A decade ago, when a number of NBA coaches lauded Gregg Popovich for the willingness to welcome newcomers to his fraternity, Frank Vogel called the San Antonio Spurs coach the league's "godfather."
How true that remains in 2025. Popovich's fingerprints are literally everywhere across the NBA.
Back then, when Brad Stevens accepted the coaching job for the Boston Celtics, Popovich phoned him, offered some advice, and the two developed a close relationship forged by a shared passion for coaching.
Nowadays, the fraternity's ties to Popovich are even more familial. Most of them knew him well before they sniffed a head coaching gig.