San Antonio isn't who you thought they would be. They're much better. That's not a coincidence. Coach Popovich chose Mitch Johnson as his successor for a reason, and LeBron James' longtime friend and agent, Rich Paul, hits the nail on the head when discussing why.
"Mitch Johnson worked predraft camp for me with Dejounte Murray... Mitch Johnson goes and works for the G League team, then he works his way to the back of the bench; then he works his way to the front of the bench. Now he's the head coach of the Spurs." - Rich Paul
One thing that Coach Pop used to harp on with his team is the need not to skip steps.