Hubbard: As Popovich nears 900 victories, a look at the early days

No more than 10 minutes later, Popovich’s phone rang and it was Rick Pitino, then coach of the Boston Celtics. Pitino offered most of the Celtics roster for Duncan, but Popovich told him, “Thanks Rick. But I think we’ll take Tim. If I change my mind, you’re my first call.”

The Spurs had only the fifth most number of chances to win the lottery. Peter Holt, who was part of group that purchased the Spurs in 1993 and later bought controlling interest, was on the stage at the lottery and he had a simple good lucky charm – a lucky Spurs tie.

If the Spurs had been cursed by losing Robinson for 76 games the previous season, they were blessed when their lottery numbers came up not once, but twice. Only the first one counted, but it showed how lucky the Spurs were.

The difference between the first pick and all others in the 1997 draft was profound. After Duncan, the next four players drafted were Keith Van Horn, Chauncey Billups, Antonio Daniels and Tony Battie. Those four played for a total of 25 teams in their careers. Only Billups was an above average player, but he struggled his first five years in the league when he played for five teams. He would not have made a significant difference for the Spurs in 1997-98.

Duncan would and Popovich was ecstatic about the possibilities. But he did not allow himself to dream of immediate or distant glories. He did not fantasize about Duncan anchoring the team for 15 seasons. He knew that Duncan and a healthy Robinson would give the Spurs a dynamic duo as superlative as Lennon & McCartney, but he did not imagine four championships. He did not foresee that Duncan would become arguably the greatest power forward in NBA history. He had no way of knowing that a combination of brilliance and luck would result in a steady stream of role players who not only complemented Duncan and Robinson perfectly, but would also keep the Spurs at an elite level when Robinson retired after the 2002-03 season.

He didn’t see the future because the present was too important. But he’d had experience in bonding with a franchise player and he thought that would help. When Brown hired Popovich in 1988, one of the duties Popovich had was to scout Robinson during military games.

“I traveled to watch David play wherever the Armed Forces team was playing, whether it was an Army base, a Navy base of Air Force base,” Popovich said. “We were just trying to get ready for him, see how good he was and plan on what we were going to do with him.”

Popovich would always have lunch or dinner with Robinson and no doubt regale the young naval officer with tales of Popovich’s days in the Air Force. When you have the ability to casually say things like, “I was stationed in the Kurdish area in Eastern Turkey right near the border of Syria and Iran,” it sounds pretty impressive.

But today when Popovich talks about those days and the mystery surrounding his background, he laughs about it and, as he is wont to do, makes fun of himself.

“People had me carrying guns like I was some kind of spy,” Popovich said. “The more I would deny it, the more they’d roll their eyes and say, ‘yeah, sure. Come on. Tell us.’ I was stationed on the border, but it wasn’t like I was James Bond.”

Popovich and Robinson had that academy bond, however – military men who chose a career of basketball. When Popovich took over as head coach of the Spurs, he knew Robinson would carry out orders faithfully.

“There’s no doubt about it,” Popovich said. “Getting David Robinson made us feel like we had died and gone to heaven.”

With Duncan, the Spurs ascended into basketball paradise a second time, but Popovich took nothing for granted. Bonding with Duncan was more important and more challenging that it had been with Robinson because Popovich was now in charge and had to sell Duncan on his system.

Soon after the Spurs made it official and drafted Duncan, Popovich flew to Duncan’s home of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands and they spent several days swimming, eating and talking – but more about life than basketball.