The Eight Branches of the Gregg Popovich Coaching Tree Active in the 2022 NBA Playoffs

[timvp]

https://www.spurstalk.com/gregg-popovich-coaching-tree-2022-nba-playoffs/

Half of the 16 teams in the playoffs have somewhat strong Spurs connections. Granted, some of the connections aren't as clear-cut as others ........... but pretty impressive for Spurs fans to ponder for a couple minutes, tbh.

Doing this exercise could also provide hints at possible Pop replacements if Pop ever decides he's had enough team dinners on the road.

[Mr. Body]

This is a major reason why I place Popovich above Phil Jackson. Whenever Jackson lost his elite players, he scrammed. He didn't create his own offense, instead borrowed from Tex Winters and never adapted to a changing game the way Pop did. Mostly, Popovich has an incredible family tree while Jackson has absolutely nothing.

[Spursfanfromafar]

There are great people and there are institution builders. Popovich is a consummate institution builder. He, along with RCB, has not just identified and nurtured basketball talent, but created the institutional structure under which a thriving culture of excellence could sustain itself. Once institutions are created, it is easy for talent to blossom - coaching, executive or playing ones. Its similar to the best achievements in the U.S. that made it a superpower that the world looked up to. Some of the best institutions in the modern world were created in the U.S. and which lent talent and individuals to replicate this elsewhere - in Japan (for quality control and industrialisation), in India (for agricultural inputs and food sufficiency), and so on. Popovich represents the best of that historical institutional culture. I wish Americans and Spurs fans respected what he has done, even more. It will take decades for anyone to replicate what Popovich and his cohorts in the San Antonio Spurs organization have achieved. It fills me with utter awe.

This is even more astounding considering professional sports is an arena where individual ego, greed, corporate power are definite features over time. For Pop and co. to create a factory of coaching and executive talent who could rise in the Spurs ranks and contribute elsewhere, it would require an intellectual aptitude for cooperation and unselfish sharing of knowledge and know-how. He is truly a colossus in the NBA - right there with folks like Red Auerbach for fostering not just success but progressive change in sports and sports management.

[MannyIsGod]

I think everyone should listen to the Zach Lowe podcast he did where they spoke about Pop for over an hour and interviewed people across the league who were affiliated him like Ime and Kerr. It was an amazing listen.

[SAGirl]

Well he’s had a very loooong career. Been around almost as long as people lived in biblical times, or as the men of Numenor. ;)

However, this article was well researched and really good. Quality stuff! Its actually impressive the lives Pop has positively impacted professionally.

[Brazil]

Well he’s had a very loooong career. Been around almost as long as people lived in biblical times, or as the men of Numenor. ;)

However, this article was well researched and really good. Quality stuff! Its actually impressive the lives Pop has positively impacted professionally.

I believe here the point is not the quantity that indeed correlates a lot with number of years but the quality of the tree that is impressive.

[KingKev]

Impressive

[Dex]

This is a major reason why I place Popovich above Phil Jackson. Whenever Jackson lost his elite players, he scrammed. He didn't create his own offense, instead borrowed from Tex Winters and never adapted to a changing game the way Pop did. Mostly, Popovich has an incredible family tree while Jackson has absolutely nothing.

Adding to this, Pop is not only the coach but also President of Basketball Activities. He obviously has some sway with the GM staff and has helped guide the success of the Spurs for two-plus decades.

Obviously not all of his decisions are golden, but the team really shines with drafting and player development. You don't pick up five championships with a bad front office.

Meanwhile, Jackson's tenure as the Knicks GM/Prez was downright embarrassing. He helped run that team into the ground and then was bounced after only three years.

Jackson has the ring count, but Pop has the better basketball mind and respect of his players, colleagues, and the league.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Gregg Popovich is the worst coach in NBA history... except for all the others. I think the cult worship is a bit overdone. And if there should be a shrine dedicated to Pop, there ought to be a whole cathedral dedicated to Timothy Theodore Duncan. But that list you presented is a pretty compelling testament to Pop's system building influence.

BUT, if you want a counterpoint to the article (and you should always want to look at both sides), there is also a list of Pop-affiliated people who haven't been so successful after leaving the Spurs' system. Put both lists together and it's a pretty strong argument that some talented people got a career boost from being with the Spurs, and some less-talented people got further than they should have the same way. Just like Duncan, it's always good for the people themselves to get some credit for their own success.

The ultimate argument against the shameless Pop-worship, IMO, is the fact that there's a hole in the line of banners where 2013 should be that's just the right size for a picture of Pop.

Put Pop on a club with a meddling owner and GM, and he likely doesn't look much (if any) better than some other good journeyman coaches in history. No matter how good a team is, it sitll takes some luck to win a championship. And no matter how good a coach is, it still takes some good fortune to be considered for the short list of GOAT candidates.

[KobesAchilles]

I mean Durant is the coach of the team at times. He said so himself. And he played under Pop at the Olympics...

Aldo are we getting JB back since he was canned from CHA? I would love that

[TDomination]

Wow I did not know that Tiago Splitter was with the brooklyn nets.

Good article.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Timvp, thanks for all the content you've added to the site in recent days. It's always a better Spurstalk when you're around. :tu

[ginobilized]

Great article and thanks for all your work of late, TIMVP!

Pop is definitely an empire-builder. He has also done amazing work with connecting the Spurs to the city of San Antonio in ways that are way ahead of any teams out there.
It is a very impressive organization without the 5 trophies imho. Pop has definitely done a lot of things very well, including, but also, beyond basketball. Building a family-style operation in the NBA is pretty inspiring.

[Budkin]

Timvp, thanks for all the content you've added to the site in recent days. It's always a better Spurstalk when you're around. :tu

Agreed. You and Kori will always be the soul of SpursTalk.

[KingKev]

The JBorrego firing in Charlotte was interesting. Apparently MJ had the final say and some of the main concerns included “player discipline on and off the court” and not having the team ready for back to back play-in losses, not holding the team accountable for defensive mistakes.

All per BR and Shams.

I wonder if it was failure in off court discipline as in not enough or too harsh? Lamelo Ball on social media lighting up lol

[MultiTroll]

This training staff person was not hired directly by Pop, but apparently Pop pulled some strings to keep him on the payroll.
Went on to have great success at Mississippi State.
https://f4.bcbits.com/img/0009644436_10.jpg

[SAGirl]

I am not sure what went on with Borrego, and I dont watch Charlotte at all, but I watched the play in games this season and the last, and the team looked to be about the worst, and least competitive, out of all teams in both play in tourneys.

Whatever the coach had them running wasn’t effective or poorly executed and he was unable to maximize what they can do well and minimize or balance their flaws. It was terrible to see them come in the second season as bad as they were the first. They made no discernible improvement, and at some point, you have to adjust what you can.

If he was unable to reach and connect with Lamelo and crew, at least its worth to try a different coach. Maybe they get a different insight, maybe they realign the chairs, alter rotations, give more minutes to one guy over another, mix things up a notch and hold players accountable. Its also important for development that you have the players respect, and it seems like he didn’t have it, looking from the outside in and comments that others who watched Charlotte more closely made.

[offset formation]

This training staff person was not hired directly by Pop, but apparently Pop pulled some strings to keep him on the payroll.
Went on to have great success at Mississippi State.
https://f4.bcbits.com/img/0009644436_10.jpg

That's some high quality H20...

[MultiTroll]

I am not sure what went on with Borrego, and I dont watch Charlotte at all, but I watched the play in games this season and the last, and the team looked to be about the worst, and least competitive, out of all teams in both play in tourneys.
More Pop influence? :lol

[MultiTroll]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7Yx9biVsAAYSgs?format=jpg&name=medium

[MultiTroll]

Bud was able to overcome 0-2 and 3-2 last year in separate series.
But that was riding Timmy Dunks light in Freak and Jrue really stepping up. Some real close calls to being eliminated.

Ime phucked up game 4 pure and simple. Ball movement stalled and he tried to ride Kobme Tatum and Brown. Horrible idea.

Rooting like heck Ime and Celts can pull this off. 4-2 would be sweet but I'll take a 4-3 win however it happens.

[rascal]

Pop is an opportunistist, he moved Bob Hill out and moved in when they got Duncan.

He's no Red Auerbach.

[CGD]

Pop is an opportunistist, he moved Bob Hill out and moved in when they got Duncan.

He's no Red Auerbach.

Red did most of his damage when the league was a piece of shit.

[rascal]

Red did most of his damage when the league was a piece of shit.

Red knew what he was doing and dominated the league.

[Seventyniner]

Pop is an opportunistist, he moved Bob Hill out and moved in when they got Duncan.

He's no Red Auerbach.

Um, Pop replaced Bob Hill before the Spurs drafted Duncan. He went 17-47 as a coach in 1996-1997.

Sure the Spurs had a pretty good chance of getting the #1 pick, but it wasn't close to guaranteed.

[baseline bum]

Pop is an opportunistist, he moved Bob Hill out and moved in when they got Duncan.

He's no Red Auerbach.

Um, he was coach the year before Duncan.

[rascal]

Um, Pop replaced Bob Hill before the Spurs drafted Duncan. He went 17-47 as a coach in 1996-1997.

Sure the Spurs had a pretty good chance of getting the #1 pick, but it wasn't close to guaranteed.

When pop became coach in December the season was lost and the tank was on for Duncan so they were front runners for Duncan(although Boston ended up with the worst record).

[MultiTroll]

When pop became coach in December the season was lost and the tank was on for Duncan so they were front runners for Duncan(although Boston ended up with the worst record).
Gregg Popovich never thought about tanking as an option for the Spurs: ‘It’s not who I am’ (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/gregg-popovich-never-thought-about-tanking-as-an-option-for-the-spurs-it-s-not-who-i-am/ar-AAW4MjO)
:lol

[rascal]

Gregg Popovich never thought about tanking as an option for the Spurs: ‘It’s not who I am’ (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/gregg-popovich-never-thought-about-tanking-as-an-option-for-the-spurs-it-s-not-who-i-am/ar-AAW4MjO)
:lol

They tanked

[MultiTroll]

They tanked
I know.

His phony sanctimonious denial 20 years later.
Oh boy we got to get smoked in the one Play In game vs more ping pong balls for higher then 9th pick.