In the NBA, winning a championship is the highest priority for a franchise. However, NBA coaches and players are more than their just role to a team; they’re people, too, and some things are more important than basketball. San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich showed his priorities at a conference at San Houston High School. From David Zirin of The Nation:
A student asked, of course, whether the Spurs were going to win a title, and here was one of the emotional high points of the day. Coach Popovich responded:
“Win the championship? I don’t know, but it’s not a priority in my life. I’d be much happier if I knew that my players were going to make society better, who had good families and who took care of the people around them. I’d get more satisfaction out of that than a title. I would love to win another championship, and we’ll work our butts off to try and do that. But we have to want more than success in our jobs. That’s why we’re here. We’re here so you’ll understand that you can overcome obstacles by being prepared and if you educate the hell out of yourself. If you become respectful, disciplined people in this world, you can fight anything. If you join with each other and you believe in yourself and each other, that’s what matters. That’s what we want to relay to you all: that we believe that about you or we wouldn’t be here.”
This comment — coming in the context of Donald Trump being elected President — shows the depth, clarity, and poignancy of Popovich’s thinking. Basketball is his profession, but it isn’t his life. He’s more concerned with the state of our nation.
