In almost three decades as the Spurs coach, Gregg Popovich has seen and done it all. He oversaw one of the greatest runs in NBA history, complete with five NBA titles. He went to Tokyo and helped Team USA capture gold. He even became an outspoken and salient voice on matters outside of basketball. In essence, Popovich has been one of the best basketball coaches ever and the NBA’s de facto wise elder sage. It’s hard to imagine any matter in the broader basketball sphere carrying any weight without Popovich’s perspective.
His basketball pedigree took center stage on Friday night:
With a 104-102 win over the Jazz, Popovich now has the most coaching wins in NBA history with 1,336.
Here’s the glorious moment of celebration, which conveniently had to happen at home in San Antonio.
The moment history was made.
Couldn't let Coach Pop leave the court without a celebration! 😂🖤 pic.twitter.com/eL9Td1Sr00
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 12, 2022
It’s telling that even in a down year, you can see the obvious admiration Popovich’s players have for him as a coach. The man commands respect simply by respecting others, and they respond in kind.
Another person who commands respect, Don Nelson — most famous for coaching runs with the Warriors and Mavericks — had a message for his long-time friend.
Handing off the all-time wins crown 👑🤝
Hoops legend and long-time friend Don Nelson salutes Coach Pop for passing him on the historic list 💯 pic.twitter.com/zRCCXY76x7
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 12, 2022
I swear I’m not crying. Someone’s cutting onions somewhere. They have to be.
For those of you doing the math at home, Popovich has been the coach of the Spurs for almost 26 years. His 1,336 victories over that span would average out to over 51 wins a year. Quite an impressive mark in a league predicated on individual stars more than most.
Popovich is one of the best ever to roam an NBA courtside. We already knew this before Friday night. It’s still awesome to see an all-timer receive the flowers he deserves.
