SerpApi.Org
The legacy of former longtime San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich extends far beyond his five NBA championships and status as the winningest coach in NBA history. His true impact is best measured by the profound and lifelong impressions he left on his players.
For former Spurs forward Bruce Bowen, Pop was much more than a master tactician. He was a mentor who fundamentally reshaped how he viewed basketball, society and life itself.
According to Bowen, the best thing about Popovich was his relentless effort to make his players, especially those who were consumed by how they could improve themselves, realize that there are far more important things in the world than basketball.
"I'd say a man of Renaissance," Bowen told ABS-CBN Sports of Popovich in 2018. "One of the things that stand out most to me about my time with him was how he would make mention of you know, you're worried about your play right now and it's not about your play, we got kids that are fighting to protect our country over in Afghanistan and in Iran, and you didn't think about that stuff so much but once he brings it to your attention, now you start realizing that there's other things going on other than basketball."
"Basketball, it's a byproduct of what we enjoy doing, but more importantly, you got to be conscious of what's going on in our surroundings as well," the defensive specialist continued.
"The Best People Manager"
Current New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown shares Bowen's deep admiration for Popovich. Before becoming one of the best coaches in the NBA, Brown spent three fruitful years as an assistant coach alongside Pop.
Mike credits Gregg with teaching him the foundational elements of sustainable success. Like Bowen, Coach Brown was also fascinated by how Popovich handled and mentored his players. In fact, the current Knicks coach has long considered Pop to be "the best people manager" he has ever met.
"I can't be him and I got to have my own philosophy at the end of the day," Brown once said of Popovich. "But there was a lot that I tried to take away, learn, grow from, and use in the future. To me, you know, you talk about X's and O's and you know whether he's the best X's and O's guy out there, I don't know. But it's non-debatable that he's the best people manager that I've ever been around."
Pop is still helping the Spurs
Decades after Bowen and Brown soaked up these valuable lessons, Popovich surprisingly continues to apply the exact blueprint to the modern era. Even as the NBA landscape has shifted and he's no longer the Spurs head coach, Pop remains an impactful figure within the storied franchise.
As it turns out, Popovich is still actively molding the team's next generation. His current masterclass involves guiding the Spurs players, from the team's cornerstone, Victor Wembanyama, to the younger ones, such as rookie Carter Bryant.
By infusing his timeless principles of discipline, media savvy and worldly perspective with the needs of today's Spurs players, Popovich, at 77 years old, is still ensuring that the core values of the "Spurs Culture" endure.
