Gregg Popovich has helped build the Spurs into one of the most envied NBA franchises in recent memory because they win consistently and also do it the right way. In his 19 seasons with the team they have finished under .500 just once (his first season in 1996-97), and they have become the model of consistency that teams of all sports try to emulate.
A large part of that winning tradition is the people that Pop and the front office bring in to be a part of the organization, and the seasoned coach, who has been on the Spurs bench since 1996, explained that they look for five traits when bringing someone new on board.
- They have to have gotten over themselves
"We're looking for character, but what does that mean? We;re looking for people - and I've said it many times - who have gotten over themselves, and you can tell that pretty quickly. You can talk to somebody for four or five minutes, and you can tell if it's about them, or if they understand that they're just a piece of the puzzle."
- They have to have a sense of humor
"A sense of humor is a huge thing with us. you've got to be able to laugh. You've got to be able to take a dig, give a dig - that sort of thing."
- They don't try to have all the answers
"You have to feel comfortable enough in your own skin that you don't have all the answers."
- They have to be participatory
"We want people that are participatory. The guys in the film room can tell me what they think of how we played last night if they want to. Sean Marks would sit in our coaches meeting when we're arguing about how to play the pick and roll or who we're going to play who who we're going to sit."
- They have to be able to handle information without taking it personally
"We need people who can handle information and not take it personally because in most of these organizations, there is a big divide. All of a sudden, the wall goes up between management and coaching and everybody is ready to blame back and forth and that's the rule rather than the exception."
Baxter Holmes tweeted a transcript of Pop's entire response to the question, which can be seen below.