Sad report: Gregg Popovich shed tears as the Spurs introduced a new coach to the team.
LAS VEGAS (AP) Gregg Popovich clearly does not intend to quit the San Antonio Spurs anytime soon.
The NBA’s most successful coach has signed a five-year contract to remain coach and president of the Spurs, the organization said Saturday. There has been much conjecture regarding the 74-year-old Popovich’s future, but after the team was given the opportunity to choose Victor Wembanyama last month, it was assumed that the five-time champion would continue coaching.
And now it’s official. The Spurs announced the move in a two-sentence press release that did not go into depth about the terms or include quotes from Popovich or team personnel.
Popovich took over as coach of the Spurs in December 1996. He’s won 1,366 games, 31 more than Don Nelson, who was the career victories leader before Popovich overtook him.
He also ranks third in playoff wins with 170, trailing only Phil Jackson (229) and Pat Riley (171). Popovich is one of just five coaches with at least five titles; Jackson won 11, Red Auerbach won nine, and Popovich, Riley, and John Kundla all won five.
He is scheduled to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next month.
“His ability to connect, spend time, and bounce between the really detailed development of basketball players and the bigger picture of developing people is just so impressive,” Spurs managing partner Peter J. Holt stated in May. “I believe that no matter what Pop does, he will find a way to do it because it is in his heart.” And I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next on that trip.
Popovich spoke before the Spurs’ final game of the season about how, throughout his career, he has been the “beneficiary of serendipity to a max degree”—and this was before San Antonio won the lottery and the opportunity to draft Wembanyama, potentially following in the footsteps of David Robinson and Tim Duncan, who came to the Spurs as No. 1 picks and became franchise-cornerstone big men.
However, with Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili gone, the Spurs haven’t won a playoff series since 2017 and are 121-186 over the last four seasons, losing more games in the last four years than they did in the previous eight combined. Those struggles, along with his age, fueled talk that Popovich may resign.
If Wembanyama is to be believed, the losing streak has ended. He’s coming to the NBA with the goal of being a superstar, a legend, and a champion. And he’s about to take the spotlight on Popovich’s most recent—aand possibly final—ppart of his career.
“He’s not intimidating yet, but I’m sure he will be intimidating when I see him in person,” Wembanyama remarked following the draft.
Along with all of his wins and five titles, Popovich won an Olympic gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Games.
“He’s amazing,” said Golden State coach Steve Kerr, who played for Popovich and worked with him on the national team. “The Hall of Fame was simply a formality. Everyone knew he would be present. It was only a matter of when.
