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Gregg Popovich recently retired after spending nearly three decades as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. During his legendary tenure, the Spurs captured five NBA championships and became one of the most respected dynasties in league history. His impact extended far beyond wins, shaping an era's culture of excellence and team-first basketball.
Coach Pop will forever be remembered as, maybe even, the best coach in the league's history, but he credits it all to one man — Hank Egan.
"I got to be with him for a period of time, and that's when I really decided that I wanted to coach," Gregg said in an interview.
When Popovich was still a high school kid, he decided to go to the United States Air Force Academy, where he wanted to play for their basketball team, and Egan was an assistant coach at the time.
Pop finally made the team in his junior year, and by his senior season, he was the team captain, lead guard, and top scorer, averaging 14.3 points per game across 24 outings in the 1969–70 season. Shortly after, he fulfilled his service commitment in the Air Force.
"Coach Egan was such a great teacher. You know, whether it was game coaching or how to put a practice together and how to motivate, he was very special," Popovich said about his former coach.
But while Popovich was in the military, he got a chance to become an assistant coach to the now-promoted Egan.
"I was still in the military, but I got assigned to the Academy as an assistant coach in 1973," he explained.
At the time, Hank succeeded Bob Spear and spent 13 seasons as the head coach, compiling a 148-185 record with the team. He then went on to the University of San Diego in 1984 and won a couple of WCC Coach of the Year awards.
During his time at the Air Force Academy, he taught Coach Pops everything he needed to know to be successful in his head coaching career, which would start much later.
"He taught me how to put a practice together, motivate, and game-plan," he said. Coach Egan was a great friend and mentor. He always checked on me, and I learned a lot from him," the recently retired NBA coach added.
Popovich eventually left the assistant coach position at Air Force Academy to become a head coach of Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens in the third division of the NCAA in 1979, and then he became an assistant coach at the University of Kansas under Larry Brown, who would later bring him to the San Antonio Spurs.
That is where Popovich's path crossed once again with Egan's. When Bob Hill became the Spurs' head coach in 1994, he recruited Hank to become his assistant, while Pops was already there.
In 1996, the student finally became the master when Popovich was named head coach of the Spurs, officially launching his legendary NBA coaching career. It was a turning point not just for him, but for the entire franchise, which was about to enter its most successful era.
Continue reading...
Coach Pop will forever be remembered as, maybe even, the best coach in the league's history, but he credits it all to one man — Hank Egan.
"I got to be with him for a period of time, and that's when I really decided that I wanted to coach," Gregg said in an interview.
Egan's Air Force tutelage shaped Popovich's coaching style
When Popovich was still a high school kid, he decided to go to the United States Air Force Academy, where he wanted to play for their basketball team, and Egan was an assistant coach at the time.
Pop finally made the team in his junior year, and by his senior season, he was the team captain, lead guard, and top scorer, averaging 14.3 points per game across 24 outings in the 1969–70 season. Shortly after, he fulfilled his service commitment in the Air Force.
"Coach Egan was such a great teacher. You know, whether it was game coaching or how to put a practice together and how to motivate, he was very special," Popovich said about his former coach.
But while Popovich was in the military, he got a chance to become an assistant coach to the now-promoted Egan.
"I was still in the military, but I got assigned to the Academy as an assistant coach in 1973," he explained.
At the time, Hank succeeded Bob Spear and spent 13 seasons as the head coach, compiling a 148-185 record with the team. He then went on to the University of San Diego in 1984 and won a couple of WCC Coach of the Year awards.
Egan's lifelong impact on Popovich
During his time at the Air Force Academy, he taught Coach Pops everything he needed to know to be successful in his head coaching career, which would start much later.
"He taught me how to put a practice together, motivate, and game-plan," he said. Coach Egan was a great friend and mentor. He always checked on me, and I learned a lot from him," the recently retired NBA coach added.
Popovich eventually left the assistant coach position at Air Force Academy to become a head coach of Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens in the third division of the NCAA in 1979, and then he became an assistant coach at the University of Kansas under Larry Brown, who would later bring him to the San Antonio Spurs.
That is where Popovich's path crossed once again with Egan's. When Bob Hill became the Spurs' head coach in 1994, he recruited Hank to become his assistant, while Pops was already there.
In 1996, the student finally became the master when Popovich was named head coach of the Spurs, officially launching his legendary NBA coaching career. It was a turning point not just for him, but for the entire franchise, which was about to enter its most successful era.
Continue reading...
