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Gregg PopovichAmerican professional basketball coach
Date of Birth: 28.01.1949
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Military and Coaching Career
- Pomona-Pitzer and Kansas
- San Antonio Spurs
- Accolades and Milestones
Early Life and Education
Gregg Charles Popovich was born in East Chicago, Indiana, to Serbian and Croatian parents. He began playing basketball in the Biddy Basketball Association, where he was a member of the 1960 All-Star team. Popovich attended Merrillville High School and graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Soviet studies. At the academy, he played basketball for four seasons and became captain and leading scorer in his senior year. After graduating, Popovich briefly pursued a career with the CIA.
Military and Coaching Career
Popovich served five years in the United States Air Force and played on the military basketball team, traveling to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. In 1972, he led the Armed Forces basketball team to a victory in the Amateur Athletic Union championship, which earned him a tryout with the 1972 U.S. Olympic team. In 1973, Popovich returned to the Air Force Academy, where he served as an assistant coach under Hank Egan for six years. Egan would later become an assistant coach for Popovich's San Antonio Spurs. While working at the Air Force Academy, Popovich earned a master's degree in physical education and sports science from the University of Denver.
Pomona-Pitzer and Kansas
In 1979, Popovich became the head coach of the Pomona-Pitzer men's basketball team, where he stayed until 1988. He became a close friend and protégé of Larry Brown, the head coach at the University of Kansas. In the 1987-88 season, Popovich joined Brown's staff as lead assistant coach for the Spurs. He remained as Brown's top assistant from 1988 to 1992, when the entire staff, including Ed Manning, was fired by then-owner Red McCombs. Popovich briefly joined the Golden State Warriors in 1992, where he assisted Don Nelson.
San Antonio Spurs
In 1994, Popovich returned to the Spurs as general manager and "vice president of basketball operations" after the team was purchased by Peter Holt. His first moves were to trade Dennis Rodman to the Chicago Bulls for Will Perdue and to sign Avery Johnson. After David Robinson suffered a season-ending back injury in the preseason, and the 1996-97 season started with a dismal 3-15 record, Popovich fired Spurs coach Bob Hill and took over as head coach. With Robinson injured and playing in only six games, the Spurs missed the playoffs that season. However, in subsequent seasons, San Antonio flourished with the "Twin Towers" offense and defense of 6'11" Tim Duncan and 7'1" Robinson. In 1999, the Spurs won their first NBA championship, followed by titles in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014.
Accolades and Milestones
- 5 NBA Championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)- 3 NBA Coach of the Year Awards (2003, 2012, 2014)
- Red Auerbach Trophy (2014)
- 1,000th career NBA win (2015)
- Longest-tenured active coach in the NBA (26 seasons)
Controversy and Philanthropy
In 2012, Popovich drew controversy by resting Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginóbili, and Danny Green in a nationally televised game against the Miami Heat. NBA Commissioner David Stern fined the Spurs $250,000 for what he called a "failure to properly respect the league and the fans."
Popovich has also been active in supporting charitable organizations. He has donated time and money to the San Antonio Food Bank, the Innocence Project, and Shoes That Fit, which has provided shoes to over 200 elementary school students in San Antonio, Texas, who were affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. He also helps raise funds for the J/P Haitian Relief Organization.
