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Victor Wembanyama Sends Touching Message to Gregg Popovich As He Steps Down As Spurs Coach

The All-Star spent his first several seasons with Popovich in San Antonio.

Mike Kadlick

Popovich coaches Wemby for his first season and a half in the NBA.
Popovich coaches Wemby for his first season and a half in the NBA. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
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Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich announced on Friday afternoon that after a 29-year run, he's stepping down as the head coach San Antonio Spurs. The 76-year-old will remain with the organization as its president of basketball operations.

Upon the announcement from the five-time NBA champion, tributes immediately poured in across social media for Pop, who is the Association's all-time winningest head coach.

Others, including Spurs star center Victor Wembanyama, seemingly waited for the dust to settle before weighing in. He has since broken his silence with the below touching tribute on X (formerly Twitter):

"29 years," Wembanyama wrote. "Coach, thank you for your wisdom, for your leadership, for the culture you created… But most importantly for being a great and inspiring person. It was an honor to be a part of those 29 years. Wishing you the best on your new chapter."

The 2024 Rookie of the Year, 2025 All-Star, and former No. 1 pick of San Antonio fittingly finished his post honoring Popovich with a GOAT emoji.

While finishing with 1,422 wins—the most in NBA history—it's Popovich's impact on his former players and his assistant coaches that will leave a lasting mark on the league. His coaching tree is one of the most distinguished you'll ever see, and he played a pivotal role in both the development and mentorship of some of the league's best players in Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Kawhi Leonard—to name a few.

A true legend of the game.

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Mike Kadlick
MIKE KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master's in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.

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