Spurs coach Gregg Popovich offers heartfelt message for cancer-stricken sideline reporter Craig Sager
Apr 20, 2014, 7:22 PM | Updated: Apr 21, 2014, 1:23 am
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has mastered two things during his illustrious 19-year career: postseason basketball and one-word answers.
Over the years, Popovich and TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager have often engaged in a comical game of cat-and-mouse during on-air interviews, but the former had a pretty special message for the latter after the third quarter of Sunday’s first round contest against the Dallas Mavericks.
With Sager forced to the sidelines this spring as he recovers from acute myeloid leukemia, his son, Craig Sager Jr., was asked to fill in at the AT&T Center.
And after Popovich answered Sager Jr.’s two questions with rather verbose responses, the Spurs coach closed with some warm wishes for his nattily-attired friend.
“You did a great job, but I’d rather have your dad standing here,” Popovich told Sager Jr. “Craig, we miss you. You’ve been an important part of this for a long time doing a great job. We want your fanny back on the court. I promise I’ll be nice.”
