While the NBA is celebrating its 75th anniversary and honoring the legends who contribute to its legacy, there is one additional accomplishment to recognize.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is now the all-time coaching wins leader. It shouldn’t be shocking that the three-time Coach of the Year – tied for the most all-time – now holds this record.
Gregg Popovich has won more games than any coach in NBA History.#NBA75
— NBA (@NBA) March 12, 2022
There are three main takeaways that any objective basketball fan should realize about this feat.
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Adapting to the evolution of the game
The NBA is a much different league than it was when Pop paced up and down the sidelines in the 1990s. Hand check rules are strictly enforced, outside shooting is a staple for any successful team, and players have more freedom and support to select the team of their choosing. The Spurs won their first title when having a strong physical presence in the paint was a trademark of dominant teams.
In fact, in the 1999, 2003 and 2005 regular seasons – all title years – San Antonio averaged between 6.5 to 7.0 blocks per game, ranking No. 1 in the league. Some of this credit goes to David Robinson and Tim Duncan being rim protectors but keep in mind Robinson was not around for the 2005 season and the Spurs relied on role players such as Rasho Nesterović and Nazr Mohammed at the center position.
By the time they won their last two championships, the team averaged a more modest five blocks per game, ranking 10th and eighth, respectively. What did their coach shift the team’s attention to instead? 3-point shooting.
When San Antonio won its first NBA championship in 1999, it was a mediocre team behind the arc with just over 10 attempts per game, shooting a very average 33 percent (13th overall). When the Spurs defeated LeBron James in the 2014 NBA Finals, they were taking an average of 21.4 attempts per game (sixth in the league) and led all teams, knocking down almost 40 percent.
Simply put, Popovich figures out what works in the league and adjusts his game plan accordingly.
Finding balance
The Spurs have consistently been among the best teams in the NBA – and it’s not always due to pure star power. Pop was a pioneer for load management, so much so that he once listed Duncan too “old” on an injury report. He collects talent that believes in a “team-first” and “next man up” attitude that grows over an 82-game regular season. This has translated to playoff success as well and placed Popovich on an elite list of coaches that thrive during playoff time.
The most relevant comparisons are Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Red Auerbach and John Kundla. (We would be remiss if we did not mention Kundla who was behind the handful of championships won by the Minneapolis Lakers during the infancy of the NBA.)
Jackson’s 11 titles as a coach saw three different Finals MVPs (Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant) while Riley led five different teams with four different winners of the award (Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and Dwyane Wade). Popovich has seen Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard take home the honor – but why does it matter?
It matters because these coaches all ensured their teams were well-rounded. One-man shows are exciting to watch but rarely end up on top. Just ask the 2001 76ers led by Allen Iverson.
Pop routinely spots top international prospects, such as Manu Ginobili, and works the phones during free agency and around the trade deadline. During his reign, the Spurs have acquired prime versions of Richard Jefferson, LaMarcus Aldridge, Stephen Jackson and Robert Horry, as well as a variety of role players. Pop is instrumental in keeping certain assets like when he fought rumors that the Spurs were considering trading Parker for Jason Kidd – a deal that would have rewritten the NBA record books as we know them.
But the biggest acquisition by Popovich? Himself.
He was actually the general manager and vice president of basketball operations for the Spurs in the mid-1990s. After the Spurs got off to a slow start in the 1996-97 season, Pop named himself head coach and the rest is literal history. It’s a rare example where the front office being intensely involved with coaching has worked out – imagine naming yourself the face of your company and having to prove yourself right.
Building a winning culture
NBA fans who are familiar with the NFL will see parallels with the Spurs and New England Patriots. The Patriots coach, Bill Belichick, was named head coach a few years after Popovich began leading the Spurs and has seen similar success. The culture was "Do Your Job," and both coaches were diligent about the details.
New England has won six Super Bowls under Belichick, who relied heavily on Tom Brady – one of the greatest NFL players ever. Popovich had his own “Brady” in Duncan. Just like Popovich, Belichick had to change his style from a defense-heavy team to one that focused more on putting points on the board.
Even when the teams faced dramatic losses, they bounced back. The Patriots lost two Super Bowls to the New York Giants on amazing plays, one arguably the greatest play of all time in a catch-and-throw between Eli Manning and David Tyree in Super Bowl 42. How did Belichick and co. respond? Winning three more Super Bowls to close out the decade.
The Spurs rebounded even quicker. San Antonio failed to clinch the 2013 NBA championship when Heat guard Ray Allen nailed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the fourth Quarter of Game 6. Allen, LeBron and the rest of the “Heatles” went on to win the title that year.
Both teams returned to the Finals the next season, where the Spurs very easily defeated Miami four games to one.
It's easy to smile and talk about “what works” when wins are piling up and champagne is popping. The true measure of a champion is one that can rally the troops when they lose a crucial battle and their backs are against the wall. Popovich served in the Air Force, and it seems clear the fighting mentality is one he preaches to his players.
Ironically, Belichick is now focused on rebuilding his squad behind a new leader, Pro-Bowler Mac Jones, while Popovich has begun to shape the franchise around All-Star Dejounte Murray. The foundation in place should give both franchises an edge to return to the promised land, with a trophy in hand when the final game of the season is played.
A look around the league will show how far the Popovich coaching tree extends; sideline fixtures such as Warriors' Steve Kerr, 76ers' Doc Rivers and Jazz's Quinn Snyder all owe their coaching origin stories to Popovich. He (perhaps strategically?) was even ejected from a game that allowed Duncan, who was an assistant coach with the Spurs, to get his first coaching victory.
It’s unclear how much longer the 73-year old father of two will remain as the Spurs play-caller, but just as we admire active legends such as LeBron, we should appreciate Pop and the brilliance he has to offer, too.
