Recently, Gregg Popovich, the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, made headlines when he criticized the home crowd at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for booing Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. Leonard, who was traded from the Spurs to the Clippers in July 2019, was met with a chorus of boos from the home crowd during his first game back in San Antonio.
Popovich, who has been the head coach of the Spurs since 1996, was not pleased with the reaction from the crowd. In a post-game interview, Popovich said, “I thought it was a disgrace that people would treat someone like that who had given so much to a community for so many years.” He continued, “It was a sad thing to witness.”
Kawhi Leonard spent seven seasons with the Spurs and was an integral part of their success. During his time with the team, he won two NBA championships and was named Finals MVP in both of those years. He also earned two Defensive Player of the Year awards and was selected to five All-Star teams.
The reaction from the crowd was not only disrespectful to Leonard, but also to the Spurs organization. Popovich has been known to be fiercely loyal to his players and he was clearly not happy with the way Leonard was treated. He said, “I thought it was classless and inappropriate. It showed a lack of appreciation for what he accomplished here.”
Popovich’s comments were met with support from many around the NBA. Players, coaches, and fans alike agreed that Leonard deserved more respect from the home crowd. It is clear that Popovich will always have his players’ backs and will stand up for them when they are disrespected.
