Gregg Popovich turned down an offer to coach Russian National Team?

Gregg Popovich was offered to coach the Russian National Team but the coach of the San Antonio Spurs turned down the proposal due to personal reasons.

Popovich, according to Championat, loves the Russian culture and has been several times in Russia but he had to reject the offer due to personal matters.

Russian Federationis looking for a coach since David Blatt decided to leave the bench. The other names for the bench are Jure Zdovc, Fotis Katsikaris and Dirk Bauermann.


http://www.sportando.net/eng/usa/nba...onal-team.html

WTF? Is this and old article? How much could he really love the Russian culture to leave the franchise he helped put on the map?

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Originally Posted by silverblackfan

WTF? Is this and old article? How much could he really love the Russian culture to leave the franchise he helped put on the map?

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Uh, he wouldn't have to quit the Spurs to do that gig. Like USA*Basketball, it's a summertime thing. He would give up any chance of ever coaching the US, though.

Even if this is old, I can't see Pop coaching any other national team.

He would permanently lose any chance to coach Team USA if he did coach the Russians or any other team. I think the powers that be would hold that against him. If it's an assistance coach in the NBA coaching a national team, I can see that. But a high profile coach like Pop, I think that would be the end for him.

Morover, as much as he promotes international players, I do think he would have a tough time coaching the Russian team against Team USA. At some point, patriotism takes over and its hard to coach against your country. I can see if you know you will never have the opportunity to coach Team USA, but he is in the top 3 as far as candidates for the next Olympics. He has a good chance of being the next head coach.

Ah. Summertime gig. My bad. Still a bit weird that he considers the job.

Who wants to live in Russia?

It'll be a shame if Pop doesn't get offered the Team USA job. Doc Rivers is a very good coach but Pop definitely deserves it.

Of course he turned it down. He's still worried about that incident with GRU from 1989...

He should to it, as a huge FU to Colangelo and USA basketball.

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Originally Posted by exstatic

Uh, he wouldn't have to quit the Spurs to do that gig. Like USA*Basketball, it's a summertime thing. He would give up any chance of ever coaching the US, though.

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Why? Is that an internal US rule for coaches or something? Because I don't think that's how it is in international basketball. Bogdan Tanjevič for example coached both Italy and Turkey or Memi Bečirovič coached Slovenia before and now Iran.

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Originally Posted by pad300

Of course he turned it down. He's still worried about that incident with GRU from 1989...

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What happened with the GRU?

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Originally Posted by dunkman

What happened with the GRU?

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Not positive, but I think it's a joke about Pop's Soviet studies background.

well if he does he can actually be CIA Pop

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Originally Posted by NRHector

well if he does he can actually be CIA Pop

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Double Agent.

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Originally Posted by timvp

It'll be a shame if Pop doesn't get offered the Team USA job. Doc Rivers is a very good coach but Pop definitely deserves it.

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I think even Doc said Pop deserved it, iirc

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Originally Posted by Spurs9

Who wants to live in Russia?

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Why? Cheap vodka, accessible beautiful women, crazy nightlife, real thugs...


:lol:lol

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Originally Posted by PingPong

Why? Cheap vodka, accessible beautiful women, crazy nightlife, real thugs...


:lol:lol

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A9knpviCQAE26qt.jpg:large

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Originally Posted by Pero

Why? Is that an internal US rule for coaches or something? Because I don't think that's how it is in international basketball. Bogdan Tanjevič for example coached both Italy and Turkey or Memi Bečirovič coached Slovenia before and now Iran.

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There's no rule preventing it, but a new US coach will be selected in the next few months. If someone else is selected, especially a younger man like Doc Rivers, then Pop would likely to be too old the next time the position became vacant. If he accepted the position with the Russian Team, he would not be available this time around.

He did major in Soviet Studies after all.

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Originally Posted by Mel_13

There's no rule preventing it, but a new US coach will be selected in the next few months. If someone else is selected, especially a younger man like Doc Rivers, then Pop would likely to be too old the next time the position became vacant. If he accepted the position with the Russian Team, he would not be available this time around.

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Aah!

That picture of Jackson is way too damn big. :lol

He should have pulled a Becky Hammon, he already got snubbed in the US.

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Originally Posted by Paranoid Pop

He should have pulled a Becky Hammon, he already got snubbed in the US.

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Yeah but he doesn't suck.

http://www.reallyghey.com/wp-content...9/bigchain.jpg


http://millvalleyconfidential.weebly...16437_orig.jpg

http://jetsetreport.com/admin2/photos/rai1.jpg


http://russianvodka.com/images/russi...ka-shelves.jpg

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Originally Posted by Spurs9

Who wants to live in Russia?

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In soviet Russia, Russia lives in you.

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Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

Not positive, but I think it's a joke about Pop's Soviet studies background.

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Yes, it's a CIA Pop joke...

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Originally Posted by pad300

Yes, it's a CIA Pop joke...

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I thought it was funny, then I wondered if maybe there was something I didn't get. :lol

Unfortunately, after reading past interviews and such I don't think Colangelo is a big fan of offering Pop the team USA gig.

Coach me dat Becky

http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/B...KsKKCnZpMl.jpg

Then, we should take over Croatia.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...an-at-olympics

Hire Nikolai Volkoff.