At almost 74 years old, Gregg Popovich is still a man full of resources, energy and humor. For several years, we wonder if the old gentleman will hand over but at the start of each season, again, grandpa Gregg is still in charge of the Spurs. And when you ask the main interested party for a date, he always finds a way to avoid the question, in style too.
We will all shed tears when Gregg Popovich leaves the NBA world. More than a page that will be turned, it is an entire chapter in the history of basketball that will come to an end. A long chapter, long over 26 years old already, and which is still not finished. Each season, we tell ourselves that it can only be Pop’s last, and each season we are wrong. Ah, pranking the media, Coach Popovich has always been good at it. The latest? Last night when he was asked about the timing of his future retirement. Here is the answer:
I asked Spurs coach Gregg Popovich when he’d know it’s time to retire.
“That’s a good question. Retire next week, 6 years from now, or after the season, I don’t think about that stuff. I think the little voice in my head will tell me that’s enough.”
Full video is classic Pop ???? pic.twitter.com/8ih62d9vMX
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) January 3, 2023
“Good question. Retiring next week, in 6 years or at the end of the season, I don’t think about that kind of thing. I think the little voice in my head will tell me when it’s over.
If I’m tired of yelling at my players ‘why do you get eaten so often in the backdoor? You are able to stay in front of someone, right? Maybe you could consider touching him and embarrassing him a little? Maybe when we take a shot you can come back in defense with a minimum of intensity? Get your ass back here instead of hanging around.’ When you don’t feel like doing that anymore, then it’s time to stop.”
Straight Gregg Popovich. And yet, we really thought that last season would be, well, the last one. Spurs have embarked on a rebuilding project and for the very first time since 1997, Spurs don’t even play the top 10 in the West. There are no longer any of the captains of the Tim Duncan – Tony Parker – Manu Ginobili era, San Antonio needs to start afresh, but it’s a new challenge that Pop seems to accept. At the start of the season, he was heard telling fans sarcastically:
“Don’t go to Vegas to bet on Spurs this season.”
So, how much longer for the septuagenarian?
Tanking is heavy in Texas today, and the last time the Spurs were in the bottom of the table, it gave Tim Duncan. After all, why not imagine coach Pop yelling at Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals in 5 years? Anyway, we’re sure the old man met Nicolas Flamel and robbed him of the elixir of long life. He will still coach in 3023, mark my words.
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Source texte : HoopsHype