Gregg Popovich Grabs Microphone Mid-Game to Tell Fans to Stop Booing Kawhi Leonard: ‘No Class’

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich took the unusual if not unprecedented step of grabbing a microphone during a game to tell fans to stop booing one of the players.

The Spurs hosted the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night in San Antonio, where fans booed former Spur Kawhi Leonard every time he possessed the ball. Leonard led San Antonio to the 2014 NBA Championship, but his relationship with the team soured and he asked for a trade in 2018, which he received.

During the second quarter, Leonard was fouled and headed to the free throw line. Predictably, fans booed him again. After Leonard made his first shot attempt, Popovich headed to the scorer’s table and grabbed the microphone.

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

Fans ignored him and seemed to boo even more afterward. Leonard hit the second free throw.

One of the broadcasters was taken aback by the move.

“Well, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen that,” she said.

“I’ve seen a number of college coaches motion to their crowds, particularly the student crowds if they’re cursing or whatever, or tell them and control them,” another broadcaster said. “But I don’t think I’ve seen that.”

After being traded by San Antonio, Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA title in his first and only season with the team, notching his second NBA Finals MVP award.

Watch above via NBA TV.