San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on Sunday responded to criticism from Donald Trump, praising NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s handling of the ongoing China issue as compared to the president’s relationship to a number of foreign leaders. “[Silver] stood by our nation and its principles. That’s pretty huge in these days,” Popovich told reporters before the Spurs’ preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans. “Sometimes, it’s kind of Orwellian. You think we’re living in a place where, ‘Is this really happening?’ But that comparison was pretty stark when you put our president up against those leaders when he’s with them or talking to him and how he reacts compared to the way Adam Silver reacted. I was proud of him. It was great.”
Donald Trump Rumors
Popovich was initially dismissive when asked about Trump’s comments, saying “I’m too busy. I have things to do.” But Popovich then went on. “All I did was make a comparison between Adam Silver’s show of principle and courage in a tough situation, as opposed to how our president reacts when in the company of authoritarian figures, whether it’s Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Russia or Turkey, whatever it is,” Popovich said. “It comes off as really feckless, impotent, cowardly by comparison.”
Connor Letourneau: Steve Kerr shook off questions about Donald Trump’s tweet from last night.
President Trump takes another shot at Steve Kerr
President Donald Trump took another swipe at Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr regarding the latter’s response to questions surrounding the ongoing situation involving the NBA and China. “So funny to watch Steve Kerr grovel and pander when asked a simple question about China. He chocked (sic), and looks weak and pathetic. Don’t want him at the White House!” Trump wrote on Twitter.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been uncharacteristically mum since the imbroglio began. On Friday evening, during a wider-ranging interview with The News, Cuban broke his silence. Sort of. “I have never commented on the policies of a foreign country in my entire life and I’m not going to start now,” Cuban said.
Steve Kerr: I comment a lot about gun safety. It’s a cause that’s very near and dear to my heart. It’s very crucial for our country for our future. We face mass shootings literally every day. So I’m involved with four or five different gun safety groups. It’s my pet cause. So I’m going to comment on it. It’s my right. That’s why I love being an American and love my country. I’m able to channel my energy and my resources to places where I want it to go. I feel really comfortable with that. There are places where I don’t feel as comfortable. This would be one of them.
Steve Kerr: The same people who are asking me to stick to sports are also asking me to expand my horizons. I guess that’s what I’m hearing. Again, I will speak on the things I’m comfortable with. I will do things I believe are helpful for my country. I love my country, despite what President Trump said yesterday. I work really, really hard on a lot of things off the floor. One of those things is I don’t want people to feel what my family felt when my father was killed. I know what it feels like to have a family member ended by a bullet. So that’s a passionate, passionate subject for me. So I research it, I’m involved with various organizations, I’m constantly meeting with people, fundraising. It’s part of my life.
