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NBA coach lights internet on fire after he calls Donald Trump a 'soulless coward'

"We have a pathological liar in the White House ... "

Keith Wagstaff

on October 17, 2017

NBA coach lights internet on fire after he calls Donald Trump a 'soulless coward'

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Head Coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on November 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) Credit: Getty Images

The NBA regular season doesn't start until Tuesday, but San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has already dominated an opponent — in this case, President Donald Trump.

After Trump made the outrageously false claim that former President Barack Obama didn't contact the families of fallen troops, "Pop" went off when talking to The Nation's Dave Zirin.

The five-time NBA champion coach and U.S. Air Force veteran said Trump's comments were "so beyond the pale, I almost don’t have the words."

Almost is the key here, because Pop definitely found some words to describe Trump.

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"This man in the Oval Office is a soulless coward who thinks that he can only become large by belittling others. This has of course been a common practice of his, but to do it in this manner—and to lie about how previous presidents responded to the deaths of soldiers—is as low as it gets," he said ... and it didn't end there.

"We have a pathological liar in the White House"

"We have a pathological liar in the White House: unfit intellectually, emotionally, and psychologically to hold this office and the whole world knows it, especially those around him every day," he continued. "The people who work with this president should be ashamed because they know it better than anyone just how unfit he is, and yet they choose to do nothing about it. This is their shame most of all."

Popovich didn't just say this at a press conference. He called Zirin up after reading about the president's remarks, so you know Pop was really mad. And, yeah, people noticed.

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And in case you forgot, Popovich was named the head coach of the U.S. national men's basketball team. So, we're sure that will go well.

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At least we know LeBron James will have Pop's back.

Topics Donald Trump Politics

Keith Wagstaff

Keith Wagstaff is an assistant editor at Mashable and a terrible Settlers of Catan player. He has written for TIME, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, NBC News, The Village Voice, VICE, GQ and New York Magazine, among many other reputable and not-so-reputable publications. After nearly a decade in New York City, he now lives in his native Los Angeles.