Photo: Golden State Warriors/Twitter

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr got insightful words regarding his final encounter with Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs this season.

Before their 130-115 Friday rout of the Spurs, Kerr revealed that he has been cherishing every single match-up with Popovich given the uncertainty of the future that swirls around the legendary mentor.

“I mean the last couple of years, I’ve wondered. I think we faced the Spurs in San Antonio last year when it was their last home game and I thought that might have been it and I think it’s just going to be strange whenever he does decide to hang it up,” Kerr said, via apnews.com. “It’ll be strange not seeing him on the sidelines. 

“We’ve all sort of taken it for granted for a long time now but what he’s meant to the league and to so many of us, it will definitely be a sad day when he retires.”

Popovich, 74, is the current longest-tenured coach in the league. 

For 27 seasons, he has been the definition and the never-ending mastermind of San Antonio basketball. Popovich knitted the Spurs’ history in the modern era from the initial struggle in 1996-97, sustained dominance in the NBA with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker at his side for over 20 years, and up until this 2022-23 – which serves as their first, official rebuilding year following their glorious days.

His brilliance, charisma, and longevity captured five NBA titles and allowed him to ascend atop the pantheon of the league’s greatest coaches – having the winningest record of 1,363 head coaching victories and counting.

If indeed this year would be the last dance for Popovich, he will surely leave the scene as arguably the greatest coach in basketball, and his legacy will forever be etched in the sports’ record books.