In an emotional and powerful interview on The Pivot Podcast, New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray opened up about the incredible lengths legendary coach Gregg Popovich once went to out of pure love and concern, not just for his player, but for the man behind the jersey.
Murray revealed that during his rookie year with the San Antonio Spurs, his mother was shot in the leg, a traumatic incident he hadn’t publicly shared in detail until now. But what truly stunned listeners was what Popovich did next.
“It was so crazy, a lot of my people don’t even know this. From family, friends, and the penitentiary.”
“Pop didn’t want me to go to Seattle. When I first got drafted, I wouldn’t go to Seattle. And that was a man who cared about me. That was a man who wanted me to reach my full potential in life first, then as a basketball player. He’s so real. He tried to move my mom to San Antonio with his own money after she got shot.”
“My mom was shot in the leg my rookie year. He called her himself, without me knowing until after the fact. ‘We want to move you here. No, not with his money, with my money.’ That sounds like a dude that cares about me and loves me, right?”
Popovich didn’t just make the call. He offered to fund the entire relocation of Murray’s mother out of his own pocket. No publicity, no fanfare, just one of the most respected coaches in basketball history making a deeply personal gesture because he saw pain and wanted to heal it.
For Murray, the moment solidified what “Pop” truly represented beyond basketball: a mentor, a father figure, and a man who believed in him when many others didn’t.
Murray’s own journey to the NBA was turbulent, raised in tough Seattle neighborhoods, navigating crime and instability, but he found a haven in San Antonio, largely thanks to Popovich’s guidance.
This wasn’t just a coach protecting a player’s performance. It was a man trying to protect a young athlete’s soul.
The revelation comes at a vulnerable time in Murray’s life, as he battles through one of the most emotionally draining seasons of his career with the Pelicans.
Between personal tragedies, including a broken hand, a cousin’s death, and his uncle’s overdose, and a lack of organizational support, Murray’s on-court struggles were compounded by an overwhelming sense of isolation.
Yet even now, years later and on a different team, it’s clear that Murray carries Popovich’s example with him. That kind of gesture, unprompted, personal, and selfless, speaks to the kind of leadership that defined the Spurs dynasty.
Gregg Popovich may have stepped down from coaching, but stories like this prove his impact on players’ lives extends far beyond the hardwood.
For Dejounte Murray, he wasn’t just coached, he was cared for at a level most professional athletes never experience. And it’s something he’ll never forget.
