In the midst of a fierce Western Conference playoff race and doing his best to keep his team's chances afloat, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich promised to keep speaking out on President Donald Trump and other social issues that plague the nation.
Most would offer that Popovich has plenty to worry about, with merely two games separating fourth-to-eighth place in the wild, wild West — but the 69-year-old helmsman is keeping his priorities straight — first a human being, then a basketball coach.
“I understand the other side, (that says), ‘I came to the basketball game and I don’t want to hear your crap. I just want to watch the game,’” Popovich said, according to Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “OK… you want me to coach. I sort of understand that to a degree, and I should.
“But (speaking out) just becomes a priority that is more important (because) I think we are going backward, at least, as far as race is concerned, and it needs to be pointed out (because) our current president hopes to bore us to death with all these new issues day after day after day that keep him in the news.”
Popovich hasn't been short of reactions on his opinions, getting letters ranging from delightful agreement to haunting dismissal of his right to free speech.
“They range from everything from, ‘You are the most wonderful person in the world’ to ‘Please leave and go live somewhere else, I’m coming after your family,’ and everything in between,” Popovich said of the feedback he's received.
But regardless of whether the person agrees with his take or not, he always tries to write back.
“That’s got to be the answer,” said Popovich. “We can’t be in our separate worlds and tribal and live in our own little bubble, and everyone else who doesn’t agree with us is a bad person and needs to be ignored or become a pariah. It’s just like if somebody says, ‘Just go coach,’ or they tell LeBron (James) to go dribble or whatever. That basically exhibits an ignorance on their part, obviously. But to address that in a hateful way doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
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