Craig Sager: Gregg Popovich said he'd be nice to me

Normally brusque San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager, who will return to broadcasting Thursday after nearly a year battling Leukemia, that he would be "nice" to him.

Normally brusque San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told returning TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager that he would be "nice" to him, Sager told SI Now in an interview Thursday.

"He said he was actually going to be nice, and I thought, man, I don't know if i can handle if he's nice to me," Sager said. 

• Healthy again, TNT's Craig Sager ready to get back to the sidelines

Sager will return to broadcasting Thursday, after nearly a year battling cancer, when he works the Thunder-Bulls game at the United Center in Chicago.  

Sager also toldSI Now he was originally planning to debut an orange linen suit Thursday in order to draw awareness to leukemia, but decided against it when it was determined linen in Chicago in winter was not a wise choice. 

So, what outfit did Sager end up choosing? Check out the full interview below.