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Philadelphia 76ers Send Message to Spurs’ Gregg Popovich

The Sixers had a message for Gregg Popovich after his big move on Friday.
Justin Grasso|
Feb 3, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich argues a call with official Mousa Dagher (28) during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Feb 3, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich argues a call with official Mousa Dagher (28) during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

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Since 1996, Gregg Popovich has coached against the Philadelphia 76ers as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. Although the Sixers only faced the Spurs a couple of times a season, they’ve had over 50 meetings with the coach, and even some connections when it comes to Popovich’s coaching tree.

With Popovich solidifying himself as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, the Sixers made sure to celebrate the future Hall of Famer on Friday, as he made a major career decision.

via @Sixers: Congratulations on a Hall of Fame Coaching career & best of luck in your new role, Coach Pop! ❤️💙

Popovich has stepped down as the head coach of the Spurs and plans to take on a front office role.

"While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach," Popovich said in a statement Friday afternoon. "I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me."

The Spurs plan to make Popovich the President of Basketball Operations. While he won’t lead the Victor Wembanyama era from the sidelines, Popovich will play a part in building out the roster for the future.

During his coaching career, Popovich generated a record of 31-24 against the Sixers. Beyond Philadelphia, Popovich was a four-time All-Star head coach, a three-time Coach of the Year recipient, and a five-time NBA Champion.

With Popovich out, the Spurs won’t look far for his replacement. Mitch Johnson, who coached the Spurs for a chunk of the season when Popovich was away from the team due to health concerns, will officially be named the head coach moving forward.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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