TITLE: Congratulating Gregg Popovich on his retirement as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.

SUMMARY: Congratulating Gregg Popovich on his retirement as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Gregg Popovich retired as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs on May 2, 2025, drawing to a close a legendary career that transformed the sport of basketball; and WHEREAS, The architect of a Spurs dynasty that brought five NBA titles to the Alamo City, Coach Popovich is stepping down to serve as the team's president of basketball operations; he ends his hall of fame career as the all-time winningest coach in league history with 1,422 victories; over the course of 29 seasons, he collected three Coach of the Year awards and guided the team to six NBA Finals and 22 consecutive playoff appearances; and WHEREAS, Born in East Chicago, Indiana, Gregg Popovich lettered in three sports at Merrillville High School and played basketball at the U.S. Air Force Academy; he went on to serve five years of active military duty, and during that time, he traveled through Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union as a member of the Armed Forces basketball team; he began his coaching career in 1973 as head coach of the USAFA Prep School, and he later became an assistant on the USAFA college team and head coach of the Pomona and Pitzer Colleges combined men's basketball team; and WHEREAS, In 1986, Coach Popovich became a volunteer assistant at the University of Kansas under head coach Larry Brown; when Mr. Brown took charge of the Spurs two years later, Mr. Popovich arrived in San Antonio for his first NBA coaching job; he subsequently served as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors but returned to San Antonio in 1994 to become general manager and vice president of basketball operations; early in the 1996-1997 season, with the Spurs struggling, he was named head coach, beginning his legendary tenure at the helm of the team; and WHEREAS, Coach Popovich proved himself a master of matching San Antonio's playing style to the talents of his athletes, and the defense-first, early championship teams led by the "Twin Towers" of Tim Duncan and David Robinson gave way to the so-called "Beautiful Game" Spurs of the mid-2010s that carved through the league with an unselfish brand of basketball; in total, the Popovich-era Spurs were crowned NBA champions in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014; the franchise's accomplishments were unprecedented for a small-market team, and the Spurs became the gold standard in professional sports for their revered culture; beyond the titles, Coach Popovich helped pioneer such innovations as providing players with rest periods to prolong their careers and scouting international basketball talent; in addition, he has mentored a long list of coaches and front-office personnel who have found notable success in the sport; and WHEREAS, Early on, Coach Popovich was known for his gruffness and no-nonsense approach, but as the years passed, he gained the reputation as a players' coach who led with a wry sense of humor and brutal honesty; he valued building deep connections with players and staff, and the Spurs' team dinners, preferably with six people to a table and plenty of wine, became the stuff of legend; his effective leadership was also demonstrated on the Olympic stage in 2021, when he guided Team USA to the gold medal at the Summer Games in Tokyo; and WHEREAS, "Coach Pop" has become a fixture in the San Antonio community who is beloved not only for his coaching expertise but for his civic engagement; he has spoken about race and politics with a candidness rarely found in sports, and he has been actively involved with organizations such as Roy Maas Youth Alternatives, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Miracle League of San Antonio; moreover, the Spurs Youth Basketball League, a program he helped create in 1991, was honored with a Daily Point of Light Award by President George H. W. Bush; and WHEREAS, One of the most successful basketball coaches in the history of the game, Gregg Popovich has distinguished himself through his unparalleled leadership and deep commitment to his community and country, and he may indeed reflect with pride on his extraordinary achievements as he concludes his coaching career; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Gregg Popovich on his retirement as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Coach Pop as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Martinez Fischer Gervin-Hawkins Lujan Bernal Lopez of Bexar Campos Cortez Dorazio Garcia of Bexar LaHood Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1130 was adopted by the House on May 23, 2025, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House