Greg Popovich’s influence can be felt throughout the NBA. He was the first coach to lean hard into international players to build championship teams (Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker), he was the first coach to have a woman assistant coach on his bench (Becky Hammond), and the branches of his coaching tree spread throughout the league. More than that, he impacted the league by focusing on the player as a person and pushing a life/work balance not always common in the world of professional sports. He was respected and loved not just by the Hall of Famers he coached — David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Pau Gasol, and others — but by players around the league such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and the late Kobe Bryant.
Victor Wembanyama, NBA world reacts to Gregg Popovich retiring from coaching
