NBA’s broadly adored coach Gregg Popovich stepped down this week from his head coach duties of San Antonio Spurs. The 76-year-old had suffered a stroke final November however has returned in capability of president of basketball operations, whereas Mitch Johnson takes over.
Popovic or Coach Pop was a formidable determine on the sidelines along with his booming directions for shut to twenty-eight years. By no means a fan of sideline interviews, he nonetheless at all times disbursed pearls every time he spoke.
An adored determine (Shaquille O’Neal mentioned he beloved him perpetually yesterday), Coach Pop would blurt out slicing stuff to one and all earlier than fact bombs even bought invented in media. By no means unkind, even journalists whose questions irritated him, turned his best followers.
Right here’s three well-known issues uttered by Coach Pop:
‘No person’s completely satisfied’
Former TNT reporter David Aldridge thought he was asking Popovich a routine query, within the routine method of asking. Aldridge requested him if he was completely satisfied along with his group’s shot choice throughout a sport in 2012. Popovich took off: “Pleased? Pleased’s not a phrase that we take into consideration in a sport. Consider one thing totally different. Pleased? I don’t know how one can choose completely satisfied. We’re in the midst of a contest. No person’s completely satisfied.”
‘Now ask me couple of inane questions’
Popovich’s dislike for pesky media bytes was well-known and he by no means spared late TNT reporter Craig Sager, whose colourful outfits as soon as bought Coach Pop to comment, “How will you be that skilled in a swimsuit that appears like that?”
Sager was recognized with leukaemia and died in 2016, and when he returned to NBA in 2015, Popovich confirmed his heat aspect of persona. “I bought to actually let you know that is the primary time I’ve loved doing this ridiculous interview we’re required to do. It’s since you’re right here and also you’re again with us. Welcome again, child. … Now ask me a few inane questions.”
‘I would like some nasty!’
Popovich who has probably the most wins by any coach in NBA historical past (1996 to 2025), and gained the league 5 occasions and gold for USA at Tokyo Olympics, at occasions had basketball’s equal of hair-dryer scoldings for his gamers. Popovich additionally gained his first title in 1999.
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A Spurs timeout in 2012 playoffs towards Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder is famous, for the Chicago-born’s tirade.
Trailing at halftime, he would launch into one within the huddle. “I would like a little bit however dose of nasty. I’m seeing a little bit bit unconfident, a little bit hesitation. It’s not imagined to be straightforward. I would like some nasty.”