Popovich named to pro basketball hall of fame

Former Pomona-Pitzer men’s basketball head coach Gregg Popovich, center, during a team huddle. Popovich, the winningest coach in NBA history, was recently elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Photo/courtesy of Pomona College

Former Pomona-Pitzer head coach Gregg Popovich, already the winningest coach in NBA history, a winner of five NBA championships and an Olympic Gold Medal, added another accolade: hall of famer.

On Saturday, August 12, the San Antonio Spurs’ head coach and president joined 12 inductees to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Massachusetts.

“This is unimaginable,” Popovich said during his induction speech. “I’m a division three guy, you know,” referencing his start as a head coach with Pomona-Pitzer’s men’s basketball program. The speech is viewable at YouTube.com.

Popovich began at Pomona-Pitzer in 1979, finishing 2-22. One of those losses, to Caltech, snapped a 99-game losing streak for the Beavers. Within his eight seasons, Popovich won the Southern California Interscholastic Athletic Conference championship title and reached the NCAA Division-III tournament.

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