Victor Wenbagnama and Po Gasol share their heartfelt thoughts as the NBA world pay tribute to Greg Popovich after he retired as head coach for the San Antonio Spurs.
Greg Popovich resigned as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs after 28 and a half years of work. Pop named himself to the role in 1996, leading the team to five NBA championships.
The announcement that he was no longer courtside was followed by a series of distrust from fans. This meant that despite his health concerns this season, this was always possible.
Popovich will retire as the best coach in NBA history. He began his career, coaching David Robinson, drafting and developing Tim Duncan to the greatest of all time, and coaching Victor Wenbagnama in his first two seasons.
The young Spurs superstar took him to social media to share his admiration for the San Antonio legend.
Wenby entered the league with great expectations. He was on the course this season to win DPOY while injuries took him. The French relies heavily on Popovich’s influence on his early career.
Wenbanyama had hinted at a new head coach he might want if Popovich retired, but that doesn’t reduce how much his impact is. His sincere tribute to X is proof of this.
“29 years. I’m grateful for your wisdom, your leadership, the culture you created…” Wenby writes.
“But most importantly, he is a great and inspiring person. It was an honor to be part of these 29 years. I hope that you will be the best in your new chapter.”
Pau Gasol faced Popovich and competed in the playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Mighty Spurs side.
He also learned from great coaches when he played for the Spurs from 2016 to 2019.
“It was an honor to learn from your knowledge and love for basketball. I’m happy to see you with the Spurs doing what you enjoy,” Gasol wrote.
The 76-year-old will stay as the team president, as suggested by Gasol’s post. His successor, Mitch Johnson, has already been named by the organization. Fans who thought it was Michael Malone were disappointed.
The future looks bright for the Spurs. Wenbanyama is leading the way, and Popovich is still in charge at the decision-making level. However, the legendary coach misses courtside.