Former San Antonio Spur Stanley Johnson appeared on Run Your Race and shared some insight into what makes Coach Popovich special.
Gregg Popovich/Encyclopedia Britannica defines confirmation bias as “the tendency of people to process information by searching for or interpreting information that is consistent with their existing beliefs.” Simply put, you are only looking for specific information that proves what you already believe to be true. This sounds like a close-minded approach to debate, but sometimes it takes stubbornness to maintain an indisputable truth.
The truth for the San Antonio Spurs is that Gregg Popovich is still a special coach. Popovich is the winningest coach in NBA history. You don’t get to this level of success without standing out. Stanley Johnson was with the team for just two months last season, but that was all the time he needed to see what makes the 74-year-old a legend. During a recent Run Your Race appearance on the Tidal League Network, Johnson shared a story about playing Pop that perfectly describes why he has a reputation as a phenomenal director.
Stanley Johnson, Coach Gregg Popovich: pic.twitter.com/71lVyYYMcf — Noah Magaro-George (@N_Magaro) September 26, 2023 Gregg Popovich has an airtight case for the best coach of all time Since Coach Pop’s Hall of Fame nomination and induction, much of the surrounding conversation has been about his ability to build strong relationships. While this part of his character deserves celebration, his skills as a teacher on earth are just as impressive. The Spurs had some of the most diverse lineups in the league, and Pop consistently kept everyone on the same page.
Players buy into the system and carefully absorb the teachings of an experienced basketball mind. The Air Force product built a championship team around Tim Duncan and made countless changes, racking up 50-win seasons during his career.
Dominating the league is not easy as some coaches struggle to develop their core philosophy or implement new concepts effectively. Fortunately for the Silver and Black, Coach Pop is one of the best communicators in professional sports. Fans watched the Spurs transition from a moderate offense to a perimeter-oriented offense. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Demar DeRozan, Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson have led the organization to varying degrees of success in each offense.
With the addition of Victor Wembanyama and a new five-year contract with Pop, the architect of The Beautiful Game will once again have the opportunity to show his creativity.
