Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs have long been considered leaders in the NBA when it comes to player wellness and building a family environment within the organization. Speaking postgame on Monday, Popovich explained how the Spurs have leveled up their support for the athletes on the team in the age of social media.
Since the end of its dynasty years about a decade ago, San Antonio has morphed into a younger team. Last year, they added French phenom Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft.
With so many players trying to find their way, lots of losing, and more attention with Wembanyama aboard, the NBA season can be overwhelming. Popovich and the Spurs organization try to provide resources for players to manage that pressure and uncertainty.
“We do the best we can to help them,” Popovich explained. “We bring in speakers that talk to them about the negatives of social media. They don’t have to be slaves to it, they don’t have to live every moment wondering what somebody’s saying about them good or bad. People don’t have to know when they go to the bathroom, eat a meal or wash their car. It shouldn’t affect their lives at all.”
Popovich explained the Spurs have seen progress, with their players being less attached to media coverage and social media commentary over the years.
“The more we tell them, the more they live their lives without caring what anybody else says,” the coach said. “Especially people they don’t even know. And often times, it’s even your relatives. Most people in your family don’t know what the hell they’re talking about when they tell you something about basketball.
“So the more you can depend on your teammates and yourself to find your place in the world, I think the better off you are. So we try to get that across to them as much as we can. And having speakers in and sharing books with them is part of the process.”
Last year on JJ Redick’s Old Man & the Three podcast, Wembanyama gave an answer about managing the hype around him that had Redick believing Wembanyama had “reached enlightenment.”
“My totem is something bigger than basketball. It’s just life,” Wembanyama told Redick. “It’s just accomplishing yourself inside this universe. When I need motivation and I need energy and I feel tired and I need to fight it out on the court and it’s hard, I always remember I’m free in the universe. I do whatever I can and I know what I want to do and nothing is going to stop me from doing it. I always got that in mind and it doesn’t just stop at basketball. It’s about life.”
Perhaps with a superstar so focused on inner peace and a braintrust providing support, the Spurs are on a track to avoiding the ails of our digital age better than other sports teams. It certainly is not easy, as we saw just this week when NHL player Patrik Laine was forced to defend his mental health absence publicly.
Especially as an older coach, it’s nice to see Popovich giving thought to the problems of his young players.
[San Antonio Spurs on YouTube]
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.