The Coach Who Made the Extra Pass Cool 🎯
The Warriors lost Game 2 last night to the Timberwolves, 117–83. No Steph. No spark. Series tied 1–1.
Their coach, Steve Kerr, has been here before. He’s calm. Focused on the long game. Why?
Because before Kerr was a coach… he was a player.
And he played for one of the greatest minds the NBA has ever known.
Last week, that legend retired. So today, we’re hitting pause on the playoffs to celebrate the coach who helped shape the modern NBA.
🏀 A Coach Like No Other
Gregg Popovich, or just ‘Pop,’ coached the San Antonio Spurs for 29 seasons. His teams won 5 NBA championships and made the playoffs 22 years in a row. And he holds the record for most coaching wins in NBA history: 1,422!
But ask anyone who played for him, and they won’t start with stats.
They’ll start with relationships.
He cared. He connected. He coached a kind of team-first basketball that made everyone better.
📚 A Journey That Took Time
Pop grew up in Indiana and played college basketball at the Air Force Academy. He served 5 years in the military.
Then came coaching… not at a big-name school, but at a tiny college in California. No shortcuts.
He joined the Spurs in 1988 and became head coach in 1996. And then he stayed for 29 unforgettable years!
🏆 From Timmy to Wemby
Pop’s most famous player? Tim Duncan. He was quiet, brilliant, and dominant. They called him The Big Fundamental because he did the simple stuff right. A bank shot. A perfect pass. A block at the rim.
Together, Pop and Tim won A LOT. This is what it looked like:
And just last season, Pop coached Victor Wembanyama (nickname: Wemby), a 7-foot-4 rookie from France with sky-high talent.
Different players. Different eras. Same coach. Same care.
🌍 Changing the Game
Pop believed in more than just winning. He welcomed international players when there were few global stars in the NBA.
He made the extra pass cool.
And he hired Becky Hammon, the NBA’s first female coach. Listen to this:
He's stepping away from the bench and the game won’t be the same without him. But there are coaches and players who learned from him on every single NBA team. Now that’s a legacy.
💡 What we learned today
The best coaches do more than draw up plays. They lift people up.
Gregg Popovich led with respect, listening, and kindness. He made basketball better. He made people better.
Thank you, Coach Pop!
⏩ Today’s Action
Let’s finish with a quick look at tonight’s NBA matchups.
⚔️ Cavaliers at 🏎️ Pacers
Indiana leads 2–0 after a jaw-dropping comeback and game-winning shot. Back home in Indy, they’re hoping to go up 3–0.
Experts say 53% chance Pacers win
⚡ Thunder at 🏔️ Nuggets
With a record-setting 87-point first half in Game 2, the Thunder tied the series 1–1. Now Denver returns to altitude, aiming to slow down OKC’s young stars.
Experts say 65% chance Thunder win