Longtime head coach for the San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, coached his team to a 95 to 93 victory over the Indiana Pacers which correlated to his 1,000th career win.
Popovich became the 9th coach in NBA history to earn his 1,000th career victory, but he is just the 2nd to do so with just one single team.
“I’ve been here a long time and I’ve had good players. That’s the formula,” Popovich said. “Getting the players is difficult, but I’ve been fortunate to have good ones. The time, that’s the most important element. You have to be around for a while I guess.”
The only 2 coaches who have reached 1,000 victories faster than Popovich are Pat Riley and Phil Jackson, and the only other coach to earn all 1,000 wins with a single team was Jerry Sloan with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“A thousand wins, that’s a lot of wins and I feel very lucky that I’ve been with him for a lot of them,” star point guard Tony Parker said after scoring 19 points. “We’ve experienced so much stuff together. I’m just very happy for him.”
Popovich has been one of the best coaches in the league during his tenure in San Antonio, leading the Spurs to 5 championship rings.
Popovich has helped develop the careers of various superstars in the league, including hall of famer, David Robinson, as well as current stars like Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, and Kawhi Leonard.
Popovich is in the middle of leading the Spurs on to what should be another appearance in the NBA playoffs this year, and the Spurs, who are bringing back the majority of the core of the team that won the NBA Championship last season.
While Popovich has achieved a significant milestone in earning his 1,000th win, he certainly has his eyes set on earning himself his 6th championship ring, further bolstering his already hall of fame career.