5 Reasons the Spurs will be title contenders sooner than you might think

4. Gregg Popovich

When someone asks why the Spurs will return to title contention in the near future, the answer should always be "because we have Pop." No matter how the roster looks at the moment, the 74-year-old is a coaching maestro that has the right touch to maximize the talent of his players.

No one knows who will replace Popovich when he decides to retire, but that is an answer that hardly matters after he signed a five-year contract extensions to stay in San Antonio last weekend. Maybe no one is better suited to help Wembanayama adjust to the NBA than the greatest coach of all time. He can impart his limitless fountain of basketball knowledge on the teenage sensation to speed up his developmental process.

Having an opportunity to learn from the winningest coach in NBA history is a blessing Wemby and the rest of the young core shouldn't take for granted. In that same breath, Popovich should see the arrival of the number one overall pick as a chance to reclaim league dominance and fight for his sixth league championship before he calls it quits and chooses and heir to his throne.

Spurs fans have long felt that having Pop on the bench gives this team a shot at success. Despite all the losses over the last couple of seasons, he has proven to be the perfect mentor to hold the young guys accountable for their mistakes. Needless to say, it would be incredible to see him end his career and cement his legacy by winning one more ring for the city and team that he loves.