San Antonio Spurs: Ranking Gregg Popovich amongst the greatest coaches of all-time

Head coach Gregg Popovich has already etched his name into NBA history as the leader of the San Antonio Spurs dynasty, but where does he fall all-time?

The path to greatness was a road less traveled for mastermind Gregg Popovich and in turn, the San Antonio Spurs organization as a whole. It took a change in team ownership and a whole lot of turnover for the silver and black to reach the upper-echelon of NBA fame, but eventually Pop was put in a position to make decisions for what became a storied franchise shortly thereafter.

Pop was first hired as an assistant coach for the team from 1988 to 1992, then was re-hired as the organization’s general manager in 1994 after spending some time under the great Don Nelson with the Golden State Warriors. He then went on to construct and lead teams that put Pop in position to rival the very man who took him under his wing in the Bay Area, becoming one of the most well-respected figures in the sport.

With the hype of the 10-part documentary season ‘The Last Dance’ detailing the 90s Chicago Bulls their historic run, esteemed coach Phil Jackson has been at the forefront of many conversations. One of the first leaders to implement a complex system in “the Triangle Offense,” many consider Phil to be the greatest head coach of all-time.

Basketball historians would look to some other noteworthy leaders from years past but in the modern era of basketball, Pop stands alone on a pedestal as the No. 1 guy in the league. Every one of the coaches we mention has arguments in their favor and at the end of the day, this discussion is entirely subjunctive, but there’s no denying Pop’s place in this everlasting hierarchy.

Without Popovich, the NBA is drastically different today and for that reason, we have to put this conversation to rest once and for all: Who is the greatest coach in NBA history?