In the wake of Gregg Popovich’s retirement as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, tributes have poured in from across the NBA landscape. Among the most heartfelt came from Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who reflected emotionally on his personal relationship with the legendary coach.
Green, who played under Popovich during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and helped Team USA secure a gold medal, called himself “lucky” to have shared that experience.
“Oh, man, that is my guy… Coach Pop is incredible, and you know, none of us knew when that day would come, that he’d hang them up. But it sucks to see him go. You know, you love running on the court, seeing him on the sideline. I had the ultimate honor playing for him and winning a gold medal, and it meant so much to him.”
“You know, he has a military background, obviously, and it just meant so much. Wow, he’s one of the most incredible human beings. You get this, like, a wall that everyone sees. Everyone says Steven Adams is a gentle giant, that’s Pop.”
“Like, you got this wall that’s like, you ask a dumb question, he gonna crush you, right? And it just appears as if he’s like this mean old man, and he is the complete opposite. Like, complete opposite. The nicest person you ever want to be around. He cares about people so much.”
“And I was lucky enough and honored to have the opportunity to spend a summer with him and play for him. I gave him my shoes from the gold medal game. He wore them to the next Spurs game we played, and every hug since then has meant so much to me, just to go over to the sideline and hug him.’
“And to see him leave this game from the sideline, obviously, they say he’ll be the president, but that does nothing for me. You know, it sucked playing against the Spurs this year and looking over and not seeing him there.”
“And to know that I’ll never get that opportunity again, I just wish I had one last time to go hug him on the sideline again. I know I sound like he’s dead. He means so much to this league. He means so much to me. Job well done. Well-deserved retirement. I hope he enjoys the hell out of it.”
“Clearly, he’s not going far, ‘cause he’s gonna stay working in basketball. But man, just everything he’s meant to this game and I’m incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to play for him.”
That dichotomy, Pop’s toughness and warmth, was what endeared him to players across generations. For Green, who thrives on intensity and thrives in systems built on accountability, playing for Popovich was a natural fit. He shared a touching memory of gifting Popovich his shoes from the Olympic gold medal game, only to see Pop proudly wear them on the sidelines in a subsequent Spurs game.
Popovich’s decision to retire comes after 29 historic seasons as head coach, during which he led San Antonio to five NBA championships and compiled a record-setting 1,422 regular-season wins.
Though he’ll remain involved in basketball as the Spurs’ president of basketball operations, Pop’s absence on the sideline will be deeply felt by players like Green.
Popovich’s impact on the NBA stretches far beyond wins and titles. For players like Green, it’s the off-court values, empathy, discipline and team culture that defined him.
Popovich may be stepping away from coaching, but the legacy he leaves, etched into players like Green, into five championship banners, and into the very culture of the NBA, will endure for generations.
