Money

Former Los Angeles Lakers F Slava Medvedenko is selling his two NBA championship rings from '01 and '02 ... and it's all to raise money for his home country, Ukraine, as the war continues to rage on in the country.

The rings, on the block at SCP Auctions through August 5, are expected to sell for at least $100K total, and 100% of the money from the sale will go to Slava's Fly High Foundation.

The foundation aims to support Ukrainian children by repairing sports in schools in areas that have been hit the hardest by the war, According to the Associated Press.

Medvedenko says he plans to use the money from the sale of the rings, which he earned playing alongside Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, to repair or rebuild fitness centers destroyed by missiles, bombs, and artillery fired by Vladimir Putin's military.

“We want to restore gyms because the Russian army bombed more than a hundred schools,” Medvedenko told The AP during a phone interview.

“Our country, they need a lot of money to fix the schools. Sports gyms are going to be last in the line to fix it. In Ukraine, we have winter, and kids need to play inside.”

Slava -- who spent 7 seasons in the NBA -- says he felt compelled to help after witnessing firsthand Russian rockets flying through the night sky as the former Laker watched from a Kyiv rooftop.

“In this moment, I just decided, ‘Why do I need these rings if they’re just sitting in my safe?’” Medvedenko said. “I just recognize I can die."

"After that, I just say I have to sell them to show people leadership, to help my Ukrainian people to live better, to help kids."

Despite having no military background, the 43-year-old, 6'10" ex-hooper -- equipped with his binoculars and AK-47 -- has served in Ukraine's territorial defense during the war.

As Medvedenko continues to help Ukraine during the war with Russia, he's already plotting how he can use sports to restore some normalcy and return prosperity to his war-torn country.

Elon Musk is denying a report claiming he had an affair with a fellow techie billionaire's wife -- and claims the truth is ... he hasn't banged anyone in a while.

The Tesla chief responded to a WSJ story from this weekend, which cited sources saying Elon had hooked up with Nicole Shanahan, the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin. The paper says they had a fling in December 2021, when Nicole and Sergey were separated.

But, Musk's calling BS -- he tweeted Sunday he'd just seen Sergey at a shindig this weekend, and that he'd only encountered Nicole a handful of times in person ... none of which he says were romantic in nature.

Elon also says he's so damn busy lately, working long hours, that he doesn't have time for "shenanigans" -- also noting to some in his Twitter replies that he hasn't had sex "in ages."

We're not so sure about that -- fact is, dude is popping out kids left and right these days.

In any case, Elon says the entire rumor is nonsense and chalks up the Journal putting this out as another effort to hurt him and his company, calling it a short-selling ploy.

Nicole and Sergey haven't commented on the story -- another factor Elon says is suspicious ... namely, no one going on the record or being interviewed for the piece.

Xzibit is lying to the court about his financial situation simply to avoid writing some big checks to his estranged wife for spousal support ... at least according to her.

The former "Pimp My Ride" star's estranged wife, Krista Joiner, claims in new legal docs Xzibit is making it seem like he's fallen on tough times when in reality he's got millions in cash.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Krista claims Xzibit's brother told her he takes home over $1 million a month from cannabis companies and stores the cash in multiple locations using bank-sized vaults. She says the bro also told her he personally stored $20 million for Xzibit in various vaults and brings X cash on demand.

In the docs, she paints a much different financial picture of Xzibit than he has. As we first reported, the rapper claims he isn't making any money from his weed ventures and is struggling to make ends meet.

Krista, who filed for divorce in February 2021, also says X is lying about her going behind his back to get a new lease on a 2021 Bentley, dragging her feet on the sale of the family home and living in the mansion with her new boyfriend.

She claims Xzibit is full of baloney ... and she's accusing him of trying to sway the court's opinion so he doesn't have to cut her huge monthly checks.

His estranged wife says she's the one having a tough time financially ... claiming she recently lost her job and has no earnings to support herself or their son.

And, get this ... Krista claims Xzibit has been ignoring her requests for gas money, food and haircuts for their son, and says she had to go through attorneys to beg X to pay for their kid's inhalers.

'Fast & Furious' director Justin Lin just got several million dollars richer ... cause he's found a buyer for his penthouse condo in the heart of Los Angeles.

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... Justin Lin accepted an offer on the condo this week, and the price tag is definitely a come-up from the $2.6 mil he paid back in 2012.

Justin was using the 3-level penthouse as an office for his production company, Perfect Storm Entertainment over the past few years ... and, the third floor was used as a small apartment.

From the looks of it, the new owner is gonna enjoy some pretty amazing views of downtown L.A., along with some cool features ... including a 24-hour concierge, a newly remodeled gym, swimming pool and a rooftop that's fully decked out!

It's really done up ... exposed brick with an industrial feel. Very cool.

Although he recently stepped away as director of 'Fast & Furious 10' -- slated for a May 2023 release -- Lin has a busy schedule, so selling this place is one less thing to worry about!

"Two and a Half Men" creator Chuck Lorre is closing the curtain on his third marriage ... filing for divorce.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, "The King of Sitcoms" is ending things with Arielle Lorre after about 3 and a half years of marriage. The docs state the two have a prenup in place, and Chuck will pay spousal support as well as attorney's fees.

Chuck, repped by "Disso Queen" Laura Wasser, lists irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

The two got hitched in October of 2018, and according to Chuck, ended things in May of 2022. They do not have any kids together.

Lorre is a TV legend ... not only did he create "Two and a Half Men" -- he also created "Dharma & Greg," "The Big Bang Theory," "Mom," and "Young Sheldon." Forbes says he's worth an estimated $650 million.

DaBaby is in good spirits ahead of his Rolling Loud Miami performance this weekend, and it’s probably because his checks clear on time.

DB was the latest guest on the Nelk Boys podcast and he addressed his artist Stunna 4 Vegas’ recent claim Dua Lipa's team coughed up $350,000 to get the Billion Dollar Baby CEO's verse on the “Levitating (Remix).”

While DaBaby did admit the number could have been that high, he was leaning closer to around $300K.

BTW, it's debatable if it was worth it for Dua Lipa, since she ended up cutting DaBaby from the track after his homophobic rant at Rolling Loud 2021.

DB says he's moved past last year's drama ... and, apparently, so have promoters. He said he's getting upwards of $200K for a simple club appearance and added, he always gives smaller venues their money’s worth by performing extra songs.

As for bigger venues, DaBaby says he just rocked South Korea's Olympic Stadium ... for $450K!!!

Vince McMahon -- the longtime chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment -- is retiring from his role with the company, he announced Friday.

"As I approach 77 years old, I feel it's time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE," McMahon said in a statement.

"Throughout the years, it's been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you."

"I would like to thank my family for mightily contributing to our success, and I would also like to thank all of our past and present Superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand."

Vince bought the company from his father, Vincent J. McMahon in 1982 ... and has been the face of the brand ever since.

Vince was responsible for the "Attitude Era" in the 1990s, which turned professional wrestling into a mainstream phenomenon ... and helped Superstars like The Undertaker, Kane, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Chyna and more become household names.

The billionaire is also the mastermind behind WrestleMania ... which just had its 38th installment this past April.

McMahon bought WWE's biggest competitor, World Championship Wrestling, in 2001 ... making his company the most dominant organization in the sport.

"Most importantly, I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your choice of entertainment," he added. "I hold the deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations of fans all over the world who have liked, currently like, and sometimes even love our form of Sports Entertainment."

Vince recently stepped away from his role as chairman and CEO ... amid an investigation into alleged misconduct. His daughter, Stephanie, was named interim CEO and interim Chairwoman.

The investigation comes after a report claiming McMahon allegedly agreed to pay $12 million in "hush money" to 4 different women over a 16-year time period ... so they would not discuss their relationships with him.

McMahon appeared on "WWE SmackDown!" shortly after he voluntarily stepped down ... and made a speech that felt like a goodbye message to fans.

Story developing ...

Shaq hit the road in a bright yellow bus, driving straight to a Papa John's restaurant ... to talk with team members about how they can get a free degree.

A rep for Papa John's tells TMZ ... Shaq, who's a board member and franchisee owner, drove around ATL in a customized school bus Friday, heading to a restaurant in the area to talk about the company's education offer.

He chatted with team members about the importance of continuing their college education -- he's even inviting them to earn a degree, with all tuition and fees paid by Papa John's through the Dough & Degrees program.

The program makes it possible for Papa John's team members to go to school at no cost -- tuition, books and fees are completely covered. While other programs will reimburse students, the company is making sure they take care of the costs upfront.

It covers degrees from Associates to Masters ... over 60 team members have graduated debt-free in a variety of fields since the program Dough & Degrees launched in 2019.

Shaq's no stranger to Papa John's or Atlanta -- he invested in 9 local restaurants a few years back, looking to simply give back to the community.

Rowdy Rebel's brother Fetty Luciano is facing an attempted murder charge, and was just arraigned.

The Brooklyn rapper is accused of opening fire on July 10 ... shooting 3 people, including a security guard, at a Long Island luxury hotel's private pool party.

Although Nassau County prosecutors requested the GS9 member remain in custody, a judge set Fetty's bail at $200k in cash or a $400k bond.

About 200 people were reportedly at the party, and the injured security was attempting to break up a fight between 2 people when the shots rang out.

Fetty turned himself into Glen Cove Police officers on Thursday. In addition to the attempted murder charge, he's also facing reckless endangerment and weapons charges.

Zac Efron and Netflix are tarnishing a health and wellness brand's good name with their streaming series ... according to a new lawsuit.

The actor and streaming giant are being sued over "Down To Earth With Zac Efron" by a company called Down To Earth Organics, which claims the Netflix travel show is hurting their biz.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, DTE claims they locked down the rights to "Down To Earth" for media and entertainment purposes well before Zac and Netflix premiered their show.

DTE says the Netflix series, which follows Zac around the globe to find healthy, sustainable ways to live, is trying to create a new "Down To Earth" wellness brand ... and the company says it's hurting their bottom line by confusing customers.

What's more, DTE says the Netflix series' advice on wellness "has been widely ridiculed" and is pushing "damaging false nutrition claims." ... and they're not fans of Zac using the show to cross-promote Nature Valley snack bars on social media, because DTE says they offer their own healthy snacks with the trademark.

DTE is going after Zac and Netflix for damages ... and they want an injunction prohibiting Zac and Netflix from infringing on their "Down To Earth" trademarks.

MarJon Beauchamp is a man of his word -- the Milwaukee Bucks rookie promised his mom a house when he made it to the NBA ... and this week, he did just that!!

The 21-year-old made the big reveal in a touching video ... by having his mom, Denise, stand out in the driveway as he came out of the garage with a bunch of balloons in his hand.

"Congratulations," family and friends yelled ... and when Denise realized she was standing in her OWN driveway, the tears started pouring out.

"Are you serious?" Denise cried and gave her son a big hug.

Moments like this are priceless and Beauchamp actually tweeted this would happen in April -- two months before the 6'6" guard became the 24th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

He also just signed his rookie contract with the Bucks a few weeks ago -- a 4-year deal worth over $12 million!!

"God ...You work in mysterious ways," Beauchamp said in his IG post, "This been a dream of mine ... Take my mom out the hood. Been living in apartments all my life"

"To give my mom @denisepleasant her first house ever.. I'm lost of words ... I love you mom❤️ you deserve it."

A familiar foe is coming for Floyd Mayweather, but it's not Logan Paul or Conor McGregor -- PETA is going scorched-earth on the boxing legend over the $18,000 mink car seat he got for his grandson ... calling it a "monstrosity."

TMZ Sports broke the story -- TBE recently had a one-of-a-kind car seat installed into his 2022 Rolls-Royce Cullinan ... which was made with real fur and customized for baby Kentrell Jr., the son of Yaya Mayweather and NBA Youngboy.

The folks at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals were pissed to find out about the purchase ... ripping into Floyd's decision-making and bringing up the time he was arrested for domestic violence in 2010 in the process.

"Did Floyd Mayweather, who has a history of assault and battery of defenseless victims, really seek to update it by supporting an industry that throttles animals to death in addition to poisoning and electrocuting them?" PETA said in a statement.

"This man is hardly a role model for compassion and understanding, but to try to make cruelty look attractive to a child could earn him a medal for corrupting the natural kindness of a minor."

The two sides have been enemies for years -- in 2012, the org. went after Floyd for making comments comparing his training to dogfighting ... to which he replied, "s***, I don't give a f***, 'cause I wear mink coats. I'm gonna wear chinchilla, and I'm gonna rock mink coats."

Despite their history, PETA is offering to fix its issue with Floyd.

"PETA is calling on Mayweather to take a jab at teaching kindness, not cruelty, by replacing this monstrosity with faux fur, as most designers, department stores, and consumers have -- and PETA would be happy to provide it."

Bo Jackson's heart is clearly as big as his muscles ... the two-sport legend just revealed he donated to Uvalde shortly after May's horrific shooting, helping pay for the victims' funerals.

The former NFL and MLB player told The Associated Press on Wednesday he felt the need to lend a helping hand after having been to the city multiple times throughout his years of traveling through west Texas.

"It’s just not right for parents to bury their kids. It’s just not right," said Jackson, whose donation had previously been made anonymously.

"I know every family there probably works their butts off just to do what they do. ... The last thing they needed was to shell out thousands of dollars for something that never should have happened."

Jackson told the AP he and a close friend quietly flew to Uvalde three days after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary ... and gave a $170,000 check to Gov. Greg Abbott, and offered then to pay for the funeral expenses.

"In a truly selfless act," Abbott said. "Bo covered all funeral expenses for the victims’ families so they would have one less thing to worry about as they grieved."

Added Jackson, "Uvalde is a town that sticks in your mind. Just the name."

Deion Sanders' son, Shedeur, has a fashion line called SS2 ... and now, TMZ Sports has learned he's copped a MASSIVE diamond pendant to commemorate the brand!!

Shedeur -- who quarterbacks Deion's Jackson State football team -- turned to Saki Diamonds to create the piece ... and, as you can see, it turned out amazing.

Saki tells us the new pendant features 28.2 carats of VVS diamonds -- and looks just like Shedeur's SS2 trademark.

The Bussdown Cuban link chain also comes heavy, boasting a whopping 43.5 carats of VVS diamonds.

"It's a HUGE piece!" Saki said. "Most pro athletes or people in the music industry don't have a piece like this."

The sophomore signal-caller got it all delivered to him Wednesday night ... just in time for Thursday's SWAC Media Day.

No word on what Shedeur paid for the piece ... but the QB -- who balled out in 2021 with 3,231 passing yards and 30 touchdowns -- signed a NIL deal with Gatorade recently (becoming the first-ever HBCU student-athlete to do so), and we're sure it came with enough coin to spend freely on the bling.

Drew Brees has found himself a job ... the retired superstar QB and former football broadcaster just bought a pickleball team, the Mad Drops, and now joins an ownership group that includes L.A. Lakers co-owner Jim Buss.

"I’m stoked to be the newest team co-owner for Mad Drops Pickleball Club in Major League Pickleball! Our 12-team co-ed league represents an incredibly competitive & exciting brand of Pickleball," Brees said when announcing the purchase.

The Mad Drops play in the Major League Pickleball league. Gary Vaynerchuk (Vee) also owns a team in the league.

Pickleball, if you aren't familiar, is essentially a mix between tennis, badminton and ping pong. Players use a paddle to hit a plastic ball over a net, onto a court.

Brees -- who played 20 seasons in the NFL -- retired after his 2021 campaign, trading the huddle for the NBC broadcast booth.

In May, the Super Bowl-winning QB had some fun with fans speculating what his future held ... and he actually mentioned Pickleball.

"Despite speculation from media about my future this fall, I’m currently undecided," Brees wrote on Twitter. "I may work for NBC, I may play football again, I may focus on business and philanthropy."

"I may train for the pickleball tour, senior golf tour, coach my kids or all of the above. I’ll let you know," he continued.

Brees' Mad Drops will begin their quest to win a championship in Newport Beach, CA on Aug. 5-7 ... and Drew's pumped!

Amber Heard is officially appealing the verdict in her defamation case with Johnny Depp.

Amber's attorneys filed the necessary documents Thursday in Fairfax County, Virginia to appeal the $10.3 million judgment a jury ordered her last month to pay her ex-husband.

The jury also ruled Johnny had to pay Amber $2 million, so effectively she owes him $8.3 mil in damages -- but she had vowed since the day of the verdict that she would appeal.

As we reported, Amber also filed a motion requesting a new trial, because one of the jurors in the case had come to court when it was actually his father who received the jury summons. However, the judge rejected that motion.

Johnny doesn't seem concerned Amber's followed through on appealing the verdict. His rep tells TMZ ... "The jury listened to the extensive evidence presented during the six-week trial and came to a clear and unanimous verdict that the defendant herself defamed Mr. Depp in multiple instances. We remain confident in our case and that this verdict will stand.”

Daily Mail first reported Amber's appeal.