On Sunday, the Spurs finally played their first home game of the 2025-26 NBA season after a few away games to kick off the year. It marked a milestone home opener for San Antonio, and the franchise made sure to mark the occasion accordingly.

When the team's game against the Nets tipped off on Sunday, it marked the first home opener without Gregg Popovich on the sideline in 29 years. Popovich stepped down from the head coaching position he held for 29 years in San Antonio this offseason due to health issues. He remains the president of basketball operations for the franchise and missed most of last year but Sunday really marked the dawn of a new era with no Popovich on the bench.

It was expected the Spurs would find a way to honor their longtime coach after he led the organization to sustained success for nearly three decades. But Coach Pop was never one for theatrics. So it should come as no surprise that San Antonio kept the fanfare to a minimum while still finding the perfect way to pay homage to the most important figure in the history of the franchise.

The Spurs hung a banner with Popovich's name on it and the number of wins he recorded on the sideline in San Antonio—1,390.

A fitting honor for the coach. Even more so given his banner is hanging alongside Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker's jerseys too. Those four individuals were largely responsible for the long-lasting dynasty in San Antonio that resulted in multiple Spurs championships and a run of extended success rarely seen in the history of the NBA. They'll forever be linked together and will continue to do so in the rafters of Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

Popovich's name goes to the rafters with a 1,390-824 rercord in 2,214 games played. He won four NBA titles and qualified for the playoffs for 22 consecutive seasons. Popovich was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

Now his name will hang in sight of Spurs fans forever. A fitting homage for the longtime coach.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Spurs Pay Homage to Gregg Popovich With Special Banner for Milestone Home Opener.