TMZ Sports - Page 50

Rick Fox says he's got the $100 MILLION Fortnite prize money in his sites -- and he's got his people scouting the world looking to put together the best squad he can find.

Fox is one of the big dogs in eSports -- his team, "Echo Fox," is a perennial contender in games like "League of Legends" and 'CS:GO.'

So, with Fortnite taking over the world and announcing a $100 MILLION prize pool next season -- we had to ask if he was making a run at that money.

"Our ears have been to the ground there, and our front office has been completely on top of finding the talent that would represent Echo Fox in a Fortnite setting."

Shouldn't be hard for Fox to put together a killer group -- his "Echo Fox" team dominated the H1Z1 competitions and won a ton of money there.

Wrestling superstar Johnny Impact is back!

TMZ Sports has learned that Johnny -- formerly known as John Morrison, Johnny Nitro and Johnny Mundo -- is returning to the squared circle for Impact Wrestling's Slammiversary in July.

A.J. Styles, Matt Hardy and Sting have done their thing at Slammiversary in the past -- so the event's a big deal.

Johnny has been wrestling on the International circuit for the past few months -- but we're told he's finally inked a deal to return to Impact Wrestling.

Kenyon Martin says "there's no such thing as simple flirting" anymore ... and it's all because men have crossed the line too many times when it comes to picking up women.

The ex-NBA star says he's well aware of the problems many women face in the workplace and other areas in their lives when men come on way too strong ... and it's not right.

"Over the years, men have abused their power," Martin tells TMZ Sports.

So, what happens now? Martin has advice for young men, including NBA players -- "Be smart. Notice the signs."

"No means no! Some resistance? Gotta turn away."

Jordan Clarkson's a Cleveland guy now ... but the dude just can't shake his old stompin' grounds, 'cause the ex-Laker just dropped $3.2 MILLION on a brand new L.A. home!!

The Cavs baller is currently in the NBA Finals ... but once the offseason hits, he'll be able to enjoy his 5 bedroom, 8 bathroom pad in Woodland Hills listed by Gabriel Ostrow.

Clarkson will have plenty to do ... his home's complete with a chef's kitchen, wine closet, dope home theater, saltwater pool and spa and a BBQ center.

Clearly the beef ain't squashed between Red Sox owner John Henry and Johnny Damon ... 'cause the former outfielder tells us he's ROOTING FOR THE YANKEES in the renewed rivalry with Boston!!

It's an interesting stance considering Damon is a Red Sox legend -- a key part of the team that broke the curse and won the World Series in 2004. He later played for the Yanks.

Now, with the two teams battling it out for 1st place ... Damon says he loves the renewed rivalry.

"They're bringing back the rivalry that we had in the early 2000s and it's going to be a fun year," Damon told us.

But when we asked Johnny who he's pulling for -- that's when it got interesting.

"I'll be rooting for New York."

Remember, Johnny went on "Celebrity Apprentice" a couple years ago and said he and John Henry weren't exactly on speaking terms after contract drama in 2005.

Kendall Jenner and Ben Simmons can't get enough of each other, even though they're acting like they're strangers.

Kendall and Ben hit up The Cheescake Factory Friday for lunch in L.A. at The Grove. They arrived separately and left separately.

They've been out together a bunch this week. They went to dinner Wednesday night at The Nice Guy and hit up a club later that night. They ended up at the fancy schmancy Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Bev Hills.

LaVar Ball has weighed in on the NFL's national anthem policy -- and it's not exactly what you'd expect.

"It's their league. If you don't want to do it, get out their league."

Don't get it twisted, Ball says he thinks the NFL has gone too far in requiring players on the field to stand ... but says the NFL has the right to create and enforce their own policies.

"That's why I got my own league," Ball tells TMZ Sports ... "Do what I want."

Ball is referring to his new junior basketball league, the JBA -- which he plans on running himself.

So, what's LaVar's policy on the national anthem going to be in his league?

Nikki Bella played with fire when she tried messing with the paparazzi ... and it burned her ass.

Nikki tells TMZ ... a story floating around showing her "canoodling with a mystery man" on a Miami balcony does NOT mean she's interested in him. She says it was supposed to be a joke to mess with paps since they had been following her and the rest of the "Total Divas" crew for days.

Nikki says the bartender is a 21-year-old model the show hired to serve them drinks at their penthouse ... but by Thursday Nikki had had enough with the paps. With a little liquid courage, Nikki says she hatched a plan to bring the guy out on the balcony and do some faux flirting to screw with the photogs.

Paps snapped away and a story about her canoodling hit the web ... something she had NOT intended to happen. Nikki wants to set the record straight -- she is NOT dating anyone else right now. And as she told us already ... she's actively trying to work things out with John Cena.

All eyez are on Matt Barnes' right hand ... 'cause the ex-NBA baller just got the most insane Tupac tattoo!!

The artwork is crazy real ... and the story of how Barnes got it is even more wild.

The former Laker -- who's tatted all over -- was lookin' for a 'Pac piece ... and after seeing a Kobe Bryant tattoo that artist Steve Butcher did ... he hit him up on social media and locked down an appointment.

The dopest realistic tattoo artist we've ever seen flew all the way to L.A. (he's from New Zealand) to ink Matt's hand ... and he says the ex-hooper couldn't have been cooler!

The tat took about five hours to complete -- and we're saying, job well done.

BTW ... Butcher says Matt was the first NBA player he's tatted ... but he probably won't be the last. DeAndre Jordan's already told him he's interested in getting a piece done as well!!

Odell Beckham made 3 football fans LOSE THEIR MINDS when he took the time out of his day for a quick pic at the airport ... but there is one very minor problem here.

THAT'S NOT THE REAL ODELL -- IT'S A LOOK-ALIKE (aka FauxBJ ... or NOdell Beckham Jr.).

We're told the Beck-alike didn't exactly stop the fans from thinking he was the real #13 -- and totally played along when he was stopped at Nashville International Airport on Tuesday.

We're told the fans even asked FauxBJ whether he'd continue to play with the Giants or try to play for a new team this season, to which he replied "I plead the 5th."

Pretty hilarious actually ... hope he got an upgrade on the plane!!!

John Salley says the mother of the NBA G League player who died after collapsing on the court is "100% right" in her lawsuit against the league ... saying, "I think she has a case."

TMZ Sports broke story ... Zeke Upshaw's mother claims the team doctor didn't respond to her son for 4 MINUTES after he collapsed from a cardiac incident during a game back in March.

Upshaw's mother claims Zeke did not receive proper medical treatment that could have saved his life, and she's holding the Detroit Pistons and the NBA responsible.

Salley -- a 4-time NBA champ -- told us he stands with Zeke's mother, and says the league needs to do better moving forward.

"I think she has a case ... The fact that there was no professional EMS around would definitely have to fall on the squad."

In fact, Salley says he hopes the lawsuit will force the league to improve league standards when it comes to medical emergencies.

Brian McKnight is reminding the world that J.R. Smith isn't traveling alone on the screw-up train ... telling TMZ Sports George Hill deserves just as much blame for the Cavs' loss.

You already know the play by now ... but McKnight says Hill's missed free throw that led up to J.R.'s brain fart is just as bad ... and says the people are giving him the pass J.R. should've given LeBron.

UFC champ Tyron Woodley is ALL ABOUT Snoop Dogg's new foray into MMA -- and now he's breaking down Snoop's fighting video on "The Hollywood Beatdown!"

Snoop just started MMA training at Jay Glazer's Unbreakable gym in L.A. -- and Tyron says he'll probably get on the mat and spar Snoop himself at some point!

But the question ... which skinny, MMA-training rapper would win in a fight -- Snoop or Wiz Khalifa?

There's a lot more ... including Tyron's take on the Nick Diaz arrest and Cris Cyborg's future in the UFC.

Holly Holm says she's not shooting down a possible rematch with Cris Cyborg Justino -- but cautions she's gotta get through Megan Anderson first.

Earlier this week, Cyborg told us she'd love to get back in the Octagon for another crack at Holm after their extremely violent fight back in December.

But Holm says she's got a "one fight at a time" mindset -- and the fight she's focused on now is Anderson at UFC 225 on June 9.

Holm says her Cyborg fight was "really competitive" -- but she might consider switching back to the 135-pound weight class to try and get the bantamweight belt back from Amanda Nunes.

Earnest Byner knows what it's like to make a major mistake with the game on the line (remember the '87 AFC Championship?) ... so, he's got some advice for J.R. Smith.

Byner is a legend in his own right -- he's a 2-time Pro Bowler and won Super Bowls as a player and a coach.

But back in 1988, he fumbled on the 2-yard line with time winding down costing the Cleveland Browns a shot at the Super Bowl. It's been ranked as one of the biggest in-game mistakes in NFL history.

The good news ... Byner didn't let the play define him and went on to have a great career.

They love Floyd Mayweather in Mexico!!

Check out the welcome banner Floyd got at Los Cabos Mexico International Airport on Thursday ... when his private jet touched down for a little getaway south of the border.

We spoke with a rep at the airport who told us it was just a "friendly" little gesture to welcome Mayweather and his crew.

Floyd got the VIP treatment once his PJ landed -- a pimped-out sprinter van took Floyd and the rest of his Money Team to their fancy resort.

Floyd has REALLY racked up the miles this year -- vacationing everywhere from Dubai to Singapore and Monaco, Thailand, Bali, Turks and Caicos and L.A.