San Antonio Spurs

Tim Hardaway was forced to issue an apology on Monday night ... after he disturbingly compared a player's rough defense to rape during the middle of a Warriors game.

The former Golden State superstar was in the TV booth for the team's special "Run TMC" broadcast -- which featured Hardaway, Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond instead of the Warriors' regular announcers -- and a little more than halfway into the game, Tim put his foot squarely in his mouth.

While trying to talk about how he felt a player crossed the line on defense during the Warriors' matchup with the San Antonio Spurs, he shockingly said, "See, ya'll thought that was great D, I thought that was just raping him."

He added, "I think he should have called the police on that."

The other members of the broadcast booth quickly tried to move on ... but viewers were so outraged and appalled by the remarks, Hardaway had to issue a mea culpa just a few minutes later.

"Hey everybody," he said as the game headed into the fourth quarter. "I used a poor choice of words earlier in the broadcast. I want to apologize for that. And, you know, let's get back to the game. And, let's finish this game off with a 30-point win and go home happy."

No word yet from the Warriors if there will be any punishment coming for Hardaway.

Of course, this is not the first time the 56-year-old former basketball player has offended with his words -- back in 2007, during a talk on "The Dan Le Batard Show," he infamously said, "I hate gay people."

Hardaway eventually apologized for those comments.

A former therapist for the Spurs claims Joshua Primo exposed himself on 9 occasions, saying she intends to file a police report ... but JP's attorney adamantly denies the allegations, calling them "either a complete fabrication, a gross embellishment or utter fantasy."

Dr. Hillary Cauthen, a psychologist previously employed by the NBA franchise, along with her attorney, Tony Buzbee, held a news conference in Texas Thursday morning ... where they laid out their claims of indecent exposure.

"She didn't run to the press. She didn't run off and file a lawsuit. She instead tried to handle things in a way that she felt was appropriate -- in a way that would bring some real change in the Spurs organization," Buzbee said.

"Unfortunately, that didn't work out that way."

Buzbee says his client alerted the Spurs, but they failed to act.

As for the 19-year-old hooper's side of the story ... they haven't wavered, saying if Primo was exposed, he didn't know about it, and certainly didn't do it intentionally.

Primo's attorney, William J. Briggs II, released a statement laying out the facts as they see him.

Primo, the 12th overall pick in last year's draft, was released by the Spurs last week. At the time, the organization said, "It is our hope that, in the long run, this decision will serve the best interest of both the organization and Joshua."

Joshua appeared in 54 games for San Antonio ... averaging 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

Joshua Primo was cut by the Spurs after a team psychologist claimed he exposed himself during therapy sessions ... but sources close to the 19-year-old hooper are adamant he did absolutely nothing wrong.

Primo, the 12th overall pick in the 2021 draft and one of the youngest hoopers in the league, was released by San Antonio on Friday ... after he was accused of "multiple alleged instances of him exposing himself to women," according to an ESPN report.

But, sources close to Primo are insistent he never intentionally exposed his privates ... and if anything was visible at any time, it was strictly a wardrobe malfunction resulting from laying down on a couch in basketball shorts.

It's been documented ... JP had a rough childhood, and we're told the psychologist was helping him work through some personal issues ... so he'd almost always go to her office in shorts before or after practice or games.

The accuser's attorney has identified his client as Dr. Hillary Cauthen ... a performance therapist with the organization.

Our sources say Primo was shocked by the allegations ... and many in his circle feel he's a young guy who's being taken advantage of by a medical professional twice his age.

Shortly after he was released, Primo released a statement addressing the shocking news.

"I know that you all are surprised by today’s announcement. I’ve been seeking help to deal with previous trauma I suffered and will now take this time to focus on my mental health treatment more fully."

The former Alabama star continued ... "I hope to be able to discuss these issues in the future so I can help others who have suffered in a similar way. I appreciate privacy at this time."

As for the Spurs, Gregg Popovich's squad hasn't addressed the allegations ... but did issue a statement after parting ways with Primo, saying, "It is our hope that, in the long run, this decision will serve the best interest of both the organization and Joshua."

Primo played in 50 games as a rookie last season ... averaging 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. He appeared in 4 games this season before being cut.

The accuser has hired Tony Buzbee -- the attorney who represented many of Deshaun Watson's accusers -- and the two are scheduled to hold a news conference Thursday in Texas where they're expected to expand on the allegations for the first time.

Primo has received a demand letter from the accuser's attorney, according to our sources, but a lawsuit has not been filed. Josh has not been charged with any crime.

Gregg Popovich gave a speech at Jay-Z's social justice summit this weekend -- once again making his positions on the issue crystal clear in a rousing speech.

The Spurs coach was in NYC Saturday, where Roc Nation was hosting the event and honoring attorney Barry Scheck with an award for his work on the Innocence Project ... which helps exonerate wrongly-convicted people in the country.

Watch Pop's address here ... he sounds as passionate as he usually does when talking about this sort of thing. He talks about what he sees as the state of America and its persistent racism -- something he says he knew always existed, but never to the extent that's been revealed through RN's or Scheck's advocacy.

He goes on to praise the Innocence Project for the number of individuals they've been able to get out of prison -- upwards of 375, he says -- which got a round of applause.

It's an important matter, and it's cool to see GP so fired up about it. You can tell this stuff is top of mind for him these days -- that is, when he's not in the middle of a game.

No tools or cologne for Dejounte Murray's dad on Father's Day ... instead, the NBA baller surprised Dad with a brand new truck -- and Pops' reaction was priceless.

Murray's father was outside their family home this month when the San Antonio Spurs guard pulled up in the white ride ... and what happened next was super sweet.

Everyone had their phones out and shouted at Dejounte's dad, "That's you!"

"Happy Father's Day! That's you, man!"

Murray's dad was overwhelmed with emotion -- and he immediately gave his son a huge hug. Eventually, he began crying.

Murray shared the awesome father-son moment on his IG -- revealing he and his pops haven't always seen eye-to-eye, but they're working on their relationship.

"We had our differences for almost 7-8 years and I just want a relationship with my dad before it's too late," Murray said, "and not have one of us living with regrets of not being a man and fixing the problems we had."

Murray added that he loves his dad and he respects him "for taking ownership on why you wasn’t there as much as I wanted you to be as a kid."

"Happy birthday and happy early Father's Day," Dejounte said, "and I hope you love the truck."

The Spurs might suck this season, but one fan single-handedly made Sunday's game a whole lot better ... by absolutely dominating a lip sync challenge to Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone."

It all went down at the AT&T Center in San Antonio during the Spurs' matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers ... when the jumbotron cam focused in on 27-year-old Briana Saldaña to show off her skills -- and she didn't hold back.

Check out the awesome vid -- Briana jumps from her seat and uses her drink as a makeshift microphone ... dancing and even including her man in the routine.

The crowd absolutely loved it ... and clips of Briana's performance quickly spread like wildfire on social media.

We know what you're thinking, but everyone affiliated with the viral moment swears up and down that this was NOT a staged act ... and it just so happened to come out better than anyone could have hoped.

No word on if Kelly herself got to check out the clip ... but it's only a matter of time.

Devin Booker opened a can of worms by going after the Raptors mascot ... 'cause now the Spurs' fuzzy character is getting in on the fun with a "Cone of Silence."

If you missed it, the Phoenix Suns star had referees move the Raptor from underneath the basket in the empty Scotiabank Arena last week ... claiming the dino was being too distracting.

Fast forward to Monday, and the San Antonio Spurs' beloved Coyote mascot decided to poke fun at the incident ... by holding "Quiet" and "Shhh" signs and rocking a "Cone of Silence" over his head during Booker's free throws.

Booker noticed what was going on and laughed it off ... 'cause even he had to admit the troll job was pretty epic.

FYI -- Booker had a solid outing at the charity stripe ... going 7-for-8.

The Spurs aren't alone in trolling D-Book -- last Friday, the Indiana Pacers mimicked the Raptors incident by putting someone in a dinosaur costume right behind the basket.

NBA star Jordan Clarkson was so pissed off over a fan's heckling on Monday ... he attempted to go after the man in the stands, but fortunately, he was held back by his teammates.

The Jazz guard's drama with the fan happened during Utah's game with the Spurs in San Antonio ... when Clarkson clearly had enough of a fan's ribbing.

According to journalist Raul Dominguez Jr., as Clarkson was headed toward his bench during a timeout ... a fan stood up and had words with the basketball player.

A short time later, Dominguez Jr. reported, Clarkson took steps toward going after the fan.

Thankfully, Clarkson's teammates and security stepped in before things turned ugly ... and ultimately, the fan was ejected from the arena.

After the game, Clarkson told reporters the fan had absolutely crossed the line with his trash talk -- saying the dude's comments were straight-up "malicious."

"The guy just keeps antagonizing me, like almost challenges me, like, 'What you going to do?'" Clarkson said. "Fans got to learn, we human. We people too."

The 29-year-old said he often has playful banter with courtside supporters during his games ... but he said to media members this exchange was very different.

"It did cross the line," Clarkson said. "I was walking away initially, and then he said something again. And, I turned back around and then he said it again. And, I'm just like, 'What's going on?!'"

Clarkson said he didn't press the issue further, explaining a potential fine and a possible suspension deterred him from escalating things.

DeMar DeRozan is honoring Malcolm X with some brand new ink ... tattooing an iconic image of his hero on his left bicep.

We're told the San Antonio Spurs star wanted the piece done before the NBA season kicked off ... so he hit up Canadian artist Steve Wiebe -- who has worked with a ton of NBA stars like Kevin Durant and John Wall.

Wiebe was in L.A. tattooing some other hoopers ... so he linked up with DeRozan at his house.

DeMar picked a very well known image -- taken for Ebony magazine at Malcolm X's Queens home in 1964  -- where the icon is holding a rifle.

Wiebe tells us the whole piece took about 5 hours to complete.

The 31-year-old guard -- a free agent after this season -- had an eventful (to say the least!) off-season. DD's house was broken into ... and the hooper was forced to confront the intruder.

How did Gregg Popovich deal with his Spurs missing the NBA playoffs for the first time in 22 years? By mocking Donald Trump!

Pop's squad didn't exactly thrive in the NBA's bubble environment and played their last game of the 2020 season Thursday against the Utah Jazz. They lost and will now exit the bubble.

More importantly, it means Pop will miss the NBA playoffs for the first time in 22 seasons ... and when he was asked about his historic run coming to an end, he channeled his inner Trump.

"Who told [the media] that the streak ended?" Pop joked ... "That’s fake news!!"

"That’s total fake news. Lots of guys have been telling me the streak hasn't ended. I talk to people all the time, they call me, they tell me ‘Pop, the streak didn't end.'"

"It didn't. It didn't end. I don't know where you guys are getting this."

Pretty funny, right?! Unless you're a Trump supporter.

Of course, 71-year-old Popovich HATES Donald Trump and isn't quiet about it -- blasting #45 any chance he's gotten. He's referred to Trump as a "deranged idiot" and a "coward" in scathing comments at the height of the George Floyd protests back in June.

Trump's largely ignored the coach's criticism ... but could Thursday's impression finally be the one that gets Pop a tweet from the Pres?

San Antonio Spurs star Lonnie Walker IV is sharing the serious reason behind cutting his signature hair ... saying he was using it as a "cloaking device" after he was raped and abused as a child ... and was finally ready to move on.

Walker -- the 18th overall pick to the Spurs in 2018 -- has been growing his hair out since the 5th grade ... and it eventually turned into "the pineapple," one of the most notable cuts in the NBA.

The 21-year-old decided it was time to part ways with his hair earlier this week ... and it's got a much deeper meaning than just wanting a new look.

"The real truth as to why i started doing this early 5th grade, it was a cloaking device for me," Walker said on IG.

"During the summer of my 5th grade year I was around more family ... I was sexually harassed, raped, abused, I even got accustomed to it because being at that age you don’t know what is what."

"I had a mindset that my hair was something that I can control. My hair was what I can make and create and be mine."

Walker says he used his time during the coronavirus to accept his past and forgive everyone responsible for his struggles ... calling it "dead weight."

"Me cutting my hair was more than a cut," Walker continued. "My hair was a mask of me hiding the insecurity’s that I felt the world wasn’t ready for. But now better then ever. Out with old. In with the new. I have shed my skin mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually."

Walker streamed the monumental moment ... and the hooper was overcome with emotions when the haircut was complete.

Hello, kids. This is what it's like to get DUNKED ON HARD by an actual NBA player!

Here's Spurs star Dejounte Murray just dishing out some punishment to some of his young neighbors in San Antonio ... and the video is awesome!!

Of course, this was all in good fun -- and the kids LOVED IT!

But man, the dunk show was FEROCIOUS!!

Off the wall dunks?? Yep. Reverse dunks? Mmmhmmm. In your face banger dunks? ABSOLUTELY!

Murray says he knows the local kids had been wanting to play for months ... and they finally built up the courage to ask, so he delivered.

"I Guess For The Past 2 Months These Kids Been Scared To Come To My Door To Ask Me To Play With Them And Today They Finally Wasn’t Scared To Ask And We Got To Play And Become Friends," Murray said.

"I Swear This What Makes My JOB The Best Because I Get To Connect With People All Around The World!!"

Murray even posed for pics with the kids and their families afterward.

23-year-old Murray -- who signed a 4-year, $64 million extension -- missed the entire 2018-19 season after tearing his ACL ... but he's got insane potential.

Police say they've arrested a man who allegedly heaved his drink onto the court during the Celtics vs. Spurs game Wednesday ... identifying the guy as a 22-year-old and hitting him with disturbing a public assembly charge.

Late in the third quarter of the Celtics' game at TD Garden ... Kemba Walker was ejected for arguing a non-call.

The Boston superstar was cracked on a screenplay ... and when no whistle came -- he went IN on the refs.

It didn't take long for the point guard to get tossed from the game ... and when Celts head coach Brad Stevens also got ejected for arguing the call -- a fan was so pissed, he lobbed his drink onto the court.

You can see in the video, the can -- allegedly full of hard seltzer -- BARELY missed San Antonio Spurs players ... and splashed all over the hardwood.

Meet the newest Splash Bro ... Trey Lyles!!!

Check out the San Antonio Spurs player accidentally dumping a fan's pricey beer at the Toyota Center in Houston on Monday ... and her reaction is priceless!!

It all started when Rockets star Russell Westbrook fired a pass that went into the stands -- directly crushing a woman's beer.

That's when Lyles went over to retrieve the ball -- which was under a seat -- and as he flipped it up to himself, he knocked ANOTHER woman's beer right out of her hand ... sending beer suds everywhere!

You can see the woman's face ... she ain't happy (Hey, beer at NBA games ain't cheap!!!)

Hopefully, SOMEONE (hint, hint Spurs) hooked up a replacement brew for the fan -- and maybe some towels for everyone in the area who got soaked in the process!

As for the action ON the court -- the Rockets eventually won the game 109 to 107.

Add DeMar DeRozan to the list of athletes against visiting Donald Trump ... 'cause the NBA superstar says even if he was still on the Raptors, he wouldn't celebrate their title at the White House.

Raps coach Nick Nurse said last week the team is setting up a trip to be honored by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ... but said they're undecided on going to 1600 Penn.

However, over the weekend Raptors star Danny Green told Yahoo Sports he's a "hard no" on visiting Trump.

Despite playing for the Spurs now, DeRozan is on board if the team decides not to go ... telling TMZ Sports -- "Sh*t, I wouldn't go, either!"

DeRozan joins a growing group of athletes who have spoken out against visiting Trump -- the Golden State Warriors, LeBron James, Red Sox manager Alex Cora and players like Mookie Betts, David Price and Jackie Bradley Jr. have all been vocal about not going -- just to name a few.

Toronto Raptors guard Danny Green might piss off a couple different groups with what he just said to our cameras and it all has to do with Kawhi Leonard and their two shared NBA titles.

First off, he said definitively that Kawhi is the best player in the NBA, so all the LeBron, Durant, Giannis, and Harden fans are BIG MAD right now.

Secondly, our guy asked Danny in NYC which NBA title felt better -- his 2014 run with the San Antonio Spurs (Kawhi was there for that one too) or the one he just scored with the Toronto Raptors.

"This one, 2019 for sure."

Now, if you're in San Antonio, you're prolly HUGE MAD right now, because Danny just said the ring he won with you guys is like Robin, Garfunkel, Oates, and Watson ... famously second fiddle.