By Marc J. Spears
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)的退休，让NBA历史上胜场最多、或许也是最伟大的主教练离开了教练席。同样消失但肯定不会被遗忘的是，波波维奇是如何利用他的平台来反对种族、社会和政治不公正的。
“他可能是现代一代教练中，真正开始公开谈论政治和社会不公正的第一批教练之一，”金州勇士队主教练史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)说道，他曾是波波维奇手下的马刺队后卫。“我最喜欢的教练之一是[前北卡罗来纳大学男子篮球队主教练]迪恩·史密斯。迪恩·史密斯在60年代通过拒绝带他的球队去某些地方住宿或吃饭，帮助打破了南方的种族壁垒。我认为波波维奇有点像迪恩·史密斯那样，看到了体育之外的更广阔的景象。这些教练真的让我印象深刻。”
马刺队在5月2日宣布了波波维奇结束33年执教生涯的退休决定。这位奈史密斯篮球名人堂成员以1422场常规赛胜利成为NBA历史上执教胜场最多的教练。这位三届NBA年度最佳教练曾带领马刺队五次夺得总冠军。这位76岁的老人也在季后赛胜场数上排名历史第三。
波波维奇执教的马刺王朝在1999年、2003年、2005年、2007年和2014年都赢得了NBA总冠军，其中包括名人堂成员大卫·罗宾逊、蒂姆·邓肯、托尼·帕克、马努·吉诺比利和未来的名人堂成员科怀·伦纳德。随着NBA全明星中锋维克托·文班亚马的加入，波波维奇在本赛季只执教了五场比赛，就在2024年11月2日在球队设施中突发中风。此后他再也没有回到教练席。
波波维奇将继续留在马刺队担任篮球运营总裁，接替他的是米奇·约翰逊，他曾是本赛季球队的临时主教练。
“这是悲伤的一天。这也是令人鼓舞的一天，”科尔在5月2日说。“对他来说，在组织上过渡到下一个角色是很自然的。这也给了他从健康问题中恢复所需要的空间和时间。
“所以，我有很多复杂的情绪……主要是，我对波波的爱。我对他在马刺队经历的一切感同身受。总而言之。对所有相关人员来说，这都是非常情绪化的一天。谢谢你，波波。”
休斯顿火箭队主教练伊梅·乌多卡(Ime Udoka)，曾是波波维奇手下的马刺队后卫和助理教练，他在5月2日说：“显然，对我们所有人来说，这是苦乐参半的一天。但我很高兴他处在一个良好的状态。我很高兴他和他的家人相处得很好。特别的一天。特别的人。最棒的人之一。我很高兴我能有机会和他一起工作并称他为朋友。”
金州勇士队主教练科尔（左）和圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练波波维奇（右）在2019年11月1日在Chase Center的比赛后会面。
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
波波维奇还通过毫不犹豫地利用他的平台来谈论不公正现象，从而对世界产生了影响。他直言不讳的言论更加独特之处在于，他是一个白人为不像他一样的边缘化群体发声。
前圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋拉马库斯·阿尔德里奇(LaMarcus Aldridge)曾经向Andscape形容波波维奇是“色盲”。波波维奇也以拥有一支充满国际天才的球队而闻名。
“当你了解他时，肤色对他来说并不重要，”阿尔德里奇谈到波波维奇时说。“他可以感同身受。人们会说他和斯蒂芬·杰克逊关系真的很好。斯蒂芬·杰克逊和来自欧洲的人截然相反。你是什么并不重要。他与所有人都有联系……他对一切都非常开放。”
波波维奇曾经表达了对旧金山49人队四分卫科林·卡佩尼克及其国歌抗议的尊重。这些话出自一位曾就读于美国空军学院并获得苏联研究学士学位的人之口。他曾在空军服役五年，并一度考虑在中央情报局工作。
“相当好的一群人立刻认为他是不尊重军队，”波波维奇曾经说过。“这与他的抗议无关。事实上，他之所以能够做他所做的事情，是因为军队为我们所做的事情。大多数有思想的人都明白这一点，但总会有一部分人想要跟风，这就是我们国家不幸的地方。”
波波维奇曾经带领马刺队私下放映了电影《智利-伊拉克》，著名的电影导演斯派克·李也出席了。波波维奇曾让前田径明星约翰·卡洛斯，他在1968年墨西哥奥运会期间与汤米·史密斯一起进行了有争议的黑人力量敬礼，向他的球队发表讲话。波波维奇曾经送给他的球员《世界与我之间》一书，该书由塔-内西·科茨写给他的青少年儿子，讲述了在美国作为一名非裔美国人的现实、情感和象征意义。波波维奇还带领他的球队观看了《一个国家的诞生》，这是一部由帕克投资的关于纳特·特纳的电影，他在1831年发动了一场历史性的奴隶起义，并在纽约市观看了著名的戏剧《汉密尔顿》。
“很明显，奴隶制的国家污点继续渗透到我们国家的社会制度中，”波波维奇曾经告诉Andscape。“人们想忽视它，不想谈论它，因为它不方便。”
波波维奇还将美国的种族问题描述为“房间里的大象”。他认为美国白人并不理解作为非裔美国人的痛苦和压力。波波维奇回忆起从黑人助理教练那里听到的故事，他们不得不告诉自己的孩子如果遇到警察该如何应对。他说，作为一名白人，他从来没有和他的两个孩子这样做过。
“这对白人来说更容易，因为我们没有经历过那种体验。许多白人很难理解许多黑人每天都必须面对的感受，”波波维奇曾经说过。“我没有告诉我的孩子们，当你在被警察拦下时该如何表现。我没有必要这样做。我所有的黑人朋友都这样做过。这有些不对劲，我们都知道这一点。”
从左到右：圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练波波维奇和前马刺队球员大卫·罗宾逊和蒂姆·邓肯在2019年11月11日托尼·帕克的退役仪式上。
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
波波维奇还强烈地谈论了他认为美国政府中的不公正现象，最明显的是针对总统唐纳德·特朗普。在2024年10月27日的新闻发布会上，波波维奇形容特朗普“可悲”，并指责他助长了美国的种族主义和分裂文化。波波维奇还补充说，他认为特朗普认可了种族主义，这在过程中使歧视正常化和合法化。
波波维奇还经常谈论枪支管制。2023年，在达拉斯的一场比赛前，波波维奇发表了一段长达九分钟的即兴演讲，游说美国的枪支管制立法，并批评“自私的懦弱立法者”。波波维奇批评了德克萨斯州和田纳西州的共和党立法者，并对2023年众议员贾斯汀·琼斯和贾斯汀·皮尔逊被逐出田纳西州众议院表示鄙视。这两位黑人民主党人在纳什维尔发生校园枪击案后，在众议院大厅领导了枪支管制示威活动。波波维奇称抵制枪支管制立法的行为是试图“用第二修正案的神话来掩盖所有这些东西”。
“我只是想知道，因为我们有一位州长、副州长和一位司法部长，他们让拥有更多的枪支变得更容易，”波波维奇在谈到德克萨斯州的政治家时说。“那是对我们的孩子被谋杀的回应。我只是觉得这是一个有点奇怪的决定。不过，这只是我的想法。”
那么，波波维奇是如何变得如此有意识、有爱心和敢于直言的呢？
这位克罗地亚父亲和塞尔维亚母亲的儿子，通过在距离芝加哥市中心18英里的种族多元化的印第安纳州东芝加哥长大，自然而然地接受了关于其他文化的教育。根据2010年美国人口普查，东芝加哥有42.9%的黑人，35.5%的白人和19.1%的其他种族。波波维奇认为他的军队背景让他意识到了世界。当他在东欧和苏联为美国武装部队篮球队打球时，他也更多地了解了这个世界。
“一旦你了解了他，了解了他的成长经历和背景，在印第安纳州加里[郊区]的一个多元文化社区长大……，”乌多卡说。“他总是谈论他的邻居——一个意大利家庭、一个犹太家庭、一个黑人家庭。他周围的一切都是移民，他自己也是其中之一。这是很大的一部分，他在那个地区周围长大的大熔炉，以及他周围和一起长大的人。
“那是他核心的东西。无论你是黑人、白人还是什么，做正确的事情都是应该的。”
科尔也在他执教勇士队的期间，公开谈论了社会不公正、种族主义、枪支暴力和政治问题。他认为波波维奇激励他利用自己的平台发声。
“我100%受到了波波的启发，鼓起勇气发声，并承担你所受到的打击，”科尔说。“1999年停摆期间，我与马刺队签约时遇到了波波。你可以看到他对国家的奉献。一位自豪的空军毕业生。从第一首（在马刺队比赛中演奏的）国歌开始，我就看到他向美国国旗敬礼。我知道他有多爱他的国家，我也知道他的空军经历对他来说有多么重要。
“这种信念，再加上，比如说，这个国家在政治上的诡计——实际上所有的胡说八道都是从那个时候开始的，世纪之交……在社交媒体和政治上的滑稽行为之间，我们进入了现在每个人都在互相叫嚣的时代。他已经有了信念。但他看到了正在发生的事情，他想确保自己能说出来。”
马克·J·斯皮尔斯是Andscape的资深NBA作家。他曾经可以在你头上扣篮，但他已经好几年没能做到了，而且他的膝盖仍然很疼。
点击查看原文：San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich leaves legacy of speaking up against injustice
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich leaves legacy of speaking up against injustice
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich’s retirement took the winningest and perhaps the greatest head coach in NBA history off the sideline. Also gone but certainly not forgotten is how Popovich used his platform to speak against racial, social and political injustice.
“He was probably one of the first coaches of the modern generation to really speak out on politics and social injustices,” Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, a former Spurs guard under Popovich, said. “One of my favorite coaches is [former University of North Carolina men’s basketball coach] Dean Smith. Dean Smith in the ’60’s helped break down the racial barriers in the South by refusing to take his team to certain places to stay or eat. I think Pop is kind of in the Dean Smith mold of seeing the bigger picture beyond sports. Those are the coaches who really stand out to me.”
The Spurs announced the retirement of Popovich from coaching on May 2 after 33 years as head coach. The Naismith Hall of Famer is the NBA’s all-time leader in coaching victories with 1,422 regular-season wins. The three-time NBA Coach of the Year led the Spurs to five championships. The 76-year-old also ranked third all-time in playoff wins.
Popovich coached a Spurs dynasty that included NBA championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014, Hall of Famers David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and future Hall of Famer Kawhi Leonard. With NBA All-Star center Victor Wembanyama on his roster, Popovich coached just five games this season before suffering a stroke at the team facility on Nov. 2, 2024. He never returned to the sidelines.
Popovich will remain with the Spurs as president of basketball operations and was replaced by Mitch Johnson, who was the team’s interim coach this season.
“It’s a sad day. It’s also an encouraging day,” Kerr said on May 2. “This is a natural transition for him organizationally for him to move into his next role. It also gives him the space and the time he needs to recover from the health issues.
“So, I got a lot of mixed emotions… Mainly, my love for Pop. My empathy for what he has gone through with the Spurs organization. All of the above. It’s a very emotional day for everybody involved. Thank you, Pop.”
Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, a former Spurs guard and assistant coach under Popovich, said on May 2: “It’s a bittersweet day, obviously, for all of us. But I’m happy he’s in a good place. And I’m happy he’s good with his family. Special day. Special person. One of the best to do it. I’m glad I got a chance to work with him and call him a friend.”
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr (left) and San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (right) meet after the game at the Chase Center on Nov. 1, 2019.
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Popovich also had an impact on the world by unapologetically using his platform to speak about injustices. What made his outspokenness even more unique was he was a white man speaking for marginalized people who didn’t look like him.
Former San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge once described Popovich as “colorblind” to Andscape. Popovich was also known for usually having a roster laden with international talent.
“When you get to know him, color doesn’t matter to him,” Aldridge said about Popovich. “He can relate. People can say that he and Stephen Jackson are really close. Stephen Jackson is the opposite of being from Europe. It doesn’t matter what you are. He connects with all people … He’s so open-minded to everything.”
Popovich once voiced respect for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and his national anthem protest. These were words from a man who attended the U.S. Air Force Academy and received a bachelor’s degree in Soviet Studies. He served five years of required active duty in the Air Force and once considered a career with the CIA.
“A pretty good group of people immediately thought he was disrespecting the military,” Popovich once said. “That had nothing to do with his protest. In fact, he was able to do what he did because of what the military does for us. Most thinking people understand that, but there is always going to be an element that wants to jump on a bandwagon and that’s what is unfortunate about our country.”
Popovich once took the Spurs to a private screening of the movie “Chi-Raq” with famed film director Spike Lee in attendance. Popovich had former track star John Carlos, who joined Tommie Smith for a controversial Black Power salute on the medal podium during the 1968 Mexico Olympics, speak to his team. Popovich once gave his players the book “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, which was written as a letter to the author’s teenage son about the reality, emotions and symbolism of being an African American in the United States. Popovich also took his team to a showing of “The Birth of a Nation,” a film Parker invested in about Nat Turner, who spearheaded a historic slave rebellion in 1831, and to see the famed play “Hamilton” in New York City.
“It’s pretty obvious that the national stain of slavery continues to permeate our social system in this country,” Popovich once told Andscape. “People want to ignore it, don’t want to talk about it, because it’s inconvenient.”
Popovich also described race in America as the “elephant in the room.” He believed white Americans didn’t understand the pain and stress of being African American. Popovich recalled hearing stories from Black assistant coaches of how they had to talk to their children about how to deal with police if confronted. He said that was something he as a white man never had to do with his two children.
“It’s easier for white people because we haven’t lived that experience. It’s difficult for many white people to understand the day-to-day feeling that many Black people have to deal with,” Popovich once said. “I didn’t talk to my kids about how to act in front of a policeman when you get stopped. I didn’t have to do that. All of my Black friends have done that. There’s something that’s wrong about that, and we all know that.”
From left to right: San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and former Spurs players David Robinson and Tim Duncan during Tony Parker’s retirement ceremony on Nov. 11, 2019.
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Popovich also spoke strongly on what he believed were injustices in American government, most notably against President Donald Trump. During an Oct. 27, 2024, press conference, Popovich described Trump as “pathetic” and accused him of fostering a culture of racism and division in America. Popovich also added that he believed Trump validated racism, which normalized and legitimized discrimination in the process.
Popovich also spoke regularly about gun control. In 2023, Popovich gave an unprompted, nine-minute speech lobbying for gun control legislation in America and criticizing “cowardly legislators who are selfish” before a game in Dallas. Popovich criticized Republican legislators in Texas and Tennessee and also expressed disdain toward the 2023 expulsion of Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson from the Tennessee House of Representative. The two Black Democrats led gun control demonstrations on the chamber floor following a school shooting in Nashville. Popovich called gun control resistance legislation an attempt to “cloak all this stuff [in] the myth of the Second Amendment.”
“I just wondered because we have a governor and lieutenant governor and an attorney general that made it easier to have more guns,” Popovich said, referring to Texas politicians. “That was a response to our kids getting murdered. I just thought that was a little bit strange decision. It’s just me, though.”
So how did Popovich become so conscious, caring and vocal?
The son of a Croatian father and Serbian mother became naturally educated about other cultures by growing up in racially diverse East Chicago, Indiana, 18 miles from downtown Chicago. According to the 2010 United States census, East Chicago was 42.9% Black, 35.5% white and 19.1% other races. Popovich has credited his military background for making him conscious of the world. He also learned more about the world when he played basketball for the U.S. Armed Forces Basketball Team in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.
“Once you get to know him and know about his upbringing and his background, being raised in [a suburb of] Gary, Indiana, in a multi-cultural neighborhood…,” Udoka said. “He always talked about the neighbors he had — an Italian family, a Jewish family, a Black family. Everything around him was immigrants, his being one as well. That is a big part of it, the melting pot he grew up around in the area and the people he was around and raised with.
“That is the core of who he is. It is the right thing to do regardless of whether you are Black, white or whatever.”
Kerr has also spoken out about social injustice, racism, gun violence and political issues during his tenure coaching the Warriors. He credited Popovich for inspiring him to use his platform to speak out.
“I was 100% inspired by Pop to have the courage to speak out and take the hits that you do,” Kerr said. “I met Pop when I signed with the Spurs in 1999 during the lockout. You can see dedication to his country. A proud Air Force grad. From the first national anthem (played at a Spurs game), I saw him standing at attention towards the American flag. I know how much he loved his country and I knew how much his Air Force experience meant to him.
“That conviction combined with, let’s say, the shenanigans of this country politically — really all the BS started right around that time, the turn of the century … between social media and buffoonery politically, we just got into this current era where everybody is screaming against each other. He already had the conviction. But he saw what was happening and he wanted to make sure he spoke up.”
Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA writer for Andscape. He used to be able to dunk on you, but he hasn’t been able to in years and his knees still hurt.
By Marc J. Spears, via https://andscape.com/features/san-antonio-spurs-head-coach-gregg-popovich-leaves-legacy-of-speaking-up-against-injustice/