TMZ Sports - Page 50

Mark Cuban says he wouldn't be surprised if young NBA stars, like Luka Doncic, played into their 40s -- thanks to new medical technology that can prevent non-contact injuries ... and he's dead serious.

The Dallas Mavericks owner was super passionate about the new wave of injury prevention technology outside Craig's in L.A. this week ... especially after the NBA Finals, with injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson.

"Those are brutal, I feel really horrible for those guys," Cuban said.

But, in the future, Cuban sees a league where players can use tech to prepare their bodies to handle the rigors of pro basketball.

"There's new technology, sonogram-type stuff that allows you to analyze tendons," Cuban said ... "But, it's not advanced enough so we have to do some more research to figure it all out. So hopefully, that in the future, non-contact injuries will happen less."

Cuban says when he came into the league 20 years ago, players crossing the 30-year-old mark were considered old and on the decline ... but now, that's changing radically.

"We saw Dirk [Nowitzki] play until 40 years, 21 years [in the NBA] ... we'll see more that. Luka [Doncic] coming into the league today, the rookies that will get drafted this year that are 18, there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to play 25 years if they have the skill with the new advanced technology."

Sorry, LeBron ... you LOST the trade that made Anthony Davis your new teammate, so says Master P -- who tells TMZ Sports the Pelicans WON the blockbuster swap!!!

"We got everything!" P says.

Bron's squad orchestrated the biggest trade in L.A. history over the weekend ... sending off Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and a bunch of draft picks for AD.

If ya think Master P -- who's a New Orleans legend that loves his Pelicans -- is busted up over the move ... think again, 'cause he thinks New Orleans actually got better!!

P also tells us getting Davis will put a ton of pressure on LeBron in L.A. ... and says the King better start winning now.

4:00 PM PT -- Cops now say there were 4 people who suffered gunshot wounds in the parade shooting.

They also say they've now arrested 3 people.

1:24 PM PT -- Police say they have arrested 2 suspects and recovered 2 guns after an alleged shooting at the Toronto Raptors championship parade Monday.

Cops also say two people are being treated for "serious" injuries -- but the injuries are not life-threatening. The investigation is ongoing.

The championship parade continued after the shooting -- with Drake taking the stage and telling the reported 1.5 MILLION people in the streets to hug each other and spread love.

The parade ended with no further violent incidents.

Scary moment at the Toronto Raptors championship parade in Canada ... where gunshots were reportedly fired in the crowd and cops are now responding.

The party came to a screeching halt just before 1 PM PT -- when people in the crowd heard what sounded like 4 gunshots.

A woman was reportedly hurt and paramedics raced to the scene.

The Toronto Police Operations Centre put out a statement saying, "SHOOTING: Nathan Phillip's Square -Reports of woman shot -People running from area."

You can see people fleeing on video. At one point, Raptors play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin grabbed the mic and told the crowd to stay strong and stay calm while officials respond to the "emergency."

People at the scene are being advised to "get down" or to find somewhere safe.

A Dominican Republic hoops team showed MAJOR love for David Ortiz over the weekend ... ditching its normal set of unis for jerseys with Big Papi's face as the logo.

It all went down Sunday ... when Huellas del Siglo -- a local team in the D.R. -- rocked some bright orange gear that featured a picture of Ortiz tipping his Red Sox cap with the words "Big Papi" written underneath.

Of course, Ortiz was nearly killed last week when a man opened fire on his back outside of a nightclub in Santo Domingo.

But, fortunately for everyone, the MLB legend is doing better after surgery ... and Huellas del Siglo was so happy for the news, they broke out the custom jerseys against San Carlos.

"Today we pay homage to the living legend David Ortiz," the team said of the uniforms in Spanish ... "and we continue to pray for his total recovery."

WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry did a pretty cool thing on Sunday -- organizing an event in his hometown of Austin, Texas to give haircuts and shaves to people in need.

Henry says he didn't just want to hand out cash and call it a day -- his focus was put boots on the ground and do something for the people that would really make a difference in their lives.

So, after talking with local organizations, he decided to spearhead a shave and haircut event -- because a lot of homeless people had been telling him the way they look can be a tough hurdle to overcome when trying to find a job.

Mark connected with the people from the Austin Area Urban League and the Maestro's Classic beard care company to set up the event ... where they offered free shaves, haircuts, food and water to anyone who needed the help.

Henry says he learned A LOT while talking with the people who came through his event -- especially when it comes to the way homeless people are treated by the rest of society.

"People don't acknowledge them. They treat them like they're invisible. 9 times out of 10 people just look at them and don't talk to them. That's gotta be a horrible existence."

Mark says he was so moved by the experience, he's already planning more events in cities across the country.

"I got a lot of joy out of seeing people smile and feel good about how they looked, it meant a lot to them," Henry says.

Gable Steveson -- one of the top heavyweight college wrestlers in the country -- was arrested Saturday for criminal sexual conduct ... and he's still in custody.

Steveson is a superstar wrestler at the University of Minnesota -- where he just wrapped up his freshman year with an incredible 35-2 record ... finishing as the #3 ranked heavyweight in the country.

But now, he's in huge trouble ... the 19-year-old was arrested at his Minneapolis home on Saturday after a person told police Steveson and another UM wrestler committed sexual assault with an object on Saturday.

The teammate, 21-year-old Dylan Martinez, was also arrested Saturday for suspected criminal sexual conduct.

Both men are being investigated for allegedly penetrating another individual with an object. The accuser went to the hospital for treatment, according to the police report.

The accuser's identity has not been released. Details surrounding the allegations are unclear.

What is clear ... Steveson is adamant he did NOTHING wrong. His attorney, Christa Groshek, said the wrestler is cooperating with the police investigation and he's adamant he is innocent.

The University of Minnesota has issued a statement, saying, "We are aware of a situation involving two of our student athletes and are in the process of gathering more information."

"These students have been suspended from all team activity pending further information. Federal and state law precludes any further details at this time."

12:38 PM PT -- ESPN issued a statement ... saying, "LaVar Ball’s comment to Molly Qerim Rose was completely inappropriate and we made him aware of that."

LaVar Ball is adamant the comments he made on-air to ESPN's Molly Qerim on Monday were not intended to be "sexual in nature" ... despite the way it sounded on live TV.

The head of the Big Baller Brand appeared on "First Take" to discuss the blockbuster trade that sent his son, Lonzo Ball, from the L.A. Lakers to the New Orleans Pelicans ... when things went off the rails.

When Molly asked LaVar if she could "switch gears" and pivot to another topic, LaVar responded, "You can switch gears with me anytime."

Several people condemned the comments, including ex-ESPN star Jemele Hill ... saying, "Kudos to Molly [Qerim] for the professional way she handled LaVar Ball after his inappropriate comment. Maybe ESPN will have finally learned its lesson about putting him on TV."

Now, LaVar's rep, Denise White, is issuing a statement from the BBB camp ... saying, "[LaVar] was asked if he wanted to switch gears, in his mind switching gears was 'changing the subject anytime' and he said, 'yes, you can switch gears with me anytime.' At NO time was that intended or meant to be sexual in nature."

This isn't the first time LaVar has been under fire for comments he made on-air to a woman -- back in 2017, he told FS1's Kristine Leahy to "stay in your lane" after she questioned him about his parenting style.

A minor league baseball team in Kentucky celebrated Father's Day with some INCREDIBLE "Dad Bod" jerseys ... complete with back hair, man nipples and a tramp stamp tattoo!

The Florence Freedom -- which plays in the Frontier League in Northern Kentucky -- busted out the jersey promotion while hosting the Lake Erie Crushers at UC Health Stadium on Sunday night.

Yes, the players ACTUALLY wore the jerseys during the game ... until it was suspended in the 7th inning due to a lightning and rain storm in the area. The game was tied 7-7 when the game was stopped. Play will resume on July 5 -- and they'll pick right up from the top of the 7th.

But, before lightning struck, fans in attendance were able to BID on the jerseys worn by the players. Unclear if the players will still wear the special uniforms when play resumes next month.

The hairy unis weren't the only promotion that night -- the team also dropped hot dog prices to $1 and certain beers were only $3 (for dads only!).

Not a bad way to celebrate!

In St. Louis and thinking of booing Albert Pujols in his return to Busch Stadium this week??

Don't do it ... so says Cardinals star Matt Carpenter, who tells TMZ Sports Pujols deserves to be treated like a king in his first game back in STL.

"Like a hero coming back to town," Carpenter says.

Of course, The Machine famously put together a Hall of Fame career for the Cards from 2001 to 2011 ... but he didn't leave for the Angels on the best of terms following the '11 season.

Some have thought he might be welcomed with a bunch of boos because of that when he comes to town with the Halos this week ... but Carpenter says fans should stand up and cheer nonetheless.

"That guy had arguably one of the 10 best seasons that have ever been played in St. Louis," Matt says.

First pitch Friday is at 5:15 PM PT ... Pujols is expected to step into the batter's box in either the first or second innings.

Michael Irvin tells TMZ Sports if Jerry Jones doesn't break out his checkbook and pay Dak Prescott ... the rest of the Cowboys roster will riot!!!

"They're going to say, 'Why the hell should I give all my effort if you didn't take care of the top guy?!'"

Of course, Dak is entering the final year of his 4-year rookie deal ... and Dallas is reportedly at a standstill in negotiations for his next contract.

But, Irvin says if Jerry and the 'Boys keep playing hardball and don't get the deal done soon ... it could mean big trouble for Jason Garrett's locker room.

"If you don't pay him, let's all go home," Irvin says.

Dak's new deal is expected to be a huge one ... reports say he wants to be in the area of the $30-ish MILLION per year that Carson Wentz, Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson just got.

Will Jerry pay that up for a guy who's only made $2.7 million over the last three years TOTAL???

Wondering where LeBron James' head was at before the Lakers made one of the biggest trades in franchise history? All up in some WNBA hoops, along with his pals, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul.

The game was a blowout, the Las Vegas Aces cooked the New York Liberty 100-65 Friday night, but the question is, was James even paying attention knowing the Anthony Davis trade was looming?

It was announced Saturday that the Lakers traded everyone under the age of 25 in Los Angeles County to pick up Davis on Saturday, and you gotta wonder if LeBron's mind was preoccupied.

As for Westbrook and Paul, they both have a lot to think about too ... their teams have uncertain futures after suffering early playoff exits and both men are kinda in the crosshairs of some criticism.

Dikembe Mutombo's fancy Rolls-Royce Phantom was smashed up while he was having a Father's Day dinner with his family ... and now cops are on the hunt for the culprit.

The 52-year-old NBA legend was dining at the Landmark Diner in the Atlanta area late Sunday evening -- when someone ran into the restaurant and yelled out that multiple cars had been vandalized in the parking lot.

When Dikembe checked out his 2009 Rolls, he noticed both front windows and the rear passenger windows were busted, according to the police report obtained by TMZ Sports.

Cops say nothing appeared to be stolen and no one was injured -- essentially, it seems like the culprit just wanted to damage the cars like a jerk.

Cops dusted Dikembe's car for fingerprints but it's unclear if they got a hit. We're told, unfortunately, vehicular vandalism is pretty common in the area and local business owners and residents are furious ... and they're working with police to put an end to it.

We spoke with the general manager of Landmark who says he feels terrible for Dikembe -- and vows to hire private security to prevent situations like this in the future.

We also spoke with a witness who tells us Dikembe is a regular at Landmark and everyone there loves him -- it's not like he has any enemies looking to harm him.

Big weekend for tennis superstar Caroline Wozniacki ... who tied the knot with ex-NBA star David Lee in Italy -- in front of a TON of huge athletes ... including Serena Williams.

It all went down Saturday at the fancy Castiglion del Bosco Hotel in Tuscany -- the same place where Justin Verlander wifed up Kate Upton in 2017.

Caroline -- the #14 ranked singles player in the world -- wore a custom Oscar De La Renta wedding gown and custom Jimmy Choo heels. Her father walked her down the aisle.

The guest list for the Wozniacki/Lee bash was pretty amazing -- Serena was a bridesmaid and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, was there.

Other huge stars in attendance included NBA stars like Pau Gasol and Harrison Barnes, ex-NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer and tennis stars Angelique Kerber, Agnieszka Radwańska and Urszula Radwańska.

The party looked pretty incredible ... with dancing, photo booths and fireworks.

The couple met around 3-and-a-half years ago -- after Caroline's breakup with golf superstar Rory McIlroy. Lee proposed about 2 years later ... with an 8.88 carat diamond ring because 8 is Caro's "lucky number."

12:11 PM PT -- Drake did his best Rob Gronkowski impression at the Raptors' parade -- catching a full beer that a fan threw his way ... and chugging the hell out of it!!!

Drizzy has been raging on Kawhi Leonard's double-decker parade bus all morning long ... and when someone tossed a brew his way -- he went full Stone Cold Steve Austin on it!!!

He cracked it open ... poured it down the hatch -- and appeared to dab afterward!!

The parade is going on hour No. 5 ... but there's a chance we haven't seen the best from Drake yet -- he's supposed to address the crowd once the parade reaches the end.

... getchya popcorn ready!!

Sorry, Kawhi Leonard, it might be the Raptors' championship parade day ... but all eyes will be on Drake ... 'cause everyone wants to know -- how crazy will Drizzy get!?!

Toronto shockingly upset the Warriors in six games last week ... and the Canadian city is throwing a party to celebrate -- and we'll be live streaming the whole thing.

Kawhi, Kyle Lowry and Nick Nurse will all be there ... but the man we all wanna see is the 6 God -- 'cause he's been front and center of everything during this Raptors' run.

Will there be more Golden State trash talk? Some more coaching shoulder rubs? Maybe even another new rap song?!?

O.J. Simpson says he didn't do it ... making a VIDEO claiming he's NOT the real father of Khloe Kardashian -- because he NEVER hooked up with Kris Jenner.

Simpson -- who already shot to 600,000 followers in the 48 hours after joining Twitter -- says he wants to set the record straight on the Kardashian rumors, starting with rumblings that he and Kris got busy back in the day.

"I want to stress ... never in any way shape or form had I ever had any interest in Kris romantically or sexually and I never got any indication that she had any interest in me," Simpson said.

"So, all of these stories are just bogus and bad and tasteless."

Of course, O.J. and Kris' ex-husband, Robert Kardashian, were BFFs -- but O.J. is adamant he never tried to make a move ... even after they divorced.

As for Khloe ... people have been speculating that Simpson is her "real" dad for decades because she looked different than her sisters, Kim and Kourtney.

"Khloe, like all the girls, I'm very proud of," O.J. said ... "just like I know Bob would be if he was here."

"But, the simple facts of the matter is she's not mine."

UFC legend Daniel Cormier says he's tired of people thinking combat sports is a beauty contest, saying both him and Andy Ruiz Jr. prove the fact that FAT GUYS CAN FIGHT!!!

Ruiz set the Keto diet back 10 years when he knocked out Anthony Joshua a couple weeks ago ... making blubbery brawlers all over the world believe in the power of the ponch.

We talked to Cormier and he told our guy it's about damn time, saying fighting is less about looks and more about ability.

"All that physical sh*t don't mean nothing. Go be a bodybuilder if you think that your physique is what's gonna determine a fight."

As far as Ruiz, Cormier says anyone paying attention could see Andy was more than capable of beating Joshua, but they all got fooled by the fat.

"That dude's an athlete. Look at his Instagram, look at his work ethic. His feet are very quick, his hands are very quick, and he's got a killer's mentality."

D.C. left all you dieting jerks with one last message ... and he delivered it with passion.