Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich tells home fans to stop booing Kawhi Leonard, Clippers
Player has been jeered by San Antonio fans since joining the Toronto Raptors in 2018
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich grabbed the microphone and chastised the crowd at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday night, telling fans to stop booing former Spurs All-Star Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers.
"Excuse me for a second," Popovich said, silencing the crowd late in the first half. "Can we stop all the booing and let these guys play? Have a little class. It's not who we are. Knock off the booing."
Leonard has been jeered by Spurs fans since he demanded a trade and was dealt from San Antonio to the Toronto Raptors on July 18, 2018.
Fans booed as Leonard stood at the free throw line following a foul by Spurs forward Keldon Johnson with 3:08 remaining in the first half. Popovich then walked over and grabbed the public address microphone.
Coach Pop is not a fan of the booing. <a href="https://twitter.com/spurs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@spurs</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PorVida?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PorVida</a> | 📺:BSSW <a href="https://t.co/nU5Msi7RQc">pic.twitter.com/nU5Msi7RQc</a>
—@BallySportsSAAfter an initial stunned silence, the crowd began booing even louder in response. Leonard would face a cascade of more vociferous jeers but made both free throws.
The booing continued each time Leonard touched the ball and extended to James Harden and other players from the Clippers.
Leonard said after Monday night's game, which the Clippers won 124-99 to extend the Spurs' losing streak to nine, that he heard some cheers.
"I mean, it was a little bit 50-50 tonight," Leonard said. "I heard some cheers and some boos. But like I've said before, it's a competitive fan base. They want to win every game, so once I come to the game, there's going to be some boos. But walking around in the city, or restaurants, they show love."
Popovich's actions were reminiscent of former Indiana Hoosiers coach Bobby Knight taking to the microphone to berate fans for their actions during their matchup with Michigan State on Jan. 21, 1989.
"I don't care what the quality of the officiating is, we don't throw things in here," Knight said.
