TMZ Sports - Page 50

Mark Cuban says he's already begun firing and suspending Dallas Mavericks front office employees over a Sports Illustrated article that paints the company as a nightmare place for female employees.

The article came out late Tuesday and contains quotes from several current and former female employees who say they experienced sexual harassment and "predatory sexual behavior" while working with the Mavs.

Among the allegations in the article ... former Mavericks president and CEO Terdema Ussery allegedly told one female employee, "You're going to get gang-banged, aren't you?"

When the woman told Ussery she was actually going to the movies with friends he replied, "No, you're definitely getting gang-banged." Terdema has denied the allegations.

Another claim from the article ... a former Mavs website writer committed multiple acts of domestic assault, including against a female employee he was dating.

Both employees -- Ussery and the writer are no longer with the team.

Cuban has essentially said he didn't know about the alleged incidents -- claiming he would speak with his head of human resources and was assured he didn't have a problem in the Mavs organization.

When he learned of the incidents via the Sports Illustrated reporters, Cuban says he immediately took action -- hiring an independent law firm to investigate and a 3rd party company to handle harassment complaints.

Cuban says he's also fired his head of H.R.

"I want to deal with this issue," Cuban told SI ... adding, "There's a problem in the Mavericks organization and we've got to fix it."

Miley Cyrus elevated Shaun White to Almighty status (holy hell ... check out that candle!!!). Just some of the perks of winning a gold medal.

Miley hung out with the Flying Tomato a week after he brought home gold for crushing the halfpipe event in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Dude landed back-to-back 1440s on his final run to help the U.S. clinch its 100th all-time gold medal at the Winter Olympics.

NFL superstar Aldon Smith is begging a judge to drastically reduce his child support obligations immediately ... claiming he can't keep up the high payments while suspended by the league.

28-year-old Smith hasn't played a snap in the NFL since 2015 -- when he was suspended for a hit and run arrest in which cops say he was also drunk. Smith says he's currently awaiting reinstatement.

The issue ... back in 2013, Smith was ordered to pay $9,007 per month in child support to his baby mama for their now 5-year-old son.

He has since fallen behind almost $79,000 in payments -- and he's concerned it's only going to get worse unless the judge cuts him a break.

Smith says, at the time the child support amount was determined, he was making $3 million per year ($250k per month) ... so he could easily afford the payments. But things have changed ...

"I have had no income since November 2015," Smith states in court docs obtained by TMZ Sports ... "I have done my best to stay current, but without an income I have fallen behind."

One source connected to the case tell TMZ Sports ... Smith is full of crap and continues to live a lavish lifestyle while blowing off child support.

Kevin Hart says he's got a foolproof plan to avoid picking up the check at epic dinners like the one he had with Eddie Murphy and Dave Chappelle -- and he also revealed who DID pay.

We got Kev Tuesday leaving the gym in Encino, and had to ask about the all-star comedy summit he attended Monday night at Mastro's Steakhouse -- Eddie, Dave, Chris Rock, Chris Tucker ... and Usher and Dwyane Wade, too.

Kevin explained why the boss move is offering to pick up the check before anyone else does -- and it's not because you WANT to pay. It's a good tip. Pun fully intended.

But best of all ... he told us which comedy legend threw down his Black Card (we're guessing) to cover the meal. We got most of the crew right after the meal, when they were all in great spirits, and now we know why -- the person who paid was NOT with them.

UFC legend Anderson Silva is still adamant he never knowingly used steroids -- but says if the positive test results are accurate, the only explanation is "contaminated supplements."

Silva tested positive for two banned substances in a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency drug test conducted back in October. Silva is now facing a maximum 4-year suspension from fighting.

But, "The Spider" tells TMZ Sports he would NEVER knowingly juice up -- saying it would be a "stupid" thing to do at the tail end of his career.

His explanation -- "Maybe the supplements I'm using are contaminated."

Silva says his lawyers are still fighting to clear his name -- and he's confident he'll fight again.

In fact, he's still focused on getting a fight with boxing legend Roy Jones Jr.

And get this ... if 42-year-old Silva IS banned for 4 years -- he does NOT plan on retiring ... insisting he'll still take a fight even in his late 40s because he loves the sport so much.

Bill Belichick didn't win the Super Bowl -- but he's winning at life.

Here's Bill's long-term girlfriend, Linda Holliday, stuntin' in a fishnet 1-piece somewhere a hell of a lot warmer than New England ... and lookin' damn good.

No sign of Bill -- guessing he's behind the camera in a hoodie.

It's the second beach pic Linda's shared since the Super Bowl ... but play time's over for her Coach Belichick, 'cause she also mentioned they just got back to Boston.

Sure Bill's stoked to get back to work -- though we bet he prefers hangin' with a half-naked Linda.

By the way, Bill and Linda reportedly met back in 2007 and began dating shortly after that. Since they've been together, the Patriots have been to 5 Super Bowls and won 2 of 'em.

Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly is glad the fans who heckled him for being a black hockey player were dealt with ... but he says it ain't enough.

"I don't really have all the answers, but something needs to change," Devante told TMZ Sports.

DSP was in the penalty box during a game at the United Center on Saturday ... when a group of nearby fans starting chanting "basketball" at him.

No surprise -- he was triggered.

Those 4 fans were booted from the arena -- and later hit with a lifetime ban -- but Devante told us addressing this one incident doesn't solve the larger problem.

"It shouldn't happen anywhere -- hockey, baseball, basketball -- it shouldn't happen in the world."

FYI, there have been several instances of black athletes dealing with racist fans in recent years.

Ex-Louisville basketball star Kevin Ware says he doesn't understand why the NCAA is forcing the school to vacate their 2013 NCAA Championship ... saying the sanctions are a "joke."

Ware was a member of that championship team -- but suffered a catastrophic leg injury that sidelined him during the Elite Eight round of the tournament.

Still, Ware says he's incredibly proud of his team -- despite the NCAA vacating the title and all of the team's wins due to the stripper sex party scandal involving players, recruits and team officials.

"It's a joke, honestly," Ware tells TMZ Sports ... "Just my personal opinion."

Ware says at the end of the day, Louisville still beat Duke, Wichita State and Michigan to win the tourney -- and the NCAA can't change that history.

Steph Curry's All-Star team lost to LeBron's Sunday, meaning his charity of choice received less than half the donation as Bron's ... until now.

Brotherhood Crusade was picked by Curry as the community outreach program to rep for the All-Star Game, which ended up getting $150k since Team Steph lost (LeBron's charity got $350k).

Charisse Bremond, president and CEO of the organization, tells TMZ ... Warriors exec Erika Glazer felt bad it didn't get the winning money, so she pledged to match the donation and give an extra $150k from her own pocket. We're told the check will be there by week's end.

Bremond says Glazer's donation and the Team Steph donation -- $300k total -- will go toward operating costs, bolstering a variety of programs for its kids, providing mental health services and paying its high-quality staff.

Brotherhood Crusade helps around 3,000 kids a year in South L.A. and was the unanimous choice by the stars on Team Steph to play for. Several kids from the program attended the All-Star festivities last weekend and got to meet the players.

If we told you we had video of Dwight Howard playing pick-up basketball with random gym dudes at San Diego State ... you'd probably expect to see DH destroying them, dunking repeatedly on their normal heads.

You'd be wrong ... because we actually have video of Howard hooping with some random gym dudes at San Diego State and the dude who got kinda dominated was Dwight.

Apparently Howard was looking for some fun Sunday night and hit up the Aztec Rec Center at San Diego State University to get some night ball in with the 100-ish kids in the gym.

Dope for those kids ... but it's not like they took it easy on him for blessing them with his presence -- they went at him hard, with one dude actually ripping Dwight on defense and then freaking a reverse dunk!

Dwight also horribly bricked a three.

Derrick Lewis is a VERY happy man after getting the W at UFC Fight Night in Austin -- 'cause he won ... but mostly 'cause his wife says she's ending his booty ban!!

The bad news -- we talked to Derrick and April the day after the fight ... and they told us he's too injured to get it on.

"The ban is over. I've been trying to get him all day, but he's tired," April told TMZ Sports.

"I don't got it in me, man -- I'm hurtin' ... I can't put in a half-assed performance, lay there like a starfish," Derrick added.

Lewis ain't lying -- showing us a serious injury he sustained early on vs. Marcin Tybura. It looks bad.

But, the Black Beast says he wants another fight soon ... and he's callin' out the scariest dude in the heavyweight division!

The chick who missed her shot at Steven Adams on Twitter 3 YEARS AGO says she's pumped the NBA star finally got back to her ... and she's still VERY down to go on a date!!

Social media has been blowing up after Adams went DEEP into his Twitter history to respond to a 2015 tweet from Lauren Myers -- who asked him to be her date to her law school prom.

On Monday, February 19, 2018 ... Adams wrote back, "Absolutely."

Better late than never right?! Well, that's how Myers feels.

In fact, the 28-year-old lawyer (she's since graduated law school and passed the bar) tells TMZ Sports she's down for a basketball game, dinner, bowling ... "anything would be fun!"

Myers says she initially hit Adams up because he was a young, unknown player at the time and she thought there was a good chance she'd get a response. She never imagined hearing back now!

Serena Williams says she "almost died" after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia -- if not for a team of super doctors who removed a large hematoma from her abdomen.

The tennis star says her daughter was born by an emergency C-section on Sept. 1 after Olympia's heart rate plummeted during contractions.

The surgery went smoothly, Serena said on CNN.com ... "But what followed just 24 hours after giving birth were six days of uncertainty."

Williams says she suffered a pulmonary embolism -- which is when a blood clot blocks one or more arteries in her lungs.

Serena contacted medical professionals -- but the coughing from the embolism got so bad, her C-section wound popped open and she required another surgery.

"The doctors found a large hematoma, a swelling of clotted blood, in my abdomen. And then I returned to the operating room for a procedure that prevents clots from traveling to my lungs."

Serena eventually made it home and was ordered to spend the next 6 weeks in bed.

She credits the "incredible medical team of doctors and nurses at a hospital with state-of-the-art equipment" -- and urges people to support UNICEF, which provides medical services to mothers and babies around the world.

Seemed like a good idea at the time ... but now Rick Pitino's celebratory Louisville back tattoo (commemorating the 2013 National Championship) -- is technically incorrect and Rick's got some decisions to make.

Remember, Rick promised his players in the middle of the season that he would get a Louisville logo with the team's record and the words "NCAA Champions" tatted on his left shoulder if they won the NCAA tourney.

Problem is ... the NCAA just vacated all of Louisville's wins from that season -- along with the national championship -- over the sex party scandal in which team officials paid escorts and strippers for dances and sex acts for recruits and players.

Also, Rick has since been fired from Louisville in the wake of allegations he participated in a scheme to essentially pay recruits. He's denied all allegations and is now suing the school.

So ... if you're Rick Pitino -- keep the tat? Laser remove the tat? Get a new tat over the old tat?

Either way ... sucks to be that guy.

The University of Louisville is being forced to vacate all basketball wins from the 2011-12 season through the 2014-15 season -- including their 2013 National Championship ... and it's all over the sex party scandal.

An NCAA investigation found "a former Louisville director of basketball operations acted unethically when he committed serious violations by arranging striptease dances and sex acts for prospects, student-athletes and others, and did not cooperate with the investigation."

The punishment was initially handed down in June 2017 -- but Louisville appealed. Now, the NCAA is upholding the ruling ... which means the banner is coming down.

As we previously reported, the allegations made headlines back in 2015 when self-described madam Katina Powell claimed U of L staff paid her more than $10,000 for dances and sex services from her stable of escorts.

In her book, Powell singles out ex-Louisville staffer Andre McGee -- a graduate assistant who became director of basketball operations -- claiming he was the point man who paid Powell.

Powell claims her stable of dancers included her own daughters -- and they would perform for Louisville players at various off-campus locations from 2010 to 2014.

After the dances, Powell claims she would negotiate a separate fee for the players to have sex with the women.

Charlotte Hornets rookie Malik Monk -- the 11th overall pick in the draft -- was involved in a car accident early Sunday morning ... and was cited by cops for careless driving.

According to police documents obtained by TMZ Sports, Monk was driving near the University of Arkansas around 5:46 AM when his red 2002 Lexus ran off the road and crashed into a gate.

University police responded and cited the 20-year-old for careless driving and no proof of insurance.

The car was pretty jacked up and was towed to a nearby impound lot. Monk was allowed to retrieve his personal items which included money, basketballs, shoes and jerseys.

Monk told police, "I was driving, looked down for a second then I just hit a bump. Happened fast."

No word if he was injured in the wreck. The Hornets don't play until Thursday.