Gun control debate starts argument between U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and NBA coach Gregg Popovich

There aren't many fights between U.S. senators and NBA coaches, but the gun control debate is changing that.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican who's no stranger to controversy, has been trading barbs with a professional basketball coach in his home state.

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who has been a prominent voice in the argument for more restrictions, started the verbal battle over the weekend.

What Gregg Popovich said about Ted Cruz

"Ted Cruz will fix it because he’s gonna double the number of cops in the schools," Popovich told reporters Sunday. "Well that’ll create a great environment. Is that freedom?"

More: San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich calls out lawmakers after Nashville school shooting

His comments followed a mass shooting at a Christian school in Nashville. This week, there was another mass shooting at a bank in Louisville.

Popovich said Cruz would hide his gun control argument in "the myth of the Second Amendment, the freedom."

"You know, it's just a myth. It’s a joke. It’s just a game they play. I mean, that's freedom. Is it freedom for kids to go to school and try to socialize and try to learn and be scared to death that they might die that day?"

Popovich has accused lawmakers of not doing enough to stop mass shootings and protect children in schools – a position he has amplified since the Uvalde shooting last May.

What Ted Cruz said about Gregg Popovich

Cruz responded during a Wednesday episode of his podcast "Verdict with Ted Cruz," chalking it up to political polarization in the country.

"We’ve seen for a long time that there are a lot of institutions in sports that don't really like their fans very much, don't really like their customers, don't respect their customers, that look down on them. Popovich is someone who has been a partisan for a long time. He's a liberal Democrat," Cruz said.

The Texas senator, not forgetting his home state, did say the Spurs are a great team and he's enjoyed watching the players win championships.

But he called out the "incredibly rich athletes" in the NBA and NFL who he accused of lecturing their fans from a point of ignorance.

As for Popovich comparing Republicans' Second Amendment argument to a "myth," Cruz said "that's a fairly astonishing proposition."

Lawmakers respond: Will Nashville shooting prompt assault weapons ban? 'We’ve gone about as far as we can go'

Candy Woodall is a Congress reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at cwoodall@usatoday.com or on Twitter at @candynotcandace.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sen. Ted Cruz continues gun control debate with NBA coach Popovich