Popovich: Kawhi Was Not a Leader

[bic50]

I can’t believe how many seemingly adults on here can’t grasp the concept of “great player” vs “leader”. You can lead a team to a le and not be a good leader. You can even argue the merits of what is more important; talent vs leadership. But there is no arguing that Pop said Kawhi is a great player and a bad leader. They are both true.

He didn't say he was a bad leader. How can you lead a team to a le and not be a good leader? How can that even be accomplished?

[bic50]

I’ve already explained this. You can choose to ignore it if you wish. No one is saying LMA is some amazing leader; people are saying that the way LMA handled wanting out vs how Kawhi handled it show the gulf between the two. LMA, for his short-comings, handled his business like a solid leader would. Kawhi did not.

No

[Hoops Czar]

I’ve already explained this. You can choose to ignore it if you wish. No one is saying LMA is some amazing leader; people are saying that the way LMA handled wanting out vs how Kawhi handled it show the gulf between the two. LMA, for his short-comings, handled his business like a solid leader would. Kawhi did not.

How do we know Kawhi wanted out and that the whole fake injury nonsense wasn't orchestrated by his uncle because he wanted him in LA? Let's not act like Kawhi didn't make several comeback attempts throughout the course of the season.

LMA demanding to be traded because Kawhi is taking away his touches is not what leaders do.

[DPG21920]

No

Yes.

[exstatic]

Typically your best player is your leader. Pop would be calling Kawhi their leader if he was still a Spur today

Avery Johnson led this team from the day he got here until the day he left, and that was with two HOF big men on the squad. He was never better than the 5th to 7th best player on the Spurs.

[duncan2k5]

On the SportsCenter FB comment thread for this again almost everyone is in favor of Pop calling out Kawhi for being a quitter.

Spurs fans

[DPG21920]

He didn't say he was a bad leader. How can you lead a team to a le and not be a good leader? How can that even be accomplished?

Well, in the context of everything that has been said/discussed it’s pretty straightforward and I don’t understand your comprehension problem here.

We know what Pop meant with those comments; everyone knows Kawhi was a terrible leader. You can lead a team to a le because you are mega talented and have a great supporting cast full of professionals with leadership coming from other places. I don’t understand your questions.

Being a great talent, does not mean you are a good leader. Conversely, if your team and you are talented enough, you can overcome a lack of leadership and still win.

[DPG21920]

How do we know Kawhi wanted out and that the whole fake injury nonsense wasn't orchestrated by his uncle because he wanted him in LA? Let's not act like Kawhi didn't make several comeback attempts throughout the course of the season.

LMA demanding to be traded because Kawhi is taking away his touches is not what leaders do.

[Fusternino]

Agreed on MJ being a terrible leader. I honestly wonder if there's an alternate universe where his teams have LeBron style implosions and he goes 1-5 in the Finals, etc.

[duncan2k5]

No. It doesn’t. He absolutely could have played last year and did not. That’s what you go off of. Not anything else.

That's ur opinion... I'll trust the professionals... Even spurs doctors ended up agreeing with Kawhi's better doctors

[bic50]

Well, in the context of everything that has been said/discussed it’s pretty straightforward and I don’t understand your comprehension problem here.

We know what Pop meant with those comments; everyone knows Kawhi was a terrible leader. You can lead a team to a le because you are mega talented and have a great supporting cast full of professionals with leadership coming from other places. I don’t understand your questions.

Being a great talent, does not mean you are a good leader. Conversely, if your team and you are talented enough, you can overcome a lack of leadership and still win.

Pop didn't say he was terrible leader. You can't lead a team to a le and not be a leader weather the leadership is supposedly coming from other places. You need your best player to lead

[duncan2k5]

I’ve already explained this. You can choose to ignore it if you wish. No one is saying LMA is some amazing leader; people are saying that the way LMA handled wanting out vs how Kawhi handled it show the gulf between the two. LMA, for his short-comings, handled his business like a solid leader would. Kawhi did not.

LMA demanded a trade and didn't give a reason until he couldn't be traded

[Hoops Czar]

On the SportsCenter FB comment thread for this again almost everyone is in favor of Pop calling out Kawhi for being a quitter.

Yet nobody called out Pop for quitting on the organization when he egregiously blew through $98M on Paddy and Pau, which basically sacked the Spurs capspace for the next three years.

[duncan2k5]

Who cares if he is a great leader or not? Curry isn't a great leader... Neither is Durant... Neither was MJ... but u wouldn't trade them for patty mills... I'll take Kawhi not being a great leader and single-handedly raping the warriors in the playoffs VS our current leaders choking massively

[Hoops Czar]

Who cares if he is a great leader or not? Curry isn't a great leader... Neither is Durant... Neither was MJ... but u wouldn't trade them for patty mills... I'll take Kawhi not being a great leader and single-handedly raping the warriors in the playoffs VS our current leaders choking massively

Neither is Lebron.

[JeffDuncan]

Jordan. Kobe.

Ok, your definition of leader is that those who win the most are the worst. Gotcha.

[BatManu20]

Russillo with the goods

[bic50]

Yes.

So he couldn't take up leadership on the court but somehow is a leader because he decided to stay after he wanted to leave?

[DPG21920]

Ok, your definition of leader is that those who win the most are the worst. Gotcha.

What? There are plenty of winners who are great leaders too: Timmy, Lebron, etc.. I feel like Im taking crazy pills.

[DPG21920]

That's ur opinion... I'll trust the professionals... Even spurs doctors ended up agreeing with Kawhi's better doctors

No they didn’t. They cleared Kawhi to play.

[DPG21920]

Pop didn't say he was terrible leader. You can't lead a team to a le and not be a leader weather the leadership is supposedly coming from other places. You need your best player to lead

Kawhi led the team in the context of being the best player. He didn’t lead the team in the context we are discussing here with regards to being a good teammate.

[DPG21920]

LMA demanded a trade and didn't give a reason until he couldn't be traded

Even if that were true (its not) its still better by 100x then how Kawhi handled his.

[Fusternino]

LeGM is not a great leader, LOL.

[daslicer]

What? There are plenty of winners who are great leaders too: Timmy, Lebron, etc.. I feel like Im taking crazy pills.

Add Bill Russell, Bird and Magic to that list.

[spurschamps99030507]

bad pro, bad person and bad teammate