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If you’re making a Mount Rushmore of all-time NBA coaches and don’t put Gregg Popovich on it, you’re wrong. The former Air Force officer has won five NBA Championships spanning three different decades with the San Antonio Spurs, and has become one of the most revered coaches in American sports history.
Gregg Popovich has the most wins in NBA history with 1366 regular seasons wins and another 170 in the postseason, a ridiculous amount. And, his winning percentage is fourth-best of all time, with those ahead of him having coached significantly less games. He’s overseen the Hall of Fame careers of players like Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, David Robinson, and Kawhi Leonard, and managed some of the best role players in NBA history. He led the Spurs to twenty straight 50-win seasons from 1997-1998 to 2016-2017, except for the shortened 1998-1999 season where they played at a 61-win pace.
Things in San Antonio haven’t been as great lately, as the team has missed the playoffs the last four seasons, and hasn’ won a playoff series since 2017. But, the fortunes of the franchise changed for the better when they won the NBA Draft Lottery in May that allowed them the chance to pick generational prospect Victor Wembanyama first overall in June’s draft. And, the franchise has decided they want the 74-year-old to be the one to develop their French prodigy. And, it will make him the highest-paid coach in NBA history.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich’s new five-year deal is worth more than $80 million, sources tell ESPN. His deal resets the coaching market after Monty Williams’ recent six-year, $78.5 million deal with Detroit.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 8, 2023
Just how much is he making? He will make more money in the first year of this contract than LeBron James made in his first year with the Miami Heat back in 2010-2011. That being said, this is a guy who coached David Robinson and was there for Tim Duncan’s entire career. He’s probably the best man for the job of making Wembannyama live up to his full potential.