San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has enjoyed his post in charge of the Texas NBA franchise for two decades. In that span, he has seen many a coach come and go for other organizations.
On Friday, David Fizdale was the latest head-coaching change, with the New York Knicks dismissing the former Miami Heat assistant in just his second season with the down-on-their-luck team.
Popovich, a five-time champion with the same Spurs team, called Fizdale's firing a mistake and said that the ex-Memphis Grizzlies head coach was “thrown under the bus.”
NBA.com writer Michael C. Wright shared a text message that included Popovich's (unsolicited) statement about the Fizdale firing.
“I don't know where the decision was made to fire Coach Fizdale, but if it came form the top, it's a case of mistaken identity. He's a fine, talented young coach with a great pedigree, and it's ridiculous to think you're gonna bring a young guy in and after being there a minute and a half, you expect him to fix everything that's been wrong there for a long time. That's pretty unfair,” Pop said.
“So, it's the old analogy: he got thrown under the bus. He'll come out of it because he's a great coach.”
The Knicks will install former G League Coach of the Year Mike Miller as their interim head coach for the time being.
Miller coached New York's developmental league affiliate team, the Westchester Knicks, for some time before being promoted this summer to an assistant on Fizdale's staff.
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