San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is one of the most well-known and beloved figures in the basketball, be it stateside or internationally.
Now 74 years old, Popovich began his coaching career as an assistant at the Air Force Academy under Hank Egan in 1973. A former guard for the Falcons and their leading scorer in his senior season, Popovich would stay on with his alma mater until 1979, when he landed his first ever head coaching gig. Now with Pomona-Pfizer, Popovich would learn under a future Hall of Fame head coach in Larry Brown, which ultimately led to him landing his first role with the Spurs — a lead assistant under Brown — in 1988.
Eight years later and Popovich held a dual executive-coach role with San Antonio that he still holds today. A story of patience and commitment to excellence, it should come as no surprise then that Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo made the following revelation when discussing Pop's impending enshrinement.
According to Colangelo, “it's purposeful that in the order of tomorrow's inductions, Tony Parker immediately will precede Gregg Popovich,” per Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.
Colangelo, a longtime fixture in the basketball world himself, also said that “the thing that changed Gregg Popovich’s mind about going into the Hall of Fame this year was because all of his players are now in, which is what he always wanted to wait for,” (h/t ESPN scribe Tim Bontemps).
Despite him setting a standard for NBA head coaches, Popovich has said repeatedly over the course of his career that his players are the ones responsible for making him look good, so it only makes sense that he would continue to give them their flowers even after retirement.
Over the course of 15 years, the Indiana native won five championships with the Spurs, teams all led by some combination of 15-time All-Star and two-time MVP Tim Duncan; six-time All-Star and 2007 NBA Finals MVP Tony Parker; and 2008 Sixth Man of the Year and two-time All-Star Manu Ginobli.
Duncan, of course, gets the bulk of the credit for anchoring the Spurs dynasty. A technician on both ends of the floor, Duncan earned the nickname The Big Fundamental for his adherence to them.
Parker, who frustrated Popovich like he was one of his own sons, could be considered akin to the French version of former Detroit Pistons lead guard Chauncey Billups. A combo guard that had to learn how to be the primary initiator in the NBA, Parker was incredibly clutch for San Antonio.
Then there was Manu, the dynamic two-way playmaker whose unpredictability may have been his greatest skill.
With all of that said, as much as Pop relied on them, they also relied on him for his rare basketball IQ, straightforward demeanor, sagacious mindset and companionship through tough times. Which is why he deserves this honor just as much as them, even if he's too humble to admit it.
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