Gregg Popovich's days on the sidelines coaching the San Antonio Spurs ended this season after the 76-year-old moved to the front office due to health issues. The longtime head coach is a beloved figure in the NBA at this point and his retirement from the coaching side of things has led to numerous players sharing never-before-heard stories about how Popovich changed their lives for the better.
Dejounte Murray joined that chorus earlier this week. The current New Orleans Pelicans point guard was drafted by the Spurs and spent the first six years of his career in San Antonio. He appeared on The Pivot podcast with Ryan Clark on Tuesday to discuss a variety of topics, including how far he's come from a rough upbringing in Seattle to the NBA. In the process Murray shared a remarkable, heartwarming story about Popovich.
Murray said when he was a rookie his mother was shot in the leg back in Seattle. According to the point guard, Coach Pop called her up and offered to move her to San Antonio— on his own dime. Not on the Spurs, and not on Murray. But with Popovich's money.
"That was a man who cared about me," Murray said of Popovich. "That was a man who wanted me to reach my full potential in life first, then as a basketball player. He’s so real. He tried to move my mom to San Antonio with his own money after she got shot. My mom was shot in the leg my rookie year. He called her himself without me knowing until after the fact. 'We want to move you here.' Not with his money, with my money. That sounds like a dude that cares about me and loves me, right?"
Murray clearly thinks highly of Popovich. He posted an emotional message to his former head coach after Popovich's move to the front office became official and attended the press conference announcing the move alongside multiple former Spurs players.
Whatever else you might say about Popovich's successful NBA career, he built special connections with his players. And they'll be the first to tell you.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dejounte Murray Details Heartwarming Gesture From Gregg Popovich During Spurs Tenure.
