Shareef O'Neal Shaq's Son Leaving UCLA ... Emotional Goodbye
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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.
Guess Who This Suspenders Star Turned Into!!!
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.
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Antonio Brown Arrest Warrant Issued ... Beware Of Guns
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5:10 PM PT -- An arrest warrant has been formally issued for Antonio Brown for burglary with battery, stemming from the Tuesday altercation in front of his Florida home.
The arrest warrant warns officers that Brown has a concealed weapons permit "and is known to carry."
"Brown had a firearm stolen out of Dade County in 2018. Officers should use caution when approaching Brown, as he is known for being confrontational when dealing with police."
Story developing ...
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 I Can't Get Enough Kuzma ... Gotta Watch Him Ball!!!
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.
The big question now ... did Kuz hook Vanessa up with tix, and will she be a good luck charm?!?
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Kylie Jenner & Travis Scott Together with Stormi at Disney ... First Time Since 'Thirst Trap' Squabble
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Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott got back to their co-parenting ways thanks to the magic of Walt Disney World ... showing they're still cool, despite ending 2019 on a bad foot.
The exes were spotted together Wednesday with their daughter, Stormi, at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando ... taking a ride on Peter Pan's Flight. It's the first time we've seen all 3 together, in one public photo, in several months.
They went to a pumpkin patch together in October but didn't snap any full family pics -- and before that ... ya gotta go all the way back to Travis' Netflix premiere in August.
Our sources say Trav joined Kylie and Stormi, along with the rest of the Kardashian/Jenner clan, as sort of an early bday treat for their daughter. She turns 2 next weekend.
Aerosmith Joey Blocked from Band Rehearsal by Security Guards
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4:19 PM PT -- We've obtained video from over the weekend showing Joey arrive at an Aerosmith Grammy rehearsal in L.A. only to be turned away by two security guards. The guards make it clear, they were given the orders to refuse Joey's entry by the other 4 members of the band.
Joey says he was given a rehearsal schedule from the band on January 18 and flew to L.A. the next day ... that's where the video picks up.
Joey tells TMZ, "The band waited until January 15th to tell me that they weren’t letting me play at the awards ceremonies this week. I can hold my head high knowing that I did the right thing – to fight for my right to celebrate the band’s success that I have dedicated the better part of my life to helping build."
He continues, "The band’s offer to allow me to participate in this week’s MusiCares and Grammy celebrations for red carpet photo ops only, is appreciated; however, with a fill-in drummer playing on stage at two events honoring our collective musical contributions, it is extremely hurtful to me. I am a professional musician who is eager to return to my rightful place with Aerosmith."
2:36 PM PT -- A rep for Aerosmith tells us the band won't be commenting as they consider it a family matter.
Aerosmith's drummer, Joey Kramer, got shut down in court ... after a judge ruled against him rejoining the band for its upcoming Grammy performance.
The judge said Joey didn't make a convincing enough case for playing with bandmates when they take the stage for Sunday's award show, and also for Saturday night's MusiCares gala.
In his ruling, the judge seemed to agree with Aerosmith's stance that Joey's just too rusty for a live performance at this point. He said, "Given that Kramer has not played with the band in 6 months and the dearth of available rehearsal time before the upcoming performances, Kramer has not shown a realistic alternative course of action sufficient to protect the band's business interests."
Wendy Williams Divorce is Official
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Wendy Williams is officially a single lady -- cue Beyonce -- this according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ.
The TV host's final judgment got the judge's stamp of approval Tuesday in New Jersey. The docs include some interesting tidbits about who gets what.
The Livingston, NJ house she and Kevin Hunter put up for sale is eventually gonna be split down the middle -- 50/50. Wendy gets to keep a crib they have in Florida, where her mom lives. Kevin, meanwhile, gets to keep the proceeds from another house he owned and recently sold in Morristown, NJ.
The docs say they each owned equal shares of their production company, and apparently Kevin is going to sell off his part of it to Wendy. She'll be the sole owner, but she's paying him a lump sum, plus a severance package. The amounts are confidential.
Lala Kent & Randall Emmett Meryl Streep Big Timed Us at SAG!!! But for De Niro, So ...
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"Vanderpump Rules" stars Lala Kent and Randall Emmett can wear it like a badge of honor now, 'cause the way they got subtly dissed by Meryl Streep ... turned out to be pretty epic.
Lala and her fiance were on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and we asked them about rubbing elbows with Meryl Sunday night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. If ya missed it, Lala was giddy about getting seated near Meryl and Adam Driver inside the Shrine Auditorium.
Her social media totally blew up when viewers saw her proximity to Queen Meryl -- but Lala and Randall told us things went a little south when they tried to get up close and personal.
You gotta see them describe the moment Randall tried to make an introduction. Not every day your moment gets hijacked by the likes of Robert De Niro!!!
Turns out producing "The Irishman" -- as Randall did -- is a lot easier than producing a pic with Meryl.
The good news ... Lala and Randall still got their photo op, even though it was just in the background of Iain Armitage's pic with Meryl.
Lala and Randall are hoping they get a second shot with their new podcast, "Give Them Lala ... With Randall." They have a few Oscar winners on their wish list of guests.
Watch the clip to see Lala prove she's ready for an Al Pacino sit-down!
If they can keep De Niro away, that is.
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Juice WRLD Died from Accidental OD of Oxycodone
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Juice WRLD died from an accidental overdose ... according to the Cook County Medical Examiner.
The M.E.'s Office says it found Oxycodone and codeine in his system and determined he died from toxic levels of those drugs.
TMZ broke the story ... Juice WRLD died in early December following a drug bust at Midway Airport in Chicago. Witnesses believed the rapper had swallowed a bunch of Percocet pills in an attempt to hide them from the feds. He ultimately suffered seizures, which proved fatal.
We should note Oxycodone is the main active ingredient in Percocet. Juice often rapped and talked about abusing lean -- aka codeine cough syrup. So, the presence of codeine in his system adds up.
As we reported, after Juice WRLD's death his mother, Carmella Wallace, told us her son had "battled with prescription drug dependency." She told us her hope was that Juice's openness about his struggles would help others dealing with the same issues.
The feds also found 70 pounds of weed in multiple vacuum-sealed bags inside luggage from the private jet. But, as we reported ... it doesn't appear anyone will be charged for the weed.
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Kansas vs. Kansas State Massive Brawl Breaks Out Suspensions Handed Down
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3:04 PM PT -- The Big 12 Conference just announced the official punishments for the brawl ... and it seems pretty light.
Kansas players Silvio De Sousa was suspended 12 games and David McCormack was suspended 2 games.
Kansas State's James Love was handed an 8-game punishment and Antonio Gordon was suspended 3 games.
Commissioner Bob Bowlsby released a statement on the incident ... saying “This kind of behavior cannot be tolerated and these suspensions reflect the severity of last evening’s events. I am appreciative of the cooperation of both institutions in resolving this matter.”
Worth noting -- all the players will be back from suspension in time for the Big 12 and the NCAA tournaments
10:11 AM PT -- Kansas coach Bill Self says Silvio De Sousa has been suspended indefinitely while the Big 12 investigates the altercation.
De Sousa was the player who held a stool over his head during the fight.
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.
Originally published -- 7:36 PM PT
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Justin Bieber Serves Up Grilled Cheese & Fish Tacos In 'Yummy' Food Truck
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Justin Bieber has a promising career as a food truck vendor if he ever gets sick of writing music and touring the world.
Bieber and James Corden were slinging grilled cheese sandwiches and fish tacos from the Yummy Food Truck Wednesday in Los Angeles. The cost for each product was only $1.00 and proceeds benefit the L.A. food bank.
As for the official menu hanging outside the truck, it was a spin on a couple of Justin's singles ... "Where Are You Now That I Need Cheese You?" for the grilled cheese and "Despacitotacos" for the fish tacos.
Cameras for Corden's late show were on hand to get the whole thing as more than 100 people showed up to get some grub, so it's clear neither of them has fully quit their day jobs.
It appears Justin and Corden also shot a segment for James' "Carpool Karaoke" ... they were seen tooling around in an SUV with a ton of cameras mounted around it.
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Eli Manning IT'S A WRAP QB Retires After 16 Seasons
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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.
Because it's Eli Manning & David Tyree's birthday... (Feb. 3, 2008)@Giants | #GiantsPride |#SBXLII pic.twitter.com/35VSo6dBkE
— NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) January 3, 2020 @nflthrowback
On the flip side, Manning is 12th all-time for career interceptions with 244.
Arguably, his most impressive moment was leading the Giants over the then-undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl XLII ... in a game that included the famous helmet catch to receiver David Tyree.
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Kylie Jenner & Kourtney K. Family Trip To The Mouse House!!!
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Kylie Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian are two super cool moms and aunts ... because they're hanging with the little ones at the most magical place on Earth!!!
Kylie and Kourtney hit up the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida Wednesday for a little weekday fun. Kylie brought Stormi, Kourtney brought Penelope and even North West got in on the action!
Kris Jenner's there too, keeping a watchful eye over her daughters and granddaughters ... but no sign of her sneaking sugary treats to the kids even though Disney's famous for its churros.
Antonio Brown's Ex-GF He's Mentally Ill 'Desperately' Needs Help
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12:33 PM PT -- Meanwhile, Antonio doesn't seem fazed by his legal situation or the comments from his ex ... moments ago, the WR was outside of his home playing catch with neighbors.
We spoke with Max Schencker who says AB was super friendly and acting normal -- even cracking jokes -- when they tossed around the football on Wednesday afternoon.
In fact, Brown even cracked a joke about how Max's mom was the best QB he ever had.
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.
Demi Lovato Grammys Song Choice is Special ... Wrote it Days Before OD
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Demi Lovato's upcoming Grammys performance will mark the fulfillment of a promise she made to herself after nearly dying from an overdose ... so expect it to be very emotional.
The singer will perform at Sunday's award show ... her first live performance since suffering the OD in July 2018, and TMZ's learned the song she's chosen is deeply connected to that scary ordeal.
Our Grammys sources tell us ... Demi wrote and recorded the song 4 days before her overdose, and the lyrics will reflect her state of mind during that time in her life.
We're told it's a "big ballad style" tune, and Lovato vowed while she was recovering in the hospital for months ... it would be the first song she'd perform at a big venue if she ever got the chance again.
Sunday will be that big moment ... and she's taking advantage of her comeback opportunity. Along with performing the track on a huge stage, our sources say she'll be releasing the single after the show. We're not sure what the title is yet.
Demi's Grammys gig will kick off a music revival for her. As we've reported ... she's also going to be singing the National Anthem one week later at Super Bowl LIV, and she plans to release a full-length studio album in the first half of 2020.
We're told the new single will be included on the album.
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Oprah You Have to Respect Harry's Choice ... Or at Least 'Feel' for Him!!!
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Oprah says she's 100% in support of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's exit from Royal life because she knows it was NOT an impulsive decision -- no matter what the British media says.
Oprah spoke out Tuesday night in NYC, telling Adam Glyn she has no issue with the Duke and Duchess stepping back and forging their own path, and more than that ... said everyone should respect it.
She says Harry -- and even Queen Elizabeth herself -- made it clear he and his wife had been thinking about this for a long time. O, who ya gotta remember is in business with Harry, says his move wasn't made lightly either. PH noted that last weekend during his speech.
You gotta see how Oprah frames her staunch defense of Megxit -- she says when someone chooses what they believe is best for them, who are we (the public) to criticize that?
Her pal, Gayle King, was there too, and says nobody in the Royal family was "blindsided" ... especially not QE2.
As we've reported, Prince Harry and Oprah are coproducing a mental health series for Apple TV -- so, we expected her to back him -- but her explanation for why might influence other opinions.
It's kinda what Oprah does.