LeBron James Suspended Over Brutal Foul ... First Of Career

There's a first time for everything -- LeBron James was just hit with a one-game suspension as a result of Sunday's wild incident ... the first time he's ever been banned in his 19-year career.

It's a shocking decision, especially because the Lakers' next game is in New York against the Knicks on Tuesday ... and Madison Square Garden is the biggest stage in the NBA.

Detroit Pistons player Isaiah Stewart was also suspended two games for his involvement in the incident ... with the league saying he escalated the altercation by "repeatedly and aggressively" pursuing James.

LBJ was ejected for just the second time of his career after elbowing Stewart in the face during a boxout in the 3rd quarter ... which sparked an insane altercation.

As it turns out, Bron reportedly felt awful about the 'bow throw ... with NBA insider Shams Charania reporting the future Hall of Famer tried to get Stewart's number to apologize for the incident.

LBJ will serve his suspension on Tuesday, and Stewart will miss the Pistons' home game against the Heat and Wednesday's road matchup against the Bucks.

NHL's Evander Kane Claims Ex Faked Pregnancy ... Wants Mental Exam

Evander Kane's divorce case has just taken another nasty turn ... the NHL player is now claiming his ex faked a pregnancy the last few months, and he's asking a judge to order her to take a mental exam to prove she's fit to care for their daughter.

It's all in new court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, in which Kane says his estranged wife, Anna Kane, has been lying to him about her pregnancy since July.

The San Jose Sharks star claims up until earlier this month, he had believed Anna was pregnant with their second child, which was due in February 2022.

Evander says Anna had spoken about the baby often, and he says he had seen her belly grow with his own eyes throughout the last several weeks.

Evander, though, says after he reviewed recent medical bills -- it was brought to his attention that Anna had actually had an abortion way back in July.

Evander is accusing Anna of pretending to be pregnant for months ... going as far as wearing "some sort of pregnancy belly" to deceive him and cause him mental trauma.

Evander says all of it is so deeply disturbing, he's worried about the potential impact it might have on the couple's daughter -- and he's now requesting the court step in and give him full custody of their girl while also ordering Anna to undergo an examination to prove she's mentally stable.

For her part, Anna said in her own court docs that she did have the abortion in July, and acknowledged "I was less than forthcoming with [Evander] with regards to my decision."

She admitted in the docs that she "did not inform [Evander] or the court that I was no longer pregnant." She did deny, however, wearing any sort of prosthetics in an attempt to look pregnant.

Anna also claimed in her docs she is mentally stable and is fully capable of caring for the couple's daughter -- and is asking the court to deny Evander's requests.

Evander has been granted temporary custody of the child -- with a hearing on the matter slated for December.

As we previously reported, Anna and Evander's relationship has been contentious since she filed for divorce back in July ... with both parties accusing each side of heinous things.

Cyclist Mark Cavendish Broken Ribs, Collapsed Lung ... After Crashing In Race

Mark Cavendish -- one of the greatest road sprinters of all time -- says he's in pain after a violent spill during an event in Belgium ... leaving him with 2 broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

The crash happened at the Six Days of Ghent competition Sunday night ... when the 36-year-old -- alongside his teammate -- collided with cyclist Lasse Norman Hansen.

You can see in the footage, a biker ahead of Cavendish and Hansen lost control ... causing them to crash into each other at full speed and go spinning on the track floor.

Cavendish stood up after the crash but was taken to the Ghent University Hospital for observation --- his team, Deceuninck-Quick-Step, announced Monday he broke 2 ribs on his left side and a small pneumothorax.

"It is expected that Mark will be discharged either later today or tomorrow morning," Cavendish's team said, "and will then undergo a period of recuperation."

Cavendish -- in his hospital bed -- thanked all the fans for showing love via IG -- saying, "Just want to say how overwhelmed & thankful I am for all the support and well-wishes."

"In a bit of pain, but a couple of nights with the incredible staff here at Ghent University Hospital should sort me out."

Cavendish -- who won 34 Tour de France stages -- was just named, by the Tours' director,  as one of the greatest sprinters in Tour history and cycling.

Get well, soon!!

WNBA's Kysre Gondrezick Mental Struggles Led To Hiatus ... 'I Am Better As A Person'

Indiana Fever guard Kysre Gondrezick is opening up on her time away from the WNBA ... saying she needed to focus on her mental well-being.

Gondrezick -- the #4 pick in the 2021 WNBA draft -- posted a letter to Instagram on Monday ... detailing some of the struggles she faced this past season, including the loss of someone extremely close to her.

"My mental health was at a high risk as I was under a lot of stress coping with my own personal traumas," Kysre said.

"After losing my father, the pressure began to mount for what I considered my job as a facet of grieving, I wasn't present to the idea of effectively knowing how to cope," she continued.

Kysre admits she didn't know how to effectively cope with her father's loss ... and that she lost sight of his presence, her focus, and ultimately lost the fun in the game.

Gondrezick knew those emotions -- although she couldn't readily identify them -- were beginning to take a toll on her ... so it was time to put a pause on things in her life that were affecting her mental stability.

Once she realized she couldn't even enjoy the rest and recovery period over the WNBA Olympic break -- something she knew she needed -- that's when the first-round draft pick knew something needed to change.

Kysre sought professional help and put various areas of her life -- like social life and additional activities -- on pause for the last five months.

Lastly, she closes by saying she's a much better person who is comfortable in her skin ... and thanked everyone who showed her love in her time of need.

"Thank you to everyone for your support, thoughts, and prayers. It has not gone unnoticed."

Kobe Bryant's Daughters Hoopin' At Lakers Facility ... W/ 'Uncle' Pau Gasol

PALLIN' WITH PAU
@vanessabryant / Instagram

Kobe Bryant's two youngest daughters are showing a little glimpse of that Mamba Mentality already ... by playing hoops with Pau Gasol at the Lakers facility -- and it's adorable!!

Vanessa Bryant shared the footage this weekend ... showing Bryant's best friend and teammate Gasol on the court with 4-year-old Bianka and 2-year-old Capri.

Bianka is quick to show off her defensive skills against the 7-foot-1 center and manages to steal the ball from between his leg -- with the help from her sister and Gasol's daughter, Ellie.

Bianka also got a chance to dunk with an assist from Gasol and Bryant's longtime agent Rob Pelinka ... right near her dad's jersey #24 painting on the facility's wall.

Gasol loved every moment of it -- saying, "Always the best times with the kids."

The 41-year-old retired NBA star considered Kobe as his brother ... and has spent time with the Bryant family on a consistent basis since the fatal accident in January 2020.

In fact for Halloween, the Gasols and the Bryants all dressed up as Dalmatians for Vanessa's Cruella De Vil costume and hung out at one of Kobs's favorite places in the world -- Disneyland.

RIP Mamba and Mambacita.

Washington Nationals Sued By Ex-Coaches Over Team's Vax Mandate ... It Violated Our Religious Beliefs!!!

Two former Washington Nationals employees who coached pitching in the org's minor league ranks say the MLB team's COVID vaccine mandate wrongfully led to their firings earlier this year ... and now, they're suing over it all.

The two pitching coaches -- Lawrence Pardo and Brad Holman -- spelled it all out in a lawsuit filed Monday ... saying they did not want to take the vaccines for religious reasons.

But, in the docs, they say their requests for exemptions were rebuked by the Nationals ... and they were eventually terminated over it.

In the docs, Pardo and Holman say back on Aug. 12, the team issued a vaccine mandate, explaining if employees, excluding players, did not have at least one shot by Sept. 10, they'd be fired.

Both Pardo and Holman, though, say they could not take the shots because they claim the vaccines "were developed from or tested on aborted fetal cells."

As self-proclaimed strong opponents of abortion, Pardo and Holman both believed that gave them a religious exemption.

But, the two say the team denied their requests for exemptions ... and then canned them.

Pardo and Holman are now suing for damages, saying they were discriminated against on the basis of religion.

We've reached out to the Nats for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

OKC Thunder Proof of Vax No Longer Required ... For Home Games

The Oklahoma City Thunder will no longer require proof of vaccination or testing to attend home games ... which means fans are one step closer to a normal basketball experience.

Effective December 1, folks hitting up OKC home games will no longer be subjected to the same protocols they were for the first 10 home games.

Before this announcement, fans would have to consent to testing or provide proof that they had been vaccinated against COVID ... and children ages 2-11 had to wear masks at the games.

FYI -- the Oklahoma Department of Health is reporting that the percentage of Oklahoma County residents age 12 and older who are fully or partially vaccinated has risen to 85%.

The Thunder's change comes as the number of COVID cases has dropped considerably, and hospitalizations have declined at similar rates ... paving way for the team to make changes.

Of course, the team consulted with health officials before making such a drastic decision ... discussing the data and vaccination rates across the state. After being encouraged by the numbers, the team decided to lift their current vaccine/testing mandates.

But, it's not completely over just yet -- fans with courtside seats will have to show proof of vax or test ... as those rules are determined by the league.

Despite the progress being made in the fight against COVID in Oklahoma, the team is still encouraging their fans to get vaccinated and to continue to wear masks at the games.

Tennis Star Peng Shuai Insists She's Okay During Video Call W/ IOC

Tennis star Peng Shuai told International Olympic Committee officials she's not in danger during a video call over the weekend, insisting there's nothing to worry about, but the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) is still concerned about the star player.

The 35-year-old former #1 ranked doubles player in the world seemingly vanished around 3 weeks ago after accusing a powerful former Chinese politician of sexual assault on social media.

The post was taken down ... and Shuai wasn't heard from for weeks. Then, top tennis players like Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and Novak Djokovic took notice -- along with the WTA -- and demanded action.

Cue the 30-minute Zoom call ... with IOC prez Thomas Bach, and 2 other officials.

"Peng Shuai thanked the IOC for its concern about her well-being. She explained that she is safe and well, living at her home in Beijing, but would like to have her privacy respected at this time. That is why she prefers to spend her time with friends and family right now," the IOC said in a statement issued following the call.

After they spoke, another IOC official said they were convinced the 2013 Wimbledon doubles winner was safe and healthy after the call.

"I was relieved to see that Peng Shuai was doing fine, which was our main concern. She appeared to be relaxed. I offered her our support and to stay in touch at any time of her convenience, which she obviously appreciated."

But, not everyone's content with the call. The WTA, which has done an incredible job demanding answers from Chinese officials, still have concerns over Peng's safety.

"It was good to see Peng Shuai in recent videos, but they don't alleviate or address the WTA's concern about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion," a WTA spokesperson told ESPN.

When asked specifically about the IOC's Zoom call, the WTA spokesperson said, "This video does not change our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault, which is the issue that gave rise to our initial concern."

After not being seen or heard from for weeks, Peng's been more visible lately. In addition to the video call on Sunday, Shuai was also seen at a tennis tournament in Beijing on Saturday.

Question is ... is Peng being coerced, or is she truly free?

Bronny James Loses Free-Throw Challenge To TikTokker ... Forced To Give Up Kicks

Bronny James was forced to give up his sick kicks over the weekend ... and it's all 'cause he lost a free-throw competition to a TikTokker.

For real.

Here's the deal ... LeBron James' oldest son entered into a bet with rising TikTok star "NeverMissAllie" -- agreeing to hand over the sneakers off his feet if he made fewer shots than the social media expert.

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And, after Allie made nine of her 10 attempts ... Bronny stepped to the line -- and folded.

Check out the footage the TikTokker posted over the weekend ... the Sierra Canyon standout missed two of his first six shots, and when Allie gave him another chance, he still missed another one just three shots later.

Allie -- who has over half a million TikTok followers -- then promptly took Bronny's shoes ... which had to be a tough pill for the teenager to swallow, considering they appear to be Jordan 1 Union Los Angeles Blue Toes, which run for about $2,000 on resale sites.

To his credit, Bronny was a good sport about it all ... and gave Allie props for the sharpshooting.

In the meantime, think Papa James could come through with a replacement pair of the Nikes?

Henry Ruggs Appears In Court ... Over Missed Breath Test

UPDATE

8:27 AM PT -- Ruggs was not ordered to go back to jail over the missed test, but the judge ruled he will now have to undergo 24/7 alcohol monitoring.

UPDATE

The judge ordered Ruggs to wear an ankle device that will measure the levels of alcohol in his system through his skin. The NFL player had previously been testing his alcohol levels via a handheld device.

UPDATE
UPDATE

Ruggs did not speak with media members as he left the court room. He's due back next in court for another hearing in his DUI case in December.

Henry Ruggs is back in the public eye ... the ex-Raiders star just showed up to a Las Vegas courthouse after a judge ordered him to appear over a missed breath test.

Ruggs entered the court in a black shirt, black pants and black bowtie -- and walked with seemingly no issues whatsoever.

Of course, the last time we saw Ruggs in public was in a courtroom on Nov. 3 -- the day after he was accused of slamming his Corvette into a Toyota and killing a woman and her dog.

At that hearing, where Ruggs posted bond and was released from custody, the football player was seen in a neck brace and a wheelchair.

The 22-year-old, though, appeared to be just fine Monday morning ... showing no signs of long-term injuries suffered in the crash.

As we previously reported, Ruggs was ordered to appear before a judge Monday after he allegedly missed a required alcohol breath test.

As part of the conditions of his release, Ruggs has been ordered to submit to alcohol testing several times a day -- and at a hearing last week, a judge said he missed one of those check-ins.

There's a chance Ruggs could be put back behind bars over it all -- the hearing to discuss the matter is currently underway right now. We'll keep you posted on how it unfolds.

Originally Published -- 7:39 AM PT

Steelers' Cam Heyward Punches Justin Herbert In Gut ... Apologizes

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward is apologizing after socking Justin Herbert in the stomach during Sunday Night Football ... saying "there was nothing malicious behind it."

The controversial play went down with just over 9 minutes left in the 4th quarter of the wild matchup ... when 32-year-old Heyward chased Herbert down and tackled him after a 36-yard scramble.

After the play, Heyward remained on top of Herbert for several seconds ... before Chargers WR Joshua Palmer rushed up to push him off. Both guys then got into a shoving match before Heyward unloaded the gut-punch on Herbert.

Heyward was hit with an unnecessary roughness penalty as a result of the play ... and explained his side of things to reporters after the 41-37 loss.

"To be honest, I was running after the ball, and I caught my hand under, so when I was trying to get back up, I couldn't get up, and I fell back on him."

"I know it looks terrible, (but) there was nothing malicious behind it. I don't think I was trying to punch him, but I know it looks worse than it is in slow motion. I'm sorry if I did anything to offend anybody."

"I wish I had said more to Justin after, but there was nothing behind it."

Herbert didn't seem to mind the play -- he even complimented Heyward's toughness and said whatever happened on the field will stay there.

As for Heyward, he is facing a potential fine for the play.

Green Bay Packers Devastated Over Waukesha Tragedy ... 'Terrible, Senseless Act'

The Green Bay Packers say they're heartbroken over the Christmas parade crash in Wisconsin that left 5 people dead ... calling the tragedy a "terrible, senseless act."

The NFL org. released a statement in support of the victims hours after the mayhem erupted on Sunday ... saying, "Our thoughts are with the community of Waukesha this evening."

As we previously reported, a red Ford Escape sped into a Xmas parade this weekend in Waukesha, WI -- two hours south of Green eBay -- running over several spectators.

DEADLY DRIVER
Storyful - Facebook/City of Waukesha

Multiple witnesses captured footage of the chaos ... showing the SUV flying down the street before plowing into people who were marching in the parade.

At this time, Waukesha police have confirmed 5 people were killed and over 40 were injured.

"We are grateful for the first responders and others who assisted the injured and comforted those in need," the Packers said in their statement.

"We share our condolences with those who lost loved ones. As a statewide community, we must all come together to support each other in these difficult times."

Arizona Cardinals star J.J. Watt -- who is from the Waukesha area -- said he was also devastated to learn of the tragedy Sunday ... calling it all "horrific."

"Truly hoping everyone is going to be ok and those not involved are now safe," the five-time All-Pro said. "Thankful to everyone who rushed to action and helped the wounded."

Police say they do have a person of interest in custody ... and the investigation is ongoing.

Odell Beckham Jr. & Lauren Wood We're Pregnant!!!

Odell Beckham Jr.'s trade to Los Angeles is now officially the second biggest life event of the wide receiver's year so far ... 'cause the NFL star just revealed he's going to be a dad!

The new Rams player and his model GF, Lauren Wood, made the announcement Sunday ... with Wood going public with her pregnant belly for the first time in a social media post.

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The model -- who's been dating OBJ for two years -- seemed to reveal the couple is having a daughter ... 'cause she captioned the pic with a girl emoji as well as three "I love you" comments.

Odell and Wood went IG official way back in November 2019 ... and they've been nearly inseparable since, with Wood showing up to his games often and also helping him through his various rehabs over the years.

As for soon-to-be grandpa Odell Beckham Sr. ... he was fired up to share the news Sunday too -- writing on his Instagram, "WHHHAAAA… #LOVEIT."

No word yet on when Baby Beckham is due ... but it appears there could be a chance it's at some point this football season.

Congrats!!

LeBron James, Isaiah Stewart Ejected from Game after Brutal Foul

LeBron James elbowed a guy in the face during his game in Detroit -- and while the receiving player bled out of his face ... he started to come after the King in a fury. The fight led to both players being ejected.

Pistons' big man Isaiah Stewart got tangled up with LBJ Sunday during the Lakers game there in town, and while LeBron was trying to box out IS -- he turned around and nicked him in the eye ... in what many took as a cheap shot.

The elbow to the dome sent Stewart tumbling, but he was back up to his feet in a hurry ... and came face-to-face with LeBron, and started to tussle with him right there on the court.

Teammates scrambled in to separate the two -- this as Stewart's face started to gush blood -- but it became clear very quickly that he wasn't over the ordeal, and was ready to get into a full-blown melee. Watch how much it took to restrain him ... a couple different times.

By the end, Stewart was being dragged into the locker room tunnel by his teammates and coaching staff -- but even then, he broke away from them and started bolting it ... presumably looking to come around the other side to get his hands on LeBron.

Luckily, nothing crazy ended up happening beyond this -- but for a moment there, it made for a scary scene ... and had strong Malice at the Palace vibes, something no one wants to recreate.

The view from the crowd was just as insane ... as you could see Stewart tearing past people on the court in an effort to get to LBJ. There were even announcers in the building instructing people to stay in their seat -- which tells you how serious it was getting.

In the end, Stewart got tossed ... as did LeBron, who got rung up for a flagrant 2 foul. As of this writing, the Lakers are on the Pistons' tails, with just a few minutes to go.

Pat Riley Meyers Leonard Will Get 2nd Chance In NBA ... Despite Anti-Semitic Slur

HE'LL BALL AGAIN
TMZSports.com

Pat Riley says he expects to see Meyers Leonard back in an NBA jersey at some point ... telling TMZ Sports he believes the hooper's basketball career ain't over despite his previous use of an anti-Semitic slur.

The former Heat center has been out of the league since he was filmed on a live stream dropping the k-word ... but he's worked tirelessly to educate himself on the Jewish community since.

6/17/21
MEYERS MAKES PROGRESS

The 29-year-old famously met a bunch of kids at a synagogue in Boca Raton in June ... and also teamed up with an anti-hate organization to speak at a virtual seminar back in August.

Riley has clearly taken note of Leonard's actions ... and he guaranteed the 6-foot-10 basketball player would get a second opportunity in the NBA in the future.

"He's going to play basketball again," the Miami Heat president told us out at LAX. "He will."

Riley, though, said he wasn't sure if that opportunity would come from the Heat.

10/6/21
A BETTER MAN
TMZSports.com

Leonard, who was a solid role player before his release in March 2021, told us in October he would love to come back to the Heat at some point.

Serena & Venus Williams Petting Sharks in the Bahamas ... On Heels of 'King Richard'

Serena and Venus Williams are taking their new Hollywood shine in stride -- and that stride led them straight to the Caribbean.

The Williams family was in the Bahamas this weekend, with several folks from their brood in tow -- including their mom, Oracene, Serena's husband, Alexis Ohanian, and their daughter, Olympia.

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We're told they came in by yacht and docked at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club -- where they took part in some neat sightseeing... including shark petting nearby.

As you can see ... Venus and Serena were getting down in there to pet and feed the nurse sharks, but funny enough ... we're told Serena was actually kinda freaked out -- although she worked up the courage to make contact.

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Looks like they did a lot more than just this -- there's photos and video of the family snorkeling and enjoying the gorgeous surrounding water. Well deserved, too, after their big movie drop this week.

ICYMI ... their film about their father, "King Richard," got released this weekend -- to rave reviews, no less. Nothing like basking in the sun after a victory as sweet as that!

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