Friday night was a special night for not only San Antonio Spurs fans, but for sports enthusiasts and the entire NBA.
Gregg Popovich became the NBA’s all-time winningest head coach — with 1,336 regular-season wins — when the Spurs beat the Utah Jazz 104-102.
By doing so, he eclipsed his mentor and former boss Don Nelson. Popovich had tied Nelson on Monday night when the Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Lakers at home.
After the Spurs’ win on Friday, Nelson had a few words for the Spurs legend.
“I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of all your accomplishments and the wonderful things you’ve done for basketball worldwide,” Nelson said in a video posted by the Spurs and Golden State Warriors.
“But I’m most proud of what you’re about to accomplish now which is put me in second place in all-time wins.”
Handing off the all-time wins crown 👑🤝
Hoops legend and long-time friend Don Nelson salutes Coach Pop for passing him on the historic list 💯 pic.twitter.com/zRCCXY76x7
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 12, 2022
Nelson added that he “couldn’t wait” for the record-breaking day to come, and said he considers Popovich one of his best friends.
Of course, the cool Coach Pop gave much of the credit to Nelson, his team and “a whole lot of people” after the game.
“All the wonderful players, coaches, and staff that I’ve been blessed with, the support of this wonderful city. The fans support us no matter what. All of us share in this record,” he said. “It’s not mine, it’s ours, here in the city, because of all the people I just mentioned. That’s the joy of it.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich postgame after breaking all-time wins record. Thanked players, coaches, staff, Don Nelson, fans and city.
“All of us share in this record, it’s not mine, it’s ours here in the city.”#KSATsports #NBA #GoSpursGo #PorVida pic.twitter.com/8oG15ROFrO
— RJ Marquez (@KSATRJ) March 12, 2022
Current and former Spurs players like Manu Ginobili, Dejounte Murray, Tre Jones, Steve Kerr, Brent Barry and Michael Finley all took to Twitter to congratulate the G.O.A.T.
But even if you’re not a Spurs player or fan, the accomplishment is something to respect — and that’s what people on social media did last night.
Here’s how NBA teams and players, sports enthusiasts, and San Antonio businesses reacted to the accomplishment on social media.
You The Greatest Coach Of All Time And I’m Thankful And Grateful For You Pop. 🙏🏽 I Love You So Much And You Deserve This And Can’t NOBODY Ever Take This Away From You!!!! 🖤🐐 pic.twitter.com/e5760Ky9E9
— Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray) March 12, 2022
Loved to see this! https://t.co/ph4gzh62UC
— Manu Ginobili (@manuginobili) March 12, 2022
Congratulations to Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich for breaking the regular season record for most wins for a head coach in the NBA with 1,336 victories. Lucky to have been around at the start in December 1996 and now 26 years and 5 Championships later.
— Greg Simmons (@GregSimmonsKSAT) March 12, 2022
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s statement regarding San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich pic.twitter.com/4eZuVOHSlw
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 12, 2022
Coach POP!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! #1 ALL TIME WINS!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 12, 2022
CONGRATULATIONS to Gregg Popovich!! He now has the most regular season wins in #NBA history with 1,336. Spurs beat the Jazz 104-102 to help Pop make history.
🐐 🏀 #PorVida #KSATsports
— Larry Ramirez (@LRam2) March 12, 2022
🐐 and 🐐.. blessed to learn from the best 🙏🏽 https://t.co/Tce4UqgVH2
— Tre Jones (@Tre3Jones) March 12, 2022
Coach Gregg Popovich remains one of the greatest competitors, teachers and leaders in NBA history. Congratulations Pop on pounding the rock to the most victories of all time. pic.twitter.com/UY8mmglvwF
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 12, 2022
A legend spanning generations 🏆
Coach Pop is now the NBA’s all-time winningest coach in the regular season! pic.twitter.com/EPqfkSy0pz
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 12, 2022
“You are just an amazing coach and an amazing man.”@SteveKerr congratulates his mentor, Gregg Popovich, on becoming the all-time winningest coach in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/1XlHNJ2fDJ
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 12, 2022
“That’s just really cool, man, for him to be the all-time winningest coach and a blessing for me to have played for him.” 👏
🗣️ Monty Williams on Gregg Popovich pic.twitter.com/HgQLy6T2xb
— x – Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 12, 2022
congratulations to Indiana’s own Gregg Popovich on becoming the winningest coach in NBA history 👏 pic.twitter.com/AwwPCAx80B
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) March 12, 2022
A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life. Congratulations to Coach Pop on your will to win and your passion to teach and your concern that we always knew basketball and its place along the way. #1336
— Brent Barry (@Barryathree) March 12, 2022
Congrats Coach Pop !! Awesome coach , even better man . Thanks for our friendship !! #thegoatofcoaching @spurs @NBA
— Michael Finley (@MichaelFinley) March 12, 2022
gregg popovich >>>>>>>
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) March 12, 2022
“It’s not mine. It’s ours.”
Gregg Popovich on why he shares the all-time coaching wins record with the @spurs, and with the city of San Antonio. pic.twitter.com/QwRrhTkjGE
— NBA (@NBA) March 12, 2022
Congratulations to San Antonio @Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on becoming the winningest coach in @NBA history! https://t.co/VH79NjN2ru
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) March 12, 2022
From: a Legendary player
To: a Legendary coach@DavidtheAdmiral congratulates his former @spurs head coach Gregg Popovich on becoming the winningest coach in #NBA history pic.twitter.com/scppI4yvpz
— NBA Alumni 🏀 (@NBAalumni) March 12, 2022
ZOO CERTIFIED! WE KNOW GOATS!
🐐 #PorVida #GreggPopovich pic.twitter.com/B8ZFsF3GAi
— San Antonio Zoological Society 🦏 (@SanAntonioZoo) March 12, 2022
Congrats to Gregg Popovich on becoming the NBA’s all-time winningest coach. But deserving significant credit for this honor are 1) Tim Duncan, the most underappreciated superstar leader ever and 2) RC Buford, the NBA’s best GM who stole Ginobili, Parker & Kawhi in the draft.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) March 12, 2022
Gregg Popovich, the winningest coach of all-time, has always had jokes 😂 pic.twitter.com/FSlSh0YaLi
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) March 12, 2022
Congrats to the one and only! 👴🐐 https://t.co/Dlgz1ysXCh
— Manu Ginobili (@manuginobili) March 12, 2022
#1336 pic.twitter.com/1Jsfiaig3U
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) March 12, 2022
Huge congrats to Pop, all his staff members during all these years, and the entire @spurs organization for this incredible accomplishment! #GoSpursGo #MostWinsOfAllTime #History @nba
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) March 12, 2022
Congrats to Coach Pop @spurs great coach #1 in wins better person.🙏🏾👏🏾🏀🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
— mario elie (@marioelie1) March 12, 2022
Coach to coach respect ✊#Defend210 | #PorVida https://t.co/2bURbPKnTw pic.twitter.com/SGQAprI5zP
— San Antonio FC (@SanAntonioFC) March 12, 2022
Congrats to Coach Pop and the @Spurs on the all-time coaching wins record! #GoSpursGo https://t.co/QMtLonmp1x
— H-E-B (@HEB) March 12, 2022
Coach Popovich, you’ve led this city and inspired us all. Congratulations on being the most winningest coach on NBA history! 🥇 pic.twitter.com/lubcgBlPzy
— San Antonio Food Bank (@safoodbank) March 12, 2022
The journey to 𝟏𝟑𝟑𝟔.#PorVida pic.twitter.com/zxWxnfdj5o
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 12, 2022