Former Spurs Star Shares Heartfelt Gregg Popovich Story
Former Spurs Star Shares Heartfelt Gregg Popovich Story originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Gregg Popovich was at the helm of the San Antonio Spurs for 29 years. He solidified a legacy as one of the greatest coaches to ever grace the sideline.
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With a career record of 1,422-869 and five NBA championships, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach has built a storied legacy in San Antonio that will be hard to follow.
But it's not just his savant-level knowledge of X's and O's that made Popovich one of the greats. Off the court, Popovich has earned a reputation as an incredible person, a kind and caring mentor.
One of the players he coached was Dejounte Murray, who the Spurs drafted with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft. Murray dealt with injuries early on in his career, but was named an All-Star for the Spurs in 2021-22, averaging 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists and a league-leading 2.0 steals per game.
Despite being traded the following offseason, Murray has seemingly had nothing but love for San Antonio. In a recent interview with "The Pivot Podcast," detailing his life and basketball journey, he shared an incredible story of former Spurs head coach Popovich.
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"It was so crazy — a lot of my people don't even know this. From family, friends and the penitentiary … Pop didn't want me to go to Seattle." said Murray, who is from the Seattle area. "When I first got drafted, I wouldn't go to Seattle. And that was a man who cared about me. That was a man who wanted me to reach my full potential in life first — then as a basketball player. He's so real."
Popovich wanted Murray to focus on his development. Even when things back home got dire, and his mother was shot, Popovich offered to move her to San Antonio on his own dime.
"He tried to move my mom to San Antonio with his own money after she got shot." Murray continued. "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. No — not with his money, with my money.' That sounds like a dude that cares about me and loves me, right?"
As incredible as Popovich's legacy is on the court, his former players carry on a legacy off the court that's equally as impressive.
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Related: Spurs Linked to Surprising Finals MVP in NBA Trade Rumors
Related: San Antonio Spurs Expected to Make High-Risk Pick in NBA Draft
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
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