San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich criticized the home crowd for booing former player Kawhi Leonard during the team's 109-102 loss to the LA Clippers.
Kawhi faced a hostile reception from his former fans when he returned to San Antonio with the LA Clippers on Wednesday night. The Spurs supporters booed him every time he touched the ball, showing their resentment for his departure in 2018.
Spurs coach Popovich took a rare step of grabbing a microphone and addressing the fans directly, asking them to stop booing and show some respect for Leonard.
“Excuse me for a second, please stop all the booing. Let these guys play, and show a little class, it’s not who we are. Knock off the booing,” he said.
Popovich’s plea came in the second quarter, when Leonard was at the free-throw line. He made both shots, and went on to score 26 points in the Clippers’ 109-102 win.
{{/usCountry}}Popovich’s plea came in the second quarter, when Leonard was at the free-throw line. He made both shots, and went on to score 26 points in the Clippers’ 109-102 win.
{{/usCountry}}Leonard was a key player for the Spurs, winning the NBA Finals MVP in 2014 when they beat the Miami Heat 4-1. But he fell out with the team in 2018, when he requested a trade while recovering from an injury. He was traded to the Toronto Raptors, where he won another championship in 2019, before joining the Clippers in 2020.
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Popovich did not want to dwell on the past, and said he did not want to motivate Leonard by booing him.
“You don’t poke the bear. Anybody who knows anything about sports knows you don’t poke the bear,” he said.
Leonard said he was not surprised by the fans’ reaction, and acknowledged their passion for the game.
“If I don’t have a Spurs jersey on they’re probably gonna boo me for the rest of my career,” he said.
"It is what it is. They’re one of the best fanbases in the league and they’re competitive, and when I step on this basketball court I can hear that.
“When I’m on the streets or going into restaurants they show love.”