Thunder news: Mark Daigneault’s emotional tribute to Gregg Popovich

As the NBA world reacts to San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich’s retirement, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault shares his view on the revered coach. He has plenty to say about Popovich’s influence on the association as Mark Daigneault and the Thunder prepare for round 2. Oklahoma City will find out which team will face them in the Western Conference semifinals in Game 7 between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers.

In the meantime, Daigneault reflected on Popovich’s profound influence on the NBA during his media availability, per Thunder Wire’s Clemente Almanza.

“I just think there are certain people at different points in time that change the game and change the league, and from a coaching standpoint, he’s certainly one of them,” Daigneault said. “Stylistically. The way that they embraced international basketball happened at a time when international influence on the NBA exploded. They were kind of at the forefront of that, and had success doing that.

“Then, just the humanity that he coached with, I think, was a real tone-setter, whereas coaching is seen as this you sleep in your office, you drink your coffee, you hold the players accountable, you do your job, he kind of transcends that with the types of relationships that he builds with the players,” Daigneault concluded.

He added how a young coach saw Popvich’s influence transcend the league and its head coaches.

“Looking around the league, almost every organization has a Spurs influence, no more than us,” Daigneault added. “But the way that that program and organization kind of spawned off into. They’ve literally changed the league. He’s changed the league.”