Gregg Popovich remains constant presence around the Spurs: 'He looks amazing'

Atlantic76ersCelticsKnicksNetsRaptorsCentralBucksBullsCavaliersPacersPistonsSoutheastHawksHeatHornetsMagicWizardsSouthwestGrizzliesMavericksPelicansRocketsSpursNorthwestJazzNuggetsThunderTimberwolvesTrail BlazersPacificClippersKingsLakersSunsWarriorsScores & ScheduleStandingsThe Bounce NewsletterNBA DraftPodcastsFantasyNBA OddsNBA PicksWhat To Know About The First RoundLatest Power RankingsThe Bucks' Season From HellPlayer Poll: Who Will Win Title?NBA Postseason Gregg Popovich may have retired from coaching, but he continues to be a presence with the Spurs. Ronald Cortes / Getty Images Share articleSAN ANTONIO — As he slowly made his way across the practice court where he used to be in charge, El Jefe stopped for a brief moment to say something to his successor. Gregg Popovich, the Hall of Fame former Spurs coach, grabbed current head coach Mitch Johnson and associate head coach Sean Sweeney, said something briefly, then was swiftly on his way out the back door. Since Popovich retired last May after suffering a stroke six months prior, his presence around the team has largely stayed out of public view. To the outside world, the occasional sighting of the 77-year-old coaching legend has been treated as if he were a mythical presence, just beyond a footprint of Bigfoot or a splash from the Loch Ness Monster. But Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox revealed that Popovich actually addressed the team Wednesday as they began preparing for a first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers. “He’s one of the winningest coaches ever, one of the coaches with the most rings ever,” Fox said Friday. “So it’s only right that he felt like he needed to come in and preach to the choir.” After congratulating the group on its 62-20 regular season, Popovich explained how much things are about to change as they begin a run at a championship. He said the Spurs’ biggest challenge is to make sure that, whether they have a good or bad game, the process that got them to this point doesn’t change. “(His message was) not to really do anything different from what we’ve been doing all season,” second-year guard Steph Castle said. “I think he kind of just gave us another perspective on how well we’ve been playing and the position we’ve put ourselves in. So, just keep doing what we’ve been doing to get in those spots.” Though Popovich may not formally address the team often, he has continued to be a presence with the team. Popovich has been in the gym at the practice facility four to five times a week and is a fixture in the workout room as current players pass through, Spurs CEO RC Buford told The Athletic. Tim Duncan and other Spurs legends often join Popovich when they are in town visiting. Buford sees this as a reflection of the bonds Popovich built with his players over the years, which go well beyond the court. “It’s the reason why, with Pop’s stroke rehabilitation, Tim’s in the gym with him every day, and that’s not because Pop is telling him to be there,” Buford told The Athletic. “It’s because Tim feels the emotional connection to want to be there in the ways that Pop was there for him. Anytime people are in town, they’ll be in there.” Keldon Johnson, who played five seasons with Popovich and is the longest-tenured current member of the team, maintains a close relationship with the man who shaped his career in San Antonio. “He looks amazing. He’s doing great. It’s always good to see him,” Johnson told The Athletic last week, noting that he just talked to Popovich in the gym the day before. “He stays in touch. He texts me or calls me from time to time, probably every other day.” Popovich checks in with Johnson to provide feedback on his play, telling the Sixth Man of the Year hopeful what he needs to work on to get better. “But at the same time, he’s very encouraging, telling me that he’s proud of me and things like that,” Johnson said. “I mean, he’s definitely still himself. He’s still sharp. He’s still very much Pop. He has not skipped a beat at all.” Popovich has even been mentoring players like Castle, who only played a few games under him before the coach stepped away to recover from a stroke on Nov. 2, 2024. “He’s helped me and a lot of the other guys on the team, just having somebody to talk to,” Castle said. “Whether games are going good, games are going bad, just knowing Pop, he’ll always tell you the real.” For Castle, that meant blocking out external feedback from whatever the final score or stat line may be and focusing on the work he does every day to prepare for games. “Just keep in my head. Not really going off result-based things,” Castle said. “Really just trying to use the process and understanding what got us in those positions. Whether we had a good game and bad game, just trying to do everything the same way and the right way.” Fox said that Popovich’s presence does not add pressure. The players have grown accustomed to him being in and out of the building throughout the season. In fact, Popovich’s presence around the team makes Fox and the rest of the team want to win even more. “Just seeing how he’s progressing, seeing how well he’s doing,” Johnson said. “It’s just the ultimate satisfaction, honestly.” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Jared Weiss is a staff writer covering the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama for The Athletic. He has covered the Celtics since 2011, co-founding CLNS Media Network while in college before covering the team for SB Nation's CelticsBlog and USA Today. Before coming to The Athletic, Weiss spent a decade working for the government, primarily as a compliance bank regulator. Follow Jared on Twitter @JaredWeissNBA