Gregg Popovich is stepping into a new role with the San Antonio Spurs after an iconic 29-season stretch as their head coach. During his tenure, Popovich became a household name in NBA coaching, often hailed as one of the best, if not the best, in the league’s history. Let’s break down his impressive coaching career with some numbers and historical context.
Popovich holds the record for the most regular-season wins by an NBA coach, having secured 1,422 victories. Under his guidance, the Spurs saw two players, Tim Duncan in 1998 and Victor Wembanyama in 2024, win the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Both Duncan and Wembanyama were top picks in their respective drafts, showcasing Popovich’s knack for developing top-tier talent.
In postseason play, Popovich ranks third among NBA coaches, amassing 170 wins and earning Coach of the Year honors three times. His 29 seasons with the Spurs make him third in league history for the total number of seasons spent as an NBA head coach. Notably, during this time, stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant switched teams three times each, while Popovich and his Spurs managed to best teams led by James in two out of three NBA Finals matchups.
Over the past 29 years, three NBA franchises have changed cities, with the Seattle SuperSonics becoming the Oklahoma City Thunder, the New Jersey Nets moving to Brooklyn, and the Golden State Warriors shifting from Oakland to San Francisco. Oakland, meanwhile, saw the departure of all three of its professional sports teams, which included the Warriors, the Raiders, and the Athletics.
Under Popovich’s leadership, the Spurs claimed five NBA championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014. This achievement ties him with legends like Pat Riley and John Kundla for third place in NBA history for the most titles. He also coached six future Hall of Famers, including Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and Manu Ginobili, and led the Spurs to six Western Conference titles, a record matched by only a few other coaches.
Before his successful stint with the Spurs, Popovich played college basketball at Air Force and later served as an assistant coach there, combining for a total of 10 seasons with the Falcons. Out of his 29 seasons as the head coach, the Spurs enjoyed winning records in 22 of them. Adding to his legacy, Popovich has been a part of the Spurs organization for a combined 33 seasons, having started as an assistant coach under Larry Brown and Bob Bass before taking the helm in 1996.
During Popovich’s reign, the Spurs notched 50-plus wins in 19 seasons and surpassed 60 wins in six seasons, a testament to his consistent excellence. In 2020, he led Team USA to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Popovich also contributed as an assistant coach during the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Popovich’s influence extends beyond just wins and losses; his leadership and ability to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the NBA have solidified his status as a coaching legend. His career is marked by a remarkable consistency and a dedication to developing both players and the team as a whole, leaving an indelible mark on the league.
