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San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich needs just one more win to become the all-time winningest coach in NBA history. Popovich is currently sitting at 1,335 wins, which is tied for Don Nelson for the most ever.
With Pop on the precipice of history, ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk talked to a number of people who have been close with the legendary Spurs coach over the years. This includes former players, current players, other coaches and more. One of those former Pop players is DeMar DeRozan, who just joined the Chicago Bulls this past offseason after three seasons in San Antonio.
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DeRozan's Popovich story is truly amazing and not what you would expect at all, or maybe it is given it's Pop we're talking about here. The former Spurs star revealed how one film session turned into a National Geographic lesson about penguins:
“I remember Pop made us watch a penguin National Geographic movie. It was very interesting. It was basically learning about teamwork. How to come together as one and go after a common goal, whatever that goal was. I thought it was going to be a day where we watch film. But we watched a full penguin movie — and it was the most interesting s—.
Apparently DeRozan and the Spurs learned a lot:
“How they migrate. How the males watch the eggs while the female goes out for X amount of months to go collect food. How they walk 60 miles to the water and 60 miles back while the males watch — it was the most craziest s—. But everybody basically playing their role. But to look at it from the perspective of penguins, that's some Pop s—.”
Coaches are known to try unconventional tactics to motivate their players and build chemistry, and this one is certainly out there. DeMar DeRozan certainly seemed to appreciate it, though.
Pop and the Spurs will go for that 1,336th win on Friday night against the Utah Jazz.
