Dejounte Murray on Gregg Popovich's gesture that showed his love for him: "He tried to move my mom to San Antonio with his own money after she got shot"

Dejounte Murray on Gregg Popovich’s gesture that showed his love for him: “He tried to move my mom to San Antonio with his own money after she got shot” originally appeared on Basketball Network.

San Antonio Spurs icon Gregg Popovich is a rare figure in basketball history who never focused solely on on-court growth. While his success is undeniable, countless stories show how the three-time Coach of the Year prepared his players for life off the court.

Few know this better than Dejounte Murray. Recently, the New Orleans Pelicans’ floor general revealed how Popovich’s influence went beyond basketball, guiding his personal growth and maturity during their time together.

“That was a man who cared about me, a man who wanted me to reach my full potential in life first and then as a basketball player,” said Murray during his appearence on “The Pivot Podcast.”

Popovich shaped a kid from South Seattle

Born in 1996, Murray grew up in Seattle’s toughest neighborhoods, facing challenges few can imagine. As reported in-depth, by age 11, he was already active in the streets before basketball became his way out — starting at Rainier Beach, continuing at the University of Washington, and eventually leading him to the Spurs in the 2016 NBA Draft.

During the podcast, Murray, a former No. 29 overall pick by San Antonio, recalled how overwhelming the leap was. After all, he was just a kid from the south of Seattle with no clue about the corporate or business side of pro basketball.

Fortunately, Popovich, who led the Spurs from the 1996–97 season through the start of the 2024–25 season and guided a lot of players during that time, was there to lead him.

As Murray recalled, his former head coach taught him not only professionalism and work ethic but also how to carry himself as a man. One key lesson, Dejounte said, was learning respect for others.

“You treat people like an a**hole; you’re an a**hole. You treat people good, I mean, you’re a good person,” Murray explained.

Beyond the game

Coach Pop provided even greater support for Murray during his time in Texas from 2016 to 2022.

The Seattle native recalled how, amid personal losses and hardships, his coach became a literal shoulder to cry on.

Popovich also grew into a father figure for Murray — not only because his biological dad was largely absent, but because the now president of basketball operations led through actions, not words.

Murray said there are countless examples, but the most notable happened during his rookie season in 2016-17.

That year, his mother — who had a troubled past, including multiple incarcerations — was shot in the leg. Upon hearing the news, Popovich immediately reached out. While advising his player to avoid old environments, the coach wanted the same for his mom, offering to move her to San Antonio and even volunteering to cover the costs himself.

“He’s (Popovich) so real he tried to move my mom to San Antonio with his own money after she got shot…he called her himself without me knowing until after the fact…that sounds like a dude who cares about me and loves me, right?” Murray said.

For him, those actions went beyond basketball. He said Pop showed care not only to him but to countless other players — through honest talks, simple gestures, even hugs — understanding how much mental stability matters. Ultimately, Murray felt Popovich truly cared and loved him with his actions, not his words.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.

Dejounte Murray on Gregg Popovich’s gesture that showed his love for him: “He tried to move my mom to San Antonio with his own money after she got shot”

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