Gregg Popovich's Win Record: How Many Wins Active Coaches Need to Pass Him

Gregg Popovich stepped down from coaching on Friday.
Gregg Popovich coached the Spurs for 29 years.
Gregg Popovich coached the Spurs for 29 years. / Rob Gray-Imagn Images
In this story:

Gregg Popovich is stepping down from coaching after spending the last 29 years as the San Antonio Spurs' head coach, and will now transition to a role as the team's president. Popovich was sidelined from coaching for much of the 2024-25 season after suffering a mild stroke last November, which he did not return to the sidelines from.

The Hall of Fame coach goes down as one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. Among the five-time NBA champion's many accomplishments is that he is the NBA's all-time leader in wins. Popovich amassed 1,422 regular season wins over his coaching career that spanned nearly three decades, almost 100 more wins than the next coach on the all-time wins list, Don Nelson.

Popovich's regular season wins record should hold for a number of years, and could prove to be one of the most unbreakable records in the NBA. There is no active head coach close to passing Popovich. Doc Rivers is the closest to Popovich and the only active head coach with more than 1,000 wins, but even he is over 200 wins from reaching Popovich's record.

Here's a look at the top-10 active head coaches that are closest to reaching Popovich's win total. The list is a testament to both the longevity and success of Popovich's incredible coaching career.

Coach

Team(s)

Seasons As A Head Coach

Total Wins

Wins Needed to Pass Popovich

Doc Rivers

Bucks, 76ers, Clippers, Celtics, Magic

26

1,162

261

Rick Carlisle

Pacers, Mavericks, Pistons

23

993

430

Erik Spoelstra

Heat

16

787

636

Tom Thibodeau

Knicks, Timberwolves, Bulls

13

578

845

Steve Kerr

Warriors

11

567

856

Mike Budenholzer

Suns, Bucks, Hawks

11

520

903

Michael Malone

Nuggets, Kings

12

510

913

Quin Snyder

Hawks, Jazz

11

458

965

Mike Brown

Kings, Cavaliers, Lakers

11

454

969

Billy Donovan

Bulls, Thunder

10

438

985


More NBA on Sports Illustrated

feed


Published
Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.