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LeBron James and Gregg Popovich have had some incredible battles over the years. Both men have remarkable basketball minds, so it’s always a treat when the two face one another and you watch LeBron go against Pop’s gameplan for showing him down.
The duo also have a ton of respect for each other. LeBron has been especially complimentary of the Spurs’ coach in the past, even going as far to say that he wishes he could play for a coach like Popovich. As for Popovich, he defended LeBron’s decision to return to Cleveland as a free agent in 2014.
On Thursday, LeBron told the media that he thinks Popovich is the best coach of all time. LeBron argued that this is because of Popovich’s ability to adjust and still succeed.
“He’s the greatest coach of all time. I’ve said that over and over and over. You’ve got to be to do what he’s done in the era of basketball when it’s changed so much and he’s been able to have a growth mindset and be able to change with the game. He’s continued to build around Timmy [Duncan] and Manu [Ginobili] and Tony [Parker] and bring pieces in and out throughout his whole tenure.
“It went from a league where it was like, inside/outside. Like every time you bring the ball down, throw it to the big. Then it goes to every time down, pick-and-roll. Then it goes to every time down, shoot a three. Pop has been able to adjust every single time and still somehow keep those guys under the radar. I don’t understand that.”
LeBron has stated that Popovich is the greatest coach of all time in the past, complimenting him on his basketball IQ. But LeBron is right – Popovich’s ability to adjust really is special. Not only has he been able to win a ton of games with a team that perpetually flies under the radar, but like LeBron said, Popovich has changed the way he coaches his team (sometimes going against what he believes in) to have consistent success.
The latest chapter in the friendly rivalry between the two will take place on Saturday night in Cleveland. As always, it’s probably going to be a wonderful matchup between the best basketball player on earth and the best coach in the game today.
(Via For The Win)
