Donald Trump Presents Jerry West Presidential Medal of Freedom
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Add another shiny object to Jerry West's packed trophy case ... 'cause Donald Trump presented the Logo with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Thursday.
POTUS invited the Hall of Famer to 1600 Penn to gift him the highest honor a civilian can receive ... praising West's basketball accomplishments on and off the court -- including helping the L.A. Clippers acquire Kawhi Leonard this past summer.
Trump also praised West's work away from the sport, saying "Jerry works harder than just about anybody I can imagine helping our nation's veterans."
"Jerry West is one extraordinary American."
West joins other huge sports stars like Michael Jordan, John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tiger Woods to receive the honor.
"I swear my name is going to look like a misprint on this list," West joked in the Oval Office.
Of course, West won an NBA title playing for the Lakers in 1972 ... and then won 8 more as an exec. with L.A. and the Warriors ... so the medal has some company.
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Ariana Grande Not Dating Mikey Foster ... Frankie Grande Backtracks
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Ariana Grande's brother is cleaning up the tea he spilled about her dating life -- that is to say, she is NOT dating Social House singer Mikey Foster.
Frankie Grande sent folks into a frenzy Wednesday when he said he went on a "double date" with Ariana and Mikey ... but now he says he was not implying Ariana and Mikey were an item.
Frankie started backstroking Thursday, saying ... "My sister is not in a relationship. Everyone relax. She is very much single."
Now, Frankie says his "double date" comment just meant Ariana and Mikey went out for dinner with him and his boyfriend, Hale Leon.
Aaaand breathe, everyone.
BTW ... Ariana and Mikey have been dogged by dating rumors ever since they collabed on her track, "Boyfriend" -- which probably explains why Frankie's comment caught fire.
As you know ... Ariana's got a long list of famous exes ... including Pete Davidson, Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez and Mac Miller. The bad news for Mikey is he's NOT dating AG (in case that wasn't clear), but on the other hand ... he won't be on her list of exes.
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Drew Brees I'm Not Anti-LGBTQ ... 'Love & Accept All'
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2:13 PM PT -- Brees is doubling down on the fact he didn't know about the organization's anti-LGBTQ history ... and reiterates the video he made was solely focused on "Bring Your Bible to School Day"
"It was not promoting any group, certainly not promoting any group that is associated with that type of behavior."
Drew Brees when asked about if he knew what Focus on the Family stood for.. pic.twitter.com/5WG6CwEEqO
— Doug Mouton (@DMoutonWWL) September 5, 2019 @DMoutonWWL
Drew Brees says he's NOT anti-LGBTQ -- despite working with an organization that opposes same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples.
The New Orleans Saints quarterback recently appeared in a video to promote "Bring Your Bible to School Day" which was part of a campaign by a group called Focus on the Family.
In the 22-second video, Brees advises kids to "share God's love with friends" -- he makes no mention of same-sex marriage at all.
But, some people were furious that Brees would agree to work with Focus on the Family in ANY capacity considering the group's position on homosexuality.
According to Queerty.com, FOTF "supports gay conversion therapy and religious freedom laws, believes trans people are deranged, says anti-bullying groups promote homosexuality, and has lobbied for legislation allowing anti-gay workplace discrimination."
Waiting for your permission to load the Facebook Video.
Now, Brees is responding to the backlash in a new video saying he's NOT homophobic and respects all people no matter their sexual orientation.
"There's been a lot of negativity spread about me in the LGBTQ community recently based upon an article that someone wrote with a very negative headline, that I think led people to believe that somehow I was aligned with an organization that was anti-LGBTQ and so on and so forth," Brees said.
"I'd like to set the record straight, I live by two very simple Christian fundamentals and that is love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul. And, love your neighbor as yourself."
"I think the first one is very self-explanatory. The second one, love your neighbor as yourself, what does that mean?"
"It means, love all, respect all and accept all. So, that is actually how I live my life. That is what I try to do with my family, with my teammates, with people in my community, with my friends, all people. No matter your race, your color, your religious preference, your sexual orientation, your political [views]."
Originally Published -- 1:19 PM PT
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Ezekiel Elliott Donates $100k To Salvation Army ... After Signing New Deal
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Ezekiel Elliott is making sure a whole lot of people eat after he got his chunk of Jerry Jones' pie ... telling reporters Thursday he's donating $100,000 to the Salvation Army!!!
Zeke just got a brand new 6-year, $90 MILLION contract from Jerry and the Cowboys ... and he just said at a press conference he'll be giving away a portion of it to help the needy in Dallas.
"In my time here in Dallas, I've formed a really good relationship with the Salvation Army," Zeke said ... "And, I wanted to pledge $100,000 to help them build their new facility to help support the people of need in Dallas."
Elliott's had a long -- and funny -- history with the Salvation Army since he joined the Cowboys ... remember, he famously hopped in the red kettle after scoring a TD back in 2016.
Then, of course, he followed that celebration up with a donation into the red kettle after scoring another TD in 2018!!!
#CowboysNation: Join me in the #FightForGood. I’ll match every $21 donation made to @SalvationArmyUS this week, up to $21k. Visit https://t.co/oBiB3Y0BrZ to give. @dallascowboys wanna match too? pic.twitter.com/C0gghJG9QZ
— Ezekiel Elliott (@EzekielElliott) November 25, 2018 @EzekielElliott
Overall, Zeke's helped the Salvation Army raise thousands of dollars in his 3 years as a Cowboy ... but, clearly, he doesn't think that's enough -- and is throwing in more to the pot now.
Props to the RB for the cool move!!!
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Antonio Brown Allegedly Threatened to 'Hit' Raiders GM ... Plans to Suspend WR
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12:41 PM PT -- ANTONIO BROWN JUST UNFOLLOWED THE RAIDERS AND DEREK CARR ON INSTAGRAM!!!! (hat tip Dov Kleiman).
11:28 AM PT -- Mike Mayock just gave a 15-second press conference about the ongoing drama with the superstar receiver ... and while he didn't say much, his demeanor spoke volumes.
“Antonio Brown is not in the building today. He’s not going to be practicing. I don't have any more information. When we do, I’ll get it to you. That’s it for today."
10:37 AM PT -- This is getting insane!!! Brown never got physical with Mayock but allegedly threatened to "hit him in the face," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Then, Brown allegedly punted a football and told Mayock, "Fine me for that!"
Yeah, this is not good.
9:51 AM PT -- During the exchange with Mayock, Brown reportedly had to be "held back by a couple of teammates," according to The Athletic's Vic Tafur.
Just suspend, baby.
The Oakland Raiders are about to put Antonio Brown on ice -- after the superstar WR "got into it" with general manager Mike Mayock ... so says ESPN's Adam Schefter.
"The Next Chapter: Antonio Brown and GM Mike Mayock got into it Wednesday, and the team is now planning to suspend its star wide receiver, league sources tell ESPN."
It's obvious what's happening here ... Mayock fined Brown roughly $54,000 for missing team workouts in August.
Brown posted the disciplinary letter from the Raiders on social media and said the team was "hating" on him.
Clearly, Mayock and the Raiders didn't take kindly to the public attack which apparently led to the confrontation between AB and Mayock.
Schefter elaborated ... "Antonio Brown posted the fine letter on social media that Raiders’ GM Mike Mayock sent him. It led to an exchange, which is now leading to further discipline. This is not going away anytime soon."
Mayock had expressed displeasure with Brown for missing practices while dealing with his helmet issue -- after the league told AB he couldn't use his old helmet because it didn't pass the NFL's safety protocol.
Brown had also missed time dealing with foot issues after he suffered extreme frostbite from a cryogenic chamber mishap.
Adjust your fantasy football roster accordingly ...
Originally Published -- 9:41 AM PT
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'Last Chance U' Star Ronald Ollie Courted By XFL After Cut By Raiders
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Jon Gruden's loss could be Vince McMahon's gain ... 'cause "Last Chance U" star Ronald Ollie is getting an invite to join the XFL.
Ollie became a fan favorite on the Netflix docuseries ... which followed the East Mississippi Community College football team for the first 2 seasons.
The guy clearly has talent ... he showed that on 'LCU' and went on to ball out at Nicholls State from 2016-2018, earning 13.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries.
Ollie earned a Southland All-Conference honorable mention in 2018 ... which was enough to land him an invite to Oakland Raiders training camp earlier this season.
But, the 'Chance' star is getting another chance if he wants it ... 'cause XFL commissioner Oliver Luck has formally extended an invitation for Ollie to join the new league's player draft pool.
BTW -- Some notable ex-NFLers have already accepted their invite -- from Ryan Mallett to Landry Jones.
The 23-year-old's brief stint on the Raiders was documented on HBO's "Hard Knocks" ... which showed him skipping medical meetings and getting cut very quickly.
Maybe the XFL will be a better fit for Ollie???
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Tennis' Mike Bryan Pretended To Shoot Official ... Fined $10,000
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U.S. doubles tennis star Mike Bryan pretended to load his racket like a gun and shoot a line judge over an incorrect call ... and the guy was fined $10,000 for the gesture.
It all went down Sunday at the U.S. Open ... when Bryan challenged an "in" call during his doubles match against Federico Delbonis and Roberto Carballés Baena.
Turns out, Bryan was right to protest -- the replay showed the ball was out -- and as part of his celebration for the successful challenge, he pointed his racket at a line judge and pretended to shoot.
Mike Bryan (🎥@Eurosport_RU ) pic.twitter.com/vPwOiZfVqf
— doublefault28 (@doublefault28) September 1, 2019 @doublefault28
Bryan was immediately hit with a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct ... with chair umpire Mariana Alves telling him, "I don't think that was appropriate."
The U.S. Open later fined 41-year-old Bryan $10k ... with U.S. Tennis Association spokesman, Brendan McIntyre, telling the New York Times, "We thought it warranted that amount."
When contacted about the gesture and the fine by the NY Times ... Bryan released a statement apologizing for the act.
"We won the point and the gesture was meant to be playful. But, given the recent news and political climate I understand how my gesture could be viewed as insensitive."
Bryan added, "I promise that I will never do anything like this again."
Bryan -- who won a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics -- ended up winning the doubles match Sunday, but was bounced from the tournament after losing in round 16 on Monday.
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Lonzo Ball Admits BBB Shoes Were Defective ... They 'Exploded'
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Lonzo Ball is admitting he KNEW his $500-per-pair Big Baller Brand ZO2 Prime sneakers were faulty -- and would explode on him during games -- but he continued to hawk 'em anyway.
"Those ZO2s I was playing in, they was not ready," Ball admitted on Josh Hart's 'LightHarted' Podcast.
Ever wonder why @ZO2_ switched up his shoes every game during summer league rookie year? LightHarted gives you the exclusive look 😂. Presented by @venmo
— LightHarted Podcast (@lighthartedpod) September 4, 2019 @lighthartedpod
FULL VIDEO HERE👉: https://t.co/aGZsTg5mZD pic.twitter.com/qq03jqZdRY
Ball -- who was playing for the Lakers during the BBB shoe era -- says he would bring 4 pairs of the shoes to games because he knew they would break and he had to switch them out every quarter.
"If you literally had my shoes from those games, they just exploded, bro."
If you recall, BBB initially offered the ZO2 Prime shoes to the public for $500 a pair in 2017 -- but later announced they were scrapping the original design in favor of the ZO2 Prime Remix shoe, a completely different sneaker.
It seems obvious now why BBB made the change. Unclear if any of the faulty shoes were actually sent to customers.
When asked why he wore them -- even after he knew they were defective -- Ball explained, "Because they were my shoes, I had to debut 'em."
Ball says he actually HATED wearing the shoes and implied that his game suffered as a result.
"And, it's crazy," Ball says ... "Right when I switched my shoes, magically, I got good again."
Ball says he kept the secret about his crappy shoes to himself to protect the brand.
Things eventually went south with the Big Baller Brand -- with Lonzo's manager later telling customers to throw their shoes in the trash ... and Lonzo himself eventually covered up the BBB tattoo he had on his arm.
Still, LaVar Ball claims the brand is still alive and he's looking to relaunch at some point in the future.
Sure ...
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Colin Kaepernick Fires Passes to Odell Beckham ... At Private Workout Sesh
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Yeah, it happened during a private workout session back in July ... and it's all on video.
Colin and Odell connected at UCLA for some QB, WR work -- they ran routes, Colin worked on throwing on the run and flexed his arm strength.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
And, get this ... Odell showed up to the workout wearing a Colin Kaepernick #7 jersey.
Kap has been trying to showcase his skills recently in the hopes an NFL team will give him a workout. So far it hasn't happened, but he's still trying.
Just this week, Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins vouched for Kaepernick during an interview with GQ magazine -- claiming the guy is clearly good enough to help an NFL team win.
Hopkins says he was upset when the Texans passed over Kap when they needed a QB in 2017 following an injury to Deshaun Watson.
The issue for Kap ... there have been plenty of QB openings over the past few weeks -- but so far, Kap has yet to get a workout invite with an NFL team.
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Andy Ruiz & Anthony Joshua Face Off In Saudi Arabia 'I'm No 1-Hit Wonder'
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The promotional tour for the massive Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua rematch is officially underway -- the fighters faced off in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday ... guaranteeing another slugfest.
The reality is ... this was no trash-talking, expletive-filled, racist, ugly sideshow (a la Mayweather vs. McGregor), these guys showed nothing but class and respect for each other.
Of course, Ruiz upset Joshua at Madison Square Garden to win all of his championship belts when they faced off in June -- and Andy says he's motivated to show the world it was no fluke.
Ruiz essentially said he doesn't want to be known as a 1-hit wonder -- he wants to solidify a legacy as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time!!!
Of course, Joshua says he's determined to get his belts back ... and warns Ruiz he won't get the benefit of home country advantage this time around.
So, how will the fight go? Ruiz put it best ... "Two big heavyweights punching each other in the face."
Can't wait!!!
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BJ Penn Breaks Silence Over Hawaii Street Fight ... I'm the Real Victim!!!
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BJ Penn says he tried to WALK AWAY from the man he fought outside of a bar in Hawaii last month -- but claims the other guy snapped and attacked, leaving BJ to defend himself.
The UFC Hall of Famer is finally speaking out about that crazy incident outside of the Lava Shack on the Big Island where footage published by TMZ Sports showed Penn in a fist fight with another man. Penn was knocked down in the fight but eventually got up and smothered the man.
So, what happened? Penn told his side of the story to TSN ...
"I’m at a concert going to meet a friend that I’ve known since we were really young kids and I’m over there and an acquaintance of mine, he gets mad about something, you know something was said or it was an old past thing and then he wants to fight about it," Penn says.
"I was like, 'No, no, I don’t want to fight, we’re friends, everything is cool.' He even walks outside and I’m thinking, this is silly I’m going to go get him, calm him down and get him to come back inside and enjoy the concert, we’ve got some other friends there."
"I walk outside to go give the guy a hug and then he hits me twice and I’m like, 'No, calm down!' I try to give him another hug and he hits me a couple more times and he hits me again."
BJ Penn gives his side of the story of what took place in videos of him in an altercation released recently by @TMZ.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) September 4, 2019 @aaronbronsteter
“The last thing I want to do is get into any type of trouble, my custody case, me seeing my kids depends on all this stuff"
Link: https://t.co/gIQsB5ctwo pic.twitter.com/LG37xGLY1X
"Finally my adrenaline picked up because he was hitting me so much so I said, 'Go ahead and hit me again.'"
Penn continues ... "I thought the guy would eventually just say forget it BJ, whatever, walk away, but he hit me -- and he hit me good and knocked me down -- and then when I got back up he tried it again and I just had to defend myself and that’s what you see in the second video."
Penn claims the videos were "edited" to cut out moments where Penn was trying to hug the other man. TMZ Sports did not cut a single frame out of the clips. We posted what we were able to obtain in its entirety.
During the TSN interview, Penn also touched on the OTHER recent bar fight he got into outside of a strip club on Oahu in June, another incident captured on video.
JUNE 2019
"There was another video on TMZ of me holding somebody on the ground ... I’m in the middle of a custody case right now and from that last one I already got a lot of flak from the custody evaluator, from their lawyer of course, from my lawyer."
"The last thing I want to do is get into any type of trouble, my custody case, me seeing my kids depends on all this stuff and it’s just really strange how things just happen and you never see this kind of stuff, but here I am in a custody case and this happened twice."
Penn was neither arrested nor charged with a crime for either fight.
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Britney Spears' Father Investigated for Alleged Abuse of Brit's Son
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Kevin Federline claims Britney Spears' father abused one of his grandsons, which Kevin reported to cops ... and now there's an active investigation.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the alleged incident went down on Aug. 24 at Jamie Spears' home in Ventura County. We're told Federline claims his 13-year-old son and Jamie got into an argument, and at some point Jamie allegedly put hands on him.
Our sources say Jamie broke down a door to get to his grandson and grabbed him once he was in the room -- however, we're told there were no visible bruises or injuries to the child. Still, the incident was serious enough to Kevin that he reported it the next to day to the Ventura Co. Sheriff's Department. We're told investigators have already interviewed witnesses and turned over their findings to the D.A.'s Office.
The D.A. will decide whether to charge Jamie.
As we first reported, Britney and Kevin just formalized a shift in their child custody agreement -- he now has their 2 boys 70% of the time. We're told that's been their informal arrangement for a year now, but they filed docs to make it official with the court.
That filing came just 3 days after Kevin went to cops about the alleged abuse.
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Chris Jericho Someone Jacked My Championship Belt ... Cops Investigating
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It appears Chris Jericho's AEW World Championship belt got SNATCHED ... 'cause the wrestling superstar claims his shiny new hardware was stolen over the weekend.
The 48-year-old filed a police report with Tallahassee PD in Florida on Sunday ... saying he landed at the airport and headed over to Longhorn Steakhouse for some food ... and somehow along the way the belt went missing.
It's confusing ... here's what the police doc says.
"The limo driver shuttled the victim to Longhorn for dinner. The victim remained at Longhorn while the limo driver returned to the airport. The victim had taken the wrong luggage from the airport and the driver took it back to the terminal. When the driver picked up the victim from the restaurant, the belt was missing."
It's unclear if the stolen (or lost) belt was the new AEW belt Jericho won on Saturday ... but it's likely it was.
According to the report, responding officers searched the limo and airport for the belt ... but couldn't come up with it.
In the report ... the victim is listed as Christopher “Jericho” Irvine, W/M, 11/9/70″
We've reached out to Jericho for comment ... so far, no word back.
Story developing ...
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Cris Cyborg Signs with Bellator ... After Leaving UFC
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Cris Cyborg has found a new home -- the MMA superstar has signed with Bellator after parting ways with UFC.
"Hey Cyborg Nation fans, I'm very excited to announce that I'm going to be partnering with Scott Coker and Viacom -- I'll be fighting Bellator," the fighting legend says.
"And, you guys know I have a lot of girls that want to fight at 145 pounds and this means you're going to have a lot of fights per year and I'm very happy about that."
The 34-year-old had clashed with UFC honcho Dana White earlier this year -- and White had said he was going to release Cyborg from her contract.
"I will not match any offers, she is free and clear to go to Bellator or any of these other organizations and fight," White said back in August ... adding, "We’re out of the Cyborg business."
Well, Bellator wasted no time snatching her up ... and it seems pretty obvious Cyborg -- who's 21-2 as a pro -- will get an immediate title shot against Julia Budd, the reigning featherweight champ.
Budd is 13-2 with her only 2 career losses coming from Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes.
Seems Cyborg has her eye on more after that, 'cause she says she's hoping to be one of the most decorated fighters EVER once she arrives in Bellator.
"My goal is going to be the only female fighter holding four different major tiles in the same division and I know with you guys I can do that. And, I just want to say, Cyborg Nation, Welcome to Bellator!"
Story developing ...
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Logan Paul and KSI Rematch Going Down in November ... Pro Fight, No Headgear
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The Logan Paul vs. KSI rematch is FINALLY SET -- it's going down at Staples Center on Nov. 9 ... and this time, it won't be counted as an amateur bout, this is a PRO fight!!!
Remember, the two social media superstars clashed in England back in August 2018 and fought to a draw in a pretty solid match on YouTube Pay-Per-View.
The fight did so well, even UFC honcho Dana White praised the guys for attracting a pretty big audience ... not an easy feat for people with no real fighting experience.
Clearly, the folks at DAZN took notice -- because they just inked a deal with Paul and KSI to stream the rematch on their app. DAZN is the same company that signed Canelo Alvarez to a 5-year, $365 MILLION deal last year.
As for the actual fight, KSI and Logan will NOT wear headgear this time around -- and it will be promoted by Matchroom Boxing, which is owned by boxing super promoter Eddie Hearn.
Hearn represents huge stars like Anthony Joshua and Daniel Jacobs.
In other words, this is the real deal.
TMZ Sports spoke with Logan over the weekend ... and he said he might literally kill KSI in the ring in "under 90 seconds."
"It's gonna be aggressive. It's gonna be violent. If you're not into violent sports, don't watch."
As for Logan's bro, Jake (who fought KSI's little bro, Deji, on the 2018 fight card) -- he's been teasing a return to the ring as well but, so far, no opponent has been announced.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
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Kevin Hart Recovering from Back Surgery ... Eniko Says He'll Be 'Fine'
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9/2/19
2:03 PM PT -- NBA star Chris Paul visited Kevin at the hospital Monday. They're close friends.
10:14 AM PT -- We got video of Kevin's wife, Eniko Hart, on her way into the hospital. She says Kevin's "going to be just fine." It's clear the previous day and night have taken a toll on the Harts -- looks like Eniko had just made a coffee run -- but she says Kev's awake and recovering.
Kevin Hart is on the mend this morning after going under the knife Sunday ... less than 24 hours after he injured his back in that horrific car accident.
A source connected to Kevin tells us doctors completed successful back surgery on Kevin Sunday evening. Another source told us the comedian is expected to remain in the hospital for at least a couple of days while he recovers.
TMZ broke the story ... Kevin was miraculously able to walk away from the accident early Sunday morning on L.A.'s treacherous Mulholland Highway -- with assistance from a bodyguard -- but was rushed to a hospital with what cops called a "major back injury."
Jared Black, the man who was driving Kevin's vintage Plymouth Barracuda at the time of the accident, was pinned in the crushed vehicle and also seriously injured. He was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center and we're told he's surrounded by family members as he also recovers.
Cops say Jared's fiance, celebrity trainer Rebecca Broxterman, was pinned in the backseat ... but firefighters pulled her from the wreckage without major injuries.
Originally published -- 8:06 AM PT