TMZ Sports - Page 8

LeBron James is making it clear -- any talk of a "beef" between him and Lakers boss Jeanie Buss is way overcooked.

The Lakers superstar addressed the swirling reports head-on after a loss to the Clippers on Thursday night and couldn't have sounded less concerned … flatly declaring he doesn’t care about what’s said about him.

"Quite frankly, I don't really care about articles," James told reporters. "I really don't. I don't care about stories, I don't care about podcasts and all that type of s***. It don't bother me. I'm 41 years old. I watch golf every day. I don't care about an article or how somebody feel about me."

LeBron acknowledged reading the ESPN article that sparked the chatter, noting there's "always two sides to the coin," but stressed that from the moment he arrived in L.A., his mission has been about restoring excellence to one of the NBA's most iconic franchises.

"At the end of the day, how I represented this franchise and what I wanted to do to represent this franchise – from when I got here 'til now – has been with the upmost respect and honor and dignity, I'd say loyalty," James said. "I mean, s***, I've played here longer than pretty much any other franchise I've played for besides Cleveland, and that was a seven and a four."

There has reportedly been behind-the-scenes frustration from Buss over LeBron's influence on the team. She allegedly was annoyed with him after the Lakers drafted James' son, Bronny ... believing the move deserved more gratitude.

Bron also pushed back on the idea that a lack of constant communication with Buss equals tension. According to James, that’s never been the dynamic -- and it's not unusual.

"Me and Jeanie never talk," he said, adding that their relationship has always been rooted in mutual respect and a strong partnership, not regular phone calls or check-ins.

As for the noise surrounding his name? He’s officially immune.

"There’s going to be another article tomorrow, especially involving me," James said.

Deion Sanders is finally opening up about his relationship with Karrueche Tran ... and he's crediting her for taking his life to the next level.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado Buffaloes head coach talked about the actress/model on his latest episode of "We Got Time Today" with Rocsi Diaz ... where he explained what he loves about his new partner.

"Good woman, good person," Sanders said about Tran.

Fit Fernando Mendoza for a gold jacket now -- the Indiana superstar's teammate, Mikail Kamara, tells TMZ Sports he's confident the quarterback is destined for greatness at the next level!!

Kamara -- the CFP Defensive Player of the Game -- gave Mendoza his flowers this week ... fresh off their 27-21 win over the Miami Hurricanes.

The defensive end praised Mendoza as a passionate, smart, tough QB ... and said whichever team selects him in the 2026 NFL Draft (where he is projected to be No. 1 overall) will have a bright future.

"No matter what teams end up drafting him, they're going to get, you know, a future Hall of Famer," Kamara said.

A push from "Heated Rivalry" helped a real-life hockey player share his truth about his sexuality ... and now he hopes to be a source of inspiration, too.

After tuning in to the hit show about rivals-turned-lovers, Minnesota native Jesse Kortuem decided to pen his coming-out story earlier this month ... and it’s turning into a mission bigger than the sport.

We caught up with Kortuem in NYC on Wednesday to see how his message is being received.

It was a high-stakes day at TMZ, when Harvey challenged UFC honcho Dana White to a high-stakes game of Blackjack.

Dana was here to promote Saturday's UFC 324 -- the first fight on Paramount+ -- featuring Gaethje vs. Pimblett.

Dana agreed to play the game that has made him a legend at Vegas casinos ... and it turned into a nail-biting contest of the expert vs. the novice. Harvey's decisions made it clear ... he didn't know what the hell he was doing.

Former NFL player Kevin Johnson -- a member of the Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders -- passed away this week, TMZ Sports has learned.

He was 55 years old.

Johnson was found dead near a homeless encampment in L.A. on Tuesday. According to the medical examiner, his cause of death was listed as blunt head trauma and stab wounds. The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department is investigating it as a homicide.

There are questions surrounding the death of Colts owner Jim Irsay ... to the point where the matter is now reportedly under FBI investigation.

The documents, obtained by The Washington Post, revealed a federal grand jury subpoena was issued earlier this month, requesting information on Irsay's May 21, 2025 death, and his "substance (illegal and prescription) use."

The FBI is also seeking records and info on Irsay's relationship to Dr. Harry Haroutunian, a California-based addiction specialist.

6:03 PM PT -- A rep for Kansas City PD tells TMZ ... "Generally we do not comment in pending litigation to ensure fairness for all sides involved. Anything we have previously said on the subject in the process of your reporting is available for use, but nothing further at this time."

Trey Songz is fighting back about an arrest that happened half a decade ago ... suing the Kansas City Police Department over an incident at a Kansas City Chiefs NFL playoff game.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Trey claims he was at the AFC Championship Game between the Chiefs and Buffalo Bills in January 2021 and was in his seat at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri when folks nearby started heckling him because of his celeb status.

Trey claims the verbal heckling escalated to threats and harassment, resulting in security and police being called to his seat ... and we were first to obtain video of the police interaction.

David and Victoria Beckham are not fearful, or devastated, over son Brooklyn Beckham's prenuptial agreement with wife Nicola Peltz, despite reports suggesting otherwise ... cause TMZ has learned the narrative couldn't be further from the truth.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the Beckhams are not worried, afraid, or losing any sleep over Brooklyn's prenup. We're told it's the complete opposite ... both families were always supportive of a prenup, and no one involved views it as controversial, controlling, or alarming in any way.

The reports, first pushed by a UK tabloid, painted a dramatic picture claiming David and Victoria believe Brooklyn has been "absorbed" into the Peltz family, alienated from his own, and financially vulnerable if the marriage ends. One source even alleged Brooklyn was "being held captive" ... a claim our sources flat-out call ridiculous.

TMZ Sports is going live from the newsroom to discuss the day's biggest stories ... but we don't just want folks to watch and enjoy the conversation, we want y'all to get involved!!

Hit the comment section as Babcock, Lucas, Dylan, Luca, and the whole crew break down the most important topics of the day ... and we'll be interacting with viewers throughout the program between 1 and 2 PM PT.

YouTube, X, TikTok ... we're everywhere.

So tune in, make fun of us, share your two cents, sound off about your favorite team ... nothing is out of bounds.

Sherrone Moore appeared in court on Thursday ... and he looked to be in great spirits with his wife, Kelli, by his side.

The former Michigan Wolverines football coach wore a dark suit and black tie as he walked into the Washtenaw County courthouse ... where he went before Judge J. Cedric Simpson to address his December 2025 arrest.

Kelli -- who shares three daughters with Sherrone -- did not look as thrilled.

Moore's lawyer, Ellen Michaels, spoke with reporters after Thursday's court appearance, emphasizing that her client is "innocent of these charges."

Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie of the hit show "Heated Rivalry" are slated to take their star power to a global stage ... as they have been announced as torchbearers for the Olympics!!

News of their involvement dropped Thursday morning ... but it was not revealed when exactly the two would be strapping up their running shoes for the Olympic tradition in Italy. The torch is currently on its way to Trieste, about 262 miles from Milan.

It's no surprise that the 2026 Winter Games tapped the two for the torch relay ... as their show has taken the world by storm ... which features two hockey players hiding their relationship.

Brandin Cooks is still fired up over the uber-controversial potential-catch-ruled-interception ... and he’s not holding back!

The Buffalo Bills wide receiver (momentarily) reeled in a deep ball in overtime of Sunday’s Divisional Round matchup with Denver, which would've put the Bills in field goal range -- except Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian yanked the ball away.

Referees controversially ruled it an interception in favor of McMillian ... but Cooks disagrees, telling NFL Network he caught the ball, full stop.

“At the end of the day, it was a catch,” Cooks said. “Not just what it looked like, but what it felt like. You see examples throughout the league all year and in previous years, and you’re like, ‘Wait a minute. If that was a catch, then there’s no-brainer that this was a catch.’”

Naomi Osaka found herself in a ton of drama Down Under ... with a match ending in a tense handshake and some serious shade in a post-match interview -- but she has since apologized for it all.

The 28-year-old tennis superstar went up against Sorana Cirstea in the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday ... and her opponent took issue with her yelling "Come on!" after several points, even complaining to the judge about the matter.

After Osaka secured the W in three sets, the two met at the net ... and it was anything but cordial.

Alijah Arenas hit the hardwood for the first time since almost losing his life in a fiery car crash, and the 5-star recruit didn't waste any time reminding fans he was back, pulling off a filthy behind-the-back move, sending the defender stumbling, and finishing with a slick layup!

The move brought the fans to their feet ... just 5 minutes and change into USC's game against Northwestern.

Arenas has been sidelined since the summer with a knee injury -- which came after surviving a terrifying Tesla Cybertruck crash in April -- that left him trapped in a burning vehicle, which he escaped, thanks to a group of good Samaritans.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee was briefly detained at LAX on Wednesday night after returning from South Korea without proper documentation ... but the athlete has since been released from immigration detention after resolving the issue.

Lee was flying back stateside to attend the Giants FanFest event in San Ramon on Saturday, when he ran into a hiccup the team called a "paperwork issue."

"The matter was quickly clarified with the appropriate authorities, and he has since been cleared to continue his travel," the team said in a statement. "We appreciate the professionalism of all parties involved."