Gregg Popovich is an American professional basketball coach, who has been the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA since 1996. He is considered one of the best basketball coaches of all time and has won five championships till date. Popovich is also the oldest active coach in the NBA.
In the NBA few names command as much respect and admiration as Greg Popovich. The 74-year-old iconic coach has been in coaching for nearly 50 years and has helped the Spurs become a perennial powerhouse and a multi-championship winner.
Let’s dig deep into Gregg Popovich’s salary, along with his accomplishments with the Spurs.
Gregg Popovich Salary
Greg Popovich’s current salary is $16 million per season. Popovich is also the President of Basketball Operations of the Spurs and signed a new five-year $80 million deal in July 2023, which will keep him at the organization till 2028. This makes him the highest paid coach in the league. While many would consider it a massive amount for a head coach, we shall highlight Gregg Popovich’s accomplishments in the league.
Gregg Popovich took over the San Antonio Spurs coaching role in 1996. His innovative coaching style, emphasis on teamwork and defense quickly transformed the Spurs into a championship contender. Popovich delivered five championships over 18 seasons. The three-time Coach of The Year also guided the US National team to a gold medal finish in the 2020 Olympic games.
The Spurs had a disastrous season in 1997, and finished with a 20-62 record. However, this gave them the first pick in the draft, which they used to draft Tim Duncan. The rest is history as Ducan went on to win five championships under Popovich. He won the first one alongside legend David Robinson, when the Spurs were famous for the “Twin Tower” offense. Popovich later created a team around Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Duncan, who won four championships together.
Salary Growth
When Popovich first took over as the head coach of the Spurs, his salary was relatively modest, reflecting his unproven track record as a coach. The figures were in line with the new coaches in the NBA. However, after the Spurs started winning championships under his leadership, Popovich's salary started to climb.
His consistency in results, player development and igniting team spirit in a young team made him one of the most followed coaches. It seemed that every championship won attracted higher compensation for Gregg Popovich, and the Spurs were happy to compensate for the same.
FAQs
A. Gregg Popovich was born in East Chicago, Indiana.
A. Gregg Popovich worked as an assistant coach at the Air Force Falcons team in 1973.
A. Gregg Popovich led his team to six NBA Finals.
A. Gregg Popovich’s win percentage is 64.2%.
A. In 27 NBA seasons, Gregg Popovich missed only five postseasons, - 1997, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
