35 Facts About Gregg Popovich

1.

Gregg Charles Popovich was born on January 28,1949 and is an American professional basketball coach and executive who is the president and head coach of the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association.

2.

Gregg Popovich led the Spurs to a winning record in his first 22 full seasons as head coach, surpassing Phil Jackson for the most consecutive winning seasons in NBA history.

3.

Gregg Popovich has led the Spurs to all five of their NBA titles, and is one of only five coaches in NBA history to have won five titles.

4.

Gregg Popovich was the head coach of the US national team at the 2020 Summer Olympics, leading the team to a gold medal.

5.

In 2023, it was announced that Gregg Popovich would be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

6.

Gregg Popovich was born on January 28,1949, in East Chicago, Indiana, to a Serbian father and Croatian mother.

7.

Gregg Popovich played on the academy's Air Force Falcons men's basketball team, and in his senior year was the team's captain and leading scorer.

8.

Gregg Popovich graduated from the Academy in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in Soviet studies.

9.

Gregg Popovich underwent Air Force intelligence training and briefly considered a career with the Central Intelligence Agency.

10.

Gregg Popovich served five years of required active duty in the United States Air Force, during which he toured Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union with the US Armed Forces Basketball Team.

11.

In 1973, Gregg Popovich returned to the Air Force Academy as an assistant coach under the school's head basketball coach Hank Egan.

12.

In 1979, Gregg Popovich was named the head coach of the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, the joint men's basketball team of Pomona College and Pitzer College in Claremont, California.

13.

Gregg Popovich coached the Pomona-Pitzer men's basketball team from 1979 to 1988, leading the team to its first outright title in 68 years.

14.

Gregg Popovich returned to Pomona-Pitzer and resumed his duties as head coach the next season.

15.

From 1988 to 1992, Popovich was Brown's top assistant, until the entire staff, including R C Buford, Alvin Gentry and Ed Manning, were fired by owner Red McCombs.

16.

Gregg Popovich moved to the Golden State Warriors for a brief stint in 1992, serving as an assistant under future Hall of Famer Don Nelson and bringing with him Avery Johnson, who had been cut by the Spurs.

17.

In 1994, Gregg Popovich returned to San Antonio as the general manager and vice president of basketball operations after Peter Holt purchased the team.

18.

Gregg Popovich's first move was to sign Avery Johnson as the team's starting point guard.

19.

In 2002, Popovich relinquished his position as general manager to R C Buford, who had served as the team's head scout.

20.

Gregg Popovich was named NBA Coach of the Year in 2003,2012, and 2014.

21.

On November 29,2012, Gregg Popovich sat out starters Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Danny Green for a nationally televised game against the Miami Heat.

22.

Gregg Popovich frequently sat out his starters on road trips over the years to ensure they have enough rest for the playoffs; the Spurs' roster was among the oldest in the league.

23.

Gregg Popovich led the Spurs to the 2013 NBA Finals to face the Miami Heat.

24.

On February 4,2017, Gregg Popovich recorded his 1,128th regular season win with one franchise, surpassing Sloan.

25.

Gregg Popovich supported the comments from NBA commissioner Adam Silver surrounding the controversy with the NBA and China.

26.

On March 11,2022, Gregg Popovich surpassed Don Nelson for most regular season wins of all time, notching his 1,336th regular season victory with the Spurs.

27.

Gregg Popovich needed 370 fewer games than Nelson to achieve this record.

28.

Gregg Popovich served on the coaching staff for the US men's national team during the 2002 FIBA World Championship, during the 2003 FIBA America Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, where the US team won the bronze medal.

29.

On October 23,2015, Gregg Popovich was named the head coach of the US men's national team, taking over from Mike Krzyzewski after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

30.

Gregg Popovich was married to Erin Gregg Popovich until her death on April 18,2018; the couple had two children.

31.

Gregg Popovich is a serious wine collector, and an investor in Oregon's A to Z Wineworks.

32.

On multiple occasions, Gregg Popovich has spoken out on behalf of social justice issues, including in support of the 2017 Women's March.

33.

Gregg Popovich repeatedly criticized the behavior of former US President Donald Trump.

34.

Gregg Popovich has spent considerable time and money working with several charities and nonprofits such as the San Antonio Food Bank and the Innocence Project.

35.

Gregg Popovich took part in Shoes That Fit, an organization that aims to deliver shoes to more than 200 students at Gates Elementary School affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.