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THIS IS EXACTLY HOW YOU CELEBRATE SIGNING A $195 MILLION NBA CONTRACT!!

Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell was so fired up the moment the deal was done over the weekend, he ripped off his shirt and dove right into the pool ... with his socks still on his feet!!

Technically, the contract only guarantees $163 million -- but Spida can hit $195 mil if he makes one of the 3 All-NBA teams.

Still, Donovan lost his mind when the deal was done -- and the reaction video is perfect!!!!

After he dried off, Donovan cracked open a bottle of Don Julio 1942 while his agent, Ty Sullivan, gave an emotional toast.

"You're a role model," Sullivan said ... "Hopefully we're doing this again, and again and again."

"My thing to you is continue to inspire and be responsible and just continue to grow."

Sullivan added ... "You earned this and I know you're going to do the right thing. And from all of us at our agency, myself and my family, congratulations to the 3 of you and your family."

FYI -- 24-year-old Mitchell has averaged nearly 23 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists a game since entering the league as the #13 overall pick in 2017.

Joe Burrow. Dak Prescott. Drew Brees. Sam Darnold.

As NFL quarterbacks continue to go down with injuries, there's one guy who says he's ready for his shot -- COLIN KAEPERNICK.

The 33-year-old just sent ANOTHER message to GMs across the league -- saying he's BEEN READY to step in and compete for a job ... if there's a team with the cojones to pick up the phone and call.

"1,363 days of being denied employment," Kaepernick said on social media ... "Still putting in work with [Eric Reid].  
Still going hard 5 days a week.  #StillReady #StopRunning."

The message seems to be directed at the Bengals, who just lost #1 overall pick, Joe Burrow, to a knee injury over the weekend.

Kaepernick hasn't played a down in the NFL since the 2016 season.

Of course, Kap and Eric Reid both believe they're being blackballed for starting the now-famous kneeling demonstration during the national anthem.

High-profile critics including Donald Trump called for Kaepernick to be fired for kneeling -- despite support from people like Barack Obama, LeBron James and others.

As we've been reporting for years, Kaepernick has been training like a maniac -- and sources connected to the QB have been telling us repeatedly that he's been in game shape, ready to go at the drop of a hat.

Remember, it was Nov. 16, 2019, Kaepernick put his skills on display during a public workout -- and he looked pretty good.

So, will the Bengals, Cowboys, Jets or anyone else actually pick up the phone and make the call?

Dabo Swinney is FURIOUS Florida State canceled its game with Clemson on Saturday ... saying straight-up he thinks the Seminoles used coronavirus as an excuse to back out.

"This game was not canceled because of COVID," the Tigers head coach said Sunday. "COVID was just an excuse to cancel the game."

If you missed it, Florida State and Clemson were scheduled to kick off Saturday ... when it was revealed a Tigers player -- who had made the trip with the team to Tallahassee, FL for the game -- had tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.

Dabo says the team followed all the proper protocols and believed, despite the test, no one else was affected by the virus and the game should've still gone on.

But, FSU officials, citing the health and safety of their players, decided it was best to NOT play ... and canceled the matchup.

Dabo, speaking in-depth about the decision on Sunday, absolutely railroaded the school for the choice ... insinuating the 'Noles (a HUGE underdog in the game) simply just didn't want to play Clemson.

"The standard to cancel a game was not met," Dabo said. "A guy testing positive on a Friday does not cancel a game."

The coach continued, "We offered to test again. Play Saturday night. Sunday. Monday. And it was declined. We met the standard to play, and we should've played."

The ACC is trying to figure out a way to reschedule the game ... but Dabo made it clear if FSU doesn't reimburse the Tigers for travel expenses -- which were reportedly in the $300,000 range -- he ain't playin' it.

"To me, the Florida State administration forfeited the game," Swinney said. "And if they want to play Clemson, in my opinion, they need to come to Clemson or they need to pay for all expenses."

"Other than that, there's no reason for us to play them. We were there, we were ready and we met the standards."

After 3 decades, it was the final bell for The Undertaker at WWE's Survivor Series on Sunday night -- and the final sendoff was killer.

Vince McMahon appeared in the center of the ring to announce The Dead Man one last time ... and he was clearly emotional about it.

“Tonight marks the end of an era," McMahon said ... "An end of an era of the most storied career in history, it'll never be duplicated."

He continued, "They say nothing lasts forever. I think they’re wrong -- because the legacy of The Undertaker will live on eternally!"

That's when the lights went dim and fire began to explode all over the arena -- a dramatic setting for Taker's final ring walk.

Once he got in the ring, Taker -- real name Mark Calaway -- only said a few words, but he made 'em count.

"My time has come to let The Undertaker Rest. In. Peace."

That's when a hologram of Taker's former manager, Paul Bearer, appeared.

Bearer -- real name Bill Moody -- passed away back in 2013.

It was a nice tribute to both Taker's career -- and a show of respect for Moody, who played a pivotal role in shaping Taker's character back in the day.

After the show, several WWE superstars paid respect to Taker on social media.

John Cena -- "After three decades of @undertaker committing wholeheartedly to the @WWE, tonight we bear witness to the end of an extraordinary body of work. For all the in ring moments and as a member of the @WWEUniverse, I say #ThankYouTaker!"

The Rock -- "30yrs ago today, he made his iconic #SurvivorSeries debut. Like EVERYONE - I was in awe as a rookie in the @WWE when his first words pierced my soul as he walked in the dressing room and said, “Muthaf**ka” True story! Honored to share the ring w you, my brother. #ThankYouTaker

Light at the end of the tunnel!!! Maybe. Because there's now a plan to vaccinate like crazy and get this country back to something that resembles normal by May, 2021.

Dr. Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientific advisor to Operation Warp Speed, told Jake Tapper Sunday on CNN, the drug companies -- notably Pfizer and Moderna -- are ready to ship out millions of doses of their vaccines as early as December 11, the day after anticipated FDA approval.

Dr. Slaoui went on to say 20 million doses would be shipped out in December, and 30 million a month thereafter. When you do the math, by May ... around half the country would be vaccinated and the good Doc thinks that opens the door to a restoration of normal life.

The problem ... May could be the sunset month for the vaccine, since half the country seems opposed to getting the shot. Nonetheless, if the vaccines do indeed provide 95% protection from the virus -- and especially if you choose the people with whom you interact face-to-face based on their inoculation status ... there would be reason to feel relatively safe from COVID.

You win Rookie of the Year, you get the giraffe -- or should we say, Ja Raffe!! -- 'cause Grizzlies star Ja Morant officially has a baby giraffe named after him at the Memphis Zoo!!

And, we must say ... it's JA-mazing!!

The zoo announced its newest addition to the fam on Thursday ... saying it welcomed a baby boy on Nov. 10.

Fresh off Ja's JA-dropping rookie campaign -- he averaged nearly 18 points and 7 assists a game for Memphis -- the place decided to JAnor the 21-year-old with the long-necked namesake.

"We have some new hooves on the African Veldt. His name is Ja Raffe to celebrate @memgrizz’s @JaMorant winning @NBA Rookie of the year," the zoo said on Twitter ... revealing the cute baby giraffe in a video.

Ja hasn't spoken about the big token of JA-ppreciation from the zoo just yet ... but we're sure he's JA-st thrilled.

We take it they're saving the bear naming for when Ja wins MVP??

What's the first thing you'd go out and buy if you were the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft????

That's something Greg Oden knows about -- he was top pick in 2007 -- and admits he blew his first paycheck on a really bad purchase!!

Now, Oden -- who's an athlete advisor for a financial company -- is telling TMZ Sports his story in hopes of helping players in the 2020 NBA Draft class avoid making the same mistakes!

TMZ Sports: "What advice would you give to these guys who are instantly becoming millionaires?"

Greg Oden: "I will say you are instantly in debt right now!"

What Greg means is players don't realize they already have a long list of people they have to pay -- from trainers to agents, rent, car bills and -- most importantly -- taxes ... and he says that can all lead to serious financial trouble for guys who aren't responsible from the get-go.

"What everybody thinks you make is definitely not what you're actually going to make," Oden says.

So, Greg's advice? "Get experts in your corner. Get people that you trust."

Oden says financial advisors, lawyers and CPAs are all great investments that can help players avoid the perils of future money problems.

And, Greg -- who's job at Edyoucore is specifically to help people in the sports and entertainment realm with their cash -- says he's down to assist some of these dudes!

"I wasn't able to do it on the court," Oden says, "but, right now, all the knowledge, all my experiences that I've been through, I'm definitely here to help out a lot of these guys."

By the way, Oden's also doing some other really cool stuff in retirement ... he's participating in a charity event with his wife this weekend to help needy families have a wonderful holiday meal.

Oh, and Greg tells us he's even been getting in a little basketball training too!

Mark Sanchez says it may be time for Sam Darnold to pack his bags and leave the dumpster fire that is the New York Jets behind ... suggesting it could be best for both sides to start fresh.

Of course, Sanchez knows a thing or two about the pressure that comes with being under center in the Big Apple -- he suited up for the Jets from 2009-2013.

But, while Sanchez was able to make the playoffs in his first 2 seasons with NY, Darnold's been dealt a bad hand -- resulting in an 11-21 record in 3 seasons.

As the Jets sit at 0-9 in 2020, Sanchez is now floating the idea it may be more beneficial for Darnold to sit out the rest of the season and give it another go somewhere else.

"There’s just so much uncertainty that it’s almost impossible for a quarterback to have success with all those circumstances," Sanchez said on the New York Post's "Gangs All Here" podcast. "I feel for him."

"It’s not like they’re going to turn around and make a playoff run. Now you get into these tough decisions as a competitor thinking, 'Man, maybe my time’s up here and that’s okay. Maybe, it’s best for both sides to move on.'"

But, Sanchez is holding out hope for his fellow USC Trojan ... saying, "In my opinion – and obviously, I’m biased, he’s a USC guy, he’s a SoCal guy – I think he’s a great player. He’s a franchise player. I think he’s somebody you invest in ... He just hasn’t been able to do it there."

Darnold still has one more year left on his rookie contract ... but signs are pointing towards a breakup sooner than later.

If the Darnold experiment really is over, there's a guy from Clemson (cough, Trevor Lawrence) who may be the Jets' savior ... unless, he decides to stay in school another year.

"I’m so over it. I’m so over living in a dictatorship we call Michigan."

That's Kelly Stafford -- wife of Detroit Lions QB Matt Stafford -- railing against the COVID-19 restrictions in the state of Michigan ... claiming another shutdown will make things worse for everybody.

"I understand there’s a pandemic, and I understand it’s very scary. I’m scared of it too. If you are at risk, do not leave your house until there’s a vaccine," Stafford said Thursday.

"But, shutting down all these small businesses, things that people have worked their life for, shutting them down again is not the answer. Because they will not make it."

Stafford continued, "So, once we are able to leave our house, once this dictatorship decides to let us have some freedom, there will be nothing left. I’m just over it. I see all these people and it brings me to tears."

Stafford is referring to new restrictions that Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on Sunday ... detailing a new round of closures and other measures to reduce the spread of the virus.

Stafford immediately received backlash for referring to Michigan as a dictatorship ... and issued an apology a short time later, saying, "Should never have used the word 'dictatorship.' I got caught up in the heat of the moment, that is my fault."

"I care about the people who are losing their lives or battling this ... and also the medical staff who care for them. And, it is hard knowing these local business owners and watching them struggle and having to lay off their employees, not knowing how they are gonna make it."

Stafford says she loves Michigan and didn't mean to let her emotions get the best of her.

The Staffords have had a tough time during the pandemic -- Kelly recently revealed their youngest daughter was hospitalized for a concussion after falling out of her high chair.

Almost 3 weeks after Lori Loughlin surrendered to authorities to begin her prison sentence ... her hubby Mossimo Giannulli followed suit.

The "Full House" star's hubby reported to authorities Thursday at the Federal Correctional Institution in Lompoc, CA ... about 2 and a half hours north of L.A. He reported on the November 19 deadline set for him to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Mossimo turned himself in to authorities shortly after getting a new tough-guy look for prison ... opting to shave his head and sporting a gray beard. He took the new look out for a spin Monday in Bev Hills, though he was still wearing designer clothes and a fancy watch.

He definitely looked less like a rich father who committed a white-collar crime and more like a guy ready to start and finish a bar fight.

As we reported ... Mossimo pled guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud for his part in the college bribery scandal and 1 count of honest services wire and mail fraud. He was sentenced to 5 months in prison and has to pay a $250k fine and perform 250 hours of community service.

Lori started her stint behind bars back on October 30 when she reported to FCI Dublin in California to begin her 2-month sentence. She reported well ahead of her deadline.

Mossimo and Lori were adamant about fighting the charges but ultimately had a change of heart because they were facing multiple felonies and potentially decades behind bars.

NBA superstar Klay Thompson has been diagnosed with a torn right Achilles tendon -- and will miss the entire 2020-21 season.

It's the worst possible news the Golden State Warriors could have received about the Splash Brother after he went down with an injury during a pickup game Wednesday in Downtown L.A. with other NBA players.

The team initially feared the injury could be severe ... a fear that was realized Thursday after the test results came back.

The injury usually takes 9-to-12 months for recovery -- though Kobe Bryant famously returned after 8 months when he suffered the same injury back in 2013.

What's worse for Klay is that he was busting his ass over the past year to return from a torn ACL in his left knee -- an injury he suffered during Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, which required him to miss all of last season.

It's a major blow to the Warriors ... who posted the worst record in the league last season without their 2 biggest stars -- Thompson and Stephen Curry, who was recovering from a broken hand.

Thompson is easily one of the best shooters in the game -- with a career average of 19.5 points on 45% shooting ... including 41% from 3-point range.

Conor McGregor is officially returning to the Octagon in 2021 -- he and Dustin Poirier have signed their contracts to fight at UFC 257, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

The two sides had reached a verbal agreement a while back -- with Dana White saying he was confident the UFC would be able to make a deal. But now, McGregor says the paperwork is done.

The rematch of their 2014 brawl will go down on January 23, possibly at Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. Conor says they will fight at lightweight (155 pounds).

McGregor commented about the upcoming fight on social media recently -- saying, "I look forward to the fresh test Dustin will bring since our first bout, while also showcasing my own incredibly deep cache of weaponry."

"Whatever tool is needed on the night will be pulled from the duffel."

McGregor has also pledged to make a donation to Dustin's charity, The Good Fight Foundation, which provides resources to underprivileged youth in Poirier's home state of Louisiana.

Conor and Dustin first clashed at UFC 178 in 2014 -- with McGregor stopping Poirier in the 1st round.

Forget The Masters ... here's the golf event you NEED to watch -- Tiger Woods and his 11-year-old son have committed to play in a tourney against John Daly and his son!!!

The epic matchup -- featuring the 2 legends and their boys plus several other family pairings -- will all go down at the 2020 PNC Championship in Orlando from Dec. 17-20.

Woods will enter the event with his son, Charlie, whose swing is so good ... he's already been described as a golf prodigy.

Daly, meanwhile, will compete in the event for the 2nd straight year with his 16-year-old son, Little John Daly, who has also been heralded as one of the next possible great ones in the sport.

Of course, the annual tournament is just for fun ... the event won't count on anybody's career records or anything crazy like that -- but there actually is some money on the line!

The PNC Championship -- which, in total, will feature 20 major winners paired alongside a family member of their choosing -- has a total purse of $1,085,000 ... and winners even get a dope trophy!

"I can’t tell you how excited I am to be playing with Charlie in our first official tournament together," Woods said in a statement about the event.

"It’s been great watching him progress as a junior golfer and it will be incredible playing as a team together in the PNC Championship."

The tourney will be a 2-day, 36-hole event ... and last year's winners, Bernhard Langer and his son, will be in the field again this year.

The latest camera-smashing allegations involving Antonio Brown do NOT have the Bucs concerned ... head coach Bruce Arians says he knew of the incident and insists AB's behaved since his signing.

"He's been a model citizen," Arians said.

Don't get it twisted, though ... BA says if that changes -- he'll have no issues sending Brown packing, adding, "If and when he's not [a model citizen], we'll move on."

Brown, just days before his Bucs signing, was accused of throwing a temper tantrum at a guard at the security gate of the fancy Hollywood Oaks private community in the Miami area back on Oct. 15.

In the police report, cops say witnesses told them Brown flipped out when a guard made him come down to let a guest in ... getting so mad, he smashed a security camera.

Cops in the police report also say witnesses told them Brown called the guard a "racist b*tch" and even threw his bicycle at the arm of the guard gate.

AB was NOT arrested over the incident ... cops say in the police report the president of the homeowners association did not want to press charges, allegedly saying she feared Brown "may retaliate against her employees."

The HOA prez has since downplayed the incident, telling the Miami Herald that Brown appeared to simply have "just kind of an emotional reaction."

Arians was asked Wednesday night if he believed the whole thing signals more problems could be on the way soon ... and the coach said he did not feel that way currently.

"I don't really think we're going to have any problems," Arians said. "We haven't had any so far and I really would not anticipate any."

GET THAT BUCKS HAT OUTTA HERE!!!

RJ Hampton was selected Wednesday as the 24th pick in the NBA Draft -- but it's his dad who's going viral for throwing a hat!

With the NBA Draft going down virtually due to the pandemic, ESPN had cameras in all of the player's homes to capture those life changing moments.

The Milwaukee Bucks had the 24th pick -- so, when RJ's name was called, one of the kids celebrating with Hampton grabbed a Bucks hat to give to the hoops star.

That's when RJ's dad swooped in, snatched the hat and fired it across the room ... begging the question, WHY?!!?!?

Here's the explanation ... the Bucks had traded the 24th pick to the New Orleans Pelicans, who had then traded the pick to the Denver Nuggets.

So, even though Milwaukee INITIALLY had the 24th pick and technically selected Hampton, it was obvious he wasn't gonna end up there.

Dad clearly knew the backstory and tried to keep that Bucks hat off his son's head -- mission accomplished (with gusto!).

Don't worry, RJ ultimately found the right hat. Congrats!

Ask ... and you shall receive!

It appears Logan Paul is getting his wish to fight Floyd Mayweather -- because the boxing legend seemingly accepted the offer and wants to get it on ASAP.

As we previously reported, Mayweather was approached with a deal to fight the YouTube superstar in the past few months -- but things have escalated recently.

In fact, 25-year-old Logan publicly called out the 43-year-old legend over the weekend -- saying, "If I caught Floyd with one punch -- one punch -- I would snap this f**ker in half."

Paul added, "If I caught Floyd in a real fight, street fight, whoop his ass! No question."

Well, Floyd got the message loud and clear and finally replied on Wednesday night.

"These YouTube girls better find some Barbie dolls to play with 'cause I’m not the one for the kid games," Mayweather tweeted while promising to beat Paul's ass like he did Conor McGregor.

"3 years ago a fighter from the UFC said my name and I had to put a muzzle on that bitch. [Logan Paul] can get the same treatment before I go conquer Japan again."

Mayweather recently announced an exhibition match in Japan in Feb. 2021 -- the opponent is yet to be named.

So, when would Paul and Mayweather actually scrap?

We're told Paul has been training and could go at any time. Mayweather famously trains like a maniac -- he won't need much time either.

In other words, this could come together FAST.