A coach who will take on Trump
Spurs’ Popovich isn’t afraid to share his view, whether it’s basketball or U.S. politics
SAN ANTONIO, TEX.— He can be as thoughtprovoking as he can be irascible, and he suffers neither fools nor weak in-game interviews gladly.
Gregg Popovich carries a gravitas that comes from a long and varied history that gives him a unique outlook on the world. And he is not afraid to share it.
“Legendary,” Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan said in describing the San Antonio Spurs head coach. “One of those standup guys who, even if you are not a fan of basketball … you find a respect and appreciation for him.
“If you ever watch one of his interviews, you just see his whole demeanour and it’s great. But for a basketball fan, for being a player, just the legend that he is — to still be able to compete against him is great.”
There is no doubt the 68-year-old Popovich is a standup guy willing to share opinions and shape debate whenever the urge strikes. He is a vocal critic of United States President Donald Trump, who he called a “soulless coward” a week ago in an unsolicited telephone call to The Nation website. He spoke out about race relations — “the elephant in the room,” he called it — earlier this month.
“There has to be an uncomfortable element in the discourse for anything to change,” he said. “Whether it’s the LGBT movement, or women’s suffrage, race, it doesn’t matter. People have to be made to feel uncomfortable. And especially white people, because we’re comfortable.”
Popovich’s words resonate far beyond the NBA and reach an audience that might not otherwise think about greater societal issues. And because of who he is, people listen. “He has the clout, the pull and the political clout to do it, and he does it,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. “Does a great job of voicing his opinion . . . even when he’s in a state and area where it may not be popular.
“Hats off to Pop for getting his voice out, he has the leverage and the trophies and the power to do it and I love him for it.”
Popovich is truly a man of varied interests. He’s an oenophile, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Soviet studies from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and he considered a career with the CIA before becoming a basketball coach.
He coached at minuscule Pomona Pitzer College for seven seasons, worked at Golden State and as an assistant with the Spurs.
He took over as the head coach 18 games into the 1996-97 season. His San Antonio teams have won five NBA championships, and the Spurs’ record with him as coach over 22 seasons and two games before Monday was an astonishing 1,152-506.
He might not be The Most Interesting Man In The World, but he’d be in any serious discussion about the title.
“Being around Pop you get refreshed, you get energized because he’s real,” Casey said. “He is who he says he is; what he says he follows up. It kind of gives you confidence being around him at those coaches’ meetings and him speaking his mind, especially when it comes to officials.”
And while DeRozan immediately shot back with “legendary” when asked about Popovich, Casey went another direction.
“Respect,” he said. “You look up there and you see five gold trophies, and all the division titles and the conference championships, total respect because he’s done it. The proof is in the pudding.”