As the NBA community joined hands in fighting against racism, one man stood out with his stern comments. The San Antonio Spurs was one of the last NBA teams to voice their concern against the issue, but Gregg Popovich lashed out at racists before his team issued a statement.

Pop’s recent comments have taken the internet by storm as he unapologetically slammed the President of the USA for his recent actions. The 71-year-old is proving to be an inspiration for many, which includes players from his Spurs team as well.

Spurs star lauds Popovich for stepping up and being a leader

Bleacher Report has started a new series called “Take it There: Defining” where host Taylor Rooks chats with athletes about their experiences with racism. The show’s first guest was Spurs player DeMar DeRozan who signed with the team in 2018. 

Taylor asked about how Pop deals with the racism issue internally and DeRozan revealed how his coach tackles and cusses the idea of prejudice. “Since Day 1 I got with the Spurs, Pop has been the most conscious person when it comes to a society that I came across, especially a white person, you know.”

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DeRozan recollected his shady memories of discrimination that he heard in his earlier years and how his former coach Dwayne Casey would educate him about racism. Pop did the same, a bit extra and DeRozan was surprised to hear so much from him. “To go play with a coach, a white coach, that feels the same way, like he was a black man, of understanding the unfairness.”

How Gregg Popovich forges the idea of fighting against racism into the minds of his players 

The 30-year-old informed how Popovich would demonstrate social injustice and police brutality to his players. “It’s Pop man. It’s been so many days where we had come in and we think we have film, and Pop would sit us down and show us something about a crooked cop or a man losing his life for nothing. He been making us aware of this even if you wasn’t paying attention or as passionate as the next person. He put it on the forefront every single day,” DeRozan informed. 

Pop advocating for racial equality did not just appear out of nowhere and vanish. He is the kind of person who stood for justice ever since he started believing in it. “It does not surprise me when I see him speak up and say these things,” DeRozan said. “Behind closed doors, he’d do this on a daily basis to show us how messed-up of  a society that we live in and how it’s on us to change it, you know?”

To hear such amazing stories from a Spurs player about Gregg Popovich is truly amazing. Knowing what he has stood for all these years just increases the respect people have for him. Besides being a legendary coach, Pop is one of the true visionaries striving to bring equality.