HR1130 - Congratulating Gregg Popovich on his retirement as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.

      H.R. No. 1130       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Gregg Popovich retired as head coach of the   San Antonio Spurs on May 2, 2025, drawing to a close a legendary   career that transformed the sport of basketball; and          WHEREAS, The architect of a Spurs dynasty that brought five   NBA titles to the Alamo City, Coach Popovich is stepping down to   serve as the team's president of basketball operations; he ends his   hall of fame career as the all-time winningest coach in league   history with 1,422 victories; over the course of 29 seasons, he   collected three Coach of the Year awards and guided the team to six   NBA Finals and 22 consecutive playoff appearances; and          WHEREAS, Born in East Chicago, Indiana, Gregg Popovich   lettered in three sports at Merrillville High School and played   basketball at the U.S. Air Force Academy; he went on to serve five   years of active military duty, and during that time, he traveled   through Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union as a member of the Armed   Forces basketball team; he began his coaching career in 1973 as head   coach of the USAFA Prep School, and he later became an assistant on   the USAFA college team and head coach of the Pomona and Pitzer   Colleges combined men's basketball team; and          WHEREAS, In 1986, Coach Popovich became a volunteer assistant   at the University of Kansas under head coach Larry Brown; when   Mr. Brown took charge of the Spurs two years later, Mr. Popovich   arrived in San Antonio for his first NBA coaching job; he   subsequently served as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors   but returned to San Antonio in 1994 to become general manager and   vice president of basketball operations; early in the 1996-1997   season, with the Spurs struggling, he was named head coach,   beginning his legendary tenure at the helm of the team; and          WHEREAS, Coach Popovich proved himself a master of matching   San Antonio's playing style to the talents of his athletes, and the   defense-first, early championship teams led by the "Twin Towers" of   Tim Duncan and David Robinson gave way to the so-called "Beautiful   Game" Spurs of the mid-2010s that carved through the league with an   unselfish brand of basketball; in total, the Popovich-era Spurs   were crowned NBA champions in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014; the   franchise's accomplishments were unprecedented for a small-market   team, and the Spurs became the gold standard in professional sports   for their revered culture; beyond the titles, Coach Popovich helped   pioneer such innovations as providing players with rest periods to   prolong their careers and scouting international basketball   talent; in addition, he has mentored a long list of coaches and   front-office personnel who have found notable success in the sport;   and          WHEREAS, Early on, Coach Popovich was known for his gruffness   and no-nonsense approach, but as the years passed, he gained the   reputation as a players' coach who led with a wry sense of humor and   brutal honesty; he valued building deep connections with players   and staff, and the Spurs' team dinners, preferably with six people   to a table and plenty of wine, became the stuff of legend; his   effective leadership was also demonstrated on the Olympic stage in   2021, when he guided Team USA to the gold medal at the Summer Games   in Tokyo; and          WHEREAS, "Coach Pop" has become a fixture in the San Antonio   community who is beloved not only for his coaching expertise but for   his civic engagement; he has spoken about race and politics with a   candidness rarely found in sports, and he has been actively   involved with organizations such as Roy Maas Youth Alternatives,   the Boys and Girls Club, and the Miracle League of San Antonio;   moreover, the Spurs Youth Basketball League, a program he helped   create in 1991, was honored with a Daily Point of Light Award by   President George H. W. Bush; and          WHEREAS, One of the most successful basketball coaches in the   history of the game, Gregg Popovich has distinguished himself   through his unparalleled leadership and deep commitment to his   community and country, and he may indeed reflect with pride on his   extraordinary achievements as he concludes his coaching career;   now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby congratulate Gregg Popovich on his retirement as   head coach of the San Antonio Spurs and extend to him sincere best   wishes for the future; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for Coach Pop as an expression of high regard by the Texas   House of Representatives.     Martinez Fischer Gervin-Hawkins   Lujan Bernal   Lopez of Bexar Campos   Cortez Dorazio   Garcia of Bexar LaHood     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 1130 was adopted by the House on May   23, 2025, by a non-record vote.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House