Spurs' Gregg Popovich Won't Return This Season ... Focusing On Health

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Gregg Popovich won't be back on the NBA sidelines anytime soon ... as the three-time coach of the year announced he will miss the rest of the season as he continues to recover from a stroke he suffered in November.

Popovich released a statement minutes ago ... saying interim head coach Mitch Johnson and the staff "have done a wonderful job and the resolve and professionalism the players have, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding."

"I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future."

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MESSIN' WITH FANS
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Spurs' De'Aaron Fox Thank You, Sacramento!!! ... Pens Letter After Trade

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De'Aaron Fox is breaking his silence following the trade that sent him from the Sacramento Kings to the San Antonio Spurs ... thanking the city and the fans for the last eight seasons in northern California.

The 27-year-old posted the letter on his social media accounts Monday morning ... saying, "The love for the city is unmatched."

"To the fans - y'all deserve the best," Fox said. "I wanted to end my career here and never expected it would end this way, but I'll always be grateful for your support."

Zach Collins The Bird is the Word!!! Spurs Stars Gives Ref The Finger After Ejection

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Zach Collins better get ready to open his wallet ... 'cause it's likely going to cost him big time for flipping off a referee after being ejected from Friday's game.

Here is the deal ... the Sacramento Kings dominated the Spurs in San Antonio with a 140-113 victory ... but it was what happened while the game was still in reach that's making headlines.

Zach -- the Spurs' power forward -- flew off the handle after he was ejected following a series of fouls ... and he got so pissed over it, he flipped referee Michael Smith the bird.

Spurs' Gregg Popovich Suffers Health Issue Before Game ... No Timetable For Return

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Gregg Popovich reportedly suffered a "health issue" over the weekend before the Spurs game ... with the legendary head coach being ruled out for an "indefinite period."

Shams Charania broke the news Monday morning, saying the 75-year-old coach suffered the issue prior to the Spurs matchup against the Timberwolves on Saturday ... which they won, 113-103.

Assistant coach Mitch Johnson -- who stepped in for his boss and will now serve as interim coach -- said at the time the all-time winningest coach in league history was "not feeling well."

Tyler Herro Fight In Stands Derails Interview ... 'This Is Crazy!!!'

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Tyler Herro was more focused on combat than hoops after the Miami Heat's preseason win on Tuesday ... 'cause his postgame interview came to a screeching halt due to a scrap in the stands!!

The wild moment went down shortly after the home squad secured the 120-117 win over the San Antonio Spurs ... and despite the contest not having any real significance, a few spectators decided it was a night worth fighting for.

It's unclear what led to the brawl ... but footage shows three guys throwing a slew of punches in the Kaseya Center seats, with a woman in a row above also getting involved by swinging at the group.

Spurs' Jeremy Sochan Crashes Pricey Porsche In Texas

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NBA player Jeremy Sochan crashed his pricey Porsche on a highway in Texas last weekend, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

According to a San Antonio Police Department accident report we obtained ... officers stated the incident happened on August 24 at the I-10 and Loop 1604 intersection.

The SAPD wrote in the docs 21-year-old Sochan was driving his lime green 2019 sportscar when he lost control and slid into the left side of a guard rail.

Victor Wembanyama Hits Local Card Shop ... On The Hunt For Pokémon & Manga!!!

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Victor Wembanyama might be the biggest nerd on the planet -- literally -- 'cause the 7-foot-4 NBA superstar was just spotted shopping for Pokémon cards and Manga books at a San Antonio store!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the Spurs center visited Heroes & Fantasies -- a collectibles shop some 20 minutes away from the Frost Bank Center -- on Tuesday night in search of adding to his personal collection.

The store's vice president, Adam Conley, says Wemby arrived just before close ... and was "super friendly" as he looked at everything from Pokémon to Magic: The Gathering.

NBA's Bryn Forbes Arrested Again ... Allegedly Punched, Choked Woman

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Former San Antonio Spurs guard Bryn Forbes has been arrested for the second time in the last year ... after he was accused yet again of putting his hands on a woman.

Jail records in Bexar County, Texas show Forbes was thrown behind bars on Tuesday afternoon and booked on a felony domestic violence charge.

Court documents, obtained by News 4's Mariah Medina, show the arrest all stemmed from an alleged violent encounter the basketball player had with the mother of his two children on Monday in San Antonio.

According to the docs, the woman told officers Forbes banged on her apartment's window -- and when she let him in, "he immediately punched her in the head."

Officials say the woman told them Forbes then choked her with his forearms, the collar of her shirt ... and then his bare hands.

The docs state the woman told Forbes she could not breathe ... but he allegedly responded, "if you can speak then you are not being choked."

Officials say the woman told them she was ultimately able to get away from Forbes but had soreness in her neck afterward.

This is not the first time the 30-year-old hooper has been accused of getting violent with a female ... back in February 2023, he allegedly hit a woman "several times" after a night out on the town in Bexar County.

Forbes was tagged with an assault charge over the allegations ... but court records show he entered into a pretrial diversion program back in June 2023.

Forbes last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2022-2023 season ... averaging 3.6 points per game in 25 contests. He has not played, however, in the 2023-2024 season.

BRITNEY SPEARS MAKES VEGAS RETURN AFTER WEMBY SLAP

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Britney Spears decided she'd give Sin City another shot ... celebrating the holidays there 5 months after enduring a slap from Victor Wembanyama's security in a bizarre exchange.

Sources tell TMZ, the singer returned to Vegas over the holidays ... staying for a few days, though it's unclear if she spent Christmas Day among all the lights and excitement.

We're told Britney had a room at Resorts World and another at Aria. Video emerged on social media of Britney walking around the casino floor at The Wynn holding a beer and flanked by a few security guards.

The source tells us she was at The Wynn to watch the show "Awakening" and dined at their swanky seafood restaurant, Lakeside.

Her Vegas schedule was jam-packed -- she also took a tour of the brand-new Fontainebleau property, briefly checked out LIV, and spent time inside their members-only club, Poodle Room.

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Basically, we're told her time in Vegas was super chill and inconspicuous -- nothing like last time when she was slapped by basketball player Victor's security when she beelined behind him after running into him in a hallway.

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UNCALLED FOR

Video of the moment went viral ... and upon watching it, Britney said her reaction to the slap was "priceless."

Clearly, she's over it now ... not letting the whack across the face stop her from ending her year on a high.

Britney Spears Vuelve a Las Vegas tras la bofetada de Wemby

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Britney Spears decidió darle otra oportunidad a la ciudad del pecado y celebrar las fiestas allí a solo 5 meses de soportar una bofetada del equipo de seguridad de Victor Wembanyama en un extraño intercambio.

Fuentes dicen a TMZ que la cantante regresó a Las Vegas durante las vacaciones para quedarse por unos días, aunque no está claro si pasó el día de Navidad entre todas las luces y la emoción.

Nos dicen que Britney tenía una habitación en Resorts World y otra en Aria. En las redes sociales apareció un video de ella paseando por el casino Wynn con una cerveza en la mano y flanqueada por varios guardias de seguridad.

La fuente nos dice que estaba en el Wynn para ver el espectáculo "Awakening" y cenar en su restaurante de mariscos, Lakeside.

Su agenda en Las Vegas estaba repleta. También hizo un recorrido por la nueva propiedad Fontainebleau, visitó brevemente LIV y pasó tiempo dentro de su club solo para miembros, Poodle Room.

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Básicamente, nos dicen que su tiempo en Las Vegas fue súper tranquilo y discreto, nada que ver con la última vez, cuando fue abofeteada por la seguridad del jugador de baloncesto Victor cuando estaba detrás de él después de encontrárselo en un pasillo.

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Innecesario

El video se hizo viral, y al verlo, Britney dijo que su reacción a la cachetada fue "impagable".

Claramente, lo ha superado y no está dejando que una bofetada en la cara le impida terminar su año por en lo alto.

Victor Wembanyama Spurs Teammates Sing For Rookie ... On 20th Bday

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BIRTHDAY BOY
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Victor Wembanyama entered his twenties on Thursday ... and his teammates celebrated his special day by singing "Happy Birthday" during practice!!

The San Antonio Spurs players surprised the 7'4" rookie right on the court ... surrounding him and breaking out the classic tune.

Wemby clearly wasn't expecting it ... but jumped right into singing and clapping with his teammates.

"Hip hip hooray!" the players yelled after the song. "Hip hip hooray!"

Wembanyama also got another nice present on his birthday -- it was announced he's received over 221k votes to participate in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game so far.

To compare, that's more entries than Karl-Anthony Towns, Chet Holmgren and Kristaps Porzingis.

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The first-overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft has been getting a lot of love since he started his career ... in fact, his dunk on December 31 is on the verge of becoming the most-watched video ever on the league's Instagram page with 88.8 million views.

Wemby -- who's averaging 18.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game -- also set several NBA records before his 20th birthday, including surpassing Dwight Howard for the most consecutive games with a double-double (8).

Happy birthday!!!

Victor Wembanyama Debut Jersey Sells For $762,000!!!

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A Victor Wembanyama fan is clearly believing the hype surrounding the NBA's newest phenom ... purchasing the Spurs rookie's debut jersey this week for nearly a MILLION dollars!!

The threads Wemby wore during his first-ever game with San Antonio hit the Sotheby's auction block last week ... and experts had projected it to sell for right around $100K.

But, with the lore of Wembanyama growing every time he touches the floor ... one unidentified bidder ended up locking it all down on Tuesday for a whopping $762,000!!!

Of course, while the price tag is certainly a steep one ... it could be a helluva an investment -- because Wembanyama is proving night in and night out that he's simply different.

Through 14 games so far, he's averaging 18.6 points per game as well as 9.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, one steal and 2.6 blocks.

He'll take the floor again next Wednesday night ... and one thing is for sure -- a person with $762K less in their bank account will now be cheering him on like crazy!

Victor Wembanyama Debut Jersey Hits Auction ... Bidding Soars To $50K On 1st Day

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One of the most important pieces of memorabilia from Victor Wembanyama's NBA career -- a jersey he wore during his first-ever Spurs game -- has just gone up for auction ... and so far, bidders are showing they really want the item.

In its first day on the block, the threads that the 19-year-old phenom rocked in San Antonio's season-opener on Oct. 25 have already received 25 bids .... with a high $50,000 so far.

Experts at Sotheby's -- which is hosting the auction as part of its new partnership with the NBA -- previously anticipated the jersey would sell for between $80,000-$120,000 ... though if the early interest is any indication, it seems there's a good chance it could exceed that figure.

Of course, it shouldn't surprise many if it does ... given the start of Wemby's career.

The 7-foot-4 power forward -- who many have touted as the best prospect since LeBron James -- has tallied 19.7 points per game to go along with 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.4 blocks through his first 10 contests -- all historic numbers.

As for how he did the night he wore the jersey that's up for sale ... Wembanyama had 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and a block, although San Antonio ended up losing to Dallas.

The jersey -- listed as size 52 with a plus-4 length -- will stay up on the auction block until Nov. 21 ... giving collectors about seven more days to scrounge together all their change to make their best run at buying it.

Good luck!

Victor Wembanyama Dubbed 'Overrated' By Knicks Fans ... In MSG Debut

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Victor Wembanyama got the opposite of a warm welcome in his first game at Madison Square Garden ... 'cause a bunch of ruthless Knicks fans made it clear they're not believing the hype surrounding the hoops phenom -- chanting "overrated" in the middle of the game!!

Of course, the San Antonio Spurs' No. 1 overall pick ruffled some feathers with the home crowd prior to Wednesday's matchup with New York ... when he said the Mecca wasn't as big as he expected.

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Knickerbocker backers promised to give the 19-year-old hell as a result of his comments ... and they held true to their word throughout the contest -- booing and heckling the 7'4" hooper every chance they got.

Their efforts may have worked ... 'cause Wemby didn't have his best outing -- going 4-14 from the field en route to 14 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and a block.

Some people on social media weren't too pleased with the Knicks fans' antics -- saying it's wild to make such a claim eight games into his career ... especially when he's had some amazing performances in the Association so far.

Regardless, Knicks fans certainly went home happier than Wemby ... as their squad pulled off the 126-105 win.

Tom Brady Links Up W/ 7'4" Victor Wembanyama ... Fans Roast Height Difference

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How do you make 6'4" Tom Brady look short? Stand him next to rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama ... who happens to be a full foot taller than the football G.O.A.T.!

The 7x Super Bowl champ shared photos of his meeting with the San Antonio Spurs rookie on Tuesday, alongside billionaire friend Michael Rubin.

Even though Wemby's height is no secret (he's around 7'4"), it's still mind-boggling to see him towering over someone as tall as Brady ... and fans got a kick out of the pics!

Brady had some fun with the caption, and even worked in a shot at former teammate Julian Edelman.

"Usually I’d make some joke here about how I think I could get 10 and 10 against you, but let’s be real… you’d send my jumper into the club level 😂😂😂," Brady wrote on IG.

"PS: @edelman11 This is how you felt all those years???"

Of course, Edelman is 5'10" ... so he's giving up about 6 inches to his quarterback.

Brady's son also got to meet the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft ... and Tom challenged anyone to see the trio in a pickup game.

"3 on 3, who's got next?!" Brady said in his IG story.

Clearly feeling the wrath of the internet, Brady put his photoshop skills to use ... and we introduce you to 7-foot Tom Brady!

Ex-Spurs Guard Joshua Primo Suspended 4 Games ... For 'Exposing Himself To Women'

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The NBA has suspended former San Antonio Spurs guard Joshua Primo for four games ... after it says it found he exposed his private parts to multiple women.

The league announced the ban on Friday morning ... saying an investigation into the free agent revealed he had "engaged in inappropriate and offensive behavior."

NBA officials called his actions "conduct detrimental to the league." They did, however, note that they "did not find evidence that he engaged in any sexual or other misconduct apart from these brief exposures."

"Primo maintains that his conduct was not intentional," the league said.

Dr. Hillary Cauthen, Primo's former therapist, was the first to bring the allegations against Primo to light after she claimed last fall that he exposed himself to her on nine separate occasions.

Dr. Cauthen's attorney, Tony Buzbee, alleged the Spurs were aware of Primo's actions, but didn't take action.

Cauthen went on to file a lawsuit against Primo and the Spurs ... though Primo's attorney at the time was adamant that the allegations were "a complete fabrication, a gross embellishment or utter fantasy."

Primo -- who was cut by the Spurs in October 2022 -- was the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and had only appeared in 54 games before the allegations surfaced. He averaged 5.9 points and 1.8 assists per game.