Gregg Popovich remains active at the San Antonio Spurs, reaching impressive milestones as coach of the franchise and leaving his legacy in the league
Not all coaches in the NBA are capable of making history. Gregg Popovich, however, not only did it but continues to do so. The commander of San Antonio Spursin addition to being the most successful in the league’s history, with 1,373 triumphs, according to the platform StatMuseis also the best paid: he receives US$16 million (approximately R$78.5 million) annually.
Popovich has five NBA championship titles on his shelf, all won alongside the Texan franchise and, some, in different decades: 1998/1999, 2002/2003, 2004/2005, 2006/2007 and 2013/2014. In addition, he was considered “coach of the year” three times (2003, 2012 and 2014) and coach of the All-Star Game in four editions.
The career of Coach Pop, however, does not only extend to Spurs, although the team represents a good part of his journey in the orange ball sport. The American of Serbo-Croatian descent led the United States basketball team on more than one occasion; with the national squad, he won bronze in the 2004 Athens Olympics and won the gold medal in the last Games held, in Tokyo 2020.
Trophies, medals and honors are not the only factors that certify him as a successful coach. Popovich has always had a good eye for evaluating great potential in the NBA, who were often underestimated at the beginning of their careers, as was the case with Tony Parkerwith the 28th pick in the 2002 Draft. In 2011, he also opted for the Pacers’ 15th pick in exchange for the veteran George Hillwhich earned him Kawhi Leonard.
Join us in wishing a Happy 75th Birthday to 5x NBA champion and the all-time winningest coach in NBA history… Gregg Popovich! #NBABDAYpic.twitter.com/3s8CTGdlCN
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) January 28, 2024
It is worth highlighting that Popovich plays a decisive role in the diversity of the NBA, especially in the technical area. Becky Hammon, his assistant for ten years, receives support to grow as the likely first female commander of the NBA. In fact, she led the Texas team as head coach in Summer League.
Popovich also adds some interesting facts outside of basketball. The coach is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, where he served for four years. Additionally, he graduated with a degree in Physical Education from the University of Denver and was an assistant to the Golden State Warriors for a brief period in the 90s.
Source: sportbuzz
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