San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was finally offered the opportunity to coach a national team recently. Unfortunately, though, it wasn't the United States National Team that came calling.
According to a report on sportando.net, Popovich was offered the job to become the head coach of the Russian National Team to succeed David Blatt, but Popovich declined.
While it seems like a perfect match, considering Popovich graduated from the Air Force Academy with a degree in Soviet Studies, speaks Russian and is said to be a fan of Russia's history and culture, he declined citing personal reasons.
Those "personal reasons" could have something to do with the fact that he's been rumored as a candidate, along with Celtics coach and former Spur Doc Rivers to succeed Mike Krzyzewski at the helm of Team USA, which many thought should have been his job to begin with.
If Popovich did take the job, he wouldn't be the first in San Antonio to choose foreign soil after being spurned by the United States. San Antonio Silver Star Becky Hammon was scrutinized and heavily criticized after she chose to play for the Russian National Team, living out her dream of playing in the Olympics after the U.S. Selection Committee chose less experienced players to fill out their point guard slots.
While Popovich is missing the opportunity to whisper in the ears of Andrei Kirilenko and Timofey Mozgov about, oh, the fabulous weather in San Antonio, he would be a natural fit leading the United States.
