TMZ Sports - Page 50

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns says he was hit by a drunk driver in Los Angeles before the 2020-21 NBA season ... and he was hospitalized.

The 25-year-old went public about the incident Thursday night during a social media Q&A with fans ... when he was asked how he's stayed strong after overcoming so much over the past few years.

Of course, KAT has been through a lot ... especially when it comes to COVID. He lost his mother to the virus back in April -- and several other family members have died since.

Also, KAT tested positive for COVID earlier this month -- but seems to be doing okay.

Towns gave a ton of credit to his girlfriend Jordyn Woods -- saying she's been there for him through it all ... including a car accident nobody knew about.

"My woman has held me down more than the world knows," Karl-Anthony said ... "From my mother and family members dying (1 on her bday in Cabo), getting hit by a drunk driver (was 2pm in the afternoon FYI) in LA this off-season and staying with me in the hospital for the night and helping me in rehab."

He also credited Jordyn for helping him through his current stint with COVID.

"My love for her knows no bounds and I would be remiss if I don't acknowledge the power a good woman can have in your life."

Surreal scene Down Under ... tennis fans PACKED a stadium to watch tune-up games for the Australian Open -- with masks nowhere to be found!!!

... and Serena Williams loved every second of it!!!

Don't worry -- this wasn't a super-spreader event ... because of strict quarantine rules and other regulations in place to fight COVID, Australia is actually a coronavirus-free area.

In fact, officials announced Friday the entire country hasn't had a positive case in nearly two weeks!!!

So, an estimated crowd of around 4,000 jammed into an arena in Adelaide on Friday to watch tennis stars like Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic prep for the Aussie Open ... and it was all awesome.

Check out the pics ... fans were shoulder to shoulder, with no masks and no social distancing -- and no worries at all of getting sick.

As for the players, they were all forced to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arriving in Australia to ensure they didn't spread the virus ... and most had expressed publicly how difficult that was.

Williams, though, spoke after her match with Osaka and was grateful the rules and regulations allowed her and others to play maskless and without fear of catching COVID.

"We haven't played in front of a crowd in over a year," Williams said. "So it's been a really long time. So this is really cool."

Serena thanked the Australian crowd for "having us and trusting us with your laws" -- adding, "We were so happy just to be here and now it's worth it."

Yeah, he's a YouTube kid ... but don't count out Jake Paul in his scrap against Ben Askren, so says Joe Rogan who thinks Jake has real talent.

Joe was talking about the April 17th boxing match on his podcast with ex-UFC fighter Brendan Schaub -- who strongly believes Askren is gonna beat that ass.

Schaub's point is Askren is too accomplished and too experienced as a high-level combat sports athlete to lose to a 24-year-old with only 2 pro fights under his belt.

Schaub also says both of Jake's opponents -- including ex-NBA star Nate Robinson -- were bums with essentially zero fighting experience.

Meanwhile, Askren has been in real, full-contact fights with some elite strikers -- which gives him a tremendous advantage.

Still, Rogan says Askren isn't really known as a stand-up striker -- and without being able to use his elite wrestling skills, it definitely levels the playing field.

"[Ben Askren] is strong as f**k. He knows how to grab ahold of guys, and drag them to the ground and implement his style. He won’t be able to do that. His main thing will be out. His main thing will be completely removed."

As for Jake, Rogan says he's impressed from what he's seen so far.

"You can watch [Jake Paul] hit the bag, watch him hit pads, watch him spar -- he’s got good timing, he’s got very good hand speed, his technique is excellent," Rogan said.

"He’s got very good striking technique."

Brandon Marshall has the solution to all of Deshaun Watson's woes with the Texans -- telling TMZ Sports EVERYTHING can be resolved by forcing a trade to New York!!!

"The New York Jets are the perfect landing spot for Deshaun Watson," the ex-NFL star receiver says.

As for why ... Marshall -- who played two years of his NFL career with NYJ -- says it's simple, the team can offer him anything he wants.

"The salary cap, we got around $68, $69 million available," Marshall says. "Who do you want?!"

The 36-year-old -- STAR on HBO's "Inside the NFL" show and founder of House of Athlete -- says the Jets would be willing to buy any free agent, including former Bears star Allen Robinson, to make it all work out.

In fact, Marshall says NY brass would even give him some say on who the team should draft!!

"He's going to turn this thing around," Marshall says. "And, we've been waiting for someone like him to lead the way."

Of course, the Texans would have to be amenable to jettisoning Watson first ... but all indications are pointing toward Watson holding out if he isn't traded.

So, DW to NY?!

By the way, Marshall has some really cool stuff going on this offseason besides recruiting for the Jets.

With the cancellation of the NFL's annual combine (thanks, COVID), Brandon says he's holding his own showcase down in Florida to help athletes and teams alike prepare for the NFL draft.

This is actually super impressive ...

Jerry Rice -- the greatest WR of all time -- hauled in a 100-yard flying burrito shot out of a frickin' cannon ... and the raw video is way more impressive than you'd think!!!

Here's the deal ... Rice was shooting a spot for Postmates in which he was supposed to run a streak down the sideline and catch a burrito wrapped in foil.

Seems easy, right?

Watch the video below -- it was actually really tough!!! Jerry explains the burrito hangs in the air for a long time and moves a lot with the wind, so it's super hard to track down.

Even the great Jerry Rice -- whose hands are legendary -- couldn't get a grip on the flying burrito on the first shot.

The cannon operator asked Jerry if he wanted to chow down on the food in between takes -- but Rice wouldn't have it ... telling the guy he needed to make the catch before enjoying the meal.

Gotta respect the work ethic!!

By the way, props to 58-year-old Rice who was sprinting up and down the field -- 100 yards at a time!! This dude is still in crazy good shape!

Patriots star Patrick Chung is urging people to help a high school hockey player who was seriously injured in an on-ice crash ... saying, "I couldn’t imagine as a parent having to deal with this."

The story of A.J. Quetta is heartbreaking ... the Bishop Feehan H.S. athlete slammed head-first into the boards during a game Tuesday night, and it's now unclear if he'll ever be able to move his body again.

School officials say he's currently being treated at Massachusetts General Hospital ... and now, Chung and others are pleading for donations for help with the boy's medical bills.

Chung shared Quetta's GoFundMe page on his Instagram on Wednesday ... writing, "Crushes my heart man."

"Whatever you can do to help with medical bills etc. $10, $20, s*** $1 is good, anything from all the people that follow me and have some kind of heart."

Chung added he's "donated my thousands" to help ease the burden off Quetta's family.

The Boston Bruins, meanwhile, threw their support behind Quetta on Wednesday as well ... writing in a statement, "The Boston Bruins are sending best wishes to Bishop Feehan hockey player A.J. Quetta."

"We are keeping A.J., his family, and the Bishop Feehan community in our hearts during this very difficult time."

Quetta's family had initially hoped to raise $10,000 for his medical bills ... but as of Thursday morning, they had received well over $250,000.

"With your donations, we can get him to the best doctors to do everything we can to get him better," the Quetta family said in a statement. "We have so much hope!"

Here's proof Odell Beckham Jr. might seriously not be human ...

Just 2.5 months after having major knee surgery -- Beckham was going HARD in the weight room, putting what appeared to be over 300 pounds on his back and lunging!

The Cleveland Browns star shared a glimpse into his Thursday lift sesh on social media ... and the video is impressive as hell considering what his left knee has been through.

You'll recall, OBJ tore his ACL in the 1st quarter of Cleveland's Oct. 25 game against the Cincinnati Bengals ... and he had surgery a few weeks later in early November.

Beckham didn't wait too long to begin the rehab process ... he posted clips in December showing him getting in some squats.

But, now ... look at the guy -- he's SERIOUSLY getting after it in the gym!!

In the Thursday footage, Beckham -- with what looks like 315 pounds on his shoulders -- got in some leg work ... and then hit some machines for some ladder cardio.

One might say Mark Cuban's got a baby shark on his hands -- his 11-year-old son got in on the Robinhood craze, but in just one day he learned some tough lessons.

The "Shark Tank" star joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and told us all about his fam's newest trader, Jake, who was flying high Wednesday, when he opened his Robinhood account and picked up a couple shares of AMC and BlackBerry.

Mark says Jake was riding high as he turned his first trades into seemingly easy money -- but like millions of investors, Thursday morning turned into a learning experience for him.

Pop had to break it down for Jake -- what goes up sometimes comes way down. Like, way down.

Fortunately for Jake, his father is a billionaire, so this lesson won't cost him everything -- he only invested about $100, anyway. But, watch the clip ... Mark taught his son something else about how to react when a stock you like suddenly plummets.

Stock school aside, Jake is ticked off about Robinhood shutting down trades -- and Mark told us why the free-trading app has some explaining to do.

Ron Rivera - 1, Cancer - 0!!!

The Washington Football Team head coach is officially cancer free Thursday ... this according to Rivera's daughter, Courtney.

As we previously reported, Rivera was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma back in August ... just one month before his first season as head coach of the WFT.

Being the badass he is, 59-year-old Rivera remained with the team throughout his 7 rounds of cancer treatment -- and never missed a game during his battle.

Rivera spoke about the toll the meds had taken on his body during the season ... saying the fatigue he's experienced felt like a "300-pound gorilla on your back."

Rivera was able to ring the bell following his last round of treatment on Oct. 26 ... just in time to help Washington make a playoff run.

"Thank you all for the love and prayers," Courtney said on Twitter on Thursday. "just got off the phone with mom and dad leaving the hospital @RiverboatRonHC is officially cancer free!!!"

Think twice about getting the dip and callin' the bros for The Big Game ... L.A. county health officials are now warning people NOT to party for the Super Bowl, saying it could lead to the spread of COVID.

Coronavirus experts in Los Angeles made the announcement this week ... saying if people host large gatherings for the Chiefs vs. Bucs next weekend, it could be dire.

"Don’t organize a party at home," L.A. County public health director Barbara Ferrer said. "Don’t go to a Super Bowl party."

Ferrer added, "It will be tragic if the Super Bowl becomes a super-spreader of coronavirus."

The COVID numbers in L.A. are some of the worst in the nation ... with over 1 million people having been diagnosed in the county throughout the past year.

And, despite positivity rates finally starting to slowly decline, Ferrer and the rest of the county's health officials are urging people to not let their guard down -- even if it's just for a few hours to watch football.

"Each of us needs to make very careful choices about what we do," Ferrer said. "Please don’t resume socializing with lots of people not in your household."

If a social gathering is an absolute must ... Ferrer did lay out some guidelines -- explaining the event should consist of only one or two households that have been stable and safe.

The Denver Broncos aren’t in the NFL Playoffs, but no sweat for star RB Phillip Lindsay ... he’s got a ring on the way -- a wedding ring!!

26-year-old Lindsay -- the 1st undrafted offensive player to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie back in 2018 -- popped the question to longtime GF Morgan Stanton ... and she said yes!!

Lindsay and Stanton were having dinner at a fancy restaurant ... when the NFL star dropped down on 1 knee and pulled out the big rock.

The couple has been together for a long time. They both attended the University of Colorado. Morgan was on the soccer squad ... and Lindsay was a star on the football team.

Stanton also gave birth to the couple’s first child last year.

FYI, Lindsay is set to be a free agent after a red-hot start to his career ... registering back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. It’s unclear if he’ll return to the Broncos.

Stanton announced the engagement on social media, saying ... “You have exceeded every expectation I have ever had in terms of friend, partner and parent. So lucky I get to love you forever.”

Josie Canseco says she has completely blocked her ex-MLB slugger dad out of her life ... that is, until the former Bash Brother stops publicly feuding with her ex, Logan Paul.

Of course, 56-year-old Jose Canseco has been going after the 25-year-old Internet superstar for months on social media ... vowing to whoop the dude's ass over his breakup with Josie.

Now, Jose's model daughter is finally breaking her silence on her dad's "f***ing rampage" on Twitter ... calling the whole situation "selfishly embarrassing."

"When it comes back to character, integrity, I don't f*** with those selfish moves," Josie said on the "Between Good & Evil" podcast with Charlotte D'Alessio.

"It's just embarrassing. What are you doing, father? Dad, help. Explain to me, please. Why are you being this way?"

Josie says she told Jose exactly how she felt about the beef with Logan ... and it wasn't pretty.

"I went off, I ripped him a new a**hole," Josie said ... adding Jose clapped back by telling her she had no control over his social media antics.

Josie explained her frustration about the whole ordeal ... saying, "I don't f*** with that fake internet s***. I just do not care. I don't need press. I don't need publicity. I don't care to be famous. I don't care for attention."

As for her relationship with Paul, Josie admits the couple "went through some s***," but still have love for each other and remain very close.

In other words, Josie is accusing her dad of making the breakup seem more dramatic to get more hype around a potential fight with Logan.

"I'm just like, 'Fine, then I won't speak to you as long as you're doing this and bringing in my personal life, my relationship, to your social media for attention and for money and for clout.

She owns the tennis court. Now, Naomi Osaka owns a pro women's soccer team too!

The 23-year-old superstar just bought an ownership stake in the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League -- and it's all part of her plan to grow women's sports throughout the country.

The Courage are the reigning NWSL champions -- and have been one of the most dominant teams in the league over the past few years.

Unclear how much Osaka paid for her ownership stake -- but she can certainly afford it ... Forbes says she was the highest-paid female athlete in the world in 2020, raking in more than $37 MILLION.

So, why the NWSL? Osaka says it was extremely important to her to invest in women's sports -- and she felt the NWSL was the perfect place to start.

"Throughout my career I've always received so much love from my fellow female athletes, so that's why I am proud to share that I am now an owner of the NC Courage," Osaka tweeted Thursday.

"The women who have invested in me growing up made me who I am today, I don't know where I would be without them,"

Osaka also told People she had been wanting to invest in an NWSL team for a while -- and ultimately felt the Courage was the perfect fit for her.

"I love that young girls can now look to professional soccer as a realistic sporting career," Osaka said ... "When I was young it felt like tennis -- and maybe golf -- was the only option."

Osaka joins a star-studded group of women who recently invested in NWSL teams -- including Candace Parker, Billie Jean King, and Patrick Mahomes' fiancee Brittany Matthews.

Stephen Malik -- who bought the Courage in 2017 -- said he's "thrilled" to welcome Osaka to the ownership group ... saying, "She brings an invaluable viewpoint on topics beyond sports."

"I cannot think of anyone better to help us as we continue to make a difference in our community and inspire the next generation of women."

Jake Paul wants to knock out Ben Askren FASTER than Jorge Masvidal -- so he linked up with the UFC superstar to learn the ways of the master!

Check out Jake and Jorge training together in Miami -- where Gamebred is teaching the 24-year-old a running, punch attack ... similar to the flying knee he threw at Askren's head back in 2019.

Remember, 36-year-old Jorge knocked out Ben in 5 SECONDS at UFC 239 -- setting the record for the fastest knockout in UFC history.

Now, with Paul set to face Askren in a pro boxing match on April 17, he's decided to bring in Masvidal to his training sessions to get a little instruction from the UFC's reigning B.M.F. champion.

Check out the video ... Paul practices the running right hook several times -- and looks pretty good. At one point he tells Jorge, "I'm gonna beat your time!"

Of course, Jorge throws a more violent version of the running punch -- but that guy has been fighting for decades ... he's got a little more experience on his side!

For his part, Ben -- an accomplished MMA fighter with multiple championships under his belt -- thinks Jake Paul is in completely over his head ... and he predicts a violent ending to the YouTube star's boxing career when they clash in April.

David Culley can NOT save the Texans' relationship with Deshaun Watson ... 'cause despite Houston agreeing to hire the new head coach, the team's superstar still wants out.

The quarterback made it clear this month, according to multiple reports ... officially demanding a trade from the org. just a few months after signing a 4-year, $156 MILLION contract extension with the team.

And, because of a no-trade clause in his deal, Watson will now get to pick where he's shipped off to if Houston's brass ultimately relents to his demands.

The issues between the 25-year-old and the Texans are well-documented at this point ... Watson wanted a big say in the team's GM and head coach hires -- and he reportedly got none of it.

In fact, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday that Watson hasn't even spoken to new Texans GM Nick Caserio since his hiring earlier this month.

Shannon Sharpe, meanwhile, said on FS1's "Undisputed" on Thursday that Watson is "willing to play hardball" in order to get out of Houston.

Of course, the ramifications of a trade for both the Texans and the rest of the NFL are massive ... Watson is one of the game's brightest stars -- and giving him away would cripple the Texans' org. for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, a trade to a team like the NY Jets or Chicago Bears could suddenly vault them into Super Bowl contention.

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly under police investigation in Italy for allegedly violating the country's strict COVID rules to take his girlfriend on a fancy ski trip.

Multiple news outlets in Italy say Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez traveled from Turin to Courmayeur earlier this week, which is not allowed at the moment.

Courmayeur is located in Aosta Valley, which is reportedly off-limits to visitors currently because the region is located in a medium-to-high risk orange zone, according to Sky Sports.

Italy has been hit extremely hard by COVID -- with more than 2.5 million cases and 86,000 deaths. More than 500 people died from COVID on Tuesday alone. And, daily cases are reportedly on the rise.

The Juventus superstar reportedly set up a 2-day birthday ski getaway for Georgina, who turned 27 on Jan 27. Video has circulated on social media showing Ronaldo and Georgina on a snowmobile.

Neither Ronaldo nor his girlfriend have been formally accused of any wrongdoing -- but police in the city of Aosta are reportedly looking into the trip to see if they broke the law.