What did Gregg Popovich say? San Antonio Spurs president calls for gun control in the US
San Antonio Spurs president of basketball operations and head coach Gregg Popovich unexpectedly lit up politicians during his media day availability on Sunday. Most in the media weren’t ready for the 74-year-old’s off-the-script rant criticizing legislators and urging for better gun control laws.
Reporters who wanted to know about Popovich’s plan for next season were treated to a passionate outcry for authorities to do more against gun violence. He started calmly when he said this about three of Texas' highest-ranking officials (via Brad Townsend):
“We have a governor and lieutenant governor and an attorney general that made it easier to have more guns. That was a response to our kids getting murdered. I just thought that was a little bit strange decision.”
At the end of what might be his last pregame media availability, Gregg Popovich asked if any of the reporters had brought guns into the arena, then had so e things to say about lack of gun control regulation in Tennessee and, well, everywhere in the U.S. https://t.co/a6DQtAqxMy
Popovich specifically mentioned Republican legislators in Tennessee and Texas who removed two Black Democrats from the House of Representatives for leading gun control demonstrations.
“I mean, we've got two young Black guys in Tennessee who just got railroaded by a bunch of people that I would bet down deep in their soul want to go back to Jim Crow. And what they just did is a good start.
“It's beyond comprehension. And what were they guilty of? They actually protested?”
The longest-tenured coach in all four US major sports leagues became more impassioned in his nine-minute speech. Popovich lumped together gun manufacturers and greedy politicians as he winded down his scathing criticism:
“You know, the greed of the gun lobbies and the manufacturers is obvious. We all know that.
“Money talks, but the cowardice and the selfishness of the legislators who are so scared to death of being primaried and losing their job, losing their power, losing their salary -- you'd like to get each one of 'em in a room just one by one and say, 'What's more important to you?
“If you could vote for some good gun safety laws that most of the public agrees to, would you do that if it saved one kid? Or is your job and your money so important to you that you would say, screw the kid? What's, what's in your mind?'”
More Popovich. https://t.co/rDknUTsC2b
Over the past few years, Gregg Popovich has been vocal and critical of legislators who have failed to implement stricter gun control laws.
Gregg Popovich may be putting retirement on hold
Every year, rumors about Gregg Popovich’s retirement have only gotten louder. The NBA’s all-time winningest coach, however, has been insisting that he’s still enjoying the daily grind.
The Olympic gold medal winner may have even more reason to keep going next season. NBA insider Marc Stein wrote this about Popovich’s potential plans for coaching:
“I expect Popovich to be back on the Spurs’ bench next season and believe even more strongly that he won’t make any firm decisions about his future until after the draft lottery in mid-May.
“One suspects that Pop, after all, might have some interest in coaching Monsieur Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) in the event that the Spurs, for the third time in franchise history, win the lottery.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, asked pregame in Dallas if he's committed to coaching next season, refuses to state it definitively or entertain any talk about the future.
More NBA from me: marcstein.substack.com
Gregg Popovich had the opportunity to coach David Robinson and Tim Duncan, the cornerstones of the San Antonio Spurs’ championship-winning teams.
San Antonio ended its campaign with the second-worst record (22-60) in the NBA. They now have a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 pick of this year’s draft.
French phenom Victor Wembanyama is expected to be the first name to be called in the 2023 NBA Draft. Gregg Popovich may just be the first to welcome him to the NBA and the San Antonio Spurs franchise.
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