WATCH: Gregg Popovich Blasts Spurs Fans for Booing Kawhi Leonard, They Boo Even Louder

Outrageous leftist and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has proven himself more than willing to get behind the mic and yell at people. But he might want to think twice the next time he thinks about yelling at his own fans.

The Spurs welcomed the Los Angeles Clippers to San Antonio Friday night, and they welcomed back former Spur Kawhi Leonard, who is now with Los Angeles. Well, they kind of welcomed him back. What they really did was boo him. They booed him especially severely when he was shooting free throws. Evidently, this hostile reception got on Popovich’s nerves because he walked over to the microphone at the scorer’s table and chastised his fans.

“Excuse me for a second. Can we stop all the booing and let these guys play?” Popovich told the stunned crowd. “It’s got no class, it’s not who we are. Knock off the booing.”

Wow. #Spurs HC Gregg Popovich just grabbed the arena microphone with Kawhi Leonard at the free throw line, and asked the crowd to stop booing.

Fans have been booing Leonard, who asked to be traded from San Antonio, on every touch.

Not sure I've seen that in an NBA game. pic.twitter.com/PHk3yD2IHG

— Nate Ryan (@nateryansports) November 23, 2023

Now, as you can clearly hear in the audio, Popovich’s admonishment had exactly the opposite effect he was hoping to have. Not only did the booing get worse, but a good part of the increased booing was directed at him.

Leonard earned his spot in San Antonio lore by winning a championship with the Spurs in 2014. However, in 2018, he seemed to strong-arm the franchise into trading him to Toronto, to the surprise of many at the time. Obviously, there have been plenty of former Spurs who have come through San Antonio over the years. So, the hostility towards Leonard from the crowd may have had more to do with how he left San Antonio than it did with the fact that he was merely a former player.

In any event, Popovich clearly overplayed his hand here. Fans pay the price of admission and can boo and cheer whoever they want.