San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will soon wear a different helm by the time the 2018-19 season comes to a close, leading USA Basketball to the FIBA Basketball World Cup, where Team USA will hope to win and qualify for the 2020 Olympics.
Yet he won't be doing any of his recruiting while the season rolls on:
“I just think that would be inappropriate for me before games to go up to one or two guys on each team and say, ‘Hey, are you going to play for us this summer? I'd really like to have you,'” said Gregg Popovich, according to The Associated Press. “He's there to try to whip (us). He's got a different priority that night and I think it would be inappropriate for me try to do that.”
There's a surefire conflict of interest for Popovich as coach of the Spurs, yet still responsible for recruiting players that he sees everyday in NBA competition.
Unlike predecessor Mike Krzyzewski, Popovich is able to watch his soon-to-be national team playoffs on a regular basis — making him the best scout of all, seeing how they react to his defensive and offensive schemes.
Yet the longest-tenured coach in the league won't cross that line between professionalism and doing what it takes to win, confident the right players will embrace the opportunity when it's time to suit up in the red, white and blue.
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