It’s not you, it’s me.
After careful consideration, we have found a candidate whose experience better matches the specific needs of this role—we will be keeping your application on file for future opportunities.
I think we need a break.
I need to focus on my career/myself.
This was a difficult decision, and we wish you the best of luck in your job search.
Let’s just be friends.
Sir, this is Arby’s.
Rejection is no fun for anyone. Whether an employer or romantic interest swipes left on you, no one particularly enjoys being told they are not wanted. Often, nothing the person delivering the message can say will make the recipient feel any better. This scenario also hits hard in professional sports when an athlete’s career, livelihood, passion, and ego come suddenly crashing down based on a coach’s or front office’s subjective evaluation of that athlete.
Sure a millionaire being let go by a multi-billion dollar franchise is not the most relatable thing for everyday Joes and Janes, but the feeling of rejection is a raw, negative human emotion no one looks forward to. The most recent and impactful example of rejection that comes to mind is the Dallas Maverick’s trade of Luca Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. It did not matter that the 7-year superstar had a résumé not many current or former NBA players could boast (drafted 3rd overall, Rookie of the Year, 2024 scoring champion, 5-time All-Star, 5-time All-NBA, face of the franchise, face of the league, less than one season removed from leading his team to the NBA Finals). In the end, Dončić found out via a phone call moments before Shams Charania tweeted out the trade details.
In the super competitive world of professional sports, especially with billions of dollars on the line, tough decisions do not always come sugarcoated. Arguably, people do not want aspartame laced clichés but a direct, honest reason why their services are no longer needed—a deeper human connection, even if parting ways. Words matter.
It’s no surprise then to know that Gregg Popovich often displayed empathy when having difficult conversations with all of the players he coached, whether briefly or over 20 years during his entire NBA coaching career. The entire article can be found in the link above, and it’s worth a read about the psychology of kindness and honesty.
“I really think you’re a good player, Keith, and you have a chance to be a high-level player, I see it in you. But right now, I couldn’t get you to be aggressive enough. And I think Darius showed a little more aggression than you did. I really felt like you took what I was saying to you and really tried to do it, you just aren’t ready—but I can tell you are really trying.”
Fort Worth, Texas’s own Keith Langford had one of those tough conversations, being cut from the San Antonio Spurs roster before the start of the 2007 season. What stood out for him from this specific moment was that Popovich took the time to deliver the message personally and was directly honest, yet encouraging.
As Spurs fans are still processing the news of Popovich’s retirement from coaching the team, it’s a nice reminder of his greatness as a coach and a person by discovering new tidbits of stories beyond the court. The national media sometimes portrayed him as a curmudgeon, and NBA Twitter (and social media in general) buzzed around his personal and political opinions when prompted by said media. You don’t need to look that deep to see that that “cranky” persona is only a mask, almost like a personal protest against superficial media interactions.
Casual observers might see a sarcastic, grumpy dude impatiently short-answering sideline interview questions during a break before the 4th quarter begins in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but it’s also easy to see the type of person Popovich really is when he lets his guard down in public—even if just for a moment. The best example that comes to mind is that time Popovich welcomed the late, great Craig Sager back to the sidelines, who had been battling cancer.
Other examples include the many times Popovich cut Danny Green only to give him another shot, and Green rewarded Pop and the Spurs by becoming an essential member of the 2014 championship team. You will not have to go far on the internet to find more stories about Coach Popovich having direct, honest, and tough conversations with his players: flying out to California to confirm Kawhi Leonard’s future plans with or without the Spurs, consoling DeMar DeRozan when his dad passed away, all of the roster cuts like Langford’s where usually it’s a lower-level staff member delivering the message rather than the head coach, or even the depressing team dinner in Miami hours after Ray Allen’s infamous game-tying corner 3 that buoyed the Miami Heat to the championship in 2013. So many other stories are out there about Popovich and the people he encounters, but the common thread remains that authenticity and respect goes a long way.
From an outsider’s perspective, Gregg Popovich coached his team the same way he might lead a classroom, a company, and his family: with appreciation and honesty. The message might sting, but the bearer of that message can mitigate that sting by approaching the recipient with respect, understanding, and kindness.