[Saba Sports News] During a recent preseason game, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich found himself preoccupied with another event. The Spurs defeated the Houston Rockets 117-103, but Popovich’s attention was divided as the Las Vegas Aces secured a series-clinching win over the New York Liberty in the WNBA Finals.
Popovich, acknowledging former Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon’s achievement in coaching the Aces to back-to-back WNBA titles, revealed he had contemplated getting ejected from the Spurs game to watch the Aces-Liberty Game 4.
“I thought about getting booted tonight because (Game 4 in New York) was exactly the same time (as the Spurs game), but I just thought this has to be my priority,” Popovich stated, expressing his congratulations to Hammon.
Popovich, who began his postgame press conference in a hurry to celebrate the Aces’ win, has a close relationship with Hammon, who spent eight seasons on his coaching staff. Hammon played for the San Antonio Stars before joining the coaching staff and later moved with the franchise to Las Vegas, where it became the Aces.