San Antonio Spurs head coach, Gregg Popovich, has always been known to express his opinion on social issues. Popovich recently went full court with his pro-reparations views. Gregg Popovich has always used his platform to speak on race relations in the United States.
Popovich, 71, is also an ardent supporter of Black Lives Matter and has consistently spoken out on issues pertaining to race relations. As a coach, Popovich has worked primarily with Black players.
In a recent interview with KTSA, Popovich expressed his views on race relations, about American’s lack of worldly knowledge, and about reparations, Hot New Hip Hop reported.
“Race relations are at the forefront as the NBA resumes its 2019-2020 season. Players and coaches are using the NBA’s platform in Orlando to call attention to police brutality and social injustice. They’re allowing players to wear uniforms with personal messages such as ‘Black Lives Matter,’ and ‘I can’t breathe,’” KTSA reported.
“The message that the league wants to send is equity and no injustice for anyone,” said Popovich. “Making sure people have to think about it every day, whether it’s a coach or a player speaking up, it’s the momentum that we have to keep.”
The Spurs coach added that he believed that change doesn’t come without applying pressure to those in power. While he noted that cities across the country are now taking actions to eliminate bad police officers and limit the power of police unions, Popovich said more needs to be done.
“More importantly than that, we have to get to the reparations discussion,” said Popovich.
In another interview with The Nation, he encouraged the county to change.
Listen to GHOGH with Jamarlin Martin | Episode 73: Jamarlin Martin Jamarlin makes the case for why this is a multi-factor rebellion vs. just protests about George Floyd. He discusses the Democratic Party’s sneaky relationship with the police in cities and states under Dem control, and why Joe Biden is a cop and the Steve Jobs of mass incarceration.
“The thing that strikes me is that we all see this police violence and racism, and we’ve seen it all before, but nothing changes. That’s why these protests have been so explosive,” he said. “But without leadership and an understanding of what the problem is, there will never be change. And white Americans have avoided reckoning with this problem forever, because it’s been our privilege to be able to avoid it. That also has to change.”
He called out Trump and his supporters. ““It’s so clear what needs to be done. We need a president to come out and say simply that black lives matter. Just say those three words. But he won’t, and he can’t. He can’t because it’s more important to him to mollify the small group of followers who validate his insanity. But it’s more than just Trump. The system has to change. I’ll do whatever I can do to help, because that’s what leaders do. But he can’t do anything to put us on a positive path, because he’s not a leader,” he charged.
Popovich concluded, “Again, we need change. The system has to change. I’m willing to do my part. That’s all I got.”
