Inside The Spurs

Spurs Starter, June 12, 2024: Gregg Popovich 'Most Liked' NBA Coach, Study Says

Your daily briefing on what's going on with the San Antonio Spurs, including news, draft & more.

Matt Guzman

Mar 7, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich stands on the court during a timeout against the Sacramento Kings in the second quarter at the Golden 1 Center.
Mar 7, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich stands on the court during a timeout against the Sacramento Kings in the second quarter at the Golden 1 Center. / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
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Happy Wednesday, Por Vida fans! Welcome to your morning Spurs starter.

While some NBA coaches might not get the same screen time as others — take, for example, the amount of coverage given to the Los Angeles Lakers' coach compared to the Cleveland Cavaliers — there isn't any denying one sticks out from the rest.

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, the oldest and longest-tenured coach in the NBA, has certainly made his way into headlines throughout his 28 years with the Spurs. Whether it be for political views, stories about wine or his sarcastic presence with the media, he's no stranger to the limelight.

READ MORE: Spurs-Ex Myck Kabongo Recounts Humorous Gregg Popovich Story

And, in this particular instance, that's a good thing.

A recent study conducted on 3,000 NBA fans to determine the "likability" of each NBA head coach revealed that not only is Popovich one of the most recognized coaches in the league, but he's the best-liked, boasting a 9/10 ranking from those surveyed.

With Victor Wembanyama in the mix now, Popovich's methods are certainly going to be under the microscope, but it seems as if they've been deemed successful thus far.

Don't expect an award speech from the coach anytime soon, however.

Chances are, he doesn't care. He'd probably tell you that, too.

Now, onto the headlines:

THE NEWS

1. READ: WHY TIM DUNCAN'S LEADERSHIP COULD BE BLUEPRINT FOR VICTOR WEMBANYAMA

Out with the old and in with the new seems to be the saying nowadays, but as far as San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is concerned, achieving long-term success might take following the exact opposite path.

Read the full story above.

2. WATCH: DOES EVERY FREE AGENT WANT TO PLAY WITH VICTOR WEMBANYAMA, SPURS?

Reports say that every player on the free agency market has interest in joining Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, but how true is that?

Watch the latest episode of The San Antonio Minute below to find out:

3. READ: SPURS SLATED FOR ROAD PRESEASON GAME VS. MIAMI HEAT

The San Antonio Spurs haven't announced their preseason schedule, yet, but they do know they're on the slate for the Miami Heat in Mid-October with a chance to win their first game against the team since December of 2022.

Read the full story above.

THE DRAFT

The 2024 NBA Draft is two weeks away, and set to take place over the course of two days — a new format — from Wednesday, June 26 to Thursday, June 27.

According to The Ringer's big board, San Antonio is projected to select Kentucky's Rob Dillingham with the No. 4 overall pick to headline its 2024 draft class and Colorado's Cody Williams with No. 8 overall pick, should it elect to keep both.

The Spurs aren't locked into their decision as of now, so a deal could still come to fruition, but only time will tell how the team decides to use their two top-10 picks.

THE PLAYOFFS

Now that The NBA Finals are underway, a champion is that much closer to being crowned.

RIght now, the Boston Celtics have a 92 percent chance to win their 18th-ever championship, which would put them over the Los Angeles Lakers in the record books, after taking a 2-0 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks.

Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7).
Jun 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the fourth quarter in game two of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Despite stellar play from Luka Doncic, a lack of help from his supporting cast has made life difficult for Dallas. The good news for it, however, is that Game 3 is headed to American Airlines center, where a home-crowd advantage could make a difference. Just maybe.

Game 3 of The NBA Finals is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CST in Dallas. Be sure to stick with Spurs On SI for coverage of the game.

THE CLOSER

Also make sure to check out our homepage for more news, and follow us on the platforms below. Thank you for tuning in and enjoy the rest of your Wednesday.

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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