“He used to do a lot of things to put s—t in perspective” – DeMar DeRozan recalls how Gregg Popovich used shocking footage to teach life lessons originally appeared on Basketball Network.
In pro sports, greatness is often measured by wins and titles. That standard applies to players — and just as much to coaches. Legends like Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, and Steve Kerr earned their place in history by dominating from the bench.
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But Gregg Popovich built his legacy differently. His success wasn’t just about X’s and O’s — it was about shaping men, not just basketball teams.
Pop was an exceptional motivator and a true mentor both on and off the court. According to former Spurs wingman DeMar DeRozan, Popovich’s impact on his players went beyond the numbers they produced in games. In fact, he revealed that the legendary coach cared more about his players’ well-being than their performance on the hard court.
Pushed the players to have the right perspective
Popovich is one of the most decorated coaches in NBA history. He has five titles, three NBA Coach of the Year awards, and an Olympic gold medal. However, whenever his name is discussed by his former players or those who have been around him, his hoops acumen always comes second to the compassion and wisdom he imparted.
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Pop’s coaching style has always been centered around creating a strong team dynamic and fostering a healthy environment for his players. He understood that as crucial as getting wins in basketball was, winning in life and taking care of one’s well-being and family were just as important.
“That’s what it was. It used to be days we’ll come in there and we think we have practice,” Deebo said on the “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast. “And he’ll pull up some s—t going on in a third world country with 13-year-old kids being trained to be, you know, killers with AK-47s and all that.”
“And he’ll put it in perspective like, ‘Man, we get to come here, shoot a basketball, make a million dollars. Take care of your kids. Make sure… you know what I mean?” he continued. “And it put s—t in perspective. He used to do a lot of things to put s—t in perspective all the time — more than basketball.”
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While DeRozan is the consummate professional, there was no doubt he was disappointed when the Toronto Raptors, the team that drafted him in 2009, traded him for Kawhi Leonard in 2018. However, he soon realized he was right where he was supposed to be: in Pop’s stead.
While wins were hard to come by during his three-year stint with the Spurs, DeMar said he learned a lot, even though Pop’s teaching methods were unconventional at times. There was even a time when he made the team watch movies about penguins and a man who lived with a chicken.
On the surface, it looked silly, but in the end, DeRozan shared they got the message loud and clear.
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“Togetherness. You got to have it to survive,” he stated.
Basketball came last to Pop
Yes, Popovich has an astute basketball mind. However, it is his heart and the love that poured forth from it that people will always remember and cherish most.
“It was always basketball last — you as a man first, family, everything else before basketball,” Deebo noted. “That was the special thing about him.”
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Carmelo Anthony chimed in and said how authentic Popovich is. As gruff and tough as he seemed to the media, those who knew him best clearly saw a different side.
“He’ll tell you like, ‘Bruh, this basketball s—t ain’t nothing. F—k wins and losses. F—k championships,'” Melo conveyed. “He’ll tell you straight up: ‘How you doing? How your family? How your kids?’ Straight up. Pop was that, man.”
Popovich’s greatness was never just about basketball. It was about how he molded men. His ability to center everything around perspective, reminding his wards of their place in the world beyond the court, made him more than a coach.
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That’s why his legacy endures not just in rings and trophies, but in the hearts of the many players he helped guide through the league and life itself.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.