San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is an all-time great. His championship pedigree, as well as success at both the pro and international levels, is beyond reproach.
That said, because his players have always been “system guys,” it has generally been difficult to get a read on what playing under Popovich is truly like.
Incidents in recent years like the Kawhi Leonard divorce and the Dejounte Murray breakup also have raised questions about the environment in San Antonio.
Recently, polarizing NBA personality Stephen Jackson spoke to Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson and offered some hard truths about Popovich, the Spurs and why his time with the organization went the way it did.
Stephen Jackson sees similarities between his and Kawhi Leonard’s departure from the Spurs despite winning the 2003 NBA title in San Antonio.
@ScoopB | @DaTrillStak5 pic.twitter.com/vFVY7JdqU7
— Bally Sports (@BallySports) January 12, 2023
“I knew Pop was a good coach but I didn’t 100 percent trust him because I know he had three people he cared about: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker,” Jackson said.
“I knew I wasn’t one of his guys, so I made it work for me. I got a ring out of the situation and I bounced. They tried to lowball me and give Ginobili the money. So, I have all the respect for Pop for giving me that opportunity but San Antonio was not a place for me.
“As you see, I left San Antonio and had better years. That system wasn’t meant for my game. I’m glad I left. I’m thankful for the championship but I’m glad I was able to leave San Antonio and be the best player I could be cause I wouldn’t have been that had I stayed there.”
A 4th team has entered the Zach LaVine chat. https://t.co/oCATsLiQwT
— Game 7 (@game7__) January 12, 2023
Whether he is sounding off on NFL affairs or getting brutally honest about what playing for Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats was like, Jackson always has a tendency to keep it real.
This was just the latest example of that.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
