By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The winningest coach in the history of the NBA is staying with the San Antonio Spurs.
Gregg Popovich, the most successful head coach in the NBA in terms of career wins, just agreed to a five-year $80 million contract extension with the Spurs confirmed last July 9, 2023.
The development was announced by veteran sports insider Adrian Wojnarowski and is also confirmed to be the richest deal by any head coach in the history of the NBA.
Popovich’s contract signing just came days after the San Antonio franchise drafted a rare NBA talent in Victor Wembanyama, a young French man with a length of a center but can shoot and handle the rock like a guard.
With his fresh five-year deal, Popovich also extended his reign as the oldest active chief tactician in the league in the same franchise.
San Antonio already missed the last four playoff trips, a first time in their storied post-season history after making the Western Conference’s top 8 for 22 straight years since the 1997-1998 season.
Now under the rebuilding phase due to the loss of their former big 3: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, the Spurs just got a building block by drafting Wembanyama.
Popovich is expected to mentor the French talent like his relationship with Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili.
The Spurs became a dynasty under Popovich’s mentorship, winning five NBA championship titles in three different decades and has become a model franchise for the rest of the teams due to its winning tradition.
Popovich will also be entering a new NBA season with an extra confidence boost after the league announced that he will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
Despite the slim chances that the analysts gave the Spurs to enter the upcoming season’s playoffs, Popovich and the rest of the San Antonio front office knew they had a gem to build around in Wembanyama and redeem themselves as one of the best teams in the NBA.
