Gregg Popovich knows how to make his words count, and he certainly did that Monday.
The San Antonio Spurs head coach is doing double duty this summer as an assistant coach for Team USA. That means he has to deal with all the hype surrounding the Golden State Warriors, who are well-represented on the club that will participate in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Kevin Durant and the Warriors indeed are the NBA’s new “superteam,” but Popovich’s Spurs teams have been incredibly successful over the last 15 seasons with their own trio of stars — Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili — and much less fanfare.
At Team USA’s first practice Monday, Popovich was asked if his squad felt slighted about not receiving all the “superteam” hype. His response was vintage Pop.
“Naaaah,” Popovich said, via the Mercury News. “I just count the championships.”
We can confirm this mic drop with video evidence.
For those keeping score at home, Popovich and his apparently not-so-super Spurs have won five NBA titles since 1999, including three over a five-year span from 2003 to 2007. The league’s most recent superteam, the LeBron James-led Miami Heat, won two titles in four tries before disbanding in 2014.
Of course, there’s a reason for the term “superteam,” as Golden State has the talent to reel off multiple championships in the near future. But talent doesn’t guarantee success, and teams like Popovich’s steadily consistent Spurs will be ready to pounce if the Warriors slip up.
H/t to For the Win
Thumbnail photo via Justin Ford/USA TODAY Sports Images
