Gregg Popovich’s First NBA Head Coaching Job: The Foundation of a Dynasty

Gregg Popovich stands as one of the most accomplished coaches in NBA history, with five championships, a record for most wins with a single franchise, and a reputation for building a culture that transcended basketball. But before the trophies, the Hall of Fame inductions, and the iconic sideline presence, there was a difficult first season that nearly derailed his career before it began. Understanding Popovich’s initial head coaching stint with the San Antonio Spurs reveals how a 20-win season sowed the seeds for a 20-year dynasty. This is the story of how a former Air Force intelligence officer took a struggling organization and, through patience, discipline, and a bit of lottery luck, turned it into a model of sustained excellence.

Early Career: The Making of a Coach

Popovich didn’t arrive in San Antonio as a coaching unknown. Born in East Chicago, Indiana, he attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he played basketball and later served as an assistant coach. After a five-year commitment as an officer, he returned to coaching as an assistant at Pomona-Pitzer before being hired by Don Nelson with the Golden State Warriors in 1988. This apprenticeship proved vital. Under Nelson, Popovich learned the nuances of rotation management, offensive flow, and the psychology of dealing with star players. He then moved to San Antonio, joining Larry Brown’s staff as an assistant from 1992 to 1994, helping the Spurs become a contender.

When Brown left for the Indiana Pacers, Popovich transitioned into the front office. He replaced Bob Bass as the Spurs’ general manager in 1994, tasked with reshaping the roster around superstar center David Robinson. Popovich oversaw trades and draft picks, but the team plateaued. By 1996, the Spurs started the season 3–15 under head coach Bob Hill. Owner Peter Holt, preferring to keep Popovich close to the game, made a decision that would define the franchise: Popovich would take over as head coach while remaining GM, a dual role that raised eyebrows around the league.

The Appointment: A Risky Gamble

On December 10, 1996, the San Antonio Spurs fired Hill and named Gregg Popovich as head coach. At the time, the move was met with skepticism. Popovich had never been a head coach at any level above the college division (Pomona-Pitzer was a Division III program). Critics questioned whether a first-time head coach could handle a locker room that included star players like Robinson, Sean Elliott, and Avery Johnson, especially while still managing personnel decisions. Popovich himself later admitted he “didn’t know what he didn’t know.” But he brought a clear philosophy: defense, discipline, and selflessness would be the pillars of his program.

The timing was ominous. Robinson, the MVP runner-up in 1995, suffered a fractured foot early in the season and would miss all but six games. Without their anchor, the Spurs plummeted. Popovich was left with a roster that lacked depth, leadership, and a clear identity. The challenge was monumental.

The 1996–97 Season: Learning Through Fire

Popovich’s first season was a masterclass in resilience—though it didn’t look like one at the time. The Spurs finished with a 20–62 record, the worst in franchise history. That record, however, became the foundation of something far greater. Let’s break down the key aspects of that turbulent year.

Roster Struggles and Culture Shock

Without Robinson, the Spurs relied on a patchwork lineup. Will Perdue, a journeyman center, became the primary big man. Forward Sean Elliott fought through injuries, and young players like Greg Minor and Carl Herrera were thrust into larger roles. Popovich tried to install a motion offense and a switch-everything defense, but the players lacked both the skill and the chemistry to execute consistently. The team averaged just 94.3 points per game while allowing 101.0 points, ranking near the bottom of the league in offensive and defensive efficiency.

Meanwhile, Popovich’s abrasive coaching style clashed with some veterans. He demanded accountability in film sessions and practices, a stark contrast to Hill’s more laid-back approach. “There were times guys wanted to tune him out,” said Johnson, the point guard who would later become a key leader. “But you could see he wasn’t going to compromise.” That stubbornness, while challenging in the short term, established a culture that would later attract players willing to sacrifice statistics for titles.

The Silver Lining: Draft Lottery Luck

As losses mounted, fans and analysts began talking about the 1997 NBA Draft. The prize was clear: Tim Duncan, the dominant big man from Wake Forest. The Spurs, along with the Boston Celtics and Vancouver Grizzlies, were in the running for the No. 1 pick. Popovich and his staff scouted Duncan extensively, believing he could be a true franchise cornerstone. When the lottery balls fell in San Antonio’s favor on May 18, 1997, the course of NBA history changed forever.

Popovich has often downplayed the “tanking” narrative, insisting the team tried to win every game. But in hindsight, that 20–62 season was the perfect storm: a wounded roster, a new coach learning on the job, and a future Hall of Famer waiting in the wings. The draft lottery win gave Popovich the foundational piece he needed to implement his system.

Key Coaching Decisions That Shaped the Future

Despite the dismal record, Popovich made several decisions during his first season that foreshadowed his later brilliance:

  • Emphasizing defensive drills: He replaced traditional scrimmages with defensive shell drills, forcing players to rotate and communicate. This became a hallmark of Spurs practice for two decades.
  • Developing Avery Johnson: Johnson, a scrappy undrafted point guard, was given the keys to the offense. Popovich trusted him to run sets and make adjustments, and Johnson rewarded that trust by becoming a leader.
  • Fostering player relationships: Popovich made it a point to know players beyond basketball. He held dinners, asked about families, and genuinely cared about their well-being—a trait that later attracted free agents and kept stars like Duncan and Tony Parker loyal.
  • Adapting rotations: He experimented with lineups, giving young players like Jaren Jackson and Vinny Del Negro minutes to see who could fit his future vision. This data gathering proved invaluable.

Immediate Turnaround: The Duncan Era Begins

With Duncan on board in 1997–98, the Spurs transformed overnight. Popovich now had a two-man defensive core with Robinson and Duncan, and he built a system around their synergy. The team won 56 games, the third-best record in the NBA, and advanced to the Western Conference semifinals. Popovich was named NBA Coach of the Year, but he insisted the credit belonged to the players—and to the painful lessons of his first season.

The jump from 20 wins to 56 wins is one of the largest in NBA history, and it validated Popovich’s methods. Players who had struggled under his first-year demands suddenly understood why he had been so exacting. “He knew what it was going to take,” Duncan later recalled. “He needed us to buy in before we could win.” That buy-in started during the 1996–97 season, even as the losses piled up.

The Legacy of a 20-Win Debut

Popovich’s first head coaching job is often overshadowed by his later success, but it remains a crucial chapter in NBA history. It proves that great coaching is not just about winning immediately—it is about building a foundation that can sustain excellence. The lessons from that 20–62 season resonate far beyond San Antonio.

Lessons for Aspiring Coaches

  • Patience with process over results: Popovich didn’t change his approach after a bad loss. He stayed consistent, trusting that repetition would eventually yield improvement.
  • Identifying talent and fit: His scouting of Duncan was meticulous, but he also identified overlooked players like Johnson and Bruce Bowen (who arrived later) who fit his system perfectly.
  • Building relationships under fire: Even when players were frustrated, Popovich maintained open communication. That trust became the glue that held the Spurs together during playoff battles.
  • Adaptability: After the early struggles, Popovich evolved from a strict disciplinarian to a more flexible leader, learning to adjust his expectations to the players’ personalities.

These principles are why Popovich’s coaching tree now includes successful head coaches like Steve Kerr, Mike Budenholzer, and Ime Udoka, all of whom learned under him during his early years in San Antonio.

External Context: A Different NBA Era

To fully appreciate Popovich’s first job, it helps to understand the NBA landscape of the mid-1990s. The league was still adjusting to the post–Michael Jordan retirement (though Jordan returned later). The game was slower and more physical, with a premium on post play and defense. Popovich’s emphasis on half-court execution and defensive discipline fit perfectly with the era, even as the league later shifted toward pace and space. For more context on the 1996–97 season, check out basketball-reference.com’s season summary.

Also notable: Popovich was among a small group of coaches who managed dual GM/coach roles. The experiment worked in San Antonio but often fails elsewhere. For an analysis of the successes and pitfalls of dual roles, see this Sports Illustrated feature.

Conclusion: From 20 Wins to Five Championships

Gregg Popovich’s first NBA head coaching job was not a success by traditional metrics. His team won only 20 games, and he faced criticism from fans and media. But it was a success in the most important ways: he established a culture, drafted a generational superstar, and learned how to lead under extreme pressure. That foundation carried the Spurs to five NBA titles, 22 consecutive playoff appearances, and a standard of organizational excellence that remains unparalleled.

Today, Popovich holds the record for most wins by a head coach in NBA history, but he often jokes that his first season counts for more than any other. “It was the hardest year of my life,” he has said, “and also the most valuable.” That humility and relentless self-improvement are what separate him from so many peers. Aspiring coaches would do well to study that 20-win season as closely as the championship runs. For a full career timeline of Popovich’s tenure, visit the Spurs’ official history page.