Editor`s note: This story was originally published in March 2022, when Gregg Popovich became the NBA’s all-time leader in coaching wins. On May 2, 2025, a report indicated that Popovich will no longer be head coach of the Spurs and is transitioning full-time to team president of basketball operations.
For nearly two decades, Manu Ginobili shared hundreds of dinners and countless conversations with San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, discussing a wide range of topics from politics and war to the game itself and family. Popovich even once showed up at Ginobili`s door late at night with wine after a tough game.
Among all the memorable meals, one dinner stands out vividly for Ginobili. It took place at a restaurant in Miami called Il Gabbiano, immediately following the devastating Game 6 loss in the 2013 NBA Finals, where Ray Allen`s iconic shot snatched victory from the Spurs` grasp seconds before the buzzer. Despite the crushing blow that led to the Heat winning the series in Game 7, Popovich stuck to his routine and gathered the team. Ginobili recalls Popovich`s philosophy: “Win it together. Lose it together. Man’s got to eat.”
Even as players replayed the heartbreaking moments, Popovich demonstrated the quality many closest to him believe makes him the greatest: his presence, honesty, and ability to remind them that life extends beyond basketball. Ginobili shared that they “talked and we basically cried together,” as Popovich moved from table to table, comforting his devastated players. This blend of demanding excellence and showing profound compassion is a hallmark of his coaching career, which saw him surpass Don Nelson to become the NBA`s all-time winningest coach.
Those within Popovich`s orbit often speak of his unique talent for putting things into perspective, regardless of the situation. Ginobili quotes one of Popovich`s frequent sayings: “If this is the worst thing that happened to you in your life, you got a very lucky, blessed and fortunate life.” A year after that difficult dinner, the Spurs returned to the Finals and defeated the Heat to claim their fifth championship.
Ginobili, who spent 16 seasons with the Spurs, notes that while Popovich “demands the most out of you,” he also possesses the remarkable ability to move past on-court disappointments quickly. “The thing that makes him great was the day after… you think that he was pissed, upset, disappointed at you. And then all of a sudden you are drinking wine and talking. Like [whatever happened in the game] didn`t happen.”
With over 1,300 wins, there are countless stories illustrating Popovich`s impact on lives beyond the game. Here are anecdotes shared by former players, assistants, and colleagues about what makes him such a successful and respected figure:
- Tony Parker: Work Ethic and a Second Father
- David Robinson: Handling Personalities and Knowing When to Push
- Mike Brown: Compassion Off the Court
- DeMar DeRozan: The Penguin Teamwork Lesson
- Monty Williams: Trust and Truth in Tough Times
- Don Nelson: Learning from Pop and Community Impact
- Mike Budenholzer: The Value of Humor and Self-Deprecation
- Steve Kerr: Master Class in Leadership (and Smuggled Wine)
- Chad Forcier: A Generous Act of Compassion
- Erik Spoelstra: The `Popovich Mafia` and Making Everyone Feel Valued
- Taylor Jenkins: Perspective After Defeat
- Jason Kidd: The Free Agency Pitch and a Changed Mind
- Dennis Lindsey: Famous Dinners and the `San Antonio Stamp`
- Dejounte Murray: Deserving Praise (Even if He Doesn`t Like It)
- P.J. Carlesimo: Connecting and Caring
- Antonio Daniels: Adjusting to Different Eras
- Joe Prunty: Focusing on the Next Game
Tony Parker: Work Ethic and a Second Father
Former Spurs point guard Tony Parker arrived from France at age 19 and played 17 seasons under Popovich, winning four championships. Parker recounts that Popovich`s dedication was so intense, they were doing film review on Christmas Day despite a promise not to work. Parker highlights Popovich`s “toughness, his desire to win, his work ethic,” and considers him like a second father. He praises Popovich`s ability to manage egos and get along with everyone.
— Marc Spears
David Robinson: Handling Personalities and Knowing When to Push
Hall of Fame center David Robinson played 14 seasons with the Spurs, winning two championships with Popovich and Tim Duncan. Robinson shares a humorous moment during a film session where Mario Elie, after taking bad shots, responded to Popovich`s questioning with, “Come on, Pop. I got to get my game on.” Popovich simply laughed. Robinson notes that this shows Popovich`s skill in handling different personalities, knowing “when to push you, push your buttons and when to back off.” He feels Popovich is always on his players` side.
— Dave McMenamin
Mike Brown: Compassion Off the Court
Mike Brown, a former Spurs assistant and now head coach of the Sacramento Kings, witnessed Popovich`s deep care for people off the court. Brown recounts two specific stories: Popovich buying a brand new car for an intern who couldn`t afford to move for a new job as a youth counselor, and telling Brown he would fire him if he didn`t stay with his crying sons at the airport, prioritizing family over Brown traveling for a game. These acts, Brown states, illustrate Popovich`s “true character.”
— Kendra Andrews
DeMar DeRozan: The Penguin Teamwork Lesson
Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan played three seasons in San Antonio and remembers a particularly unique film session. Instead of basketball footage, Popovich had the team watch a National Geographic movie about penguins. DeRozan found it fascinating, explaining it was “basically learning about teamwork. How to come together as one and go after a common goal.” He calls it “the most interesting s—” and a prime example of Popovich`s unconventional methods.
— Jamal Collier
Monty Williams: Trust and Truth in Tough Times
Monty Williams, who played for the Spurs and later served in the front office, credits Popovich as one of the most important figures in his life. After Williams` wife died in a car accident in 2016, Popovich insisted on flying to be with him, despite Williams` initial reluctance to burden him. Popovich`s persistence, telling Williams, “Mon, you got to let people help you,” profoundly impacted him. Williams realized Popovich knew him well enough to see his independent nature and offer the specific support he needed, highlighting Popovich`s deep care and willingness to speak difficult truths.
— Brian Windhorst
Don Nelson: Learning from Pop and Community Impact
Don Nelson, the legendary coach Popovich surpassed in career wins, calls Popovich “the greatest coach to ever lace them up.” Nelson recounts hiring Popovich as an assistant in Golden State and quickly realizing “I learned more from him than he learned from me.” He also highlights Popovich`s immediate community involvement, setting up a late-night summer league in Oakland for hundreds of kids to provide a safe alternative to being on the streets.
— Baxter Holmes
Mike Budenholzer: The Value of Humor and Self-Deprecation
Mike Budenholzer, a former Spurs assistant who won four titles before becoming a head coach and winning a championship with the Bucks, notes that Popovich places significant value on players having a sense of humor and being self-deprecating. He states that if players couldn`t laugh, especially at themselves, they likely wouldn`t last in San Antonio. It was a crucial “checkmark” in Popovich`s evaluation of personalities.
— Youngmisuk
Steve Kerr: Master Class in Leadership (and Smuggled Wine)
Steve Kerr, who won two championships as a player under Popovich and served on his coaching staff for the gold-medal winning 2020 USA Olympic team, describes the Olympic coaches` meetings as a “Master class in leadership, camaraderie and chemistry.” While noting Popovich`s preference for privacy, Kerr lightheartedly mentions Popovich managing to “sneak some wine into the Tokyo Hilton,” adding a touch of humor to the account of working alongside him behind the scenes.
— Kendra Andrews
Chad Forcier: A Generous Act of Compassion
Chad Forcier, a former Spurs assistant, shares a memorable story demonstrating Popovich`s compassion. On an intensely cold night in Toronto, walking back to the hotel, Popovich encountered a sleeping homeless man. Without hesitation, Popovich took off his expensive leather jacket and laid it over the man, also leaving a wad of cash in his pocket. Forcier highlights this act as shining a light on Popovich`s “human element,” his awareness, and quickness to help others in need.
— Holmes
Erik Spoelstra: The `Popovich Mafia` and Making Everyone Feel Valued
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose teams faced Popovich`s Spurs in two consecutive NBA Finals, treasures the time spent working with Popovich in the Team USA program. Beyond basketball credentials, Spoelstra deeply values Popovich “as a human being and how he makes you feel like you matter.” He calls Popovich`s ability to manage people “the best I’ve ever seen” and humorously refers to the tight-knit group around Popovich as the “Popovich mafia,” expressing gratitude for being included.
— Brian Windhorst
Taylor Jenkins: Perspective After Defeat
Taylor Jenkins, now the Memphis Grizzlies coach, began his NBA career in the Spurs organization. He recounts a striking memory from 2011, after the top-seeded Spurs were upset by the Grizzlies in the playoffs. Immediately following the tough defeat, Popovich hosted an end-of-season party at his house for all players, staff, and their families, even flying in a chef from San Francisco. Despite the disappointment, Popovich showed “that life’s going to go on, life’s going to be just fine,” encouraging everyone to celebrate their togetherness and move past the loss, demonstrating leadership that brings people together.
— Tim MacMahon
Jason Kidd: The Free Agency Pitch and a Changed Mind
Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was a top free agent in 2003 and visited the Spurs, receiving an impressive presentation from Popovich and Tim Duncan. Kidd recalls the visit, including a chef cooking breakfast in his suite, and Popovich`s direct, honest pitch: “We just need your talent. We want you to be a part of this to help us win championships.” Kidd initially committed to the Spurs, feeling excited, but changed his mind upon returning to New Jersey. He reflects on what could have been and Popovich`s straightforward, honest approach.
— Youngmisuk
Dennis Lindsey: Famous Dinners and the `San Antonio Stamp`
Dennis Lindsey, formerly a Spurs executive, recounts the famous team dinners, humorously detailing instances where he and others tried (unsuccessfully) to skip courses and were called out by Popovich. He highlights Popovich`s dedication, researching restaurants and often arriving first. More significantly, Lindsey emphasizes that the “San Antonio stamp of approval” gained from working within Popovich`s program is a “greatest gift” that has been instrumental in many former staff members and players attaining successful positions elsewhere in basketball.
— Tim MacMahon
Dejounte Murray: Deserving Praise (Even if He Doesn`t Like It)
Spurs guard Dejounte Murray notes that Popovich “doesn’t like praise” and rarely acknowledges his own success, preferring to focus on winning the next game. However, Murray feels it`s important to remind him of his achievements because “it’s rare.” Murray states Popovich is a “great man” who deserves everything, praising his ability to embrace all players equally, from starters to those on short contracts. The team looks forward to celebrating his milestones for him.
— Brian Windhorst
P.J. Carlesimo: Connecting and Caring
P.J. Carlesimo, a former NBA head coach who spent five seasons as a Spurs assistant, highlights Popovich`s ability to “relate with his players both on and off the court.” He believes Popovich spends more time on relationships than most coaches because he “genuinely cares about them, and their family and them as individuals.” This care, Carlesimo argues, is what allows Popovich to be demanding. He adds a detail about Popovich`s personal rule of picking up the tab if he`s in the same restaurant as a player or assistant, using his personal credit card.
— Baxter Holmes
Antonio Daniels: Adjusting to Different Eras
Point guard Antonio Daniels, who won a title with the Spurs in 1999, explains why he considers Popovich the greatest coach: his “ability to adjust in different eras, different generations and different decades.” Unlike coaches successful with only one specific style, Popovich, Daniels notes, can change his offensive approach based on his personnel. This adaptability, Daniels states, is “incredible.”
— Andrew Lopez
Joe Prunty: Focusing on the Next Game
Joe Prunty began his NBA career with the Spurs as a video coordinator and became an assistant, winning three titles. He learned from Popovich the importance of focusing on the “next game,” asking, “Are we prepared for it? How do we do it? Let’s go do it.” Prunty describes Popovich as competitive, demanding, and someone who “brings the best out of people” by clearly stating expectations. He attributes the success of players and staff who moved on to other roles to the confidence Popovich instills by encouraging participation.
— Dave McMenamin
