DeMar DeRozan spent just three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs but in that time, formed a very special bond with head coach Gregg Popovich. During a recent appearance on The Hoop Collective podcast, DeRozan revealed just how well Popovich treated him during their time together.
“You would think I was Tim Duncan, the way he treated me,” DeRozan said. “You would think I was there for 20 years. The relationship me and Pop had right away, it was so genuine, it was so real. It was nights right after games before I even get on the freeway, I’ll be on the phone with Pop until I get home. We talking about real things.”
DeRozan’s father, Frank, was really struggling with his health in those days, and Popovich ensured the two could spend as much time together as possible.
“It was so many times where it was certain games where Pop would come to me and ask me something, and he’d tell me after the game, ‘Just go home. We have shootaround in two days. You don’t got to be at shootaround; just be ready for the game.’ It so many games I had in San Antonio where, in between games, I wasn’t there,” DeRozan continued. “I was tending to my dad and he allowed me to do that with no distraction, with no nothing.”
Popovich also told DeRozan he didn’t have to worry about media obligations and the star guard made it clear he will forever be grateful to his former head coach.
“It was the coolest thing because there were so many moments I cherished with my dad during that time that Pop allowed me to do it with no issue at all,” DeRozan concluded.
Popovich has come across as quite a grumpy and cold character when speaking to the media over the years, but he has a heart of gold. He connects with his players on a human level, whether they be an icon like Tim Duncan or someone who has just walked through the door. It’s why he is such a popular figure within the NBA.
DeRozan’s father would eventually pass away on Feb. 19, 2021, and during an appearance on The 25/10 Show earlier this year, the six-time All-Star shared how Popovich was there for him in that difficult time.
“So I called the GM, I didn’t want nobody to know, I didn’t want it to be all in the media,” DeRozan said. “Literally 90 seconds later I hear a knock at the door. It’s Pop. Pop sit in the room with me and cried with me for about two hours. He was like, ‘I’m not leaving until you leave.’ That just showed like the person who he was.”
That was a great gesture. Popovich means so much to DeRozan now, that he even asked his former head coach to write the foreword for his memoir, “Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm”. The Sacramento Kings star was a bit unsure if Popovich would agree to his request, but he did without any hesitation.
As for DeRozan’s time with the Spurs, he averaged 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game in his three seasons. While the team didn’t have a lot of success (one playoff appearance), the 35-year-old will always look back fondly on his time with them thanks to Popovich.
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