Kori Ellis
03-29-2007, 12:39 AM
Spurs notebook: Popovich comment incurs NBA's wrath
Web Posted: 03/29/2007 12:31 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA032907.06D.BKNspurs.notebook.3cb8538.html
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and Hornets coach Byron Scott shared a dubious distinction when their teams faced each other Wednesday:
According to an NBA source, the league fined their teams $15,000 earlier in the day for published comments the coaches made about players who have not declared their eligibility for the draft.
Popovich's comments — references to Ohio State center Greg Oden — appeared in the March 18 Boston Herald. Scott's comments about Oden and Texas freshman Kevin Durant appeared in the March 19 edition of the Oklahoman.
Popovich responded to a question from a Boston Herald reporter about whether it would be fair for the Celtics to land the No. 1 pick in this summer's draft with Oden potentially available because Boston had lost out on the chance to take Tim Duncan in 1997.
"That would be the fair thing, wouldn't it?" Popovich said. "That would be the fairest thing. If they could get him, that would be great. It would mean there is some fairness in an unfair world."
Popovich, who never said Oden's name but was clearly talking about him, then made what seemed to be an off-the-cuff comment about Ohio State's near loss to Xavier that same day. Two other reporters present at the time didn't report the remark.
"If they'd lost, I thought, is this going to make that kid want to stay in one more year?" Popovich said. "I don't know, maybe he's just collegiately oriented, and it's a big disappointment, and he wants to come back and get it done.
"What would that do? I mean, everybody would just die. The bottom five teams would just croak. Then they came back and won."
Spurs officials would not comment about the fine, which was not announced publicly by the league.
"It's going to be interesting to see," Scott told the Oklahoman. "But without a doubt, they're going to be No. 1 and No. 2. You've got two young men right now that are probably head and shoulders above everybody else as far as being the two best players in college basketball."
Scott said the fine taught him a lesson.
"I think I'll just say, 'no comment' about my fine," Scott said before Wednesday's game.
An e-mail from the NBA to all 30 teams Wednesday stressed the league "prohibits team personnel from having direct or indirect communications or contact with any players who have remaining intercollegiate eligibility or who are otherwise ineligible to be selected in the upcoming draft."
Horry out: Robert Horry missed his second consecutive game with an abdominal contusion.
Popovich said Horry was still feeling sore after the team's morning shootaround. Horry suffered the injury while taking a charge from Seattle forward Chris Wilcox on Sunday.
Playoff tickets: Tickets for the Spurs' first two home playoff games will go on sale at 10 a.m. April 7.
Fans can buy up to four tickets per person per game. In addition to the AT&T Center box office, tickets can be purchased online at spurs.com, by telephone at (210) 225-8326 and at all Ticketmaster locations.
Web Posted: 03/29/2007 12:31 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA032907.06D.BKNspurs.notebook.3cb8538.html
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and Hornets coach Byron Scott shared a dubious distinction when their teams faced each other Wednesday:
According to an NBA source, the league fined their teams $15,000 earlier in the day for published comments the coaches made about players who have not declared their eligibility for the draft.
Popovich's comments — references to Ohio State center Greg Oden — appeared in the March 18 Boston Herald. Scott's comments about Oden and Texas freshman Kevin Durant appeared in the March 19 edition of the Oklahoman.
Popovich responded to a question from a Boston Herald reporter about whether it would be fair for the Celtics to land the No. 1 pick in this summer's draft with Oden potentially available because Boston had lost out on the chance to take Tim Duncan in 1997.
"That would be the fair thing, wouldn't it?" Popovich said. "That would be the fairest thing. If they could get him, that would be great. It would mean there is some fairness in an unfair world."
Popovich, who never said Oden's name but was clearly talking about him, then made what seemed to be an off-the-cuff comment about Ohio State's near loss to Xavier that same day. Two other reporters present at the time didn't report the remark.
"If they'd lost, I thought, is this going to make that kid want to stay in one more year?" Popovich said. "I don't know, maybe he's just collegiately oriented, and it's a big disappointment, and he wants to come back and get it done.
"What would that do? I mean, everybody would just die. The bottom five teams would just croak. Then they came back and won."
Spurs officials would not comment about the fine, which was not announced publicly by the league.
"It's going to be interesting to see," Scott told the Oklahoman. "But without a doubt, they're going to be No. 1 and No. 2. You've got two young men right now that are probably head and shoulders above everybody else as far as being the two best players in college basketball."
Scott said the fine taught him a lesson.
"I think I'll just say, 'no comment' about my fine," Scott said before Wednesday's game.
An e-mail from the NBA to all 30 teams Wednesday stressed the league "prohibits team personnel from having direct or indirect communications or contact with any players who have remaining intercollegiate eligibility or who are otherwise ineligible to be selected in the upcoming draft."
Horry out: Robert Horry missed his second consecutive game with an abdominal contusion.
Popovich said Horry was still feeling sore after the team's morning shootaround. Horry suffered the injury while taking a charge from Seattle forward Chris Wilcox on Sunday.
Playoff tickets: Tickets for the Spurs' first two home playoff games will go on sale at 10 a.m. April 7.
Fans can buy up to four tickets per person per game. In addition to the AT&T Center box office, tickets can be purchased online at spurs.com, by telephone at (210) 225-8326 and at all Ticketmaster locations.