Gregg Popovich becomes the winningest coach in the NBA

With the triumph of his San Antonio Spurs ante Utah Jazz, Gregg Popovich became the coach with the most wins in NBA history on Friday, on a day in which LeBron James signed another exhibition with more than 50 points in the Lakers’ victory against Wizards.

The Spurs staged a spectacular comeback in the fourth quarter to take the win by 104-102, in the middle of the celebration in the stands of The AT&T Center in San Antonio for the win number 1,336 of his coach. In his 26 seasons as coach, all of them in San Antonio, Popovich won five championship rings between 1999 and 2014, directing stars like David Robinson, Tim Duncan and the Argentine Emanuel Ginóbili.

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At 73 years old, Popovich has directed a total of 2,030 regular phase games in the NBA, with 1,336 wins and 694 losses, being recognized with three Coach of the Year awards. After the final horn, the Jazz coach, Quin Snydercongratulated Popovich with a hug, as did the current figure of the team, Leave Murray.

Spurs players jumped up and down around Popovich as the visibly shaken coach quickly evaded them and scurried off to the locker room. “Something like this does not belong to a single individual. Basketball is a team sport. You push your players to do it together and that has been the case in my life with all the wonderful players and coaches and staff that I have been blessed with.”an emotional Popovich later pointed out to the media.

The @spurs celebrate with Gregg Popovich, the winningest coach of all-time, in #PhantomCam. pic.twitter.com/gMjyWXi5gD

— NBA (@NBA) March 12, 2022

“Gregg Popovich’s success with the Spurs is unprecedented in our league,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “His leadership and his determined commitment to the game are widely admired by generations of players and coaches.”

Last Monday Popovich had matched Nelson’s record, retired in 2010, with a win against the Los Angeles Lakers. In the next game, the Spurs lost to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday but this Friday, although they had a very uphill game, they did not want to make their leader wait any longer.

“I just want to tell you how proud I am of all your accomplishments and the amazing things you’ve done for basketball around the world.”said Don Nelson himself, 81, in a message released by the last team he managed, the Golden State Warriors.

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