TMZ Sports - Page 50

Muhammad Ali would have been in full support of NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem ... because his ex-wife tells TMZ Sports "he would've been right there with them."

Khalilah Ali -- who was married to the boxing legend from '67 to '76 -- says it brought tears to her eyes to watch all the players kneel "in unity" last weekend ... and thinks Muhammad would've been proud to see the protest he started continuing to this day.

Kim, Khloe and Kylie will make you a small fortune if they all pop out a bunch of baby boys ... but the odds are STACKED.

The gambling site BetOnline.ag -- one of the biggest gambling sites -- will pay out $3,300 for your $100 bet if they all give birth to boys. But as TMZ's reported ... Kim's surrogate is having a girl and Kylie's telling friends she's having a girl. So ... good luck with that.

But there are some safer bets:

+300 if they all have girls

+1400 if Kim's baby begins with K

+450 if Tyga tweets congrats to Kylie

Former boxing champ Mia St. John is technically retired ... but says there's one fighter who could lure her back into the ring -- UFC superstar Cris Cyborg!

One catch, though -- it's gotta happen at the Playboy Mansion.

We got Mia -- a former Playboy cover girl -- the day after Hugh Hefner's passing ... and she showed Hef mad love for exposing her to the world.

But when the convo turned to her career ... MSJ told us she was officially done -- UNLESS she gets offered a match with Cyborg at Hugh's legendary crib.

Cris says she wants to box, and Mia was in the first-ever mansion fight (yeah, Hef had those) ... so, maybe?

If it doesn't go down ... St. John's got another fight -- against the system she blames for her son's death.

Stevie Wonder is telling TMZ Sports exactly what the national anthem protests mean to him ... and why taking a knee does NOT disrespect the flag.

We asked Stevie about the NFL movement sweeping the country ... and he told us that it's a fight for respect and unity -- two things Donald Trump wasn't preachin' when he told NFL owners to fire their "SOB" players.

"People want to be respected ... the constitution's about everyone being respected," Stevie said.

"It's about stopping all this ... putting one group against the other group."

As for criticism that kneeling ain't patriotic -- "People have died for the flag -- everyone, every culture, every ethnicity -- so it's not about not valuing the flag."

FYI, the legendary singer joined the protest last weekend ... dropping to his knees in back-to-back concerts.

Matt Barnes says he's blessed to have won a ring with the Warriors ... but tells TMZ Sports the whole thing was "bittersweet."

Matt grinded 15 YEARS for a 'chip -- and says it was an "amazing experience" being a part of one of the greatest teams in NBA history ... but the injury he suffered right before the playoffs really put a damper on things.

"It's bittersweet 'cause I wanted to be out there crying and bleeding and sweating with my teammates," Barnes said ... "I had to sit back and watch our team win the finals."

Makes sense -- Barnes is one of the toughest competitors in pro sports ... so you can understand how hard it must have been to sit back and watch even when his team was dominating.

Overall, though, Matt says the experience was dope.

Just like the after-parties.

A Legends Football League star says the league's decision to ban players from kneeling for the national anthem is totally unfair, even though she thinks kneeling is a weak form of protest.

TMZ Sports spoke to Ogom Chijindu, one of the biggest stars in the LFL -- mostly for twerking on an opponent -- who says she doesn't at all agree with the policy requiring players to stand.

"We're supposed to have a 1st Amendment right is that not correct? So for someone, anyone, I don't care who it is to tell me I have to sit, stand, kneel, or do any type of gesture I feel is inappropriate."

That doesn't mean Ogom would be kneeling even if she could ... telling us while she totally agrees with Colin Kaepernick's politics, she thinks kneeling is a subservient act.

"Who told Colin Kaepernick to start kneeling instead of sitting, I'm not trying to be mean. I'm not sugarcoating it, it was a white Navy S.E.A.L."

*Note -- it was actually an Army Green Beret

O.J. Simpson will not be allowed to live in Florida after he's released on parole next week ... if the Attorney General of the State has her way.

A.G. Pam Bondi has sent a letter to the Florida Dept. of Corrections, objecting to O.J.'s apparent intention to relocate to Florida.

Bondi cites numerous reasons:

-- A lack of contrition for his crimes

-- A massive civil judgment in the Nicole Brown Simpson/Ron Goldman wrongful death case that Simpson has avoided paying

-- He was convicted of spousal battery against Nicole Brown Simpson

-- His reputation for destructive behavior, including road rage, breaking into a girlfriend's home, an arrest for speeding in his powerboat in a manatee zone and civil theft of television signals.

Bondi also says Simpson moving to Florida would create a burden on law enforcement because of his notoriety.

She's asking the Department to turn thumbs down if Simpson makes a request to live in the Sunshine State.

TMZ Sports has obtained Dennis Schroder's mug shot -- taken after he was arrested for fighting outside of an Atlanta area hookah bar early Friday morning.

As we previously reported, the Atlanta Hawks star was arrested -- along with 3 friends -- for allegedly jumping a dude following a heated verbal altercation around 2 AM.

Cops say they have surveillance video showing the 24-year-old shoving the victim -- before DS's friends began unloading punches and kicks.

The victim was hospitalized for non-life threatening injuries.

So far, no statement from Schroder.

The Las Vegas Metro Police Dept. says the body cam footage absolutely justifies why police took down Michael Bennett at gunpoint during a search for an active shooter ... saying it was NOT about race.

Bennett had claimed he was racially profiled in the early hours of August 27 -- when cops detained him outside the Cromwell hotel following the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight.

The footage shows a 3-man police team -- made up of 2 hispanic officers and 1 black officer -- identify Bennett as a suspicious person who did not get down on the ground as ordered during the hotel sweep.

Video shows Bennett crouching and running in the casino before bolting out of a hotel door, jumping over a gate and running to the street.

One of the officers quickly asks if the man running had a gun and then gives chase.

Once Bennett was detained, cops determined Bennett was not a shooter. They asked for ID. He said, "Michael Bennett. Seattle Seahawks. Look it up."

Cops took his advice and looked him up on their cell phones.

Cops say the body cam 100% proves the incident had nothing to do with race.

As for Bennett, he told officers he was scared and was only thinking about getting home to his 3 young daughters.

Oakland Raiders cornerback Sean Smith has been ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from the man he allegedly beat up on July 4, this according to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports.

Smith appeared in court today where he pled not guilty to felony assault charges.

During the hearing, Smith's attorney agreed to the terms of the protective order -- requiring Smith to stay 100 yards away from the victim. He's also banned from contacting the victim in any way.

Smith is also not allowed to own or possess a gun.

The terms of the protective order go into effect today.

As we previously reported, the victim was dating Smith's sister at the time of the alleged assault.

Kneeling for the national anthem ain't exactly an epidemic ... but those protests got no place on Team USA -- so says American soccer legend Alexi Lalas.

We got Lalas at LAX ... and the former USMNT star told TMZ Sports where he stood on the whole athletes-taking-a-knee debate.

"When you're representing your country for the national team ... you should be required to stand."

But to be clear -- "There's a difference between representing your country in the international game and representing your club."

Basically, Alexi doesn't have Donald Trump-level disgust with the NFL movement ... but he's takin' a stand when it comes to reppin' the red, white and blue.

Team USA's Jermaine Jones feels the same ... and doesn't think it's gonna happen in the MLS either.

Atlanta Hawks star Dennis Schroder shoved another man outside of a hookah bar in Georgia early Friday morning -- triggering a group beatdown that was all caught on video ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We've obtained the police report which shows the 24-year-old NBA star was hanging out with a group of friends around 2AM at a restaurant called 6AM, which is connected to a hookah bar.

Cops say they were called in response to a fight and when they arrived Schroder and his crew were trying to leave.

Cops found surveillance video which show Schroder and his friends in a "verbal heated exchange" with another man. But things escalated when Schroder threw the first shove -- triggering his friends to basically jump the guy.

"[The victim] was struck by hands and feet by the offenders."

Eventually, security broke up the fight. The victim was transported to the hospital with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries.

Schroder and his 3 friends were all arrested for battery.

The surveillance video was collected and submitted as evidence. Guessing the Hawks are gonna wanna see that.

O.J. Simpson is just days from becoming a free man after nearly a decade behind bars, but he may not get out early Monday morning because of the media.

Officials for the Nevada Dept. of Corrections tell TMZ, if the release point -- 30 miles outside of Vegas -- is swarmed by media, O.J. will not be set free. As one prison official put it, "We don't want another Princess Diana situation" ... the fear being a chase that could result in injury or death.

The concern is not just Simpson. Prison officials say they're worried innocent bystanders might be mowed down in a chase.

Prison officials say they've been notified media from all over the world will be at the release point and they believe European media is even more aggressive than American paparazzi and think the line will almost certainly be crossed.

Atlanta Hawks star Dennis Schroder was arrested for battery, according to police in Georgia -- and the team says its scrambling to gather info.

Details are scarce, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting the 24-year-old guard was busted on suspicion of battery, a misdemeanor. Police records confirm Schroder was arrested for battery.

The Hawks have issued a statement saying, "We are aware of an incident involving Dennis Schröder earlier this morning."

"We are still gathering information as it pertains to the situation, and out of respect for the legal process, we will have no further comment at this time."

Oakland Raiders cornerback Sean Smith just pled not guilty to felony assault over a July 4 incident in which he allegedly stomped out his sister's BF.

Officials say Smith -- who signed a $40 mil contract with the Raiders in 2016 -- went ballistic on the victim in the early hours of July 4. Investigators say witnesses identified Smith as the attacker.

Officials say the victim was beaten so badly, he was hospitalized in critical condition with multiple broken bones in his face.

Smith -- who posted $80,000 bond -- faces up to 7 years in state prison if convicted.

It was date night for Michael Jordan in NYC on Thursday.

Hot wife? Check.

Chauffeur driven SUV? Check.

MJ's trademark overly baggy dad pants? Check.

Expensive, rare Air Jordans? Of course.

The NBA legend took Yvette Prieto out to Marea bar and restaurant in Midtown. He was in a great mood. He was super nice to the paparazzi and fans on the street.

But we wanted to know what the face of one of the biggest shoe lines on the planet rocks out for a fancy dinner.

The answer -- it appears MJ's wearing the Air Jordan 1 Pinnacles ... brown leather kicks with 24K gold-plated accents. They retail for $400 a pair.

Wonder if he ever wears the same pair twice?