A year ago, Spurs president-coach Gregg Popovich said he didn’t know whether he’d retire after last season. He then signed a three-year contract to remain the NBA’s highest-paid head coach.
But he’s 70 years old. San Antonio (9-14) is well below its usual standard.
At some point, Popovich will step down – maybe to focus on coaching Team USA in next year’s Olympics, maybe several years from now. But it will happen.
Sam Amick and John Hollinger of The Athletic:
there’s one name that continues to come up from league sources as a possible replacement: Bill Self, the longtime Kansas coach and close friend of Spurs general manager R.C. Buford.
Self is a highly successful college coach who has gotten NBA looks before. At minimum, he’s a sensible candidate.
A big reason Self has won so much at Kansas: He recruits better talent than most of his competitors. That wouldn’t translate to the NBA. But Self has proven adept at adapting his style, and he connects well with his NBA-track prospects. That bodes well for a league full of transient professionals.
Would Self leave? The NCAA coming down hard on Kansas could push him toward the pros.