Deshaun Watson Case 18 Masseuses Issue Statements Supporting QB 'He Was Never inappropriate'

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Deshaun Watson's attorney says 18 professional female massage therapists are going to bat for the QB -- saying they had nothing but positive experiences with him over the years.

Rusty Hardin says the women all worked with the Houston Texans QB at some point over the past 5 years -- completing more than 130 sessions without any sort of incident.

Hardin issued a statement saying, "These women say they are deeply troubled by the accusations made against Deshaun and that these claims are wholly inconsistent with their experiences with him and who they believe him to be."

"All of them stated that Deshaun never made them feel uncomfortable or demanded anything outside the scope of a professional massage."

"None of them experienced any of the behavior alleged by anonymous plaintiffs in the numerous lawsuits filed by the same Houston attorney."

Hardin says the 18 women he's been in contact with agreed to issue on-the-record statements supporting Watson.

"These statements show the other side to this story that has been so lacking in the flurry of anonymous complaints filed by opposing counsel.," Hardin says.

The first masseuse is Myah Roberson -- described as "a licensed massage therapist, who has been working in Houston for 10 years, primarily on athletes."

"I started working with Deshaun in December 2019 after being referred to him by another therapist. He sent me a screenshot of a diagram that the head trainer of the Texans gave him, highlighting the muscles that needed to be worked on, which included the groin and hamstrings. He asked if I felt comfortable working on those areas and I said yes, because I am used to working on athletes."

"During the massage, Deshaun was more comfortable using a towel than draping sheets over the table; this isn’t unusual at all. I have several clients that prefer using a towel over sheet. We began using a towel, and that became the norm. When I saw that the first lawsuit mentioned a towel, I chuckled because I gave him that idea. And it’s not inappropriate because they teach you in massage school that using a towel is okay. Some of these accusations are so ludicrous. I just can’t see him doing any of those things. He was never inappropriate with me. I never felt threatened in any way."

Most of the statements from the other 17 share similar experiences --Watson is described as a "professional and polite" client who's been "respectful."

Multiple therapists also point out that sometimes male clients will become aroused during a treatment -- but they're trained on how to handle that situation appropriately.

Norma Reyna -- described as board-certified in therapeutic massage and body work -- put it this way:

"When working the adductors and groin/pelvic area, it is not uncommon to accidentally graze the penis, but you don’t engage it. I teach my students to use a firmer touch or to move to a different area if a client gets aroused during a session, which sometimes happens."

Reyna did NOT say if that ever happened with Watson -- she was speaking in generalities.

As we previously reported, 21 women have filed lawsuits against Watson accusing the QB of sexual misconduct. All of the accusers have used a pseudonym to protect their identity.

Watson has denied any wrongdoing and claimed the accusers are liars looking to publicly shame him into a payout.

Story developing ...

Kendall Jenner I'm Done with This Place ... Leaves Home After Scary Incidents

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Kendall Jenner's had it with trespassers, stalkers and death threats ... so she's packing up and leaving her Bev Hills home, with no plans to return.

Sources close to Kendall tell TMZ ... after the latest scary incident Sunday, she's moved out of her house because the possible risk is too much to stay -- even though her armed security team has been increased.

We're told she's moved to a safe location with armed security ... and has no plans to return to her home. It's unclear if she will decide to sell the house.

TMZ broke the story ... an alleged trespasser showed up at her place at 2 AM Sunday and attempted a naked swim in her pool. Kendall also got a temporary restraining order Monday against another guy who told police he planned to shoot and kill her and then himself.

That man's currently in a mental health facility but could be released at any time ... and the alleged trespasser from Sunday was arrested but is already back on the streets.

Kendall also had to deal with an alleged stalker getting onto her property twice in 2018 before getting a restraining order against him.

And, keep in mind, she moved to her current home after selling her WeHo home in 2017 following another string of scary incidents, including a burglary.

As for where Kendall might move ... the neighborhood she's in now is touted as being one of the most secure places in the city, so it's a tough situation.

Chet Hanks Violent Split with Ex Caught on Video

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Chet Hanks and an ex-girlfriend are at war over a volatile relationship that recently ended -- with both of them slinging allegations of violence, and there's video of a bloodied Hanks.

TMZ has obtained video of what Chet says is the end of an altercation between him and his ex, Kiana Parker, that turned violent back on January 8 at Chet's place in Sugarland, TX. Chet turns the camera on Kiana when she appears to swipe at him as she holds a pot, with a bloodied Chet reappearing in the next frame, saying she charged at him with the knife ... something Kiana denies.

Chet's not the only one to claim violence ... Kiana got a restraining order against Chet in January, alleging he roughed her up on multiple occasions between Oct. 2020 and Jan. 2021.

During one incident, while the couple was in New Orleans for Chet to shoot "Your Honor," Kiana claims he became enraged when she said she was going to leave their room at the Windsor Court hotel to get food ... grabbing her wrists and arms and flinging her around to keep her in the room. Chet denies the allegations and says he never even knew she went to court for a TRO.

She says tables were knocked over and he chucked a bottle at her ... even claiming he chased her down the hallway in his boxers. She also alleges he told her that no one would believe her, because she was "just a ghetto Black bitch" and he was "Chet Hanks."

For his part ... Chet recently filed a lawsuit against Kiana over January's bloody face incident. He says it started when he broke things off with Kiana after learning she'd allegedly been stealing from him, racking up thousands of dollars on his credit cards ... and making off with a ton of his property too.

Chet goes on to claim Kiana showed up that day with three men, one of whom he says flashed a gun at him. He's suing her for assault and battery, theft and return of the money she allegedly stole from him.

As for Kiana's version of the January 8 incident ... she says in docs she came by Chet's place to get her stuff with movers in tow. She says Chet was antagonizing her, and he grabbed a knife in a menacing way. That's when she says she grabbed a pot in self-defense and swung it ... making a run for it shortly thereafter. She claims he chased her out to the street, where she says he attacked her right there in the open ... until others came to her aid.

Chet shares a child with another Black woman named Tiffany -- and just recently ... he alluded to the fact he's really into Black women, this as he offered a follow-up explainer to his controversial "white boy summer" clip ... which went viral.

Kiana's attorney, D'Angelo Lowe, tells TMZ ... Kiana is under a doctor's care at the moment, and that she's tried serving Chet to no avail ... even having gone so far as to reach out to his parents, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, over the TRO she's trying to make permanent.

Hanks' lawyer, Marty Singer, tells TMZ, "The day after Chet Hanks confronted Kiana Parker about stealing money from his credit card, while Ms. Parker was accompanied by a huge male carrying a gun she viciously attacked Chet with a knife, which caused him to profusely bleed. It is all on video and the undisputed video tells the whole story. Her claims are completely false, fabricated and fictional."

Shocking Video Woman Pulls Gun On Skateboarder ... Cops Release Video

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GUN DRAWN

Cops are on the hunt for a woman who pulled a gun on a skateboarder during an argument in Maryland ... and the video is terrifying.

The Montgomery County Police Dept. claims it has obtained cell phone footage of the Jan. 16 incident which shows the suspect pointing a handgun right into the chest of an underage boy.

Cops say the "male juvenile victim" was skating around with friends around 2:25 PM "when he became involved in a verbal dispute with a passing motorist."

The female driver got out of her car and began arguing with the skateboarder, according to witnesses ... and a crowd began to form.

This is where things get crazy ...

Cops say two RANDOM women who just happened to be walking down the street at the time of the incident decided to get involved.

"One of the female suspects approached the juvenile victim and interjected herself in the dispute," cops say.

"The second female suspect went to a red Volvo that was parked in the area and drove it close to the dispute. She then gave a handgun to the first suspect, who used it to threaten the victim. Witnesses captured the incident on their cell phones."

In other words, the woman with the gun is NOT the same woman from the initial argument.

Fortunately, the woman did NOT fire the weapon and no one was injured,

Now, officials say they're looking for the gun-wielding suspect as part of an investigation into a possible 1st-degree assault with a handgun.

Cops are asking the public to help identify the suspects.

"Anyone with information about these two suspects or this assault with a handgun is asked to call the 3rd District Investigative Section at 240-773-6870."

G. Gordon Liddy Mastermind Behind Watergate Burglary Dead at 90

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G. Gordon Liddy -- the mastermind behind the Watergate break-in -- said he would go to his grave without talking ... and he's officially done just that.

Gordon's son, Thomas Liddy, tells TMZ ... Gordon died Tuesday morning in Mt. Vernon, Virginia. Gordon, who had been sick and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, died at the home of his daughter, Alexandra Liddy Bourne.

We're told Gordon did NOT die of COVID-19. In fact, Thomas says his father had received the vaccine 3 weeks ago in Maryland. Thomas and Alexandra were holding Gordon's hands as he passed away.

A little history lesson here for the young ones ... Gordon -- a political operative and former FBI agent -- was one of the guys behind the bungled 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee's Watergate headquarters.

They had initially planted bugs and photographed crucial docs ... and gotten away clean. But, some of the burglars -- with Gordon in a Watergate hotel room running point guard -- returned to the scene a few weeks later and got caught.

Gordon was among those arrested and indicted on charges of burglary, wiretapping and conspiracy. Of course, the scandal -- from the break-in to the cover-up -- led to President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974.

And, while some sang like canaries to get lighter sentences ... Gordon kept true to his word and kept his mouth shut. He spent nearly 4 and a half years behind bars after refusing to testify to a Senate committee ... but President Jimmy Carter would later commute his 6 to 20-year sentence.

After getting out of prison, Gordon made his mark on the small screen with minor roles in "Miami Vice" and "18 Wheels of Justice" ... but it was his nationally syndicated radio talk show that brought him stardom in the 1990s until his retirement in 2012.

Gordon, whose wife of more than 5 decades died in 2010, is survived by his 5 children and a sister. He was 90.

Rep. Matt Gaetz Investigated for Sex Trafficking ... Says It's Extortion

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Rep. Matt Gaetz is under investigation for sex trafficking, allegedly with a 17-year-old girl, but Gaetz says he's not only innocent ... he suggests there's foul play afoot.

The U.S. congressman from Florida came on Tucker Carlson's show Tuesday to explain his side after the NYT published a story that Gaetz was being investigated by the DOJ over an alleged sexual relationship he had with a 17-year-old girl, whom he supposedly paid to travel with him a couple years ago. There's a bizarre exchange, where Gaetz tries to remind Carlson of a dinner they had -- Carlson, his wife, Gaetz and an unnamed woman -- almost like it was an alibi. Carlson said he didn't know what Gaetz was talking about.

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THAT WAS WEIRD

The Times says the investigation is part of a broader case involving local politician Joel Greenberg, who's pled not guilty to charges of sex trafficking a minor. The outlet says the probe was opened late in Trump's final months at the behest of AG William Barr.

As for Gaetz ... he's flat-out denying any wrongdoing, while also insisting what's happening is actually a lot more sinister behind the scenes. Long story short, Gaetz says a former DOJ official named David McGee is trying to blackmail him and his family ... having allegedly demanded $25 million to make the allegations "go away."

MG even says he and his family went to the FBI to tell them about this, and he claims they set his father up with a wire to help expose the alleged plot. It's all very bizarre.

You can tell this whole story is a doozy, because the FOX News host himself said as much after his airtime with Gaetz, calling their discussion one of the weirdest interviews he'd ever done.

Travis Scott Spiked Seltzer Sales are LIT!!! Massive Debut Week

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Travis Scott's golden touch continues ... with his Cacti spiked seltzers flying off shelves and raising the bar for beverage debuts in the category.

Travis stormed grocery stores, lit up billboards and blasted social media posts out to promote the launch of Cacti, which went nationwide March 15. A spokesperson tells us Cacti set a record for highest rate of sale in a debut for any variety pack in Anheuser-Busch Seltzer history.

Not only that, the rep tells us Cacti broke into the top 5 seltzer category, with sales volume allegedly overtaking marketshare of seltzers from VIZZY, Coors and more.

When it comes to first week sales, the rep tells us Cacti had a higher sales volume than White Claw Variety Pack No. 2 as well as seltzers from Coors and Mikes Hard in their first weeks combined ... same can be said about Truly and VIZZY seltzer combined first week sales.

Thanking everyone for their support, Travis tells us, “The reaction to the product has the team and I motivated to go even harder as we plan out what’s next for the brand. We are just getting started."

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BRAVING THE SWARM

As for Cacti, it comes in three flavors -- strawberry, pineapple and lime -- and as we saw earlier this month, Travis' fans went wild when he showed up to promote the drink at a grocery store in West Hollywood.

He even brought a personal case to dinner at NOBU in Malibu, certainly not a move that would be allowed by just any average joe.

McDonald's, video games, clothing and now seltzers ... guy's got his hands in everything.

Kobe Bryant's Daughter I Got Into USC!!! ... Vanessa Says 'Daddy Is So Proud'

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The Black Mamba's daughter is now a cardinal and gold Trojan ... Natalia Bryant just got accepted into USC on Tuesday -- and Vanessa says Kobe would've been "so proud!"

Vanessa shared the amazing news with heartwarming videos ... showing a PUMPED Natalia after she got her acceptance letter into the University of Southern California.

In one of Vanessa's vids of the special moment, 18-year-old Natalia jumped up and down over and over again ... and screamed "I got in!" repeatedly.

In the other Vanessa video, she showed off all the gifts she gave Natalia for the accomplishment ... and they included balloons, USC swag and some custom Trojan-themed Kobe kicks.

"Tears of joy," Vanessa said of the moment. "I’m SO happy for you Nani! I know daddy is so PROUD OF YOU. I am so PROUD OF YOU!! Your hard work and dedication was so worth it."

"You pushed through the most excruciating pain imaginable and you succeeded. I wish Daddy and Gigi were physically here to celebrate but I know they’re here in spirit. We love you so much!"

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Natalia made it pretty clear she's USC-bound after the acceptance letter ... posting a pic of her in SC gear and writing, "See You Soon."

It's been a really good past few weeks for Natalia ... remember, she just signed a deal in February with IMG Models that she was also stoked about.

Kobe was a big USC guy -- who not only attended basketball and football games but also spoke to classes, according to reporter Arash Markazi.

Congrats!!!

Lil Xan Throws Drink on Supreme Patty ... Fight Breaks Out!!!

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Lil Xan is bringing the beef to Supreme Patty ... throwing a drink and igniting a wild bar brawl.

The rapper was performing at Treehouse Rooftop Lounge in Fort Myers, FL when things got heated in the VIP section. Our sources say Xan and Internet prankster SP exchanged some heated words -- you can see Xan was up on a stage or platform while he and Patty jawed at each other.

But, when Xan threw his drink at Supreme Patty, around 1:30 AM Sunday, the talk stopped and Patty came charging right at Xan before getting pulled back.

As for what set them off, Lil Xan claims Supreme Patty tried mooching off his group's bottle service -- and Patty says he was just defending himself after getting a drink thrown at him.

We're told the cops weren't called and both parties left shortly after the scuffle.

The beef doesn't appear to be squashed yet ... they've been dissing each other on social media ever since the weekend scrap. No word if Xan is working on a diss track, but chances are ...

Britney Spears New Documentary Is An Embarrassment ... I Cried For 2 Weeks!!!

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Britney Spears says the latest documentary about her life is super embarrassing and it's got her in tears.

The singer broke her silence on the 'Framing Britney Spears' doc Tuesday, saying she was "embarrassed by the light they put me in."

Britney says she didn't watch the entire documentary, but she really didn't like the little bit she did see ... she says, "I cried for two weeks."

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Brit shared her emotional reaction along with a video of her dancing to Aerosmith's hit song, "Crazy." She says she's dancing to Steven Tyler every night just to keep her sane.

As you know ... 'Framing Britney' has her fans fired up about how the pop star's been treated over the years by the media, Justin Timberlake, her father Jamie Spears and others.

It's definitely got Britney in her feelings too.

Tamar Braxton Ex-Boyfriend Fires Back ... I'm No Cheater!!!

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Tamar Braxton needs to shut the hell up about her ex-boyfriend's alleged infidelity, because he never cheated on her ... at least that's his story, and he wants her to get on board with it.

The singer's ex, David Adefeso, claims Tamar is straight-up lying when she says he was cheating on her with his former assistant ... and he wants her to take back her statement.

David's lawyers fired off a cease and desist letter to Tamar, claiming she damaged his reputation by recently tweeting false statements about his cheating ways, which led to several news articles he found unflattering.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, David says Tamar knew she was lying when she tweeted, and he wants her to delete it, issue a retraction and stop dragging his name through the mud.

As you know, Tamar and David are having a pretty bad breakup ... he claimed she beat the crap out of him and threatened to kill him when he was granted a temporary restraining order last September. That order was recently dissolved when neither side showed up in court and Tamar denied the allegations.

Things weren't much better when they were together ... David called 911 in July and reported Tamar's alleged suicide attempt. At the time, he claimed her WeTV beef was the reason she wanted to take her own life.

Now, David tells us he's disappointed she "continues to make fabricated accusations about our relationship and has now created a false narrative of an affair that never occurred." He also says he never gave another woman a second look when they were dating.

We reached out to Tamar ... so far, no word back.

UFC's Michael Chandler Ain't Ruling Out Fight with Khabib ... 'He's Still Very Young'

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Michael Chandler vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov?!?!

It's not completely out of the question, according to Chandler who tells TMZ Sports he wouldn't be surprised if Khabib eventually changed his mind about the whole retirement thing.

Chandler is currently set to fight Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 on May 15 for the vacant UFC lightweight belt ... but he's EXTREMELY confident he'll smash his way to the title -- which begs the question, who's next!?

Conor McGregor? Tony Ferguson? Justin Gaethje?

Maybe ... but Khabib is only 32 years old and still VERY involved in MMA, coaching stars like Luke Rockhold and recently serving as a cornerman for his brother Abubakar Nurmagomedov at UFC 260.

Chandler tells TMZ Sports ... he thinks Khabib will be paying very close attention to the lightweight division to see if he gets the urge to step back in the Octagon.

"He's gonna be very intertwined with the UFC for decades to come and especially the lightweight division. He's still very young so we'll see what happens in the future."

Chandler says he considers Khabib to be the greatest of all time -- and would respect whatever decision he makes regarding his fighting future.

But, for now, Chandler says his focus is on Oliveira -- the #3 ranked lightweight.

"Charles Oliveira poses a lot of threats on the ground but I've never even come close to really getting submitted," Chandler says.

"I have a kind of a 6th sense when it comes to the ground game to not be submitted."

So, how does Chandler see the fight going? He wants to overwhelm his opponent with brute violence.

"Hit him. Hit him as hard as I can numerous times on the feet. Keep the fight standing, put him in panic mode, knock him out in the 1st round."

"I'm very good at keeping my foot on the gas for 25 minutes. I've done it a dozen times now so go out there and knock him out 1st or 2nd round, get my hand raised in front of a huge Houston crowd on May 15. Collect my paycheck, go kiss my wife and figure out what's next."

Fine Young Cannibals Singer Roland Gift 'Memba Him?!

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British musician Roland Gift was only 28 years old when he shot to international stardom as the vocalist for the Birmingham-based rock band Fine Young Cannibals ... who gained fame after releasing their sophomore album "The Raw & the Cooked" in 1989 ... which featured the Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles "She Drives Me Crazy" and "Good Thing."

Gift shared the stage and spotlight with the other two founding members of Fine Young Cannibals which consisted of Andy Cox on the guitar and synthesizer and David Steele on the bass and drum machines.

Guess what Roland Gift looks like now at almost 60 years old!

Donald Trump Sued You Incited Jan. 6 Insurrection ... Claim 2 U.S. Capitol Cops

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Donald Trump's being sued by 2 U.S. Capitol Police Officers who claim the ex-Prez "inflamed" the insurrectionist mob, which they say nearly led to their deaths on January 6.

James Blassingame, a 17-year veteran, and Sidney Hemby, an 11-year veteran, just filed a lawsuit against Trump claiming they suffered horrific injuries and they're laying the blame squarely at his feet.

In the suit, the cops claim Trump incited the January 6 riot by getting his followers riled up about trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

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CAPITOL CLASH

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Hemby says the riot resulted in him being "crushed against the doors on the east side" while "trying to hold the insurrectionists back." He claims he suffered cuts and abrasions on his face, hands and body while the mob attacked.

Blassingame claims he was slammed against a stone column, injuring his spine and the back of his head. In addition to the physical attack, he says people were yelling and repeatedly calling him a n****r.

In the suit, Blassingame also says he's "haunted by the memory of being attacked, and of the sensory impacts – the sights, sounds, smells and even tastes of the attack remain close to the surface." He adds that he has survivor's guilt because he was unable to help some of his fellow officers ... some of whom lost their lives due to the insurrection.

As for Trump's responsibility for the attack ... both officers point to his December 19 tweet where he said, "Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there. Will be wild!" They assert that was a battle cry ... "taken by many of [Trump's] supporters as a literal call to arms.”

The officers are suing for unspecified damages for their physical injuries and emotional distress.

'Tiger King' Star Jeff Lowe Pressing On With Joe Exotic NFT Sale ... Legal Battle Brewing

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Jeff Lowe is moving forward with his plans to auction off an "official" Joe Exotic NFT collection ... despite legal pushback from the 'Tiger King' himself.

Here's the deal ... Jeff and his wife, Lauren Lowe, recently announced an auction of non-fungible tokens featuring Exotic and the rest of the 'Tiger King' stars and it seems to have caught the attention of Joe's legal team.

Exotic's attorneys fired off a legal letter to Jeff and Lauren, obtained by TMZ, claiming the couple does not have legal standing to sell the NFTs ... and demanding they call off the auction or risk financial and legal ramifications.

Lauren tells TMZ ... she and Jeff are still pressing on with the auction despite Exotic's legal threats.

She says they will defend their position that they're the only entity in the U.S. that holds the 'Tiger King' trademark, which Lauren claims Joe signed over to them way back in 2016.

The auction goes live Thursday at 5 PM ET with the bidding running through 5 PM ET Sunday ... so the clock is ticking for either side to blink.

Stay tuned.

NCAA Ref Bert Smith Collapses On Court During Elite 8 Game ... But Seems Okay

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An NCAA college basketball referee collapsed on the court during the Gonzaga vs. USC game on Tuesday -- but he was conscious and alert as he was taken to the locker room.

Just 4 minutes after tipoff in the Elite Eight matchup, Bert Smith crashed to the floor in a terrifying scene -- triggering team trainers and other medical personnel to race to his aid.

Smith was positioned on the baseline near the Gonzaga bench ... when he suddenly fell backward. It looks like his head may have slammed on the court during the fall.

Trainers from both teams wasted no time sprinting to Smith's side to provide immediate medical attention -- while another person rushed over with a stretcher.

The good news ... Smith began moving around relatively soon after the incident -- and by the time he was loaded onto the gurney, he was able to sit up and cross his arms.

He was even chatting with the trainers as he was wheeled off the court.

No word yet on what caused Smith to collapse -- but video shows he was having difficulty standing up during the previous possession.

Smith was replaced by William Henderson -- an alternate referee who was at the game in case of an emergency. Obviously, alternate refs never hope to be called into action, but Henderson was ready and stepped up so play could resume.

Smith has been an NCAA ref for years ... and has previously spoken about his passion for basketball and being a part of the game.

"I love being part of the game," Smith said in an article on Referee.com. "The arrival at the arena, the pregame, being with various partners, the competition, the players, coaches, ambience, the focus and concentration needed on each possession."

"It allows me the privilege to do something I love, being part of the greatest game, men’s college basketball. I also love the fact that no game is ever the same and allows us the ability to make constant improvement."