By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
A lot of NBA greats said goodbye to Jerry Sloan and Gregg Popovich was not an exception. The written statement of the San Antonio Spurs coach was genuine and moving.
“It’s a sad day for all of us who knew Jerry Sloan. Not only on the basketball court but, more importantly, as a human being. He was genuine and true. And that is rare. He was a mentor for me from afar until I got to know him. A man who suffered no fools, he possessed a humor, often disguised, and had a heart as big as the prairie.”
Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan passed away on Friday (22/5) due to complications from Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
Last year, the longtime Spurs coach passed Sloan for the sole possession of third place all-time on the NBA career wins list for the regular season. Sloan had the fourth-most wins (1221) in NBA history, going back to his short stint with the Bulls and his incredible 22-1/2-year run in Utah.
Popovich has now 1272 wins, while Don Nelson (1335) and Lenny Wilkens (1332) are in front of him in the all-time list.
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