Popovich won those five championships spread out over 15 years by helping create one of the most remarkable, if quiet, cultures of excellence in sports. If Pat Riley had the Heat Way (flashy, talked about, and well-celebrated) in Miami, the Pop Way was the opposite in San Antonio.

Gregg Popovich understood the world. That goes back long before the basketball world knew who he was. It probably can be traced to at least Popovich’s time at the U.S.

Former NBA guard Danny Green praised his former San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich following the announcement he will leave the sidelines and become the team's president of basketball operations, calling him the "GOAT" and thanking the five-time NBA champion for inspiring him and others.