Spurs News: Popovich retirement speculation, San Antonio lines Hall of Fame Class

Gregg Popovich is the oldest head coach in NBA history, a record he has held and extended for nearly three seasons. Whether Spurs fans care to admit it, he will one day have to vacate his spot on the sidelines for San Antonio. Rumors about his retirement have circulated for years, but that speculation has reached unprecedented levels after comments from the living legend in the wake of another double-digit loss.

Getting the chance to mentor young players and teach them the ins and outs of the game has seemingly reinvigorated the 74-year-old playcaller, but father time will eventually come knocking at the door of his coaching career. Though Popovich is in the last season of his three-year extension, the Silver and Black are on pace to secure their highest lottery pick since Tim Duncan, which could factor in his impending decision.

There have been virtually no signs suggesting the grey-bearded skipper is slowing down. Popovich rarely misses games, and he still gets riled up enough to get himself ejected over a missed call from the officials. And if San Antonio lands a generational prospect like Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson in the 2023 NBA Draft, he would have plenty of incentive to stick around to oversee another season of the rebuild.

Despite rumors about his future with the organization, there is no doubt he has sealed his basketball legacy. The longest-tenured head coach in the league has finally earned a spot in the Naismith Hall of Fame, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. 

Popovich will now join a loaded group of inductees that includes Spurs alumni Tony Parker, Pau Gasol, and Becky Hammon, as well as longtime playoff adversaries Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade. The official announcement for the Class of 2023 will happen at the Final Four in Houston this weekend.

More Spurs news

• The Jazz signed Luka Samanic to a 10-day contract on Tuesday morning, giving the young forward his first shot in the NBA since San Antonio waived him during their 2021 preseason schedule. He dominated the G League over the last two years, averaging 22.5 points in 52 games for the Westchester Knicks and Maine Celtics. Samanic could debut for Utah tonight in a coincidental matchup with his former ball club.

• The league announced Keita Bates-Diop won the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for February. He earned this accolade for his ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the importance of CPR training and AED accessibility in schools and the community. His passion for this cause began when a certified athletic trainer saved his younger brother after he suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed during a high school basketball practice in 2017.

• The Spurs only have one more game in San Antonio this season after choosing the Moody Center in Austin to host a special two-game homestand on April 6th and 9th. While the team will resume business as usual at the AT&T Center next season, they held their final practice at their current training facility on Tuesday. The Silver and Black will move to the brand-new Victory Capital Performance Center at The Rock at La Cantera this summer.