Despite $16,000,000 Salary, Gregg Popovich Loses the ‘Highest Earning American Coach’ Crown to Two NFL Veterans

Gregg Popovich is among the greatest coaches in NBA history. Pop has spent almost three decades coaching the San Antonio Spurs. Under his tutelage, the David Robinson and Tim Duncan era blossomed, winning five NBA championships and turning San Antonio into a dynasty. However, this is not all, he also won Coach of the Year four times and is one of the 15 greatest coaches of all time an elusive list by the league.

Pop was inducted into the Naysmith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023 to top it all. Despite that, two NFL veteran coaches have snatched the top spot from the former Coach of the Year making him third on the list.

Gregg Popovich loses top spot to two NFL veteran coaches

Bill Belichick, the head coach of the NFL’s New England Patriots, and Popovich, the head coach of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, both in their 70s, boast a combined total of 11 championships. Recently, they both extended their coaching contracts, Pop making $16,000,000, and Belichick securing $25 Million, making them among the highest-paid coaching contracts in U.S. sports.

Sean Payton, returning to the sidelines with the Denver Broncos in 2023, signed a noteworthy five-year contract, ranking second in average annual value (AAV) at approximately $18 million per year. In contrast to the substantial increase in player contracts fueled by the growth in league-wide revenue, team owners have also profited from soaring franchise values. NFL franchise values average around $5.1 billion, while NBA valuations estimate an average of roughly $4 billion.

However, there are probably more wins to come for the Spurs as their rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama continues to impress the league. After their last game against the defending champs, the Denver Nuggets, even the Finals MVP Nikola Jokic was all praise for the 7’4 phenom.

Nikola Jokic Hails Victor Wembanyama

Nikola Jokic, renowned for his distinctive style of play, has showered Victor Wembanyama with admiration, deeming him a transformative force in the basketball realm. Wembanyama’s extraordinary talent highly impressed Jokic, who has revolutionized the center position with his exceptional passing and three-point shooting. The Nuggets’ star center expresses confidence in Wembanyama’s capacity to leave a substantial imprint on the game.

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Drawing parallels between his own game-altering approach and the promising skills of Wembanyama, Jokic perceives this as a symbolic passing of the torch. Acknowledging the immense potential embodied by players like Wembanyama, Jokic encourages fans and fellow players to relish watching him in action.

In this transfer of innovative legacy, the spotlight now converges on Wembanyama, poised to reshape the future landscape of the sport.

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