De'Aaron Fox revealed how instrumental Gregg Popovich was to the San Antonio Spurs' Sunday Game 4 win.
All it took was one fiery speech from the legendary bench boss. San Antonio evened the Western Conference Finals series at 2-2 with a dominant 103-82 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After relinquishing the coaching reins in 2025, Pop stayed close to the storied organization. He contributed in whatever capacity he could. Initially, he limited his appearances to film sessions and offering encouraging words to superstar Victor Wembanyama. After Game 3, Popovich recognized the young team needed something more.
Fox revealed after the game that Popovich's unexpected locker room visit caught them completely off guard.
"That was the first time he walked into the locker room and was like, 'Nah, that's BS,” he said. “That's not how we play basketball.' Obviously, he had some choice words for us."
The Spurs took Popovich's words to heart and responded with conviction. San Antonio was locked in from tip-off to the final buzzer at Frost Bank Center. The Spurs erupted for a 16-0 first-quarter run and never looked back. They stretched their lead to as many as 25 points.
San Antonio was equally ferocious on defense. Oklahoma City shot just 33 percent from the field and 18 percent from three-point range. The Spurs forced 20 turnovers and converted them into 25 points. They held the explosive Thunder offense to their lowest-scoring output since Dec. 2, 2021.
Wembanyama did it all, finishing with 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks. Fox provided steady playmaking with 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists across 31 minutes.
Popovich's fingerprints were all over the performance. He continues to pour his championship wisdom into this young roster, determined to see them reach their full potential.
