The France legend has expressed profound respect for the San Antonio Spurs head coach, highlighting his impact across sports
Henry praises Popovich's leadership philosophyAcknowledges influence of Popovich's ideals on his coaching styleExpresses appreciation for the way the Spurs welcomed himGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED
Ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League semifinal clash against Inter Milan, Thierry Henry took time to acknowledge Gregg Popovich's retirement announcement. The former San Antonio Spurs head coach stepped down as a head coach after 29 years in charge in the NBA and is set to take up a presidential role for the organization. The Arsenal legend spoke about Popovich's influence on his own coaching philosophy and management style.
“Gregg Popovich stopped 29 years as the coach of the Spurs. You know I got the chance to meet him with Tony Parker when I was going there, and I was always well received," Henry said. "You know we’ve all said before that Coach Pop would stay, but 29 years, I mean he’s a bit like Sir Alex in our game and now he’s going to up to be the president of operations.
He added, “I never had the time to thank him because of the discussions I had with him, he gave me a lot of advice to know what it is to be a leader and be the key of the team. Because I used to have discussions with him about how he did it when Tim Duncan was the man and then suddenly Tony went to a certain level, and I was like how’d you deal with Toni, Manu Ginóbili, and Duncan, and we were talking about that and he was always available to speak.
“He's just a great guy and like he had a shirt the other day so I will say ‘All the very best .’”
AdvertisementWHAT THIERRY HENRY SAIDTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Gregg Popovich's retirement marks the end of an unprecedented era in professional basketball that saw him guide the Spurs to five NBA championships while developing international talents like Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and more recently, Victor Wembanyama. Not only that, Henry's tribute highlights the cross-sport impact Popovich has had on coaches and athletes worldwide.
Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?
As Popovich steps away from coaching, his influence will continue through the numerous coaches and players he's mentored throughout his career.