The Atlanta Hawks traded Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2024 offseason, ending a two-year partnership that sparked so much excitement at its inception.
Now on the third team of his career, Murray has never forgotten where it all began.
The Hawks acquired Murray from the San Antonio Spurs. And even while Murray offered a biting review of his tenure in San Antonio, he never once wavered on his relationship with his former head coach, Gregg Popovich.
With that context, news that Murray was present for new Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson’s official introduction should come as little surprise, especially with “Pop” in attendance.
“Dejounte Murray at Mitch Johnson’s #Spurs presser,” KENS5’s Nate Ryan posted on X on MAy 5. “An active NBA player on another team, returning for a momentous occasion.
“Not sure this happens with any other team. Really cool.”
Johnson and Muray have known each other for years, dating back to when the latter was a teenager in Washington.
“He means the world to me. The world to me. A lot of people don’t understand. I try to keep my story, my life away from the internet, the social media – however you want to put it – as much as I can just. Just so I can heal from it. And there’s a time and a place for things. But that guy, he – I owe him just so much,” Murray told reporters in December 2024.
“I was in a tough place in my life, around 15 when I was trying to change my life, and he came and got me. And just everything from the knowledge, the teaching discipline, right from wrong, and building the AAU team for me, he was behind all of that. Just really getting my life on track. Like I said, I was in a tough time, and he just came and the rest is history, so he means the world to me.”
Murray shared a picture of himself and Johnson from those AAU days.
“This Sh*+ Deeper Than Basketball…..,” Murray said in the post on Instagram. “I’m Forever In Debt For You Giving Me Hope To Do The Right Things.”
Murray expressed strong sentiments about Hawks head coach Quin Snyder during the uncertain period before the one-time All-Star guard was traded. Notably, Snyder also has ties to Popovich and the Spurs organization.
He was even linked to the job before Johnson was swiftly named as Popovich’s replacement.