(Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
The San Antonio Spurs know Kawhi Leonard pretty well.
They traded for him during the NBA Draft, developed him, turned him into the player he is nowadays, and then watched him force his way out of the organization.
Leonard went from hero to villain.
Even his own teammates took offense to the fact that they thought he was healthy enough to play and the way he treated them, the organization, the fans, and Coach Gregg Popovich.
However, even if the fans felt entitled to call him out and boo him when the Los Angeles Clippers arrived in San Antonio, Coach Pop had different plans.
Popovich went to the scorers’ table and urged the fans in attendance to stop booing Kawhi, stating that they’re not about that.
Following the game, however, it seems like it wasn’t a matter of love or respect.
Instead, Popovich told the media that you just don’t poke the bear, so perhaps he was just scared Leonard was going to go off against them (via Ball is Life).
POP: “Anybody that knows anything about sports. You don’t poke the bear.”
REPORTER: “Can you clarify?”
POP: “I spoke English. I just told you. Anybody that knows anything about sports. You don’t poke the bear. That’s my answer.” pic.twitter.com/BmqV3F0wcw https://t.co/S3FygL6IfG
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 23, 2023
In reality, chances are that Popovich just didn’t want to see a former franchise player getting that kind of treatment, but he has his own persona when he addresses the media, which his players state has nothing to do with his actual personality.
Popovich has developed strong and close bonds with plenty of his former players and assistants.
And while Leonard did them wrong and never even addressed the fans afterward, he still wants to protect him from all that criticism.
The post Gregg Popovich Explains Why He Made Kawhi Leonard Request To Fans appeared first on The Cold Wire.