Gregg Popovich told Bill Kennedy that he is courageous for coming out
In interview with ESPN, NBA referee Bill Kennedy shared a really heartwarming story about San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich. If you are not familiar with Kennedy or his story, late last year, the referee came out as a gay man a few weeks after Rajon Rondo made multiple gay slurs towards him after being ejected.
A day after he came out to the world, he was scheduled to officiate a Spurs’ home game. Prior to everyone stepping on the court, Popovich was asked by the media if he heard about Rondo’s comments, and if he was surprised by it. Per ESPN:
"Why would I be surprised?" Popovich told the pregame media scrum. "You see it all the time. It's unfortunate. It's disgusting. Bill is a great guy. He's been a class act on and off the court. And as far as anybody's sexual orientation, it's nobody's business. It just shows ignorance to act in a derogatory way toward anybody in the LGBT community. Just doesn't make sense."
But Popovich’s response is not what makes him special, as this is how anyone with a right mind would think. Rather, it’s what he did afterwards that makes him awesome.
According to Kennedy, the Spurs’ head coach came over to him during player introductions and told him that he was the most courageous person that he knew. Via ESPN:
As the lights went down for player introductions, Popovich sidled up beside him -- telling Kennedy that he chose to walk over in the dark because he didn't want to make a scene that everyone could witness. "He said, quote, unquote, 'You have more guts, you have more balls than anybody I know,'" Kennedy says. "'You have more courage than anybody I know. Now, go out there and kick ass.' Then he walked away. He didn't say a word to me for the rest of the game."
In America, one of the biggest problems that LGBT youth face, according to the Human Rights Campaign, is the fear of being scorned if they came out. Likewise, a Pew study found that “59% of those who have told their mother about their sexual orientation or gender identity and 65% who have told their father say it was difficult to share this information.” So Popovich showing support, and this story being told, is really important for society, as it shows that not everyone is unaccepting of the LGBT community.
