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San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan has apologized for compromising pictures of himself that were recently posted online, becoming just the latest NBA player to be exposed on the Internet.

In a statement issued by the team today, Duncan said: "A year ago I made a mistake and take full responsibility for my actions. I have matured and learned from this episode."

According to sources close to the team, Duncan had sent a picture of his bare left arm, including a close up of the hand, to a female acquaintance. After an apparent falling out with Duncan in recent days, the woman sent the photo to several Internet gossip sites including TMZ.com and TheDirty.com. They refused her request for money — TMZ calling the pictures: "not remotely interesting" — and the woman eventually posted them on her Facebook page.

Duncan, the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, is a four-time NBA champion and two-time league MVP. In addition to the statement, the former Wake Forest star has apologized to the Spurs, NBA fans, his family and his wife.

Duncan's wife said she forgives her husband, but admits that she was incredibly surprised by his actions.

"For him to send another woman a picture of his arm is way out of character of the Tim I know," said Linda Duncan. "The times we have had sex, he insists on wearing a robe. And that we be under the sheets with the lights off."

The couple plans to spend some time together after the season working on their relationship at a Sandals resort where Duncan has already booked a room without a view for a great rate.

This is the second time Duncan has made news off the court in his career, the first coming, of course, when he was spotted drinking a flavored water during the 2005-2006 season.

When Spurs forward Manu Ginobili knocked a bat out of the air during a game on Halloween night, he instantly secured his place in the history of a franchise that supposedly has won some championships.

"I have been watching Spurs basketball for years," team play-by-play man Dave Barnett. "And that is easily the most exciting play ever. That fundamentally sound reverse lay-up Tim Duncan had in Game 4 of the 2003 Finals is now a distant second."

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich also agreed that Ginobili's swat and subsequent removal of the bat from the court ranked at the top, but wasn't sure what came after it.

"Nothing really stands out, actually. Even from our championship years," he said. "There was that awesome dunk Kobe had. But that was against us. Hmm. Drawing a blank here. Maybe George Gervin had an exciting play back in the 70s."

Tim Duncan put Ginobili's swat at the top, as well. "In second I'm going to go with a few seconds later when they sprayed his hands with sanitizer. Pretty crazy," said Duncan.

Ginobili's bat highlight has resulted in a huge spike in interest in the Spurs around the country. ESPN's SportsCenter even ran Spurs highlights before the first commercial break for the first time in the show's history. But the buzz has also resulted in expectations the Spurs fear they can't deliver on every night.

"Our fans appreciate how we play," said general manager R.C. Buford. "They do. And I think hardcore basketball fans do also. But screens, pick-and-rolls and seamless defensive rotation doesn't get you as excited as it used to after a few decades. We may have to do more."

In hopes of capitalizing on their newfound attention, the Spurs say they will change things up a bit.

"Dunking has been discussed," said Popovich. "But that seems a bit drastic. We'll probably just have Manu kill a bat during every game. Maybe a field mouse, too."

San Antonio Spurs forward Richard Jefferson – long the target of whispers about his sexuality – fueled those rumors last by week canceling his wedding at the last moment, leaving many guests in a bind. Jefferson gave his fiancée a six-figure payment after the ceremony was called off, leading some to view it as hush money, but the former U.S. Olympian told the New York Post: “I’m not gay.”

However, that statement hasn’t silenced everyone. Some on internet message boards and in sports newsrooms have noted that while Jefferson has cancelled one wedding with a woman in his life, he has never called off a wedding with a man.

“For all we know, he’s going through with his wedding with his gay lover,” said one NBA beat writer. “They might be off getting married right now. I bet that’s exactly what’s happening.”

A friend close to Jefferson’s ex-fiancee says that she has no concrete evidence that the forward is gay, but has her suspicions.

“He’s 29, he’s famous, he’s a multi-millionaire – he has everything but a wife,” she said. “I think it’s kind of gay for him not to want a wife in his situation. He has access to beautiful women all over the country, but I know I wouldn’t want that. But, then, I’m not a lesbian. So I don’t think like a gay person.”

An NBA player who asked to remain anonymous says Jefferson may have some explaining to do around the league.

“Hey, he can live how he wants to off the court,” said the player. “But we have all heard the rumors. And canceling a wedding doesn’t do anything to stop them. If I don’t hear soon that he’s not marrying a dude, too, I’m going to assume he’s gay. It’s the only thing he can do to clear things up.”