5 mind-blowing stats about Gregg Popovich that showcase his greatness as a NBA coach
On Friday, ESPN reported that Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich was stepping down as coach of the San Antonio Spurs and would be transitioning to a full-time role as president of basketball operations.
The news comes on the heels of a season where Popovich was largely absent from the Spurs bench after suffering a stroke in November. While he's been making progress in his recovery and has reportedly been heavily involved in San Antonio's early offseason dealings, he's decided that at 76, an 82-game season is simply too much for him.
Five mind-blowing stats about Gregg Popovich's coaching career
#1: Most wins as a coach
Since taking the reins of the Spurs before the 1996-97 season, Popovich has amassed 1,422 regular-season wins, putting him almost 100 wins ahead of Don Nelson, who sits in second (1,335).
The only other active coach in the top 10 for most wins is Doc Rivers, who has 1,162.
#2: Most games over .500 as a coach
While Phil Jackson has the record for most wins over .500 as a coach, Pop has the most games over .500. Throughout his career, Popovich coached 2,291 regular-season games and an additional 284 playoff games.
His legendary career, which saw him enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023, also notably spanned 29 years, putting him behind only Lenny Wilkens (32 years) and Don Nelson (31 years).
#3: Made 22 straight postseasons
Throughout his 29-year coaching rein, Popovich led the Spurs to 22 straight postseasons. In the playoffs, Pop coached San Antonio to a 170-114 record, putting him in the top three for most playoff wins. He is also third on the NBA's all-time list of conference championships with six.
#4: Five championships in three different styles
Popovich coached San Antonio to five NBA championships. After leading the Spurs to a title in 1999, Pop coached the team to championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007 with the Tim Duncan-Manu Ginobili-Tony Parker trio, before winning his fifth ring seven years later in 2014 with a young Kawhi Leonard.
Over the years, Pop showed that regardless of what era he was coaching in, his style was conducive to success.
#5: NBA coaching tree spanning more than 20 head coaches
One of the biggest lasting pieces of Popovich's legacy is his coaching tree. Throughout his career, Pop has mentored and helped launch the careers of numerous high-profile coaches.
Some notable names include Will Hardy, Mike Budenholzer, Taylor Jenkins, Monty Williams and Becky Hammon (WNBA). He's also influenced other former players who turned into coaches, such as Steve Kerr, DeMarre Carrol, Thiago Splitter and Nick Van Exel.
