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Derozan returns to lineup after mourning father’s death.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich applauded forward Demar Derozan’s decision to spend as much time as he needed away from the team mourning the death of his father and comforting his family.
The Spurs welcomed back their leading scorer and playmaker Friday in Cleveland after he missed four games following his father’s burial.
Derozan shared a tribute to his father on Instagram last month, announcing that his “Big Dog” had died after a prolonged illness.
“He did what was necessary for his family, and I applaud him for that,” Popovich said during a virtual news conference before the Spurs faced the Cavaliers.
“It’s what everybody should do,” Popovich added. “Your family loves you, basketball doesn’t.”
Derozan was upgraded to available Friday afternoon after he cleared some COVID-19 protocols. Popovich said Derozan would be active against Cleveland and return to the starting lineup.
Derozan faced the Cavaliers averaging 20.2 points and a career-best 7.3 assists per game to go along with 4.7 rebounds and 1.0 steals.
The Spurs still do not have their full roster available. Backup forward Keita Bates-diop missed his third game in a row with a right hamstring strain.
Positive advocate for mental health
Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said “there aren’t enough adjectives” to describe what Derozan has accomplished as a basketball player.
“You look at his career, how he continued to improve from his rookie year to the player he is now, an All-star caliber player, and the impact he had on that Toronto franchise, helping it grow as a winner,” Bickerstaff said.
But Bickerstaff added that Derozan’s biggest impact as an NBA star has been as a mental health advocate. Derozan, 31, has spoken openly about his battles with depression, which helped lead to the league placing a greater emphasis on assisting players with mental health issues.
“For him to come out and speak on mental health, he opens up doors for kids who may never have the opportunity to have those conversations,” Bickerstaff said. “He makes it OK for people in the Black community, who mental health has been a challenge for a long time but hasn’t been acceptable to speak on. He gives an entire community the courage to speak out and the acceptance of it.
“That is even more important than the impact he has had on the game of basketball. And that is no slight on his game because he has had a tremendous impact. But when you can change the lives of who knows how many people, that is the mark I am most amazed at.”
Pop gives Bickerstaff meaningful gift
Bickerstaff has fond memories of the time he spent as a teen participant at a basketball camp run by Popovich and R.C. Buford in Aspen, Colo.
At the time, Popovich was the Spurs general manager and Buford, now CEO of Spurs Sports and Entertainment, was the club’s head scout.
“We were living in the Denver area and we would go up to his camps in the summer,” said Bickerstaff, whose father Bernie was the coach and general manager of the Denver Nuggets at the time. “So regardless of all his accomplishments, it’s special for me to be standing on the sideline next to him.”
J.B. Bickerstaff said Popovich surprised him a few years ago by giving him a DVD of highlights from the camp to give to his father.
“It was entertaining to say the least,” J.B. Bickerstaff said.