During an interview with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report, San Antonio Spurs shooting guard DeMar DeRozan spoke about his admiration for head coach Gregg Popovich during the current social climate.
Popovich has not only stood behind and supported African Americans ever since he joined the NBA, but he's also been one of the most outspoken critics of President Donald Trump and his administration.
“To see a white man of his stature, he’d be the first one to jump out there, and he don’t care about what no one else thinks,” DeMar DeRozan said about Gregg Popovich.
“He speaks the truth … you got to love and respect an individual like that.”
Because the NBA is mostly made up of African Americans, Popovich has acknowledged that white people in positions of power, such as himself, need to understand the privilege they have so they can empathize with the African American community.
The tragic murder of George Floyd in Minnesota at the hands of policemen, as well as the recent events in Atlanta, has brought racism back to the forefront–even more so since sports are on a hiatus due to COVID-19.
DeRozan took part in one of the protests with Houston Rockets superstar point guard Russell Westbrook. Even though the Spurs are scheduled to play at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, the focus right now is on the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Spurs are among the 22 teams partaking in the “bubble” games at Walt Disney World. The season resumes on July 30.
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