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Matt Bonner was in line at a local deli not long ago, preparing to do the thing he does second-best — put together a primo sandwich — when the sub artiste stopped him mid-order. The man behind the counter interrupted to boast he’d just joined the Twitter movement bent on getting Bonner, the flame-haired Spurs’ forward, into the NBA’s annual 3-point contest. “He told me he had ‘hashtagged’ me,” the social media-shy Bonner said. “So I had to look up what ‘hashtag’ meant.” The campaign — #LetBonnerShoot — began as a joint venture between Bonner’s younger brother, Luke, and his friend Dave Hartley, bass player for the indie rock band War on Drugs. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, All-Star 

When Hartley first broached the possibility of starting an Internet drive on his behalf, Matt Bonner didn’t think much would come of it. “My first thought was, ‘War on Drugs is a great band, but they’re not U2,’?” said Bonner, 32. In short order, the grassroots effort spread like digital wild fire, attracting support from names as varied as New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan, actress Eva Longoria and members of the musical group Arcade Fire, another Bonner favorite. Last week, the movement went mainstream, with Luke Bonner granting an interview to NBA TV, and his older brother talking with ESPN during the national broadcast of Saturday’s Spurs- Dallas game. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, All-Star 

However he gets in, and however he’s dressed, participating in the 3-point contest would be a lifelong dream come true for Bonner. “From a selfish, egotistical, personal angle, this is it for me,” Bonner said. “I’m never going to make the All-Star team. I always get looked over for the dunk contest. For me, the 3-point contest is what I do. It’s what I hang my hat on in the NBA. “So it would be great to participate, even if I go 1 for 25, just to be able to say I was selected as one of the best shooters in the league.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, All-Star 

Matt Bonner being Matt Bonner, the realization that the social media campaign to get him into this year’s 3-point shootout was gaining momentum took place at a sandwich shop. A man behind the counter at Lenny’s Subs told the scarlet-haired sharpshooter he had re-Tweeted the movement’s suddenly ubiquitous hashtag — #LetBonnerShoot – in support. “I had to look up what hashtag meant,” said Bonner, who does not have Twitter or Facebook accounts. “Then I came to realize this whole social media phenomenon had started. It’s very flattering. I’m honored to have so much support.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner 

Jeff McDonald: Matt Bonner says making 3-pt contest would be tops for him. "I'm never going to be an All-Star, and they won't let me in the dunk contest." Twitter @JMcDonald_SAEN

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, All-Star 

Because of his 3-point game, Bonner has garnered a small but significant following that is now soliciting the league to allow the 6-foot-10 shooter to participate in this year’s 3-point contest during All-Star Weekend. There’s an online petition at Change.org that currently has more than 250 signatures, and a Twitter hashtag — #letbonnershoot — that’s been catching on among indie-rock bands, including Arcade Fire. "There's so much injustice in the world that we can't do anything about, but this is something we can change. #LetBonnerShoot," reads a recent tweet that was RTed 300 times. (The campaign is reminiscent of the Let Shannon Dunk push in 2010. That one ended with an underwhelming Shannon Brown appearance in the slam dunk contest.) Grantland

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner 

Bonner’s brother Luke has also taken up the cause; according to his Twitter page, he is appearing on NBA TV today to speak about the #letbonnershoot movement. Whether any of this will actually make a difference is unclear at this point, though short of reviving the ghost of 1988 Larry Bird, this could be one of the things the league could do to make the 3-point contest intriguing again. Grantland

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner 

In his role as vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, Spurs forward Matt Bonner has been part of the process of reviewing the organization’s business practices, including those of executive director Billy Hunter. Hunter was criticized for poor business practices, including nepotism, in a recent report that was issued by a law firm hired by the union. “We’re in the process of reviewing the report and trying to figure out what our next steps are,” Bonner said. “It’s not up to any one person. We’ve got to collectively figure out what we’re going to do.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, David Stern, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

The law firm also will make recommendations for addressing what it found to be a lack of player involvement in union practices and business. Among the procedural changes to be recommended will be that each team must have at least one player representative and an alternate, and that no player without a current NBA contract will be permitted to serve on the executive committee, CBSSports.com has learned. Of the nine current members of the executive committee, only four -- Chris Paul, James Jones, Matt Bonner and Roger Mason -- are in the NBA. "That could be one of the positives that comes out of this," one of the people briefed on the outcome said. "The players will be more involved." CBSSports.com

Chris Paul, Derek Fisher, James Jones, CBA, Matt Bonner, Roger Mason, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

One of the more pressing questions of the 2012-13 season is whether or not Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had been made aware of the hip- hop track produced in his honor by an Israeli rap group, appropriately and simply named “Popovich.“ (See below.) Stephen Jackson gave us the answer after Wednesday’s victory over the Raptors: Not only has Popovich seen it, he used it to prank the Spurs before their last preseason game. We’ll let Captain Jack explain: “He was showing some film of me messing up, getting on me real hard. I was like, ‘You know what Pop, I don’t even want to play basketball. I’d rather do this. Kick it!’ And they played two of my videos. And Pop was like, ‘You know what? Don’t worry about it Jack. I got my own video.’ It was pretty cool.” Boris Diaw deemed the stunt “hilarious” while noted music aficionado Matt Bonner also gave his seal of approval. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, Gregg Popovich, Stephen Jackson, Boris Diaw 

If you live under a rock, then you might have missed the greatest dunk in NBA history this weekend as Matt “Red Rocket” Bonner threw down a vicious two-handed slam in the Spurs 114-92 victory over the Houston Rockets. It was epic. It was so epic that it earned a Free Bird tribute on YouTube. The man slow-motion replays also helped me notice this Spurs fan who throws up the devil horns when Bonner throws down. Then, as if they were joined by some mysterious universal force, Bonner and the kid do simultaneous fist pumps. The Big Lead

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner 

Brian Windhorst: Matt Bonner after hearing about Stern statement: "Man, it would've been great if we won." Twitter @WindhorstESPN

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, Gregg Popovich, David Stern 

But the Spurs are playoff regulars, and they’ve become so through selflessness and team-oriented play. Bonner’s not about to be the exception. He hasn’t been seeing the floor, but he’s not going to start complaining, either. “It comes with experience. I’ve fallen out of a rotation many times throughout my career,” said the 32-year-old, who was back in New England yesterday as the Spurs visited the Celtics. “For whatever reason, I’ve been out of the rotation (this year). My reaction is to keep working harder and to do whatever I can to help the team win.” Concord Monitor

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner 

Noted New Balance aficionado Matt Bonner set NBA foot fetishists abuzz when he wore Adidas shoes at a recent shootaround. “I think everybody in the locker room noticed it,” teammate Stephen Jackson said. “The New Balance has been his thing for a long time. It’s kind of like Shaft cutting his ‘fro.” Formerly sponsored by New Balance, Bonner was running low on his favorite shoe until uncovering a few long-lost boxes in a locker at home. “It was kind of like finding the Dead Sea Scrolls,” Bonner said. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, Stephen Jackson, Sneakers 

Bonner recalled one session during which he thought Stern was daydreaming. “He didn’t say a single word until the very end,” Bonner said, “and then like hammered you, 20 points in a row. I felt like I was in a movie. Just let everybody have it, what reality really is — at least in his mind. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, that was a really smart tactic.’ “I have tremendous respect for him,” he said. “Even though I was on the other side of things last year, I tried to learn as much as I could from him and take advantage of the opportunity.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, David Stern 

In an effort to curb pregame routines it believes are slowing down the game, the NBA this season is emphasizing a rule that allows referees to assess a delay-of-game warning to teams whose dancing and handshaking choreography gets out of hand. From the time the house lights go up after pregame introductions, teams are allowed 90 seconds to get jiggy. If all five players are not ready to tip off after those 90 seconds, officials can issue a warning. Long regarded one of the NBA’s most low-key teams, the Spurs don’t expect to be affected by the rule enforcement. “I had some 89-second handshakes worked out with my teammates,” forward Matt Bonner said. “I had to cut those out.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, Referees 

Ever the political animal, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gave his team a unique bit of homework Thursday. Before practice, he handed each player a DVD of Wednesday night’s presidential debate to take home and watch. “Of course, we have so many foreign guys on our team, they were quick to point out they can’t vote, so they shouldn’t be obligated to watch the debate,” forward Matt Bonner said. “Regardless, they live here, so it’s good for them to be aware.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, Gregg Popovich, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney 

Bonner, who plans to vote for incumbent Barack Obama over challenger Mitt Romney in November, said Popovich’s message was well received. “Basketball isn’t everything,” Bonner said. “There are bigger things going on in the country we live in.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, Gregg Popovich, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney 

Though many players across the league were outspoken Wednesday in their support of the NBA’s anti-flopping attempts, the National Basketball Players Association announced its intention to file a grievance arguing any new economic forms of discipline must be collectively bargained. “Obviously, flopping isn’t a good thing for the game,” Bonner said. “The question is, how do you police it? Fining seems a bit extreme, to say the least.” Bonner is a proponent of the system employed by FIBA, international basketball’s ruling body, which allows game officials to assess a technical foul to a player suspected of flopping. “”You look at what they do in Europe, with the technical, that seems more in line,” Bonner said. “It’s enough of a deterrent to keep guys from flopping. Fining guys, I don’t think is necessary.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, Referees 

Bonner, in Toronto this weekend to promote the NBA’s 3X tournament, reiterated his ongoing to desire to be a Canuck. “It’s been over three years,” says Bonner, of the bureaucratic marathon. “I love it here, and it’s important for me to get my Canadian citizenship and contribute to the country.” Toro Magazine

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, Canada