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Popovich: MLK would be sad to know racism 'still our national sin'

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Gregg Popovich continues to use his platform to call out injustice and racism.

The San Antonio Spurs head coach started on a positive note Monday by praising the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ahead of his team's MLK Day matchup with the Atlanta Hawks.

"Dr. King, he was truly a person who was interested in making America great for everyone," Popovich told New York Daily News' Carron J. Phillips.

"He understood that racism was our national sin, and if everybody didn't come together it would bring everybody down, including white people. That promise that he basically demanded for America to fill from way back then is what put us on the road to make America great."

The former U.S. Air Force officer noted the country has made progress, but not enough.

"We all know the situation now," Popovich continued. "And I think (King would) be a very, very sad man to see that a lot of his efforts have been held up and torn down. It doesn't matter if you're looking at the Voting Rights Act or the ridiculous number of people of color who are incarcerated. ...

"(Racism) is insidious and it's still our national sin that we have to work on."

Related: Popovich says 'Our country is an embarrassment'

Popovich has long been critical of President Donald Trump, and it was no different Monday. The future Hall of Fame coach took issue with Trump reportedly referring to Haiti and some African nations as "shithole countries" and then dubbing himself "the least racist" person.

"You can argue that he is or he isn't (racist), but ... he certainly is willing to wield race like a weapon and use it for his own purposes, whether it's Charlottesville, or whether it's the comment he just made, or that you can't believe what they're finding in Hawaii about Obama’s birth certificate," Popovich said.

Related: Popovich calls President Trump a 'soulless coward'

NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri also spoke out against Trump's crude immigration remarks. Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said earlier in the day that Dr. King would be "less than inspired" by the nation's current leadership.

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