In a stunning move, San Antonio Spurs Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich grabbed the public address announcer's microphone during the second quarter of Wednesday night's game versus the Los Angeles Clippers at the Frost Bank Center.

With former Spurs star Kawhi Leonard at the free throw line and fans booing as they consistently have done since Leonard left the franchise in 2019, Popovich declared, “Excuse me, can we stop the booing and just let these guys play? It's not what we do. It's not who we are.”

Immediately following Pop's words, many of the fans started booing louder. They continued to do so as the half went on.

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The Spurs, who were down for most of the game by double digits, made a run to get within six points at halftime, 54-48.

Leonard was traded from San Antonio in July of 2018 after he demanded the move following a season filled with angst. Uncomfortable with the team doctor's diagnosis of a leg injury, he began to rehab away from the team and grew distant from the players. Spurs legends, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, both still on the team during that 2017-18 season began to wonder publicly about Leonard's absence.

The now 32-year-old star won the 2014 NBA Finals MVP, helping lead the Spurs to the NBA championship in the second of consecutive trips to the Finals for the Silver and Black. By the time he left San Antonio, he had earned two NBA All First Team selections, won a couple of Defensive Player of the Year awards, and was expected to be their centerpiece for the foreseeable future. He won a title with the Toronto Raptors in the season following the trade.