A lot of things has been said about San Antonio Spurs legendary head coach Gregg Popovich. One thing we've probably never heard before, though, is how Los Angeles Lakers veteran Danny Green likened Popovich to the great Michael Jordan.
Green, who played under coach Pop during the former's eight-year stint with the Spurs, said on a recent appearance on ESPN's “WYD?” program that Popovich reminds him so much of Jordan because of one unique characteristic they share.
“For sure Pop,” Green said without hesitation. “It has to be because he doesn’t care about your feelings. To be a Michael Jordan you had to be mean. Not many guys have that.”
Green already had an answer even before the interviewer finished her question. Clearly, Green believes that Gregg Popovich's no-nonsense and almost uncaring attitude towards his players is what makes him so similar to Jordan. “Mean” as he may be, however, Popovich also possesses a genuine concern for his guys — at least according to former Spurs big man Will Perdue. Perhaps Popovich just has a different way of expressing the same, and as Green indicated above, Pop will never hesitate to call you out when he deems necessary.
It is interesting to note that Green instantly thought of Popovich when asked for an MJ comparison. Green even mentioned Kobe Bryant in passing, but he did not even spare a thought for his current teammate with the Lakers, LeBron James. Perhaps LeBron was the individual the interviewer was trying to insinuate — especially with all the talk centering around the MJ vs. LeBron debate — but to her surprise, Green produced a rather unexpected response.
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