"He impacted more people in our game than anybody," Mike Krzyzewski, the former Duke and Team USA coach, told ESPN. Buford, future Hall of Fame coach Bill Self, and future NBA coach Alvin Gentry. "Obviously, this is a quantum leap from the NCAA Division III to the pros," Popovich told the L.A. Times in 1988. "He wasn't 'Pop' yet," Kerr told ESPN. Gregg Popovich steps down Gregg Popovich has stepped down as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.