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Gregg Popovich has been the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs since 1996 and he's been a part of the franchise since 1988 excluding the time between 1992-1994 when he had a brief stint with the Golden State Warriors. During that time, he's managed to lead the Spurs to five NBA championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014). He's also become the NBA's all-time winningest coach.
He's currently in the final year of a three-year contract with the Spurs and it is yet to be decided what his future holds. This season in particular is a rebuilding year for the Spurs. They have been one of the league's elite for the better part of the last two decades so this is kind of unfamiliar territory for them.
Gregg Popovich made a key addition to his coaching staff this season with the return of former assistant coach Brett Brown. In a season that is sure to have its growing pains, Popovich mentioned to reporters on Saturday how much of a blessing it's been to have Brown back with the team.
After the joke, Pop said that Brown is “saving his life” at this point in his career. “He's got a great sense of humor. He's a great basketball guy, so it's fun to bounce things off of him.” Added that he's an “ultimate competitor.”
— Sam DiGiovanni (@BySamDiGiovanni) October 22, 2022
Brett Brown was previously an assistant under Popovich from 2007-2013. He was then hired as the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers to help steer them through ‘The Process.' As the Sixers were unabashedly tanking during Brown's first few years as head coach, the team suffered through some futile seasons including 2015-2016 when they only won ten games.
Brown ultimately guided the Sixers back to the playoffs though as their tanking yielded Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. He was let go as Sixers head coach after the team lost in the first round of the 2020 playoffs to the Boston Celtics. Brown then spent the past two seasons out of the NBA before joining the Spurs this season.
It remains to be seen what happens with Popovich after this year. Should he decided to hang it up and retire, the Spurs could already have his successor right next to him on the bench.
