Like fellow NBA coach Steve Kerr, San Antonio Spurs’ coach Gregg Popovich usually has a lot to say when it comes to hot-button political issues. And, like Kerr, given the chance to take a bold stand in defense of Daryl Morey and the people of Hong Kong, he took the coward’s way out — but was sure to work in some Trump slams in the process:

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says he supports the comments from NBA commish Adam Silver surrounding the controversy with the league and China. pic.twitter.com/kKadrF6Xwp — Will Manso (@WillMansoWPLG) October 8, 2019

Gregg Popovich has called America under Trump “an embarrassment to the world.” Is it not embarrassing to so brazenly wimp out on an opportunity to acknowledge that your organization has bent over for the repressive Chinese regime and use your platform instead to make this about Trump?

This dude is a phony. He bashes the United States & it's so-called white Privilege while turning a blind eye to China's crimes. — MichaelJHungerford (@MHungerford1st) October 9, 2019

Will anyone begin to deny Trump a rent-free existence in their own head? https://t.co/tyZvTLSTrx — Bryan S. Myrick (@BryanMyrick) October 9, 2019

Everything has to be about Trump with this clown. If there’s one thing that Adam Silver has most definitely NOT been…it’s courageous. — AFiscal Hawk (@AFiscalHawk) October 9, 2019

Popovich praises *Commissioner Silver’s* “courage” to the hilt here, repeatedly contrasting him w/ Trump. Nothing in this clip on whether he agrees w/ Morey on Hong Kong, or has any thoughts at all on China’s serial abuses. The real villain in his framing is POTUS, not Beijing. https://t.co/f3G96lIemO — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) October 9, 2019

Donald Trump’s no saint, and his foreign policy leaves a great deal to be desired (to put it mildly). But the disgrace here is all Popovich and NBA’s.

What a disappointing response — Alfonso Del Quan (@thehalestone) October 9, 2019

Pathetic! — Kendall Baumann (@KendallBaumann) October 9, 2019

Gutless — big bronco (@bbronco) October 9, 2019

That guy is a joke…have lost a lot of respect for him the past couple of years with the things he’s said — Todd Slagle (@tas0417) October 9, 2019

@WhitlockJason @ClayTravis The BIGGEST hypocrite in the world right here. Sold his soul. @SteveKerr u also should be embarrassed. — ptyboxing (@ptyboxing1) October 9, 2019

His comments are making me ill. Gregg P no longer has any credibility when it comes to social issues or human rights. He’s a fake. — PiratePolitics.com (@piratechatter) October 9, 2019

***

Related:

Speak for yourself! WATCH: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich trashes our ‘racist country’