Yankees Legend Derek Jeter Addresses Gift Basket Rumors: 'Never Happened'

New York Yankees legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Derek Jeter flatly denied 2011 rumors that he provided gift baskets that included autographed baseballs to women he spent the night with at his Trump World Tower apartment in New York.

Jeter addressed the New York Post report in an upcoming seven-part ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, The Captain, which details his life and career.

Marlow Stern of the Daily Beast recounted the scene Monday, and Chris Bumbaca of USA Today reported on it Saturday as well. Per Stern, Jeter said:

"Yeah, I read the article. Yeah, of course. You know, you see it, and then it's like, how the f--k did people come up with this? You know, basically, that's it. And who would believe this s--t? And you believed it!

"I remember being at a Starbucks one time and there's some random guy behind me and he says, 'Hey, I just want to let you know that I'm giving out gift baskets because you did.' And I turned around and said, 'You're a f--kin' idiot!' and the look on his face...like, did he think I was gonna say, 'Yeah, good job, man!'

"It's a story that became larger than life. People keep regurgitating this story that never happened. Never happened.'"

Emily Smith, who wrote the Post piece, was interviewed for the doc and provided her side. Per Stern, the Post received a phone call from a woman who "described two occasions when she got the memorabilia." Smith said she viewed "some pictures of it" but that the newspaper didn't publish them. She also said it was not known whether the woman had visited Jeter or had a one-night stand with him, as the story noted.

Jeter played 20 seasons for the Yanks, winning five World Series and making 14 All-Star Games. New York's last captain hit .310 for his career and amassed 3,465 hits along the way.

Part 1 of The Captain will debut Monday on ESPN after the conclusion of the Home Run Derby.