TMZ Sports - Page 6

LeBron James is free to hop on Fanatics' helicopter whenever he wants -- while playing in Philly and living in NYC -- and that open invitation is part of his deal with a company that treats the King like royalty.

A source close to Fanatics tells TMZ Sports the newly signed 76ers superstar -- a “key partner” for the biz -- is one of the “most important athletes in the world,” and because of that, they're happy to let him use the company chopper anytime he wants.

James was spotted leaving the City of Brotherly Love in Fanatics' Leonardo AW139 heli after the Sixers scrimmaged on Saturday, on a roughly 45-minute flight back to the Big Apple.

Two games into the Capitals' season, longtime captain Alex Ovechkin announced he's hanging up his skates at the end of the year ... in a heartfelt locker room speech.

"This is going to be my last year,” the NHL legend told his teammates ... a decision he says he came to with the help of his family.

Ovechkin -- who won a Stanley Cup in 2018 -- is in the midst of his 22nd season with the Capitals. He's played 1,573 games and scored 929 goals in his legendary career.

But Father Time catches up to everybody ... even the "Russian Machine."

The sudden announcement visibly moved the Capitals locker room ... they embraced their captain after the speech.

Ovechkin also released a statement further explaining his decision.

“My family and I decided this summer that this will be my final year in the NHL. I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it’s the right decision," Ovechkin said.

"It was important for me to make this announcement before our first home game, so I have the chance to thank all the people around the game, everyone who has been so important to me and my family and helped me through good times and tough losses."

Since making the announcement, the future Hall of Famer has received praise from all around the hockey world, including from his old rival, Sydney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and countless more.

Does the ‘Great 8’ have the juice for one more Stanley Cup run to cap off his career?

The 76ers had a big offseason -- they brought in LeBron James and Jaylen Brown -- and the Miami Heat added Giannis Antetokounmpo ... to which John Starks says, cool, but the Knicks are still top dog in the Eastern Conference!

TMZ Sports ran into the legendary Knicks shooting guard Friday morning in NYC, and asked him if he believed the champs were getting the proper level of respect after winning the chip.

"They're getting their respect, but I know coming back into the season you have to be hungry. If they still have that underdog mentality coming into the season, it's gonna be good for them," Starks told us.

Zach Bryan has officially broken the attendance record at Robert Kraft's Gillette Stadium ... on the very night he wore a "Free Palestine" shirt for the second time!

The stadium actually broke the news themselves ... sharing on Instagram that 73,538 fans had attended his show.

Many fans, including Bella and Gigi Hadid's sister Alana, were quick to point out that the photos the stadium posted avoided close-up shots of Zach's shirt.

Ciara showed off her baby bump in a beautiful sheer lace outfit while out and about during PFW ... and the singer was accompanied by a famous friend.

Ciara -- who bared her baby bump and bodacious black bra -- was joined by La La Anthony at Paris' trendy Italian restaurant Sienna last night.

While Ciara wore a skin-tight black dress ... La La stunned in a red dress for their girls' night out in the City of Love.

LeBron James is proving his helicopter commute from Philadelphia to NYC is a breeze ... after the 76ers superstar wrapped up a major first milestone with his new team.

LeBron -- who is splitting time between NYC and Philly -- had just finished his first scrimmage with the 76ers on Saturday ... before taking the roughly 45-minute commute to New York.

The scrimmage, held in front of 10,000 fans at a sold-out Xfinity Mobile Arena, was a success, according to LBJ.

Zach Bryan has returned to Robert Kraft's Gillette Stadium after causing a stir with his first show, where he wore a "Free Palestine" shirt ... and night 2 was no different.

Hitting the stage Saturday night ... the "Revival" singer once again donned the shirt.

We reported earlier ... Zach and his whole band performed wearing pro-Palestinian shirts and jerseys on Friday night.

Jordon Hudson proved she celebrates "Mean Girls" Day ... as she showed up to support her man Bill Belichick at Chapel Hill wearing a pink satin two-piece.

Accessorizing with her trademark football-shaped purse ... Jordon also wore a championship ring on her finger Saturday and a pink bustier top and matching pants that we think Regina George would approve of.

Looks like we'll have to change the iconic "Mean Girls" phrase "on Wednesdays, we wear pink" to include Saturdays, too!

A star Massachusetts high school football player has died after suffering a brain hemorrhage ... and he was only 17 years old.

Marblehead High School senior Owen Coyne experienced a "sudden brain hemorrhage" ... but his family pointed out that it was not from receiving an impact while playing the sport.

Owen's mom Angela Paradise told the Marblehead Current ... "It is with profound sadness and indescribable grief that we share that Owen passed away after a sudden brain hemorrhage. Owen (Owie to his family, OC to his friends, teammates and coaches) was the sweetest soul you’ll ever meet — truly a gift!"

Owen's athletic gifts were on display not only on the football field, but on the track and baseball field as well.

Zach Bryan's drummer joined in on his pro-Palestinian outfit choice at Robert Kraft's Gillette Stadium ... by wearing a jersey with a special meaning.

Musician Nate Head wore a white and tan striped "Palestine" jersey with the name Hind Rajab on the back and the number 5.

Rajab was a 5-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed in January 2024 after the Israeli military opened fire on the car she was in as her family tried to flee Israeli evacuation orders ... according to Al Jazeera.

Zach Bryan is making a pretty loud statement at Robert Kraft's Gillette Stadium … hitting the stage in a "Free Palestine" shirt not long after the venue was at the center of Ed Sheeran's Macklemore controversy.

Bryan performed Friday night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, as part of his "With Heaven On" tour, and he and members of his band were seen sporting shirts reading "Free Palestine."

The timing is especially interesting considering what went down at the very same stadium just one week earlier.

Lethal Shooter has trained some of the biggest stars in Hollywood and sports, but now the social media sensation has his sights set on one of the most important figures in recent American history -- Barack Obama!

The viral shooting coach -- real name Chris Matthews -- swung by the TMZ Sports set this week and unloaded a dream list of clients he still hasn't gotten his hands on, and it's an impressive list.

"Mike Tyson. Samuel L. Jackson. You ready for the next one?" LS asked Babcock.

"Stevie Wonder. Trust me, bro. He can make a jump shot. If somebody can play the piano, if somebody can listen and hear the melody, if I'm in front of him, can Stevie Wonder knock down a jump shot?" he asked.

The fired Portland Trail Blazers announcer is apologizing for the offensive tweets that got him sacked.

Braiden Bell went on X to issue a brief, written apology, saying ... "I am deeply sorry for the language I used on Twitter. These tweets, while wrong, were written by me 14 years ago while I was only 15 years old and have no reflection of who I am today."

He continues ... "I regret this being my first impression to many of you online, but I can take solace in knowing that the people who truly know me understand that this is not the kind of person I am."

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York is breaking his silence over his August arrest in Ohio ... after the NFL suspended him for six games and fined him $500,000 for violating its Personal Conduct Policy.

York tells TMZ he accepts the league's decision in full ... calling what happened an "inexcusable mistake" and apologizing to his family, the 49ers organization, fans and partners.

He says ... "What I did does not reflect my values or the man I strive to be for my family."

Damien Shanklin -- a defensive end for the LSU football team -- is being investigated by campus police and the district attorney in connection with a rape allegation made by a fellow student ... but his lawyers say he "maintains his innocence."

According to ESPN, the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office confirmed they're investigating Shanklin after a student named Kendall Francis made her allegations against him public in a TikTok video she posted last month.

According to the Title IX complaint, reviewed by ESPN, Shanklin and Francis engaged in consensual intimate contact on October 18, 2025 -- before they began to have penetrative sex.

Tony Romo is officially out at CBS Sports ... ending his nine-year run with the network months after his highly publicized OWI arrest.

CBS confirmed to TMZ Friday it had "mutually agreed to part ways" with the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback ... thanking him for his contributions and wishing him the best moving forward.

J.J. Watt -- who has filled in for Romo so far this season -- will remain in the booth alongside Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson.