On Friday, Gregg Popovich announced that his years coaching the San Antonio Spurs had come to an end.
After 29 years, he was stepping away from that position, although he would remain part of the Spurs organization.
Following his game on Friday night, Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors talked about Popovich and the impact he has had on the league and the players he led.
“I had the ultimate honor playing for him and winning a gold medal,” Green said, via Josh Paredes on X. “I gave him my shoes from the gold medal game, [and] he wore them to the first game we played them. Every hug, since then, has meant so much to me. They say he’ll be the president, but that does nothing for me. It sucked playing against the Spurs this year and look over and not see him there. He meant so much to me.”
Draymond Green got emotional talking about Gregg Popovich tonight. pic.twitter.com/fALcQLqJV3
— Josh Paredes (@Josh810) May 3, 2025
Green mentioned how he was part of the Team USA squad that Popovich led through the Olympics.
Popovich spent time in the armed services, so coaching that team meant a lot to him, and Green could tell.
He said that Popovich always had a hard, tough exterior that the press saw, which was definitely true.
He made a name for himself as a prickly person who didn’t suffer fools.
But beneath that, Popovich was quite soft, caring, and gentle.
Green mentioned that he always gave a warm and inviting attitude, no matter what other people saw.
The stories about Popovich have come flooding in since he announced his retirement.
It is clear that he touched the lives of many people, both those who played for him and those who only battled against him.
It’s not often that the entire league comes together with one consensus about someone, but that’s what has happened with Popovich.
He’s a true hero of the game and an icon to many, and that will never change.
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