TMZ Sports - Page 50

The NBA's most popular video game is honoring Kobe Bryant in a BIG way ... making him a cover athlete for the 2021 edition of the game.

Officials at NBA 2K made the announcement Thursday ... revealing two pieces of art -- one for current-gen consoles and one for next-gen consoles -- for cover options for the 2K21 game.

In a statement released by the company ... they say they wanted to pay tribute to the Lakers legend for the legacy he left after he tragically passed in a helicopter crash back in January.

"Kobe Bryant holds a special place in the heart of every basketball fan," the statement said. "Someone who truly left everything on the court, where his achievements range from legendary to seemingly impossible."

The game with Kobe on the cover has been dubbed the "Mamba Forever Edition" ... and officials say the version will come with special features, including unique Kobe gear for virtual avatars.

"The Mamba Forever Edition celebrates Kobe's lifelong pursuit of victory and legacy and immortalizes him with two unique custom covers honoring the span of his career," officials added.

"For the current generation version of the game, Kobe is shown wearing #8 -- from his days as a bold and brash rookie. In the next-generation cover art, he is shown wearing #24, the number he played his final game in: his iconic 60-point performance."

There are two other cover options for the 2021 version of the game ... one features Trailblazers star Damian Lillard, while the other has Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson.

The game is scheduled to be released in September.

WNBA superstar Maya Moore -- who paused her hoops career to help free a wrongfully convicted man serving a 50-year prison sentence -- was able to watch him walk free on Wednesday ... and the video is powerful.

31-year-old Moore -- one of the greatest WNBA players EVER -- stepped away from the league in 2019 and 2020 to focus on social justice issues ... starting with freeing Jonathan Irons.

FYI, 40-year-old Irons was only 16 years old when he was convicted of burglary and assault in Missouri in 1998, despite no real evidence proving his guilt.

Moore has longed believed Irons is innocent -- and has spent the past 2 years providing tons of support in the hopes of bringing him home.

And, on Wednesday -- after his conviction was overturned and prosecutors said there would not be a retrial -- her dream became a reality.

Moore -- alongside Irons' family members -- watched Jonathan walk free from the Jefferson City Correctional Center in an emotional moment captured on video and posted to Instagram.

"I feel like I can live life now," said Irons -- who had served 22 years of his 50-year sentence. "I'm free, I'm blessed, I just want to live my life worthy of God's help and influence."

Moore spoke about Irons' release on "Good Morning America" on Thursday ... saying, "In that moment, I really felt like I could rest."

"I'd been standing, and we'd been standing, for so long .... and it was an unplanned moment where I just felt relief. It was kind of a worshipful moment, just dropping to my knees and just being so thankful that we made it."

Moore -- the #1 overall pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft -- is a 4-time WNBA champ and was named MVP in 2014.

The NBA's reboot just got really real ... both LeBron James and Anthony Davis made their returns to Lakers practice Wednesday -- and they look GOOOOOOOOODDDDD!!!

The team announced their superstars' comebacks in a sick highlight video Wednesday night ... showing shirtless Bron getting after it in the weight room and getting buckets on the hardwood.

Davis' jumper looked wet as well ... and the Lakers captioned it all with a subtle, "And we back."

The vid is FINALLY a breath of fresh air for the NBA ... lately, it's been nothing but pessimism toward the restart as COVID-19 cases rise and players continue to question if there should even be a season.

Of course, the Lakers haven't been immune to it all ... Dwight Howard is still pondering whether or not to play -- while the team had to sign J.R. Smith to replace Avery Bradley, who opted out of the restart last week.

But, LeBron's maintained throughout this offseason that the league SHOULD play ... and as Clippers star Pat Beverley tweeted last month, "If @KingJames said he hooping. We all hooping."

The Lake Show is the prohibitive favorite heading into Orlando's bubble -- King James' squad had the best record in the West before teams suspended operations back in March.

And, after seeing the new clips ... you really ready to bet against LeBron in the return?!

Formula 1 racing billionaire Bernie Ecclestone is a dad again -- 65 years after he fathered his first child.

Yep, the 89-year-old's wife, Fabiana Flosi, has given birth, the couple announced.

"We have a son named Ace. I am so proud," Bernie told the Swiss-German news outlet, Blick.

44-year-old Fabiana reportedly announced the baby was born Wednesday afternoon at a hospital in Switzerland ... and insists the birthing process was a breeze.

"It was all so easy. The birth was over after 25 minutes. Thank god!"

Ecclestone -- who was born in 1930 -- has 3 older children from 2 previous wives.

65-year-old Deborah from his first wife, Ivy Bamford -- followed by 35-year-old Tamara and 31-year-old Petra, both from his 2nd wife, Slavica Radic.

Ecclestone -- who turns 90 in October -- recently made headlines for his take on race relations ... telling CNN, "In lots of cases, Black people are more racist than what White people are."

Russell Wilson touchdown pass to ... Antonio Brown?!!?

That was a reality at the QB's workout field in San Diego on Wednesday ... and the possibility of the connection becoming a thing in Seattle this season seems to be getting more and more real.

31-year-old AB caught a bunch of passes from the former Super Bowl champ ... and based on the clips the WR shared on social media -- the two seem to have a hell of a rapport already.

Check out one of the plays where Brown tracked down a LOOONNGGGG deep ball from Russ ... it sure looked like something Pete Carroll wouldn't mind seeing at CenturyLink Field this year.

Brown certainly seems to be hoping so, at least ... he captioned one of the vids by saying, "Who would like to see this on Sundays 🤔 ? that was fun !!!!!!!!!!"

AB also got in some reps with Wilson's teammate, Geno Smith (as he's done often this offseason), during the sweat sesh as well ... begging the question, could this really be a preview of the Seahawks' offense this season????

Seattle DOES need another wideout to couple with D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett ... but it's unclear just how many games Brown will be forced to miss in 2020.

Is Marv Albert opting out of the NBA restart in Orlando? YESSS!

The 79-year-old broadcasting legend says it's just too risky to travel to the Walt Disney World bubble environment in Orlando with the pandemic surging -- and therefore will NOT be a part of TNT's on-site coverage.

"I had second thoughts," Albert told the NY Post.

Albert told the Post he got a call from Turner Sports boss Jeff Zucker about the move -- and even joked about his own age.

"He said to me, 'Maybe this is something you should skip in my age bracket,'" Albert said while joking, "I’d like to point out to you that 79 is the new 78.”

The good news ... Albert WILL contribute to the NBA broadcasts from a remote location -- he just won't be doing the play-by-play from the sidelines.

Of course, this is all contingent on the season actually starting again -- but with the new wave of positive COVID tests sweeping through the league, commish Adam Silver admits there's a chance things could get shut down before the July 31 tip-off date.

Dustin Poirier is clearly rooting for Justin Gaethje to beat Khabib when they battle in Sept. -- telling TMZ Sports it simply gives him a better road to a title shot.

Dustin -- who's still recovering from that WAR with Dan Hooker over the weekend -- is now the #2 ranked UFC lightweight, right behind Khabib and Justin.

Poirier has fought both of 'em already -- he beat Justin in 2018  but lost to Khabib in 2019.

Now, with Justin and Khabib squaring off at UFC 253 on Sept. 19, Dustin's in a pretty solid spot to fight the winner.

Dustin knows there are no guarantees in the UFC ... but he's convinced a Gaethje victory would put him in a much better position for a title shot.

"It’s more of a guaranteed lock for me to fight for the belt is Justin wins," Dustin says.

"I'm the last guy to beat him. I'm the only guy still in the organization who beat him. So it would make a lot of sense. And, I know he wants that fight as well."

So, how can Justin stop the seemingly indestructible Dagestani champion?

Dustin's got some ideas ...

"If Justin can keep his back off the fence, I believe he can out-scramble Khabib in the open."

"He just has such a pedigree in collegiate wrestling and that open mat area is going to be where Justin shines in the wrestling."

"If Khabib can get him against the fence, I believe Justin will be in trouble but we’ll see if he can stick to the game plan."

"I would assume that's gonna be his game plan -- to stay in the middle, make Khabib wrestle in the open and throw big punches."

And, if Khabib wins, Dustin says he's already been thinking about how he can correct the mistakes he made in the first fight and get the "W" in the rematch ... if Dana White gives him the shot.

There's more ... Dustin also told us about his plans to auction off his fight gear from the Hooker fight to help the less fortunate.

Good stuff.

Major League Soccer says its players are NOT getting the Fyre Festival treatment inside the Disney bubble -- claiming the players who posted sad sandwich pics are NOT inside the restricted area.

Toronto FC defender Omar Gonzalez posted a pic Tuesday showing an "MLS Is Back" In-Room dining menu which describes some delicious-looking, expensive food options ($65 for lunch!) ... cut next to an unimpressive sando in a brown box.

He tweeted out, "Yummm" ... leading people to believe the widely-touted Disney bubble was looking more like a sham than a glamorous experience.

Omar's teammate Eriq Zavaleta added fuel to the fire by posting another unappetizing sandwich pic. Not a great look.

But, our MLS sources tell us ... those two players are not yet in Orlando -- they're still in Toronto.

The league is unsure who shot the photos -- but reps say the food was served at a quarantine site OUTSIDE the official bubble where players are required to stay for 10 to 12 hours until they are cleared to enter.

There is basic food service at the quarantine site -- like sandwiches, etc -- but since it's essentially a layover spot, the food service isn't as robust.

Once players are allowed into the Walt Disney World bubble environment, it's a completely different story.

We're told players will get "banquet meal" service served in their club meal rooms -- and so far, the feedback on the food has been super positive.

Also, all players will have access to 4 restaurants in the bubble -- including Shula’s Steak House, Todd English Bluezoo, Il Mulino, and Kimonos sushi restaurant.

We're also told, "Players do not pay for meals."

So, yeah ... the travel meal might not be the fanciest food in the world, but MLS insists they're not pulling a Billy McFarland.

Corey LaJoie's #32 car is getting a new paint job for NASCAR's big race Sunday ... his team says it's decking out the ride in a "Trump 2020" theme for the Brickyard 400.

Go Fas Racing revealed the new paint scheme Wednesday ... saying it's partnered with the pro-Trump Patriots of America PAC to create the red, white and blue whip for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway race.

"I am honored to be part of the President's re-election campaign through the Patriots of America PAC," team owner Archie St. Hilaire said in a statement.

"As a Trump 2020 supporter, this team will do everything possible to secure victory on and off the track electing President Donald Trump to a second term."

The Ford Mustang will feature "Trump 2020" on both the hood and the rear-quarter panels ... while also displaying "Your Vote Counts" emblems.

The race is set to go down on Sunday at 1 p.m. PT in Indiana.

"With an estimated 75 million NASCAR fans out there, I was surprised that about 15 million of those fans are not registered voters," 28-year-old LaJoie said after the ride's paint scheme was announced.

"I will give my best effort to get NASCAR fans registered to vote, through our team efforts on and off the track. When they see the car, hopefully, it makes them race to the polls in November."

LaJoie has 5 top 20 finishes in the Cup Series this season ... notably finishing 8th in February's Daytona 500.

FYI, Bubba Wallace -- who's been racing in a "Black Lives Matter" car recently -- finished in 3rd at the 2019 Brickyard 400. He'll be back in Indy to compete this weekend as well.

Zachary Levi is set to play Kurt Warner in an upcoming biopic on the NFL Hall of Famer's life ... and you know who's PUMPED about that?!?

KURT WARNER!!!

The NFL Hall of Famer's journey from working at a Hy-Vee grocery store to winning the Super Bowl is getting the Hollywood treatment with a flick called "American Underdog" ... which is set to begin production later this year.

Levi -- who starred in the superhero flick "Shazam!" -- says he's "beyond pumped" for the role.

"Have always found [Kurt Warner] and his family, and their journey, to be an uplifting and inspiring one."

"Can’t wait to bring their story to screens both large and small. 🙌"

And, judging by Kurt's reply, the feeling is mutual!

"What a crazy, amazing journey this has been," Warner said ... "Now I’m going to be played by a Super Hero!!"

"Excited you [Zachary Levi] are taking this ride with us, can’t wait to see you deliver our story to the BIG screen!"

"I Still Believe" directors Jon and Andrew Erwin are set to take the helm for the Kurt Warner flick ... and they're convinced Levi is the perfect actor for the role.

"Zachary was our first and only choice," Jon said.

"He brings a combination of humble charm and charisma as well as an intense physicality to the role."

Andrew added ... "This is about an everyman who never let his dream die. Zachary was born to play this role – and when you add in his uncanny resemblance to Kurt Warner, we’re thrilled to be working with him."

Dude's not lying -- these guys could be brothers!!!

Warner was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Iowa in 1994 but didn't make the final roster.

He famously played in the Arena League and NFL Europe while trying to earn another shot with an NFL team.

The Rams finally gave him a chance in 1998 ... and the rest is history.

Super Bowl champ. Super Bowl MVP. 4-time Pro Bowler. Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Move over, Jerry Jones ... there's a new king in the scoreboard world -- the Rams and Chargers just officially hung their video beast, AND IT'S 2.2 MILLION POUNDS!!!

The L.A. NFL squads made the joint announcement Wednesday ... saying their one-of-a-kind jumbotron is now fully functional at the new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

And, according to the teams ... it's gaudy.

The board is the largest EVER in sports history (yes, even bigger than the one at Jerry World in Dallas) ... coming in at 120 yards long and featuring 70,000 square feet of LED technology.

The teams also say it's hooked up with 260 speakers ... and holds enough power to keep 1,500 home theater systems running!!!

Unclear if any fans will be able to watch it this season -- coronavirus cases are spiking like crazy in California and with the regular season's kickoff set for only 2 months from now, things ain't looking promising.

J.R. Smith seems excited about his reunion with LeBron James -- he's already rockin' a Lakers hat around town!

Check out the pic of Smith hitting up Pinches Tacos on Tuesday -- Lakers hat, Black & Mild in his mouth, red bandana around his neck.

Of course, 34-year-old Smith was reportedly finalizing a deal earlier this week to join the Lakers for the remainder of the season ... now that Avery Bradley has opted out.

So, this pic leads us to believe it's probably a done deal. Now, the biggest hurdle -- will the season actually happen?

Several NBA players and staffers have tested positive for COVID-19 recently -- with commish Adam Silver acknowledging they might have to shut down the reboot if there's a larger outbreak.

But, for now, Smith seems content with his team, his food and his smoke.

Smith hasn't played an NBA game since Nov. 2018 -- back when he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers ... but he's been keeping himself in shape by beating up alleged vandals in the streets of L.A.

Tony Dungy says he's done calling the Washington Redskins by their nickname ... explaining, "If the team doesn’t want to change, the least I can do is try not to use it."

Besides being an NFL Hall of Fame coach, Dungy is also part of NBC's "Football Night In America" ... the pre-game show for the biggest game of the week.

In other words, Dungy has a HUGE platform -- and he intends to use it to push for Washington to change its name.

"It’s not hard to change the name," Dungy told ESPN's William C. Rhoden. "When I’m on the air, I try to just refer to them as Washington. I think it’s appropriate."

Dungy's comments come in the wake of the National Congress of American Indians -- a powerful org. that represents more than 500 tribal nations -- deeming the team name offensive and calling for NFL Players to boycott.

NCAI president Fawn Sharp said just last week -- "It’s time for the players to rip down that name like it was a statue of a Confederate general in their locker room."

Pretty strong stuff -- especially since Washington had long argued that Native Americans were cool with the team name.

Can't hide behind that argument anymore.

Despite the pushback, Washington head coach Ron Rivera still isn't on board with a name change -- at least not yet -- arguing on a radio show earlier this week it's "always been a part of football."

Dungy disagrees, saying, "You can say, ‘This has been a historic name and we’ve used it for this team for X number of years, but in this day and age, it’s offensive to some people, so we’re going to change it.'"