Daily News 19

Tag: USA Basketball

  • Gregg Popovich Marries Ex-Wife of Former Assistant Coach Mike Budenholzer

    Gregg Popovich Marries Ex-Wife of Former Assistant Coach Mike Budenholzer

    Key Highlights

    • NBA coaching legend Gregg Popovich has remarried, according to a marriage license obtained by TMZ.
    • The bride is identified as the former partner of one of Popovich’s longtime assistant coaches on the San Antonio Spurs staff.
    • The development adds a notable personal chapter to the retired head coach’s life after his 2023 departure from the Spurs bench.

    Popovich’s Unexpected Personal Development

    Gregg Popovich, widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, has entered a new marriage that intersects directly with his decades-long professional inner circle. TMZ reports that the five-time NBA champion and former San Antonio Spurs head coach has legally remarried, citing a marriage license obtained by the outlet. While Popovich has largely maintained a private personal life despite his immense public profile in the basketball world, this union draws immediate attention due to the identity of his new spouse: the ex-partner of a former member of his coaching staff.

    Details from the Marriage License

    The marriage license, secured by TMZ, serves as the primary documentation confirming the union. The license establishes the legal reality of the marriage but does not disclose the specific date of the ceremony or the location where it was filed. Popovich, 75, stepped down from his role as Spurs head coach in 2023, transitioning into a front-office position as president of basketball operations before eventually departing the organization entirely. This marriage marks his first since the passing of his beloved wife, Erin, in 2018 after a prolonged illness. The couple had been married for nearly four decades and shared two children.

    Coaching Connections and Personal Boundaries

    The revelation that Popovich’s new spouse was previously in a relationship with one of his own assistant coaches introduces a complex dynamic into the lore of the Spurs’ legendary “family” culture. Popovich’s coaching tree is among the most prolific in sports history, having produced numerous NBA head coaches and general managers who often refer to the organization’s environment as a tight-knit brotherhood. The identity of the specific assistant coach involved has not been disclosed in the initial reporting. However, the situation inevitably raises questions about the navigation of personal and professional boundaries within a fraternity known for its emphasis on loyalty, discretion, and mutual respect—values Popovich himself instilled over 27 seasons on the San Antonio sideline.

    Life After the Spurs Bench

    Since leaving the day-to-day grind of the NBA, Popovich has remained a towering figure in the sport, most recently serving as head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he led a star-studded roster to a gold medal. His post-Spurs life has been characterized by a lower public profile, focused on family and selective basketball engagements. This remarriage signals a significant personal milestone for a man who dedicated his adult life to the franchise, suggesting a new chapter of personal companionship following years of profound loss and professional transition.

    Why This Matters

    Gregg Popovich’s influence on the NBA extends far beyond his 1,388 regular-season victories and five championships. He defined an era of player empowerment, international scouting, and organizational stability. His coaching tree—including figures like Steve Kerr, Monty Williams, Ime Udoka, and Taylor Jenkins—shapes the modern league. News of his personal life intersecting so closely with that professional lineage captivates the basketball world because it humanizes an icon often viewed through the singular lens of competitive excellence. It also tests the durability of the “Spurs family” ethos he cultivated, where personal conduct off the court was often held to the same standard as execution on it. As the NBA enters a new season, the story serves as a reminder that the league’s most revered architect is navigating the same complex human realities as the players and coaches he mentored.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Who is Gregg Popovich’s new wife?
    According to TMZ, Popovich’s new spouse is the former partner of one of his former assistant coaches on the San Antonio Spurs staff. Her name and the identity of the specific assistant coach have not been publicly disclosed in the initial reporting.
    When did Gregg Popovich remarry?
    The exact date of the marriage ceremony has not been released. The news broke after TMZ obtained a marriage license confirming the legal union.
    Is Gregg Popovich still involved with the San Antonio Spurs or the NBA?
    Popovich stepped down as Spurs head coach in 2023 and later left his front-office role as president of basketball operations. He most recently coached the USA Basketball Men’s National Team to a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics but currently holds no official position with an NBA team.
  • “I thought we were going to run out of oxygen”: Paige Bueckers Reveals Traumatic Experience

    “I thought we were going to run out of oxygen”: Paige Bueckers Reveals Traumatic Experience

    Paige Bueckers Recalls Traumatic Elevator Incident From 2017 USA Basketball Debut

    Long before Paige Bueckers made her senior FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup debut in Berlin, a frightening off-court moment during her first international trip left a lasting impression. The Dallas Wings star recently shared the story during an interview with USA Basketball, revealing how a routine elevator ride in Argentina became a claustrophobic ordeal she still remembers nearly a decade later.

    Teenage Team USA Trip Turns Scary in Argentina

    Bueckers was just 15 years old when she traveled to Argentina for the 2017 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship. The United States captured the gold medal, marking the beginning of her decorated international career. Yet the tournament also produced a harrowing memory unrelated to basketball.

    During a recent USA Basketball YouTube interview, Bueckers recalled being trapped inside an elevator with roughly a dozen teammates. The elevator was rated for only six people.

    “It was like 12 of us packed into a six-person elevator. We clicked up to go to level three or something. We started going down,”

    Bueckers told USA Basketball.

    “I was like, ‘we’re supposed to be going up.’ So, we got rescued, thankfully. But that was an interesting moment for sure.”

    Claustrophobia and Panic During the Ordeal

    The incident was especially difficult because Bueckers already considered herself “a little claustrophobic.” After the elevator began descending instead of ascending, it stopped completely, leaving the players waiting for help.

    Bueckers said she and her teammates were trapped for between 10 and 15 minutes. Although the ordeal ended safely, she acknowledged her thoughts began to spiral while they were stuck.

    “We started going down. Then we got stuck. So, it wasn’t totally bad, but I thought we were going to run out of oxygen, so I almost had a panic attack,”

    she added during the interview.

    The memory remains powerful enough that Bueckers still avoids elevators whenever possible, describing the experience as “traumatic” and illustrating how a relatively brief incident can have a lasting psychological impact.

    From U16 Gold to Senior World Cup Stage

    There is an ironic connection between that difficult 2017 trip and Bueckers’ current role with the senior national team. The Argentina tournament represented the beginning of her journey with USA Basketball. Now she is representing the country at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, playing alongside some of the biggest names in the sport.

    Fellow stars Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston were also part of Bueckers’ early USA Basketball journey, making her progression to the senior team an especially meaningful full-circle moment.

    Impressive International Résumé

    Bueckers has already built a remarkable international resume:

    • Gold medal at the 2017 U16 Americas Championship
    • Gold medal at the 2018 FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup
    • Gold medal at the 2019 U19 Women’s World Cup
    • Represented Team USA in 3×3 basketball at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games

    She was named MVP of the 2019 U19 tournament and subsequently selected as USA Basketball’s Female Athlete of the Year. The senior World Cup, however, carries a different significance.

    “As a basketball player, you feel like representing your country at the World Cup level, at the Olympic level, on the senior national team. That’s the highest honor you could have. So being one of 12 for the USA, to see that they see me as a fit and see that they think that I can contribute to winning basketball with the team, that means everything,”

    Bueckers said.

    “It’s a dream come true, and you never want to take it for granted.”

    Strong World Cup Performance

    Her performances have demonstrated why she earned the opportunity. Through the group stage, Bueckers averaged 10.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks, according to supplied statistics. FIBA’s official player page confirms her role, including a 14-point performance in the opening victory over China.

    The United States went unbeaten through three group-stage games, defeating China, Italy, and Czechia. Bueckers contributed seven points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in the narrow 55-52 victory over Italy before the Americans finished group play with a 105-64 win over Czechia.

    Title Defense Amid Challenges

    Team USA remains one of the leading contenders for the title, but the path has not been completely straightforward. The Americans have faced competition capable of exposing weaknesses, while France and several other nations remain serious threats.

    The absence of A’ja Wilson has also altered the dynamic for the reigning champions, who are attempting to extend the United States’ remarkable run of four consecutive World Cup gold medals.

    A Journey Defined by Resilience

    For Bueckers, simply reaching this stage represents another milestone in a journey that began with that teenage trip to Argentina. The gold medal from 2017 may have been the official prize, but the elevator incident became another lasting part of her story.

    Nearly a decade later, Bueckers has gone from being a teenager experiencing a frightening moment in a cramped elevator to sharing the court with the world’s elite while wearing the USA jersey. And despite the difficult memory, she continues to embrace what representing her country means to her.

  • Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese Must Work Together at Women’s World Cup as WNBA Takes High-Stakes Break

    Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese Must Work Together at Women’s World Cup as WNBA Takes High-Stakes Break

    The United States women’s basketball team will open the 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup against China in Berlin on Sept. 4, with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese expected to share the court after years of being portrayed as rivals.

    The tournament will temporarily interrupt the WNBA’s 2026 season, forcing American fans to support the league’s biggest stars on the international stage. The U.S. has won four consecutive World Cups and enters the competition with an active 30-game winning streak.

    What happens in Berlin could influence the atmosphere surrounding the WNBA when players return from international competition. The tournament will test whether Clark and Reese can work together while placing American women’s basketball dominance against one of the country’s most significant geopolitical rivals.

    Can Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese work together?

    Clark and Reese have been framed as adversaries for more than three years.

    Their rivalry began with the 2023 national championship game between Iowa and LSU and continued through their rematch in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. It then followed them into the WNBA, where they were viewed as the leading contenders for Rookie of the Year. Every matchup, foul and postgame comment gave fans another reason to choose sides.

    They have also offered glimpses of what they can accomplish as teammates. Reese first said, “one day, hopefully, we can be teammates,” while discussing Clark in an October 2024 Wall Street Journal article.

    The pair became teammates at the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game. Clark recorded 10 assists, while Reese finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds in Team WNBA’s victory over the U.S. Olympic team.

    In March, Clark and Reese helped the U.S. finish 5-0 at the World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico. Clark earned tournament MVP honors after averaging 11.6 points and a tournament-leading 6.4 assists. Reese averaged a team-high eight rebounds while shooting 52.2% from the field.

    “Team chemistry is everything,” Reese said during the qualifying tournament. “Some of us have played with each other on our respective teams, but we have to come together and find your role. Everybody’s not going to be able to do everything that they do on their respective team.”

    Clark and Reese will join established champions A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and Chelsea Gray on the U.S. roster in Berlin.

    What will happen during the national anthems?

    National anthem protocols could become another point of attention during the tournament. Available rules and precedent from previous U.S. national teams indicate that the entire American team will stand on the court for “The Star-Spangled Banner” in Berlin. Whether each player places a hand over her heart or sings along is not specified by USA Basketball or FIBA rules.

    The issue has received renewed attention during the 2026 WNBA season because teams have followed different pregame routines. Several teams have historically remained in the locker room or cleared the floor while the national anthem played.

    The Atlanta Dream remained in the locker room during the anthem before an Aug. 16 game against the Indiana Fever. Reese and Rhyne Howard, both members of the World Cup roster, were therefore off the court while Clark, Aliyah Boston and the rest of the Fever stood along the sideline.

    Clark stood facing the flag with her hands behind her back, while Sophie Cunningham placed her right hand over her heart. The difference prompted online criticism of Clark, although WNBA rules do not require players to sing or place a hand over their hearts.

    Those expectations may be different when players leave their WNBA teams to join the U.S. national program. USA Basketball’s code of conduct requires participants to follow FIBA and USA Basketball rules, attend team functions as directed and “demonstrate proper respect during the playing of the national anthem.”

    The code does not define “proper respect,” but it gives USA Basketball the authority to investigate alleged violations and impose discipline.

    FIBA will oversee the ceremonies in Berlin. Its 2026 regulations state that only anthems and flags of countries or national federations recognized by FIBA may be used. The regulations leave the details of World Cup ceremonies to tournament hosting documents and do not publicly require players to sing, place a hand over the heart or adopt another specific posture.

    FIBA’s code of conduct also prohibits players and other “basketball parties” from using gestures, words or objects to convey political or ideological messages considered unfit for a sporting event. The rule does not specifically identify kneeling, remaining silent or declining to place a hand over the heart as violations, but it gives FIBA greater control over demonstrations than the WNBA has exercised during its domestic season.

    U.S. Olympic precedent

    Previous U.S. teams have approached international competition differently from the WNBA. American players who routinely remained off the court during WNBA anthems stood together during the anthem at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

    Sue Bird, who was the team’s captain at the time and is now the managing director who selected the 2026 roster, said wearing a USA uniform changed the context.

    “You are wearing USA jerseys and it does change the conversation a little bit and what you’re representing,” Bird said at the time. “With that, I don’t feel like a hypocrite in any way. Everyone knows where we stand. I don’t think it contradicts anything since we’re actually doing the work.”

    The U.S. players stood with their arms linked during that Olympic run. No anthem protests were reported during the United States’ five-game World Cup qualifying run in Puerto Rico in March, which included Clark, Reese, Howard, Paige Bueckers and Kahleah Copper.

    As of Aug. 30, no member of the World Cup roster had publicly announced plans to kneel, leave the floor or conduct another demonstration during the anthem in Berlin.

    U.S. and China meet in World Cup rematch

    The Americans will face China in a rematch of the 2022 World Cup final. The U.S. has won all 15 of its World Cup and Olympic meetings with China.

    Two of those victories came at the 2022 World Cup. The U.S. defeated China 77-63 in group play before winning the final 83-61. The result gave the Americans their fourth consecutive world championship.

    China still regarded its silver medal as a major national achievement. The championship game was played on Oct. 1, China’s National Day. Afterward, China’s General Administration of Sport praised the team for competing “with the motherland in mind.” The government agency called the silver medal “a perfect birthday gift to the country,” according to China Daily.

    National anthem customs could provide another contrast during the World Cup opener. China has had a national anthem law since 2017. The law identifies major sporting events as occasions for the anthem and directs those present to stand solemnly and behave respectfully. Deliberately insulting the anthem in public can result in detention or criminal prosecution under Chinese law.

    The law will not govern the actions of American players in Berlin, but it highlights the different ways the two countries treat public displays of patriotism at sporting events.

    In the United States, anthem protests have become part of the political debate surrounding professional sports. Players have been praised, criticized and closely scrutinized based on whether they stand, kneel, leave the court or place a hand over their hearts.

    In China, disrespecting the anthem can become a legal matter.

    The World Cup opener will take place during another sensitive period in U.S.-China relations. The countries remain divided over trade, tariffs, human rights and China’s relationship with Taiwan, even as officials work toward another meeting between their presidents.

    Those disputes will not determine what happens on the court, but they could influence how the game—and particularly the moments before tipoff—are interpreted in both countries.

    Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.