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Spurs insider reveals surprising untold story behind Gregg Popovich's biggest career turning point originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After Gregg Popovich transitioned into his front-office role as President of Spurs Basketball, current head coach Mitch Johnson took over the sidelines. However, Popovich has remained heavily involved with the team, continuing to serve as a mentor and trusted voice for the Spurs' young core, including franchise star Victor Wembanyama.
Former Spurs standout Sean Elliott even revealed that Popovich had been seriously considering retirement before Wembanyama entered the picture.
“I've been around Pop for a long time and when Pop, before Victor got drafted, he was really on the verge of retirement,” Elliott said on Monday. “He was looking into the abyss of retirement and that's where he was going and when we won the lottery that year there were a whole bunch of players, I wasn't the only one, a whole bunch of former players that told Pop he's got to stick around.
“Because he's got to give this young kid a great foundation in this league. Pop is a smart guy, right? And so he can see what's going to happen with this young French kid coming in and so Pop decides to stay and we've had conversations about where Pop felt like he really had an obligation to give him a solid foundation, teach him how to play the right way, teach him what this league is all about and and what it takes to win a championship and I know how Pop is.”
It speaks a lot about the relationships Popovich previously built with Spurs legends such as David Robinson and Tim Duncan. The NBA continues to evolve, but the Spurs’ long-standing tradition of mentorship and player development remains firmly intact.
Meanwhile, Popovich’s influence on Wembanyama has also been evident throughout the young star’s rise. Following the Spurs’ Western Conference Finals win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Wembanyama reflected on Popovich’s situation and the impact he continues to have on the organization. The Spurs star said that Popovich was dealing with challenges that few people could fully comprehend, adding that he felt a strong need to reach out, spend time with him, and offer support because he could not truly understand everything Popovich was experiencing.
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