Spurs’ Popovich On Leadership: "In Our Country, We Tend To Mythologize People"

Wow, Donald Trump is really about to become our president for the next four years. Leadership is such a powerful word that gets thrown around a lot, but it genuinely has meaning. In the NBA, Gregg Popovich is a leader, he walks the walk, talks the talk and isn’t afraid to be ridiculed. He’s been outspoken since Donald Trump was elected president in November.

When asked about Trump, Popovich said that the entire Trump campaign scares him, and that he’s so disgusted that so many Americans voted for Trump. “I’m a rich white guy, and I’m sick to my stomach thinking about it,” he said.

He’s honest.

The next coach of USA’s men’s national basketball keeps it simple. In a world where many folks idolize celebrities Popovich believes that community leaders and parents should be lauded as role models. “I try not to idolize too many people,” Popovich told me.”I think that all idols have feet of clay and I think that especially in our country, we tend to mythologize people.

“At the top of my head, Thomas Jefferson was a great guy; he was a slave owner. You can make that similar analogy with a lot of other people who have been idolized. They all have flaws. So I go for people that I know.”

Pop guided the greats: Tim Duncan, Avery Johnson and David to NBA championships. But what’s cool is that he recognizes the community, parents and others for his values that he’s learned.

“I look to people that I’ve known personally, whether that’s a coach or teacher, a relative; somebody that I respect because I know them. But people who I don’t know that have been mythologized, I don’t know them much.”

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#Donald Trump #Drake #Gregg Popovich #Hillary Clinton #nba #san antonio spurs

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Brandon Robinson

Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson is a managing editor and columnist at RESPECT Magazine. Follow him on Twitter: @ScoopB and Instagram: @Scoop_B. As a 12 year old, he was a Nets reporter from 1997-1999, co-hosting a show called Nets Slammin' Planet with former New Jersey Net Albert King and Nets play-by-play man Chris Carrino. He's also been a writer and radio host at CBS and a staff writer at The Source Magazine. He's a graduate of both Eastern University and Hofstra University. You can catch him daily on the Scoop B Radio Podcast. Visit ScoopBRadio.com to listen. For inquiries and to contact Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson visit ScoopB.com