National Basketball Association

San Antonio Spurs: Gregg Popovich's Freedom Of Speech

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:27 p.m. ET

Fansided, Ed Easton Jr./FanSided via Hoops Habit

San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich may have found even greater competition in his latest battle with the President of the United States.

The San Antonio Spurs are once again off to a great start in the regular season with an impressive record of 36-9. As usual, they are not the hot topic of the league or popular ticket in most arenas due to their reluctance to play starters against mediocre talent. The buzz, however, is being generated from the man in charge on and off the court Gregg Popovich and his strong opposition to the newly elected President of the United States Donald Trump.

Before his Spurs matched up with LeBron James and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers this past Saturday, Coach Popovich shared his thoughts on President Trump.

“I just wish he was more had the ability to be mature enough to do something that really is inclusive, rather than just talking and saying, ‘I’m going to include everyone.’ He could talk to the groups that he disrespected and maligned during the primary and really make somebody believe it. But so far, you’ve gotten to the point where you really can’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth. You really can’t. All those thousands that were on the rooftops after 9/11? There were two. ‘We went to Hawaii and checked his birth certificate, and my investigators couldn’t believe what they found.’ There wasn’t anything there. It’s over and over again.

“I’d just feel better if someone who was in that position showed the maturity and psychological and emotional level of someone that was his age. It’s dangerous, and it doesn’t do us any good.

Popovich, a US Air Force veteran in his own right, continued to explain to the press more reasons for being critical of the President saying

“Well, I think you know when the media reports what he says, I’m not sure why he can get angry about that. But it does boggle the mind how somebody can be so thin-skinned. It’s all obvious, it’s about him. If anything affects him, if it’s Saturday Night Live or Hamilton, or she got three more million votes than you. ‘They’re illegal.’ It doesn’t matter what it is; there’s a pattern there. And that’s dangerous.

The Spurs would go on to win the highly contested game, but there was little talk about it as his pre-game venting became the bigger story.

Popovich would continue to comically criticize the President’s press secretary Sean Spicer and his “alternative facts” statement. The former NBA Coach of the Year spoke to the NY Daily News regarding the resting of players before the Spurs matchup this past Monday against the Brooklyn Nets. Here’s what Coach said when asked about star player Kawhi Leonard

“Kawhi is out with an injury that’s not really an injury, but hopefully it will heal quickly, That’s a figurative statement. It sounds like some of the things that are going on politically in the world. I apologize. I just gave an alternative fact. I shouldn’t have done that. But it wasn’t a lie, so don’t try to pin that on me. I’m tired of you guys pinning that on me.”

It appears Popovich’s influence to be outspoken has caught on around the league as Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr joked about the “alternative facts” as well with the media.

Steve Kerr on his in unmemorable, short Magic career: “Sean Spicer will be talking about my career any second. 14,000 points.” pic.twitter.com/XvvuUfKoNW

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 22, 2017

There are going to be many opinions that will surface from around the league over time regarding President Trump. Whether it’s in support or criticism Coach Popovich as always in his unique way reminds us that your opinion is still important regardless what role you play in this country.