Sports

Charles Barkley has had plenty to say about San Antonio and its "big ol' women" over the years ... but he was forced to eat his words (and some churros) on Wednesday -- when he was confronted by the city's mayor!!

The hilarious interaction went down right on "Inside the NBA" ahead of Game 1 at Frost Bank Arena ... when Ernie Johnson, Kenny "The Jet" Smith, Shaquille O'Neal, and the Chuckster were joined by Gina Ortiz Jones, who took the opportunity to defend San Antonio right in its biggest critic's face.

After a montage of Chuck's classic jabs, GOJ wasted no time going after the guy ... saying, "I've learned a long time ago you can't teach courage, you can't teach class, and Mr. Barkley reminds us of that."

8:50 AM PT -- The fan's stunt resulted in his arrest and a lifetime ban from all NBA arenas, the league announced.

Another fan involved in the incident was also handed a ban for life, the league added.

A fan interrupted Game 1 of the NBA Finals in hopes of getting a selfie with Victor Wembanyama ... with the unwelcome guest rushing the court and approaching the San Antonio Spurs superstar with his phone before getting yanked away by security.

The odd moment went down in the fourth quarter as the Spurs and New York Knicks duked it out ... when a guy wearing a black zipped hoodie, white shirt and black pants sprinted onto the hardwood.

It's clear the 7'4" French center was his target (he kept shouting "Wemby" as he ran) ... but considering the hooper's height, the court stormer never got a clear shot of his face. We take it he has much bigger issues to deal with at the moment than a botched selfie.

Former boxing champ Victor Ortiz is making his Bare Knuckle Boxing debut next month ... and he tells TMZ Sports it would be a dream come true to handle business and then face off with massive names like Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez next!!

We ran into the 39-year-old fighter at the Humble Warrior Gym in Beverly Hills on Wednesday ... and he explained why he decided to join forces with BKB ahead of his July 18 bout with Dominic Salcido.

Ortiz said after prayer, a three-week fast, and looking over the offer, God told him it was the move ... and here he is, gearing up for a big night at the Novo in DTLA.

Claude Lemieux's body was transported from Florida to North Carolina ... where the late hockey legend will be laid to rest, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ Sports.

Lemieux, who was 60, was found deceased on May 28 by one of his adult children at a warehouse owned by the family.

As we previously reported, the longtime hockey star took his own life.

Russell Wilson is retiring -- the superstar quarterback penned an emotional goodbye to the NFL ... although he won't be going too far from the sport.

The Super Bowl champion made the move official on Wednesday ... days after he inked a deal with CBS Sports as an analyst.

In his retirement post, Wilson reflected on his love for football ... and how his passion turned into obsession.

Brandon Aiyuk is officially a wanted man in Northern California ... after the wide receiver posted video of himself ripping around the streets near the 49ers stadium, leading to a police investigation and a warrant.

TMZ Sports confirmed there is an arrest warrant for misdemeanor speeding out of Santa Clara County.

The situation was entirely self-inflicted -- the warrant dates back to a video Aiyuk posted on December 20, showing him driving his near-700-horsepower Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing past Levi's Stadium, reaching speeds of up to 110 MPH.

Nick Saban is comparing the state of college sports to a Ferrari heading for the Grand Canyon at 150 miles per hour ... and he's begging Congress to step in and pump the brakes before it crashes.

The coaching legend spoke at a Senate hearing in support of the "Protect College Sports Act of 2026" on Wednesday ... and in his 11-minute opening statement, he said he loves how players can now profit off their name, image and likeness -- but hates how it has become "pay for play."

In his testimony, Saban brought up the real issues in college sports now that players get paid ... saying it's all about money instead of development, and competition has resorted to who has the biggest wallet, which he thinks is a race to the bottom.

The "Madden NFL 27" cover was revealed on Wednesday ... and this year's athlete in the spotlight is Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams -- painted nails and all!!

The video game giant shared the standard and deluxe versions for its latest installment in the franchise ... and they both highlight the 2024 No. 1 overall pick's signature look.

In the standard copy, the cover shows Williams winding up a mid-air throw over the Windy City skyline ... and the deluxe option has him doing his "Iceman" celebration with custom nail art inspired by Chicago, the Bears, and EA Sports.

Not only is Williams the first Bears player to get the nod ... it's safe to say he's the first cover athlete to rock painted nails, too -- which is cool, considering the accessory choice has been criticized in the past for not being "masculine" enough for the leader of a football team.

Belal Muhammad was just as shocked as everyone else when he heard Ben Askren was returning to the mats ... and now the UFC star is walking TMZ Sports through how the deal went down!

"[Real American Freestyle] hit me up, and they asked me if I was down again. It's close to Chicago in Milwaukee, and then they brought up his name, and I was like, 'Bro, is he healthy enough?' I care about him. I've seen his story," the 37-year-old MMA fighter told us.

"When they said, 'Yeah [he's healthy],' I said, 'Bro, it'd be an honor.' He's a legend. His story is legendary. To be a part of that, and to be his homecoming match, or even his end match, his last one, it's gonna be cool. I've trained with him. I've talked to him. He's a good guy, cool guy."

Damian Lillard's alleged baby mama isn't the homewrecker she's being made out to be ... 'cause TMZ has learned she and the NBA superstar didn't get romantic until AFTER his marriage was already over.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the 9-time NBA All-Star did NOT cheat on his ex-wife, Kay'la Lillard, with Justie Wolf. We're told the two had known each other for years through mutual friends, but their relationship didn't turn romantic until after Damian and Kay'la had separated.

We're also told Justie isn't the type of woman who would knowingly get involved with a married man or help break up a family ... and she would never be okay being a side chick.

Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett being teammates isn't all that far-fetched -- the retired NFL superstar just told Pat McAfee he's at least "thinking" about running it back with the Los Angeles Rams after Monday's blockbuster trade.

The former punter shot Donald a text on Tuesday's show ... and his response is quite interesting due to all the speculation surrounding a potential comeback.

According to McAfee, AD said the Garrett addition "for sure got me thinking" about a return ... but added he's 35 and two years removed from the game, so he'd have to "see if that fire can light back up."

UFC fighter Sean Strickland is clearly not over Dylan Mulvaney's Bud Light sponsorship three years later ... 'cause he just posted a fake ad featuring himself beating up a trans woman to celebrate Pride Month being "far less gay" now.

The incredibly controversial middleweight champ shared the edited video on social media Tuesday ... showing him punching and kicking an opponent in a pink dress until a referee steps in and calls the match.

The clip then cuts to the end of a Bud Light ad ... which states it's the "official beer sponsor of UFC."

Josh Jacobs is back practicing with the Green Bay Packers ... with head coach Matt LaFleur claiming it's been "business as usual," despite the star running back's recent arrest over domestic abuse allegations.

LaFleur met with the media on Tuesday ... and confirmed the 28-year-old will participate in OTAs. Sure enough, Jacobs was then spotted warming up with his teammates minutes later.

He didn't say much else about the matter ... which is expected, as he was super tight-lipped when reporters asked about the arrest last week. LaFleur did downplay the notion that Jacobs' situation could be a distraction in the locker room.

A.J. Brown is opening up on his relationship with former teammate Jalen Hurts ... finally admitting they aren't as tight anymore -- but he still has love for the guy.

Fresh off being traded to New England, the receiver sat down with Maria Taylor for an interview on "7PM in Brooklyn x Creative 7" ... with a Patriots "Man Cave" rug laying under their feet -- a purchase he says he made years ago, even though he was a member of the Eagles at the time.

The lifelong Pats fan shared his excitement to play for the team he worshipped growing up during the chat ... while also shedding light on his time in the City of Brotherly Love, specifically the apparent falling out with QB1.

Larry Fitzgerald is opening up after the death of his father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., paying homage in a heartfelt tribute that'll have you reaching for the box of tissues.

"My father was a man of strength, love and encouragement. He opened countless doors for me and my brother," the soon-to-be first ballot Hall of Famer wrote on social media.

"He believed in us and pushed us to pursue every opportunity with conviction, he was the rock of our family. He taught us that perseverance, hard work, and unwavering commitment are the foundations of a meaningful life and personal success."

A.J. Brown couldn't be happier to be a New England Patriot ... but the superstar receiver is seemingly attempting to rewrite history just a bit -- 'cause his childhood pics showing him in a Tom Brady jersey were made with A.I.

Brown -- who was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday -- went to Instagram to address his new move ... questionably using a Diddy song to get the message across that he's "Coming Home."

The post included two snaps of a young Brown in Patriots jerseys ... but the only problem is the only way he would have had those threads is if he had a time machine, given he's 28 years old now.