEMBER!

The 21-year-old rising boxing star made it clear to TMZ Sports he ain't afraid of Floyd Mayweather's prodigy ... even after the way Tank violently dismantled Yuriorkis Gamboa last month.

"I'm already the bigger star," Garcia (19-0) told us outside of Westside Boxing Club ... "Now, I'm about to prove who's the better boxer, and that's me."

Both guys clearly want the smoke -- Davis (23-0) made that abundantly clear on Tuesday saying straight-up, "I will kill him."

"I’m being quiet and wait till that contract signed and then you will see the bad guy vs the good guy and I’m taking that role proudly."

These guys have been on a collision course for years ... back in early 2019, Floyd even offered to promote the fight if Garcia could get through some top-flight competition.

For his part, Garcia told us back in August a brawl with Davis "would be the biggest fight in boxing history."

This smiling little boy in stripes was born and raised in Akron, Ohio ... but grew up to become a worldwide superstar, thanks to his basketball skills.

Though raised by his mom, he also grew up with the family of a local youth football coach, who introduced him to hoops when he was 9 years old. He soon began playing AAU ball, where he excelled with his teammates.

He'd go on to attend a private Catholic high school and lead his team to a state title as a freshman ... and only gained more national -- and NBA -- attention from there. He was the first sophomore named Ohio Mr. Basketball as he led his team to another title, but after losing in the championship his junior year, he tried to enter the NBA early ... to no avail.

It's okay, though ... he won this third state title as a senior and became the #1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

The rest is pretty much history -- possibly the greatest history of all-time -- but he's still in the league adding to his legacy ... which is already chock-full of rings and MVP awards.

Antonio Brown not only physically assaulted a moving truck driver -- he also picked up a rock and threw it at the vehicle, causing even more damage ... this according to police.

TMZ Sports has obtained court docs in the AB alleged assault case in which the moving truck driver describes why Brown and his trainer attacked him during a routine drop-off Tuesday at Brown's Florida home.

The driver claims he was hired to deliver belongings AB had stored in California -- but when he arrived and demanded his $4,000 payment, Brown refused to hand over the cash.

The driver claims he tried to leave the home (with AB's property still in his truck) but Brown picked up a rock and threw it at the vehicle causing a dent and a paint chip on the driver's side door. The driver called police to report the vehicle damage.

A short time later, the driver was contacted by the moving company and asked him to go back to Brown's home to redeliver the goods ... telling him Brown was willing to make the initial $4,000 payment PLUS an additional $860 to cover damage to the truck and the extra work time.

Upon arrival, the driver claims AB gave him the $4,000 but refused to pay a cent more -- so again, they argued. But, this time, the driver says Brown forced his way into the driver's side of the main cabin and began to physically strike him.

Brown's associates eventually restrained the NFL star.

Vanessa Hudgens seems pretty interested in Kyle Kuzma ... because she's hitting up the world's most famous arena to watch him ball out!!!

The newly-single actress just pulled up to Madison Square Garden to check out Kyle and his Los Angeles Lakers as they take on the New York Knicks ... this after hanging out the night before.

TMZ broke the story ... Vanessa and Kyle sat down together Tuesday night for a super-intimate dinner in Brooklyn, laughing and having a great time over a bottle of wine.

So, it looks like Vanessa is going back for a second helping of Kuzma. She's definitely dressed to impress, just check out those boots!!!

As you know ... Vanessa is fresh off her split from Austin Butler. The exes dated for 9 years, and she seems intent on putting Austin firmly in the rearview.

All hell broke loose at the end of the Kansas vs. Kansas State game on Tuesday ... with the players getting in a bench-clearing brawl.

It all got started in the closing seconds of the Jayhawks' 81-60 win ... when K. State's DaJuan Gordon stripped the ball from Kansas' Silvio De Sousa to try for a last-second bucket.

De Sousa ended up catching up with Gordon, stuffed his layup attempt ... and then proceeded to stand on top of his opponent.

The 2 players started going at it -- and then both teams rushed over to defend their teammates.

That's when MAYHEM ensued ... with players, coaches and other staff members getting involved. Punches were thrown, kicks and even one player thought about using a stool before an assistant coach yanked it from him.

Cops on the scene eventually broke up the fight after several minutes ... and both teams went to the locker room to cool off.

The craziest part??? The teams ended up having to come BACK out on the court to finish the last 0.1 seconds left in the game so K. State could shoot technical free throws.

Of course, there WILL be punishment handed down ... so it's just a matter of time before the teams find out the consequences of the melee.

It's all over for Eli Manning ... the NY Giants QB just announced his retirement after 16 seasons in the NFL.

Giants co-owner John Mara says, "For 16 seasons, Eli Manning defined what it is to be a New York Giant both on and off the field."

"Eli is our only two-time Super Bowl MVP and one of the very best players in our franchise’s history. He represented our franchise as a consummate professional with dignity and accountability."

"It meant something to Eli to be the Giants' quarterback, and it meant even more to us. We are beyond grateful for his contributions to our organization and look forward to celebrating his induction into the Giants Ring of Honor in the near future."

There was some talk Eli could be looking to sign with another team and try to play a few more years ... but that seems unlikely now, with Manning set to hold a farewell presser.

The next big question for Eli ... will he end up in Canton?

Besides the 2 Super Bowl victories and MVP awards -- both against Tom Brady's Patriots -- Eli was also a 4-time Pro Bowler and started at QB for 210 games, 13 seasons! He's ranked 7th all-time in career passing TDs with 366.

On the flip side, Manning is 12th all-time for career interceptions with 244.

The Philadelphia Flyers say they found NO evidence to prove team mascot Gritty assaulted a 13-year-old boy in Nov. ... but now cops are investigating.

The Philadelphia Police Dept. has confirmed they're looking into a claim that the person inside the official Gritty costume punched a kid in the back at Wells Fargo Arena (where the Flyers play) during a Nov. 19, 2019 photo shoot fan event.

Chris Greenwell -- the father of the alleged victim -- told the Philadelphia Inquirer his son had "playfully patted" Gritty on the head after taking a picture ... but Gritty responded with real violence.

Greenwell claims Gritty "took a running start" and “punched my son as hard as he could" ... injuring the child.

The boy went to a chiropractor for treatment where he was diagnosed with a back bruise, according to Greenwell.

Greenwell says he attempted to remedy the situation through communication with officials from Flyers ownership ... but after talks soured between the two sides, he went to cops.

A Flyers spokesperson has issued a statement saying, "We took Mr. Greenwell’s allegations seriously and conducted a thorough investigation that found nothing to support this claim."

When reached by TMZ Sports on Wednesday ... Greenwell told us he's NOT considering a lawsuit against Gritty, adding, "I'm letting the police handle it."

Antonio Brown is in "desperate" need of "mental health treatment" -- so says the mother of his children who claims she's taking the kids and building a new life without the NFL star.

"Over the last few years I have stood at the side of my children’s father Antonio Brown and watched the rise and fall of an incredible man and athlete," Chelsie Kyriss said in an emotional Instagram post.

"Our children and I have distanced ourselves from him and our former home. Although we have parted ways I wish nothing but the best for him."

"Unfortunately, it seems Antonio has made questionable choices and continues to ignore the advice of those who love and support him."

Kyriss is obviously referencing the new assault allegations dogging AB -- after he allegedly attacked a moving truck driver outside of his Florida home on Tuesday.

Cops say AB is a suspect and they're working on getting an arrest warrant.