In an era when coaching success is often measured in rings, egos, and tough routines that test everyone at the franchise. Gregg Popovich carved his own path, a person who didn’t just chase wins but built a culture like no other around him. As the NBA’s all-time winningest coach steps away from the sideline, which indeed is the ‘End of an Era,’ the basketball world is revisiting not just his records but the remarkable human legacy that he leaves behind for others to watch and learn.

Over 29 years as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Popovich won five NBA titles, three Coach of the Year honors, 1,422 regular-season games, and a million hearts. Still, outside his tactical genius, his greatest achievement might be the familial bond he fostered in a ruthless industry. While most franchises repeated the “next man up” philosophy, Popovich created a culture where personal lives were given top priority, not only respect.

The culture was never clearer than in former Spurs forward Robert Horry‘s emotional rewind of the best moments he remembers about the coach during his recent appearance on the Nightcap podcast. The 7-time NBA champion, Horry, talked about the moment where he realized what set apart Popovich from the rest: a gesture during the most trying time of his life. “My daughter, who passed away, was really sick, and it was my last year with the Spurs,” Horry said. “At the beginning of the season, he was like, ‘Don’t come back until she is out of the hospital.'” Horry ended up staying 3 weeks at the hospital. When he returned, Popovich immediately asked, “Is she out of the hospital?” Horry replied, “Yeah, she got home like two days ago,” and Popovich fired back, “She ain’t out of the woods yet. Go back home. We don’t really need you right now.”

And the very next moment, Horry asked him whether he wanted to get rid of him. Popovich’s response to him was, “No, family first!” And at that very moment, Horry realized that Pop is really a ‘great man.’ Robert Horry later recalled one other moment that he can’t forget.

The time that really set Popovich apart from traditional NBA norms came when Horry asked for a favor many coaches would mock. “Even in my last year, I went to him and said, ‘I’m going to ask you for a favor,’ and he said, ‘What?’ I said, ‘It’s my last year and my son is on spring break. We’re going on a road trip. Can I bring him with me?’ And he’s like, ‘Man, yeah. Don’t even ask me no question like that.’ He said, ‘It’s about the family. It’s about doing things.’”

Horry kept going. He thought back on how strange the freedom was in the league. “A lot of teams wouldn’t let you do that, you know, because I remember the Lakers back in the day—you said, ‘Hey, can you get the flight back?’ They’d go, ‘No, it’s a liability. You know, insurance thing.’ I’m like, ‘What is this? A flight home? What?’ But Pop was… he’s a really, really good man. If it came down to your family, you do whatever’s necessary for your family.” This is not only touching, but this also shows the character of a coach who has seen the old school and the latest dynamics that the sport has offered.

Gregg Popovich’s Departure Leaves a Vacuum in More Ways Than One

The main reason for Popovich to step down is likely due to health concerns, including a stroke the 76-year-old suffered in November 2024. The Spurs are going through not just a change in leadership but also a change in identity now. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson, who stepped in last year and led the squad to a 31–45 finish, will take over the controls full-time.

The change occurs at a time when few, if any, coaches comply with Popovich’s people-first mindset. His method was calculated and not just emotional. He knew that trusting his players with their personal lives produced professionals who gave their all on the court. Horry said,  “He was one of those coaches where he would yell at you and then take you to have some gnocchi and some wine, his two favorite things.” Horry laughed.

The difficulty for the Spurs now goes beyond victories and defeats. It’s about maintaining a culture created over decades and a room where family mattered, relationships ran deep, and basketball was never greater than life. In a sector that sometimes ignores the human being behind the jersey, Popovich never did as he spoke to the human first.