Back in June, the Detroit Pistons made Monty Williams the NBA’s highest-paid coach until now. Hours after Victor Wembanyama made his Vegas Summer League debut, Gregg Popovich has inked a record-breaking extension with the San Antonio Spurs.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Popovich has agreed to a five-year, $80 million extension to stay in the Lone Star State for the foreseeable future. Coach Pop’s extension at an average annual salary of $16 million easily bests the six-year, $78.5 million contract Williams signed with the Pistons a month ago.
At 74 years old, Popovich is the NBA’s eldest coach, but based on his latest extension, it’s clear he doesn’t plan on retiring any time soon. Having been a part of five NBA championships, and winning three Coach of the Year awards, Popovich is already considered one of the greatest coaches in basketball history.
Popovich, now armed with Wembanyama, a generational prospect many projected to go No. 1 overall for more than a year, will have a heavy hand in the talented Frenchman’s development early on.
Having worked with David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and other legendary Spurs, it’s obvious Pop wanted a chance to add Wembanyama to that historic list too.