Greatest coach in NBA history is officially stepping away from job coaching Spurs

It finally happened, and I was not prepared. Gregg Popovich is stepping away from his role as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs and will now operate out of the front office in a full-time role as Team President. Pop led the Spurs for 29 years, won five championships, and is the winningest coach of all time. His impact can't be put into words, and he'll be missed on the sidelines.

Coach Pop and the Spurs entered the 2024-25 season ready to compete for the playoffs. Their intentions were sabotaged by the stroke Popovich suffered in early November, forcing him into rehab in a fight for his health. While he was reportedly doing well, he suffered what can only be characterized as a setback when he fainted at a San Antonio restaurant two weeks ago.

Spurs fans were upset by the news because Popovich means a lot to the community. His health is more important than anything else. He now makes a decision that's best for his health and recovery. Pop issued a statement after the news broke.

Popovich is the greatest NBA coach of all time

When you discuss the great NBA coaches of all time, names like Red Auerbach and Phil Jackson often come up. I think people have come around to the notion that Coach Pop is number one, though. His record, ability to connect with players, and championships speak for themselves. He's changed his stripes many times, evolving with the league while maintaining the elite status of the Spurs.

San Antonio went through several iterations on their path to greatness, starting with the Twin Towers led by David Robinson and Tim Duncan. They won two championships with that model.

When Robinson retired, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili were ready to step to the table and compete at a high level, and Pop changed the system to run more pick-and-rolls, taking advantage of TP's lightning speed. They won two more titles playing some version of this style.

When that wasn't working to the same degree, they opened the floor with more spacing, adding shooters around the perimeter with wing defenders who could challenge the dominating stars in the current era, like LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

He took elements from a system he routinely beat down in years past—the Mike D'Antoni 7 seconds or less system—and morphed it into the Beautiful Game. It led to San Antonio's fifth championship and gave Pop a unique accolade as he won a championship in three different decades.

Coach Popovich would have six titles if it weren't for a Ray Allen corner three, and that number could have easily been seven if Kawhi Leonard had never gotten hurt against Golden State that fateful postseason.

He's the greatest coach of all time, and anyone who disagrees can argue with a wall. Thanks for everything, Coach Pop. Spurs Nation thanks you and will miss you.