Gregg Popovich has no plans on stepping down as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. At least not anytime soon.
Popovich had been head coach of the Spurs for less than a full season when they drafted Tim Duncan first overall in 1997. Now, 26 years later, San Antonio has a new generational No. 1 overall pick in Victor Wembanyama. And Popovich apparently wants to coach Wembanyama for several seasons.
Shams Charania reported on Saturday evening that the Spurs and Popovich agreed on a five-year contract extension.
Just In: San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich – the winningest NBA coach of all-time – has signed a new five-year contract extension with the franchise.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 8, 2023
Popovich has done it all. He’s led the Spurs to five NBA Championships and his all-time wins record of 1,366 won’t be challenged anytime soon (the next-highest active coach, Rick Carlisle, has 896). Popovich will also be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023.
Knowing that he has nothing left to prove, the general feeling in the NBA world was that Popovich — who will be only months short of his 80th birthday when the contract ends after the 2027-28 season — signed this extension so he could have a significant role in Wembanyama’s career.
Pop was ready to call it quits and then the 1st pick and Wemby came and he said let me get another five years on this thing we about to have some fun https://t.co/seS5JXInUq pic.twitter.com/ka1zi9tBR7
— Chris Williamson (@CWilliamson44) July 8, 2023
Doesn't want to miss out on Champagnie era. https://t.co/7PJv3ob6PS
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) July 8, 2023
My boy gon be wheelchair bound coaching holy HELL. https://t.co/88yW62dvd3
— Clique Productions (@ImClique_) July 8, 2023
wemby have him a second wind fr lmao https://t.co/jLhif0PjMK
— SJ (@SJBasketball8) July 8, 2023
If they didn’t get Wemby he would’ve called it quits. https://t.co/muQJSsBxM9
— Pranav Sriraman (@PranavSriraman) July 8, 2023
If Pop is to retire at the end of this contract, this will have him coaching just right before his 80th birthday. He's currently 74. https://t.co/qPagkcLpSc
— Ty Jäger (@TheTyJager) July 8, 2023
For most of Popovich’s tenure, San Antonio was a model of consistency. Not only did the Spurs win five championships but they reached the playoffs every year from 1997-98 (Duncan’s rookie season), through 2018-19, with most of those seasons featuring a deep postseason run. The four years since, though, have been a different story. San Antonio has only reached the play-in tournament twice and both times was eliminated in the first game.
