Coaching in the NBA is a tough job. Being able to get all that talent to play together as a solid unit is a real skill. When you think of the great coaches that have come into the NBA, there's a few names that come to mind right away. Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Jerry Sloan, George Karl, Don Nelson. Just to name a few. There's now a new name at the top of the list for the best to ever do it. Gregg Popovich.
There's only ten men in the history of the NBA that have won over 1,000 games as a head coach. Doc Rivers (1,032 and counting), Rick Adelman (1,042), Larry Brown (1,098), Phil Jackson (1,155), George Karl (1,175), Pat Riley (1,210), Jerry Sloan (1,221), Lenny Wilkins (1,332), Don Nelson (1,335), and now the new king of the hill Gregg Popovich (1,336 and counting).
Pop has been around the NBA as a coach since 1988. He was hired as an assistant coach with the Spurs in 1988. He stayed on as an assistant until the end of the 1991-92 season. He then went on to be an assistant coach for the next two seasons with the Golden State Warriors. Pop then took some time away from basketball, before coming back to become the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. Since the 1996-97 season, Popovich has been the head man for the Spurs, winning five NBA titles and was a three time coach of the year.
What's amazing about Pop and his record as coach is, that in now his 26th season as Spurs coach, he's only had three losing seasons. His first year 1996-97 he went 17-47 . Then the last two seasons have produced 32-39 and 33-39. Those three seasons were the only three in which Pop's Spurs teams have missed the playoffs. This year looks like it could be another one to join that losing record list sadly.
One of the great things that have always been talked about with Pop is how humble he is. He never likes taking praise for himself, he always likes to deflect it to his players or to somebody else within the organization. What's amazing about Pop is his ability to adapt. He's had great seasons in every year since the first, and then the last three season, this one included. A lot of it has to do with the Spurs in rebuild mode the past couple of years. With that, even though wins have been hard to come by. But Pop has been learning and adapting with this team and they are growing together. And he's been admired for how well he's been able to keep his teams together in the past after rough losses.
Congratulations Coach Pop for becoming the winningest bench boss in league history!
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