Gregg Popovich: nobody, snake ... G.O.A.T.

How did Gregg Popovich become Gregg Popovich? (I know where babies come from that’s not what I’m talking about) What I mean is, how did he become the universally respected coach with 5 titles and more wins than any other coach in NBA history?

Well, it took a little bit of aimlessness, Larry Brown, Don Nelson, a pissed off Spurs fanbase, some good luck in the draft lottery, Europe, a fair amount of disrespect and doubters-- you know what, it’s kind of hard to explain in list-form. Video-form? That works. We put Gregg Popovich into the Prism. Enjoy.

Written and produced by: Clara Morris
Directed and edited by: Michael Das
Motion Graphics by: Ryan Simmons, Philip Pasternak, and Tyson Whiting

[rhoehn]

I was on the bench next to Pop at Pomona-Pitzer when we were 2-22. As his assistant I just marveled at how his mind work. For a guy with so much drive, he was so supportive with the kids, who, in some cases, hadn’t made their high school teams. We spent long hours talking basketball and life. I was just two years removed from a tour in Viet Nam and had some problems. But Pop could and would lift my spirits. Then came the day I was transferred by the company I worked for and we had to split. Maybe some day we will meet again. Living in Austin, TX it gives me a smile knowing he is 90 miles away and that we both have white beards. He is truly a good man AND a fine coach.

[ahogg]

Andrew Gaze, an Australian basketball legend and a bench player on that '99 championship team, told a story on a podcast about Pop when Andrew wrote him a letter expressing condolences after Pop's wife passed in 2018.
Not only did Pop write back but enclosed a physical photo of Andrew on the bench next to the stars of that 99 team. Andrew figured it must have come from Pop's own archive of photos and he'd taken the time to find one. That's class, even in what would have been a dark time for him

[dionr]

The day Pop fired Bob Hill and took the job himself was the day a 13 year old Spurs fan known as me referred to that as the worst day in Spurs franchise history. Boy how WRONG I was.

[polr]

i think the most hilarious thing, and quite ironic, is that the so called "assistant with assistant ideas" turned his own assistants into a dozen nba coaches, and the last 4 coaches in the nba finals were under him as assistant aswell.

It's for me whats puts him ahead of anyone as the GOAT coach

[edubvb]

I love Clara's delivery, the sarcasm, the nuances... She's so good at narrating these stories!

[randomtees]

A note on Pop getting the GM job in San Antonio: when Red McCombs sold the Spurs in 93, many of the new owners had been minority owners previously, so they knew Pop from his first run as an assistant. They initially wanted to bring him in as assistant GM to work under Bob Bass. But Bass resigned at the end of the year so they just gave Pop the GM job.

It was clear to those around him though that his ultimate goal was to be a head coach. He had no front office experience. He'd only spent a few years in the NBA as an assistant. It was a bizarre hire since most of his career was as a D3 coach. So it wasn't a surprise to people around him that he eventually fired Bob Hill and named himself HC. The problem was that Hill had 2 great regular seasons, so it was definitely a shady move that made him despised by the local fans UNTIL they won the '99 title.

[jonathangerm]

San Antonio always found players that no one wanted that turned out to be contributors (Jaren Jackson, Bruce Bowen, Gary Neal), because as Bruce pointed out "Others focused on what you can't do as a player, while Pop focuses on what you can". That is why I have always loved San Antonio as an organization.

[independentRestorationServices]

I love his interactions with Craig Sager. I swear someone was cutting onions when Pop spoke with Sager Jr after Craig’s death.

[UltraMaXAtAXX]

No channel would give the Spurs the respect like Secret Base does. I've been a Spurs fan since the 2007 title when I first moved here, and really enjoy the culture. Pop is an amazing coach and has shaped the game of basketball in this age.

[ubadman]

The sentence needs to be immortalized:
"Fans wanted to replace popavich with doc rivers."

[Austin]

I think its important to note that the media hates it when coaches treat them indifferently, and it brings bias to their coverage

[MetalGod]

Gregg Popovich is, without question, one of the greatest coaches in pro sports history. The true genius of Pop is this:

1: Pop is willing to be both a defense-first coach AND an offense-first coach.
2: His system always emphasizes substance over style.
3: The team is always more important than the individual, even if you have a great, transcendent superstar like Tim Duncan.

[devackroyd]

As a long time Edmonton Oilers fan and fan of the "Moment in History" series, I would really love to see an episode on Game 5 of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, when Fernando Pisani scored the first ever shorthanded game winning goal in finals history in the NHL. He single handedly kept the Edmonton Oilers alive in their quest to win an unlikely title as the 8th seed in the Western Conference in 2006 and despite losing a tight game 7, that goal is one that has not been forgotten in the hockey world. There is a lot of super interesting back story for both the Hurricanes and the Oilers of that season, so I believe it to be an iconic moment that would make a great video.

[bangaamen]

Secret Base is killing it with these series especially these PRISIMs I love the extra perspectives that y'all give to these legends rather they reached their potential, over achieved it or fell short.

[mvpmvp]

rodmans career is so fascinating. You would think a 33 year old who is missing games partying and giving quotes that he "doesnt care about basketball" would about to be out of the league, but then he turns around and leads the league in rebounds and wins 3 years in row...

[frustrated_socialist]

Honestly you guys could do a Prism on Doc Rivers as well. From championship winning coach with the '08 Celtics to repeated playoff choker with the Clippers and perhaps even the Sixers

[Indmnity]

Clara Morris is a rock star. Love listening to her stuff. Writer, producer, voice over. I'm gushing, I know.

[WickedNemesis]

One of the greatest coaches in sports history. I'd love to meet him and shake his hand.

[coruscant]

Greg Popovich is easily the best NBA coach ever. I know Phil Jackson gets a lot of accolades and praise, and he does deserve it. However, Pop helped bring a fire to the Spurs and take the NBA by storm. He coached team after team to give it their all and so much more. He taught them the fundamentals of basketball of working together and being cohesive. He always got the best out of his team.

His legacy extends to coaching as well. Steve Kerr, who played for the Spurs briefly, took what he learned and saw from Pop to become a coach as well. Now he's coaching a championship team with Golden State with his own Big Three. Mike Budenholzer was a former assistant to Pop, and he coached the Bucks to their first Finals championship since 1971. Becky Hammon was another assistant who now coaches the Las Vegas Aces for the WNBA and is in the Finals. There's so many coaches that learned and have passed on what Pop has taught them.

Our time on top is over and the Spurs are struggling, but I'm forever grateful for what Coach Pop has done for the Spurs. He's a once in a lifetime coach and I'll never forget the good times we had. Whoever takes his place I hope continues to carry on what Pop has taught and keep the legacy going.

[mozata]

That "Nobody is any one person" line from the Falcons Dorktown must've really sent reverberations through the whole crew for you guys to make a whole ass series out of it