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Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
After 29 years of loyal service on the Spurs bench, and a final season that was difficult for his health, Gregg Popovich has decided to step down. Jacques Monclar took the opportunity to deliver an impassioned speech on the legendary coach.
Fans of the franchise had been preparing for this news for several years now. Some had even been waiting impatiently for it to come, and now it has. Gregg Popovich has decided to step down as head coach of the Spurs, a position he has held since 1996. This was a logical move for his players, including Victor Wembanyama, but not the only one.
Jacques Monclar pays tribute to Gregg Popovich
Beyond the earthquake caused by this announcement in San Antonio, the entire NBA world is trying to salute Popovich for his immense impact within the league. Nicolas Batum, for example, has not hesitated to do so in recent hours, as has Jacques Monclar. The former French coach spoke about his American counterpart on the set of NBA Extra, first with a notable reminder:
Jacques Monclar: 29 years in this job is a long time. So much so that you forget that he was once a player and almost took part in the 1972 Olympics. He was cut at the last minute.
Influenced by his past as a player, Coach Pop’ was also influenced by the education he received during his school career. A military curriculum which, according to Monclar, has been reflected in his team’s play:
Jacques Monclar: It’s funny, because I think the man followed a similar trajectory to the coach. He came out of a military school, West Point, and when he arrived, he was anything but a joker. He was very strict, his first basketball was a bit boring around (Tim) Duncan and (David) Robinson. It won, of course, but we weren’t enjoying ourselves.
Tony Parker would nevertheless have helped to make his philosophy of play more attractive, just as he contributed to the rise of basketball in France:
Jacques Monclar: When Tony and Manu Ginobili came along, basketball evolved and so did he. He’s the one who opened up the United States to the world! He’s the one who brought the internationalization of NBA basketball. He also showed that a coach can be flexible. He made Spurs basketball extraordinary. (…) Tony had a lot to do with the development of basketball and the NBA in France, but so did Gregg Popovich!
The story between Popovich and French basketball didn’t end there, either, as Monclar also praised his approach to Victor Wembanyama:
Jacques Monclar: I’d say his last great perf was not to take Victor and format him, but to leave him free and see what he could give him. I found this approach remarkable.
