SAN ANTONIO — Less than a week before Election Day, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich appeared in an ad formally endorsing Joe Biden and once again criticizing President Donald Trump.
Popovich, an Air Force veteran, slammed Trump's alleged description of service members as "suckers" and "losers" and appealed to decency and the rejection of white supremacy in a one-minute ad put together by The Lincoln Project, a group of anti-Trump conservatives.
Popovich's full statement is below in full:
"Our country is at a crossroads, and each of us must decide where we stand. I stand for truth over lies. I stand for equality, and categorically reject white supremacy. I believe in compassion and decency.
"I believe our veterans are true American heroes, not suckers, not losers. I believe all Americans deserve access to affordable healthcare. I believe a presidency should be transparent, not veiled in deception.
"Now it's time for you to decide where you stand. For me it's pretty simple: a vote for Donald Trump is a vote against the very ideals upon which our democracy was founded.
"Our democracy is at stake, so please stand with me, united in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
"I stand with Joe Biden."
Popovich is one of the most outspoken political voices in the NBA, and has been critical of Trump since the last election cycle. When the NBA started back up in the Orlando bubble, he made regular efforts to talk about racism and the government's response to coronavirus.
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich hopes San Antonio City Council will declare racism a public health crisis
- Gregg Popovich reflects on racism in policing on six-year anniversary of Michael Brown's death
- 'Strange Fruit' | Gregg Popovich gives history lesson on lynchings in his home state of Indiana
- Popovich praises NBA leadership, criticizes America's coronavirus response from leaders to citizens
- 'Who rips children from their mothers?' | Gregg Popovich rips President Trump's actions at the border
- Spurs players kneel, Gregg Popovich and Becky Hammon stand during national anthem
- Popovich on Black Lives Matter: 'Justice has been denied to a group of people for far too long'
- 'Nobody knows what the hell is going on': Popovich levels criticism at Texas state leadership amid worsening coronavirus crisis
- Gregg Popovich speaks on racism, reparations, and NBA bubble in first media availability since March
His official endorsement of Biden comes as historically-red Texas appears to be in play for the former vice president. It's already a high turnout election in the Lone Star State, especially among younger voters.