Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James shared powerful reflections on Gregg Popovich’s legacy following the longtime San Antonio Spurs coach’s decision to step down from the bench and assume a full-time role as President of Basketball Operations.

Speaking on the Mind the Game Podcast with Steve Nash, James opened the episode by acknowledging Popovich’s influence across all levels of basketball.

“There’s no way we even start this conversation without talking about Pop and what he means for the game and obviously for the NBA, San Antonio, West Point, all the stops that he had,” James said. “To be able to cross paths, we’ve crossed paths with Coach Pop so many times and I had one opportunity to actually play for him in the Olympics in 2004. And obviously going against him three times in the NBA Finals. I mean, what can you say. You talk about the superlatives when it comes to Coach Pop, his list is out of this world. But I think what a lot of people have found out if you ever got an opportunity to encounter a one-on-one with him or even just in cross, how great of a f—ing guy that guy is. And it makes sense with how unbelieve of a coach he was because of the person he was.”

LeBron James reflects on early admiration for Gregg Popovich and lasting impact of Spurs' legendary coach

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James went on to reflect on his personal admiration for Popovich, dating back to his early years in the NBA.

“It was just the admiration. For me, I was just an 18-year-old kid and I got an opportunity to see it when they won a championship in ’99 and then when they won it again I believe in 2003,” James said. “So I already had admiration for Pop and his San Antonio teams. I was on the team, I was a young guy alongside Carmelo Anthony, we were young guys, Dwyane Wade, we were super young and to be a part of that team, obviously we didn’t succeed like we wanted to succeed. But to be on a team with like Allen Iverson and Tim Duncan and Coach Pop, Larry Brown, that was just like another welcome to what greatness is all about.”

Popovich’s decision to step away from coaching ends a legendary 29-year tenure on the Spurs sideline that included five NBA championships, 22 consecutive playoff appearances, and an NBA-record 1,422 regular-season wins. Though no longer coaching, Popovich will remain active in the team’s day-to-day operations in the front office.

“To see what Coach Pop has left this game as far as controlling the sidelines for as long as he did and the amount of wins that you just mentioned, the amount of championships, great players that he’s seen come through the San Antonio franchise,” James said. “It’s just been a complete honor and for me to have a real personal relationship with him that every time I see him, it’s just so much respect and so much honor. He definitely will be missed… Obviously we know health is most important, but we cannot shy away from the fact of what he was able to accomplish on the sidelines.”