Craig Sager, otherwise known as the Gregg Popovich whisperer, developed a rapport with the prickly Spurs coach that will perhaps go unmatched by any reporter in history.
So when Sager died Thursday at the age of 65 following a two-year fight with a rare form of leukemia, Popovich devoted his pregame media availability to remembering the life and career of the beloved Turner Sports sideline reporter. He took no other questions.
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Here are Popovich's remarks in their entirety, via Fox Sports:
“I guess on a day like this, basketball has to take a back seat as we all think about somebody who was very unique, very special. Whether you really knew Craig or not, you got the feeling that he was a special person in a lot of different ways. And right now I just feel for his family.
“To talk about him being a professional or good at what he did is a tremendous understatement. All of us who knew him understood that fact, what he was all about as far as work was concerned, but he was a way better person than he was a worker, even though he was amazing in that regard. He loved people, he enjoyed pregame, during games, postgame — he loved all the people around it, and everybody felt that.
“The most amazing part of him is his courage. What he’s endured, and the fight that he’s put up, the courage that he’s displayed during this situation is beyond my comprehension. And if any of us can display half the courage he has to stay on this planet, to live every (day) as if it’s his last, we’d be well off. We all miss him very much.”
Sager and Popovich shared a number of fun on-court moments as their careers intersected over the years.
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Popovich often spoke favorably of Sager while he was away from work receiving treatment for the disease after Sager was diagnosed in 2014. That included a memorable on-court interview with Sager's son.
