(Photo: Darren Abate, FRE / Associated Press )
I have nicknames for my beloved Spurs which I like to think shine a subtle light on their game or style. For example, Tim Duncan is called ‘The Big Fundamental’ and ‘Old Man Riverwalk,’ but I prefer to call him ‘Captain Glass.’
The same goes for Gregg Charles Popovich. While most refer to our grizzled leader as ‘Coach Pop,’ I prefer to call him ‘The Chess Master.’ This is a nod to his masterful use of each player on his squad. He understands what each player is capable of and utilizes their skills with historically winning results. He never asks a rook to make the moves of a bishop.
My nickname for Pop also pays homage to another NBA coaching great, Phil Jackson. One distinction ‘The Zen Master’ lacks, however, is that of Head Coach of USA Basketball.
If you haven’t heard the stories, Gregg Popovich has been trying to become a significant part of the US Men’s National Basketball team since the 1970s. After getting snubbed for the final roster spot as a player, his next chance to wear the red, white and blue happened 40 years later when he was an assistant to USA Head Coach Larry Brown for the 2004 Olympics.
After those Olympics, Jerry Colangelo, the Managing Director of USA Basketball, decided to name Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski as the Head Coach for the following year.
As the story goes, Pop was a front runner to take over the job, but gave Colangelo the impression that he was never seriously interested in it because he was burnt out. Pop vehemently denies this. This moment, compounded with the Suns-Spurs rivalry, brought about what has been called a decade-long cold war between the two men.
Last year, Coach Pop suggested to Colangelo that the USA Head Coach position was looking more like a life-term sentence than an honor bestowed on a deserving coach. He even went so far as to say that Doc Rivers would be the perfect successor to Coach K.
Surprisingly, a bridge was built between Colangelo and Popovich which resulted in an offer Gregg couldn’t refuse: Head Coach of the 2017-2020 quadrennial.
Feedback from the basketball community has been mostly encouraging. Kevin Durant called the decision “tight” and Coach K believes there was no better person to take over.
However, there have been mixed reviews from Spurs Nation. Is this an indication that our coach will be leaving us after the 2016-17 season? With the new schedule for the qualifying games happening during the NBA season, it is difficult to see Pop focused on building a national team while thinking about winning an NBA championship. Even though he signed a contract extension for 4-5 years in 2014, the terms of the contract were never revealed to the public.
Think about it: Pop’s said that he was interested in coaching more years – maybe a new distinction will change the destination of that notion and Coach Ettore Messina will be leading the Silver and Black sooner than expected?
At the announcement press conference with Colangelo, Popovich said:
“In all of our lives, if you keep challenges in front of you – I think it’s a good thing. You stay young; you stay excited; you stay vibrant. So, this is exciting. Very exciting for me and I think it makes me sharper for the Spurs.”
What will it be like for Pop to work with players different than those in San Antonio? Will they work with his strategy, or will he have to learn new ones? Either way, there is no better person to put in place his new pieces and earn a gold medal for the United States than “The Chess Master.”
