Gregg Popovich Jokes When Talking About Thunder's Sam Presti

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich joked when talking about Thunder general manager Sam Presti.

Oct 15, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich watches from the sideline against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder is set to play the San Antonio Spurs in their fourth game of the season -- and their second home contest since the arrival of the new league year. The storyline surrounding the contest is Chet Holmgren taking on Victor Wembanyama -- two "unicorn" seven-footers who played their rookie seasons out simultaneously.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti began his career with the Spurs, however, which is an incredibly underrated aspect of the matchup when these two teams square off. Before the game, Popovich was asked about how to identify a good head coach when in the rebuilding stages, and the legendary head coach joked about Presti.

“(Sam Presti) made a great choice, like in many instances. That’s why I hate him," Popovich stated.

Historically, Presti has been very sharp, and he didn't let wins or losses define Mark Daigneault's stay as the club's head coach. The culture the head coach established was more important than early wins, especially as Daigneault and Presti were both committed to playing the long game.

The hiring has since paid off, as Daigneault is fresh off of a Coach of the Year victory and led the squad to 57 wins just last season. Now, he's got a distinct culture established in Oklahoma City.

For Popovich, his track record is among the best of all coaches in the history of the sport. He's won five NBA Championships and had one of the most consistent runs, spanning a two-decade-long run having a winning record.

The Thunder and Spurs -- given their close proximity and budding rivalry between Holmgren and Wembanyama -- will consistently be intertwined in conversations. However, the two aren't all that close as a franchise right now, with the Thunder being contenders and Spurs in a rebuilding stage.

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