I hate him because he's the best coach in the NBA and he doesn't coach my team.
Popovich knew he could not stomach another season with the Jefferson that showed up in San Antonio last season. It wasn't just that Jefferson, like any number of new arrivals in San Antonio, had a tough time adjusting to what Popovich demanded. Jefferson was sluggish and uncertain, and Popovich couldn't trust him at the ends of games to do the right thing. ... So Popovich gave Jefferson a choice, telling him there would be no hard feelings either way. Jefferson could agree to meet Popovich and assistant coach Chip Engelland during the summer in San Antonio to go "back to school," as Popovich put it, on regaining the fundamentals that the Spurs' coach thought Jefferson had lost over the last few seasons. He would also work with Spurs assistant Chad Forcier in New York. And he'd take part in Tim Grgurich's skills camp in Vegas in August.
Or he could refuse, and enjoy his summer.
"And I would have definitely tried to trade him on the spot," Popovich said. "I told him I would definitely go to work on getting your @#!*% out of Dodge."
So Jefferson chose summer school, working out for two hours at a time with the Spurs' coaches all over the country. It was all basics: pivoting with the ball, jump-stopping, drills designed to improve his efficiency of movement on the court. On the defensive end, Jefferson got reinforcements on the Spurs' defensive concepts, which go into much greater detail than simply pushing everything baseline and keeping guards from dribble penetrations in the paint. He reported to camp last week with 7 percent body fat and a cut-up physique.
"I asked him if he wanted to reach his potential, or just let the next few years slough away and just put money in the bank," Popovich said. "He said 'I want to reach my potential.' "
Or he could refuse, and enjoy his summer.
"And I would have definitely tried to trade him on the spot," Popovich said. "I told him I would definitely go to work on getting your @#!*% out of Dodge."
So Jefferson chose summer school, working out for two hours at a time with the Spurs' coaches all over the country. It was all basics: pivoting with the ball, jump-stopping, drills designed to improve his efficiency of movement on the court. On the defensive end, Jefferson got reinforcements on the Spurs' defensive concepts, which go into much greater detail than simply pushing everything baseline and keeping guards from dribble penetrations in the paint. He reported to camp last week with 7 percent body fat and a cut-up physique.
"I asked him if he wanted to reach his potential, or just let the next few years slough away and just put money in the bank," Popovich said. "He said 'I want to reach my potential.' "
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