NBA coach is ‘sick to my stomach’ over Trump’s victory

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is known for his brusque answers with sideline reporters during televised games. But Popovich gave a long, detailed answer Friday when asked about the results of Tuesday’s election.

Popovich, a supporter of President Barack Obama, said he is worried about the country and said he was sick to his stomach that Americans voted for and elected Donald Trump.

“What gives me so much pause and makes me feel so badly that the country is willing to be that intolerant and not understand the empathy that's necessary to understand other group's situations. I'm a rich white guy, and I'm sick to my stomach thinking about it,” Popovich told the San Antonio Express-News. “I can't imagine being a Muslim right now, or a woman, or an African American, a Hispanic, a handicapped person. How disenfranchised they might feel. And for anyone in those groups that voted for him, it's just beyond my comprehension how they ignore all of that. My final conclusion is, my big fear is — we are Rome.”

Popovich, who has won five NBA titles as head coach of the Spurs, is the second NBA coach to bemoan the direction of the country after the election of Trump, whose comments about women, immigrants, Muslims and the disabled drew condemnation during the campaign.

The Spurs have had one of the most diverse rosters in the NBA throughout the years, relying on foreign-born players like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili during their great run under Popovich. Trump reportedly praised Popovich and the Spurs’ teamwork during a visit to San Antonio in June.

“I don't think anybody can deny this guy is openly and brazenly racist and misogynistic,” Detroit Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. “We have just thrown a good part of our population under the bus, and I have problems with thinking this is where we are as a country.”

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, along with teammate J.R. Smith, campaigned for Hillary Clinton in Ohio late in the campaign. Trump won Ohio as well as Michigan, where Van Gundy coaches, and Texas, where Popovich coaches.

Other sports figures have been less willing to discuss their political beliefs publicly.

Alabama football coach Nick Saban, whose team is ranked No. 1 in the nation, told reporters he didn’t even know the election was happening before saying he doesn’t make political statements.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick wrote Trump a letter, which Trump read during a campaign rally late in the campaign. Belichick said before the election that he and Trump have been friends for many years and the note was not about politics.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who had a “Make America Great Again” hat in his locker last season, refused to discuss politics when asked before the election. Brady said Trump had been a regular visitor to the Patriots’ locker room through the years and that they have become friends.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta tweeted after the election that he would help “Hollywood” pack. Many celebrities said before the vote that they would move to Canada in the event Trump were elected.

Four football players at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette were suspended after a cellphone video surfaced of them dancing and singing to a rap song called FDT (F--- Donald Trump) by YG and Nipsey Hussle.

This story was originally published November 11, 2016 at 9:27 PM with the headline "NBA coach is ‘sick to my stomach’ over Trump’s victory."