San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich won the 1,336th game of his managerial career during his team’s 104-102 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday.
Gregg Popovich has written his name into NBA history and it looks like his record will take some beating. The 73-year-old Spurs head coach now has the most wins among any manager in the NBA.
It took Popovich 26 seasons to win his 1,336th game in charge of the Spurs. During his tenure so far, he has won five NBA titles and three Coach of the Year awards. He has also managed to build a reputation as a coach unafraid to speak candidly about what he sees as inequality in the USA.
Popovich also has the longest tenure by any head coach in the NBA. Going into Friday’s game against the Utah Jazz, Popovich was tied with Don Nelson at 1,335 wins.
Gregg Popovich sets NBA record for most wins as head coach
Popovich’s Spurs were trailing 81-66 against the Jazz on Saturday with 10 minutes remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter. But the Spurs managed to record a phenomenal comeback to win 104-101.
It was an iconic night for the Spurs and their head coach as well. Popovich will now be looking to add a few more feathers in his cap before eventually deciding to call it quits.
After serving as an assistant coach for the Spurs for five years, Popovich joined the Golden State Warriors in 1992. He then made a return to San Antonio in 1994 and following two seasons in the front office, he transitioned to the sideline and began the journey of what is now a legendary head coaching career.
Popovich and his fresh Spurs side consistently piled up wins for over two decades after he named himself head coach during the 1996-97 campaign. Along with 1,336 regular-season victories, San Antonio won 170 playoff games and five NBA titles under the veteran manager. The team also went on to finish every season above .500 from 1997-98 to 2018-19. A truly remarkable achievement from the man who guided them and he is not done yet.
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