Gregg Popovich became the all-time winningest head coach in the NBA with 1,336 victories.
Popovich surpassed Don Nelson, who previously held the record for most wins in NBA history, with the San Antonio Spurs‘ 104-102 win over the Utah Jazz on Friday night.
“Very happy for Pop,” longtime Spurs point guard Tony Parker told ESPN. “Very happy. That is a helluva achievement. Well-deserved. That shows his hard work ethic and longevity.”
Popovich, 73, is in his 26th season with the Spurs, the longest tenure of any head coach in all four of the U.S. major sports leagues.
All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray said the Spurs did not discuss Popovich closing in on the record but that the players were ready to celebrate the feat.
“Pop doesn’t like praise,” Murray said. “He doesn’t like any of that. It’s kind of a good thing. But you also want to remind him of his success because it’s rare….
