Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich joked when talking about Thunder general manager Sam Presti.
The Oklahoma City Thunder is set to play the San Antonio Spurs in their fourth game of the season -- and their second home contest since the arrival of the new league year. The storyline surrounding the contest is Chet Holmgren taking on Victor Wembanyama -- two "unicorn" seven-footers who played their rookie seasons out simultaneously.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti began his career with the Spurs, however, which is an incredibly underrated aspect of the matchup when these two teams square off. Before the game, Popovich was asked about how to identify a good head coach when in the rebuilding stages, and the legendary head coach joked about Presti.Historically, Presti has been very sharp, and he didn't let wins or losses define Mark Daigneault's stay as the club's head coach.
The hiring has since paid off, as Daigneault is fresh off of a Coach of the Year victory and led the squad to 57 wins just last season. Now, he's got a distinct culture established in Oklahoma City. For Popovich, his track record is among the best of all coaches in the history of the sport. He's won five NBA Championships and had one of the most consistent runs, spanning a two-decade-long run having a winning record.
The Thunder and Spurs -- given their close proximity and budding rivalry between Holmgren and Wembanyama -- will consistently be intertwined in conversations. However, the two aren't all that close as a franchise right now, with the Thunder being contenders and Spurs in a rebuilding stage.Kade has been covering a wide variety of teams ranging from the NFL to the NBA and college athletics since joining Sports Illustrated's On SI in 2022.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich Optimistic, Despite Opening Night LossGregg Popovich spoke after his team's opening night loss about what made him happy about his team, and two players who showed exceptional effort.
Read more »
Spurs HC Gregg Popovich Slams Donald Trump During PresserSpurs head coach Gregg Popovich slammed former President Donald Trump during a press conference.
Read more »
All 8 Versions Of Sam Winchester In Supernatural ExplainedSam Winchester with demon eyes next to Sam Wesson next to Sam from Supernatural season 15.
Read more »
Spurs' Gregg Popovich rails against Trump in lengthy rant: 'Danger follows the delusion'San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich went on a wild anti-Donald Trump rant before the team's game on Saturday night vs. the Houston Rockets.
Read more »
Opinion: Gregg Popovich should focus on game, not politicsReaders sound off on Spurs coach Gregg Popovich taking a stand against Trump during a press conference.
Read more »
Gregg Popovich applauds court decision to pause state executionSpurs coach Gregg Popovich is a longtime supporter of the Innocence Project, which is working to get Robert Roberson off of death row.
Read more »