June 14, 2020 at 4:28 p.m. EDT
San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich hasn’t been shy about expressing his contempt for President Trump. The 71-year-old Air Force Academy graduate has called Trump a “soulless coward” and someone who “brings out the dark side of human beings for his own purpose.”
In an interview with the New York Times published Saturday, Popovich continued his presidential criticisms but also found new targets for his disdain: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Popovich explained that, as a white man coaching black players, understanding their background is an important part of his job.
“It would bring you to tears,” Popovich said of the emotion in recent calls among Spurs players and staff. “It’s even deeper than you thought, and that’s what really made me start to think: You’re a privileged son of a b—-, and you still don’t get it as much as you think you do. You got to work harder. You got to be more aware. You got to be pushed and embarrassed. You’ve got to call it out.”