Kyrie Irving I Was Wrong To Bash Nike ... Working To Fix Issue
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Kyrie Irving says he NEVER should've publicly bashed Nike over the "trash" Kyrie 8s ... saying he's working with the Swoosh to fix the problem ASAP.
Of course, Irving blasted the sneaker giant after pics of his next signature shoe leaked on social media ... saying he hated the way they looked and he had nothing to do with their creation.
Now, Irving's clearly had a change of heart ... admitting he should've handled the whole situation differently.
"When you're building something great, there sometimes comes a point when you need to recalibrate and refocus to ensure everyone involved is aligned. This is where the KAI11 brand and Nike are," Irving told Shams Charania.
"It was unfair to put the blame on Nike or any one person. With that being said, we are diligently working, restructuring, and reimagining things together to make sure we get it right."
It's unclear if anything will change on the Kyrie 8 ... or if this will delay the drop.
But, here's hoping they can make at least some changes ...
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Detroit Pistons Cade Cunningham Goes #1 Overall ... In 2021 NBA Draft
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The pick is in ... the Detroit Pistons have selected Oklahoma State superstar Cade Cunningham first overall in the NBA Draft!!
The decision was a total no-brainer -- Cunningham was Big 12 Player of the Year and an All-American with the Cowboys ... averaging 20 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists per game in his lone college season.
He was an absolute beast at the high school level as well ... winning national player of the year honors at Montverde Academy in Florida.
With all that success at the HS and college level, it was no surprise the guy was going #1.
Of course, draft night is also all about the #fashion -- and TMZ Sports got footage of the guys as they headed over to Barclays Center earlier Thursday night ... with everyone all decked out in some of the best draft day suits we've ever seen!!!
Florida State forward Scottie Barnes is going the LeBron/Zion route -- rocking an all-white look. Congo's Jonathan Kuminga sticks out with some awesome orange threads.
There are also some eye-popping looks ... but ya gotta give credit to the guys for trying new styles!!
Two Jalens you bout to be hearing about for a LONG TIME 🗣@jalensuggs @JalenGreen pic.twitter.com/SYYWrMsGFf
— Overtime (@overtime) July 29, 2021 @overtime
Jalen Green pulled off a bedazzled pinstripe suit and makes it look easy ... while Jalen Suggs also had a similar attention-grabbing ensemble.
There was also a tribute to the late Black Mamba -- LSU's Cam Thomas honored his favorite player of all-time, Kobe Bryant, with a special design inside his blazer.
Cam Thomas honoring Kobe in his draft-day suit 💜💛 @24_camthomas
— ESPN (@espn) July 29, 2021 @espn
NBA Draft at 8 pm ET on ESPN and ABC 📺 pic.twitter.com/IptucBJlD1
As always, we'll be updating y'all with the biggest highlights of the night ... congrats to these guys on becoming super rich!!
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Team USA's Mattie Rogers Shows Off Free Gifts From Olympics Sneakers, Clothes & New Phone!!!
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Nobody from Team USA is leaving the Tokyo Games empty-handed ... 'cause athletes are getting hooked up with a TON of free stuff -- from kicks to threads to phones!!
USA weightlifter Mattie Rogers gave fans a sneak peak of the team's awesome swag bags all the way from Japan ... showing off all the fun new gifts everyone got for making it to the big stage.
Naturally, there are a bunch of bags filled in her room ... so Rogers starts things off with some bright pink Nikes all the way down to USA-themed kicks.
And, they made sure they had clothes to go with 'em ... Rogers showed off a huge Nike duffle bag full of their garments and a box from Kim Kardashian's SKIMS line.
The 25-year-old even gave us a fashion show with the luxury Olympic robe!!
"I thought these were only for like famous people!" Rogers joked.
And, no worries if athletes lose their phones at the Village ... Samsung hooked 'em up with brand new ones with the Olympic rings engraved on the back.
There's even more ... but Rogers says "I was going to go through everything but then it was just ... so much!"
"Thank you to team USA for all of this!"
Sounds like Rogers is gonna need another checked bag when she returns to the States!!
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Kyrie Irving My New Nike Kicks Are Trash!!! Disses 'Kyrie 8' Sneaker
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Kyrie Irving is absolutely eviscerating his newest Nike signature sneaker ... calling the kicks "trash" and claiming he has nothing to do with the upcoming release.
The Brooklyn Nets superstar -- who signed with Nike in 2011 -- reportedly makes over $10 million a year as a Swoosh athlete ... and has dropped seven super-popular Kyrie shoes since 2014.
But, Irving is distancing himself from the latest shoe after pics of his "Kyrie 8" leaked on Instagram ... saying, "I have nothing to do with the design or marketing of the upcoming #Kyrie8, IMO these are trash!"
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"I have Absolutely nothing to do with them!"
Kyrie says there's no hope of working with Nike to make any last-minute changes before the shoe drops later this year ... apologizing to all his fans who love his brand.
We can't think of any other time an athlete has completely bashed their own shoe -- even Kobe Bryant didn't go this hard on his abomination of the Adidas Kobe 2.
Look, the Kyrie 8 shoes aren't completely hideous, but they definitely give off "dad at the local YMCA" vibes more than an "I'm an NBA superstar" kinda feel. So, we get what Irving's beef is.
We've reached out to Nike for comment ... so far, no word back.
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P!nk I'll Cover Fines for Norway Women's Handball Team ... 'Sexist Rules' Gotta Go!!!
P!nk says she's proud of the Norwegian women's beach handball team for standing up against the "very sexist rules" about their uniforms ... and she's offering to pay their fines for the protest.
The singer-songwriter went even further with her support too ... by calling on the European Handball Federation to instead be "fined for sexism" for levying financial penalties last week against the women.
I’m VERY proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR “uniform”. The European handball federation SHOULD BE FINED FOR SEXISM. Good on ya, ladies. I’ll be happy to pay your fines for you. Keep it up.
— P!nk (@Pink) July 25, 2021 @Pink
ICYMI ... the ladies from Norway made a statement on their sport's uniform double standards last week by wearing shorts during a game instead of the required bikini bottoms.
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The team had reportedly been planning the protest for weeks -- as you can see, the men are not required to wear uniforms nearly as revealing as the women -- and it resulted in each player getting fined around $177 each.
Even though the Norway Handball Federation has vowed to pay the fines, P!nk says she'd be happy to do it as well ... and is encouraging the women's team to "keep it up."
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Women's Handball Team Fined For Wearing Shorts In Game ... Instead Of Bikini Bottoms
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Norway's women's beach handball players gave a big middle finger to their sport's uniform double standards over the weekend ... ditching their required bikini bottoms for shorts during a game -- and the stunt resulted in a fine.
The team had reportedly been planning the protest for weeks ... hoping to put the spotlight on the differences in what the men and women are told to wear during competition -- men can wear much longer shorts, while women are forced to wear skimpy bottoms.
The players decided on Sunday's game to make their statement ... with the whole team rocking shorts during their bronze medal matchup with Spain at the European Beach Handball Championships in Bulgaria.
The European Handball Federation fined each player 150 euros -- a tad short of $177 -- for the uniform violation ... which the Norwegian Handball Federation has vowed to pay.
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Norway officials claim they've been pleading with the higher-ups for YEARS to adjust the regulations ... but the EHF says any change has to come down from the International Handball Federation.
There's been plenty of controversy surrounding what women can and cannot wear during competition -- as we previously reported, Paralympic star Olivia Breen claimed an official called her sprint shorts "inappropriate" during an event over the weekend.
No word on whether the IHF will consider new changes ... but hopefully it happens.
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Olivia Breen Paralympic Track Star Rips Official For Calling Her Sprint Shorts 'Inappropriate'
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Paralympic star Olivia Breen is firing back at a female official for calling her sprint shorts "inappropriate" ... saying women should not have to feel self-conscious about what they wear during competition.
The 24-year-old 2-time world champion claims the comment came after the long jump events at the English Championships in Bedford on Sunday ... an interaction that left a bad taste in her mouth.
"I am always very grateful to the incredible volunteers who officiate at athletics events," Breen said on Twitter. "They do an amazing job and make it possible for us to compete."
"However, tonight I feel quite disappointed because just as I finished my long jump competition at the English Championships, one of the female officials felt it necessary to inform me that my sprint briefs were too short and inappropriate."
"I was left speechless."
Thank you everyone for all your lovely supportive messages and I’m sorry to hear that it has happened to so many other people. Some people have asked what I was competing in yesterday so here is a picture.
— oliviabreen (@BreenOlivia) July 19, 2021 @BreenOlivia
I don’t think it is “ objectionable” within the UKA regulations pic.twitter.com/rnTPoTxGAz
Breen explained her shorts are made by Adidas and specifically designed for competition ... which she has worn for many years.
In fact, Breen -- who has cerebral palsy -- says she intends to wear the same shorts when competing for Britain at the Tokyo Paralympics in August.
"It made me question whether a male competitor would be similarly criticized," she added. "I hope no other female athletes had similar issues."
Breen notes she's all on board with having rules and regulations for what people wear during events, but says "women should not be made to feel self-conscious about what they are wearing when competing but should feel comfortable and at ease."
Breen told CNN that England Athletics has been supportive and in communication with her following the incident ... and she plans to file a complaint.
England Athletics released a statement as well ... saying it is investigating the matter.
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UCLA Hoops Star Johnny Juzang Gunning For Sponsorships ... 'Cars, Clothing, Shoes!!!'
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"Cars, clothing, shoes" -- that's the type of sponsorships UCLA hoops star Johnny Juzang wants after the new NCAA rule change ... telling TMZ Sports, he's excited to make some deals!
The NCAA announced earlier this summer that athletes can now make money off their name, image and likeness ... and when we got Juzang out at Ocean Prime in Beverly Hills this week, he told us he's ready to start negotiating.
Juzang told us he wants to rep things that he aligns with ... which, of course, includes vehicles and swag!!
"I love cars, clothing, shoes -- all that type of stuff," the 20-year-old said. "Should be some cool opportunities."
The 6-foot-6 guard tells us he's also interested in food brands -- specifically healthy ones.
"I eat healthy," Juzang said. "So, different brands that’ll align with that -- it’ll be interesting, man."
He added, "It’ll be a cool way to share a little bit about myself. It’s going to be exciting, man."
Juzang -- who averaged 16 points per game last season -- became a star after leading the Bruins to the 2021 Final Four -- their first appearance there in 13 years.
JJ declared for the 2021 NBA Draft shortly after, but he withdrew before the deadline and is now back in Westwood for his junior season.
And, he says he's hoping the Bruins can make another strong run for the title in 2022!
"We’re going for it," Juzang said. "We’re going for it."
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Billie Eilish I'm So Ashamed of Past Remarks ... But Aren't We All???
Regrets ... Billie Eilish admits to having more than a few, but she says the Internet won't let her, or the world, forget any of them ... and that makes her cringe constantly.
Billie was referring, at least in part, to the recently resurfaced video of her using an epithet and speaking in a stereotypical Asian accent ... when she told Vogue Australia, "I said so many things then that I totally don't agree with now, or think the opposite thing."
She's said that video was from when she was 13 or 14, and the now 19-year-old singer says, "The Internet brings up things from everybody's past and I'm like: Don't you guys understand that everybody is incredibly embarrassed and ashamed about their past?"
Well, not everybody's used racist phrases or epithets ... but you get her point -- and for her, it sounds like social media's making it impossible to let go of past mistakes.
"The weirdest thing is how nothing ever goes away once it's on the Internet. Every interview I did when I was 15 is still out there, and I think about it constantly."
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Billie's already admitted she was "embarrassed and appalled" when the video emerged on TikTok, showing her mouthing the slur, "ch**k," as she sang along to Tyler, the Creator's song, "Fish."
In her statement, she added she didn't know, at that age, the term was derogatory against the Asian community.
While fans can forgive her, forgetting is a whole other challenge ... at least for Billie.
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Gigi Hadid Viral Post Provides Career Boost For Model Nanga Awasum
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The New York City model who went viral for her chic outfit is finding work easier to come by now, thanks to her biggest fan ... Gigi Hadid.
Here's the deal ... Gigi was riding around NYC Thursday when she saw a woman crossing a street, and she snapped a pic and posted it on her Instagram story, saying the woman was her "inspiration of the day."
The woman in the photo is a model herself, Nanga Awasum, who tells TMZ ... Gigi's viral post is quickly helping her book new gigs, including a job with Maybelline and a brand ambassador partnership with Nasty Gal.
Nanga also tells us a pair of major modeling agencies reached out to try to sign her ... and folks on Twitter are petitioning to get her on "Gossip Girl," because she's tweeted about wanting to act on the show.
Nanga's viral moment was quite serendipitous ... she says she was leaving a Nike set when Gigi spotted her. Naturally, Nanga didn't even really like her outfit, and was self-conscious about the look.
She was actually shopping for something to change into when other customers came up to her and told her she was going viral on Gigi's IG story.
Nanga tells us Gigi is one of her favorite models, and she's been dishing out some industry advice since their chance meeting.
Gigi's approval means the world to Nanga ... as a Black model in NYC, she says she hears "no" all the time from folks in the industry, and to have one of the biggest models in the world shout her out makes her feel validated.
Fun fact: Nanga's sister, Azah Awasum, won't hear the big Gigi news for a while ... she's currently in the "Big Brother" house.
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Versace Mansion Cops Suspect Double Suicide ... On Eve of Gianni's Murder Anniversary
8:28 AM PT -- 7/15 -- According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, responding officers found 2 men dead in a room from gunshot wounds to the head.
Cops say the preliminary investigation leads them to believe the incident was an apparent double suicide. We're told the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office will determine the official cause of death.
The famous Versace Mansion is now the scene of a death investigation -- this after cops in Miami say they found 2 dead men inside one of the luxury hotel rooms.
Miami Beach Police say they got a call Wednesday afternoon from the Versace Mansion -- housekeeping told cops staffers they had discovered 2 dead bodies inside a room.
MBPD says cops and fire rescue responded to the Versace Mansion and found the bodies ... and now detectives are investigating.
As you know, the Versace Mansion is extremely popular with celebs looking to party or spend the night ... and it's where Gianni Versace was infamously shot and killed by gunman Andrew Cunanan on July 15, 1997.
It's unclear if the 2 deaths have any connection to the macabre anniversary.
Since Gianni's murder ... his mansion has since been transformed into The Villa Casa Casuarina -- a luxury boutique hotel with 10 guest rooms.
Originally Published -- 7/14 12:21 PM
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Vanilla Ice Take it From a Cool Dad Like Me ... Nothing Beats the '90s!!!
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Here we are in 2021, but Vanilla Ice says the '90s still have a tight grip on him, because he says it was the best decade ever ... before computers ruined the world.
We got the rapper-turned-historian on the L.A. set of a music video shoot -- a '90s throwback we'll get to shortly, but first ... Ice needs to rail on the "lost generation" of pop culture.
According to Vanilla Ice ... it was the last decade where fashion and music played off each other, and people created "cool" stuff that's still trendy to this day.
He points to the invention of the iPhone as the main culprit for killing pop culture -- though he's a few years off, it actually came out in 2007 not 2004 -- and provides some proof to back up his argument.
Ice follows it up with a claim that might make you question everything, however ... he says his kids think he's cool.
Believe that or not, the guy has a lot of understandable fondness for the '90s -- especially a certain video store chain -- and is down with it all coming back.
Speaking of which ... Vanilla Ice's music vid was for a parody remix of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back." Ya won't hear "Baby Got Buns" on the radio, though ... it's for a hot dog company Bar-S.
Capitalism ... big in the 90s, still big in the 21st century.
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Kate Moss 'Dream' Model for SKIMS ... Kim Made it Come True!!!
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Kim Kardashian just landed the big one -- in modeling, at least -- for her shapewear line, and TMZ's learned she took matters into her own hands to make it happen.
If you haven't heard ... Kate Moss, one of fashion's biggest names for decades, is the new face of SKIMS this summer. The news is a major deal because she doesn't normally do campaigns like this ... not even for Victoria's Secret.
Sources close to Kim's company tell us ... the boss lady reached out directly to Kate, because she's always considered her THE fashion icon and it's been Kim's dream to work with her.
Fortunately, as Kim herself tweeted, they've had a good rapport since meeting in 2014 and becoming friends ... and Kate said yes to her SKIMS pitch.
We're told Moss shot the campaign a few weeks ago in London, just before the gal pals were spotted on the Pope's turf in Vatican City.
Now we know, Kim was really on a holy roll.
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Michael Avenatti Sentenced to 30 Months In Nike Extortion Scheme Case
Michael Avenatti was just sentenced to 30 months in his Nike extortion scheme case.
A very emotional Avenatti appeared in court Thurdsay in NYC where the sentence was handed down, on top of the 30 months, he'll also have 3 years of supervised release. The sentence is light considering the recommended sentence was 108-135 months ... a recommendation the judge called "excessive."
Avenatti addressed the court during the hearing, having to stop several times while he fought through tears. At one point, he said, "I betrayed my profession. I became driven by the things that don’t matter in life. Over the last 2 years, I have often thought to myself, why did this need to happen? What lessons am I supposed to learn from this experience, from what I’ve done?"
He continued, "Your honor, I’ve learned that all the fame, notoriety and money in the world is meaningless. TV & Twitter mean nothing. Everyone wants to ride in a limo with you but very few are willing to sit next to you on the bus."
The disgraced attorney was given a surrender date of September 15.
As we reported ... Avenatti was arrested and charged with trying to extort $20 million out of Nike. The feds had claimed the infamous lawyer told Nike's legal team that if they didn't pay him between $15 million and $25 million he would hold a news conference and allege misconduct by employees at the shoe company.
According to the criminal complaint ... Avenatti had demanded Nike hire him to conduct an internal probe for the enormous salary. Prosecutors said Avenatti was repping a client who was the coach of an AAU basketball team. They said Avenatti gave Nike the option to not hire him but pay $22.5 million to resolve the dispute and buy his silence.
Prosecutors would later allege the Nike scheme played out over the course of a few days back in March 2019. Prosecutors said Avenatti repped an AAU coach whose team had just lost a Nike sponsorship worth $72k a year.
The coach had claimed Nike made payments to families of some HS basketball players ... and Avenatti had allegedly demanded payment from the shoe giant to keep him quiet.
Avenatti was ultimately arrested at the location where he was supposed to meet with Nike brass ... presumably to iron out a deal or keep the convo going.
Prosecutors also have conversations and video recordings ... in which they allege Avenatti made threats. Avenatti also allegedly told Nike he had them by "the balls."
Avenatti's also facing fraud charges after prosecutors in California claim he embezzled client money to cover expenses for his coffee corporation. He's also alleged to have committed bank fraud by submitting false tax returns to get $4.1 million in loans.
He was also indicted for allegedly stealing money from his former client, Stormy Daniels.
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Kamala Harris' Stepdaughter Turning Heads Again ... This Time in Paris for Balenciaga!!!
Kamala Harris' stepdaughter is making international headlines for all the right reasons ... as she makes her Paris Fashion Week debut for Balenciaga.
Ella Emhoff, the Second Gentleman's daughter from a previous marriage, hit the runway Wednesday for Balenciaga couture's Fall/Winter 2021/2022 show. Ella's got that stern, deadpan model look down pat, and wore it well with an oversized black suit and shawl.
If it seems like the Veep's stepdaughter was invited merely because of her newfound connection to the White House ... we'd have to say, it didn't hurt. Ella turned heads with her fashion at the Inauguration, and it was there where she reportedly attracted honchos at IMG Models.
Fashion fans probably recall her Miu Miu tartan coat and burgundy moiré dress by New York designer Batsheva Hay -- or you're like us, and just had to look up what a "moiré" dress is.
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Shortly after her debut on Inauguration Day, Ella signed with IMG Models and made her fashion runway debut in February for Proenza Schouler at New York Fashion Week -- and then landed her first cover for a European fashion magazine.
Point is ... it looks like a few Secret Service agents are gonna be learning way more about fashion than they expected.
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Scott Disick's Boo Amelia Hamlin's Boohoo Collab ... All Clothes, All Season Long
TMZ may collect a share of sales or other compensation from links on this page.
If you've been looking for your fave celeb to tell you what's hot and what's not for summer fashion, fear not ... because Amelia Hamlin's here to deliver the good word.
The 20-year-old IG model has been in the spotlight recently for her relationship with Scott Disick of Jenner-Kardashian fame. And now, she'll be famous for another thing -- launching an apparel collection with Boohoo ... to help you stay cool even in a heatwave.
The collection features over 40 different styles ... cut-outs, silhouettes, and mini dresses, along with swimwear and cover-ups. Each piece is designed to mimic Amelia's "confident and energetic trendsetting style" ... so if you like what you see on the regs, listen up.
Here's what she had to say about it ... "I am so excited for my edit with boohoo! I have personally been a fan of boohoo forever," adding ... "They have all the best styles that make you look and feel amazing. This collection is perfect for the summer, and I can’t wait for everyone to enjoy it!"
You can shop the Boohoo x Amelia Gray collection over at the retailer’s site ... courtesy of us.
Prices subject to change.