Comparing legendary head coaches is a recipe for hot and polarizing debates. Few conversations stir the pot like the Phil Jackson vs. Gregg Popovich tussle. The two coaching icons have defined excellence in their own way with championships and Hall of Fame legacies.
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However, their paths to greatness couldn’t be more different. Phil’s ‘Zen Master’ approach emphasized mental clarity while allowing superstars to thrive with freedom. Pop, on the other hand, built a dynasty rooted in discipline, system basketball, and team-first culture.
Very few players had the privilege of playing under both legends. Robert Horry is one of them. The seven-time NBA champion won three rings with the Lakers and two with the Spurs. This provides him a unique vantage point on the legacies of the two coaching giants.
Despite winning with both, he picked Jackson. “He would let you bend the rules. And as a player, you have to have the ability to bend the rules because everything ain’t gon’ be A, B, C, D,” Horry explained on In My Feelings With Big Wos.
Horry, however, quickly acknowledged that Popovich also adopted the same philosophy and let him bend the rules. “For a long time, Pop was not a guy who would allow you to bend the rules. I think due to me being there, some days he would just say, ‘just do the Robert Horry thing’,” he said.
Horry’s comments might raise eyebrows given Popovich’s reputation for bringing out the best in team dynamics.
But for Horry, who thrived in pressure moments, having a coach who leaned toward banking on his instincts rather than boxing him into structure may have made all the difference.
Going with his instincts is what made Horry impactful. After all, he had earned a reputation as one of the most bankable clutch role players in playoff history.
Horry recalled an instance during a 2003 Finals game against the Nets when he had a heated discussion with Phil over guarding Kenyon Martin. Horry’s logic was simple.
Since Martin was taking 30-odd shots in the game, even if he made 50% of them, the team would still win, as the remaining players on the opposition team weren’t getting enough opportunities. That clutch-game instinct paid off as the Lakers dominated the series to win it 4-0. And Jackson, unlike Popovich, was the kind of coach who would allow that.
Horry said Popovich controlled San Antonio on a tight leash
Pop’s military background made a massive contribution not only to his team’s success but also to shaping the Spurs organization. He has always been about discipline and integrity, and everything he has achieved is a product of that. Horry understood his true impact when he was in San Antonio from 2003 to 2008.
“He has so much control of that town, and the players were just very disciplined. We always think about culture in sports, you’ve got Pop military like David Robinson. Those were the two who really started the franchise. Then you’ve got Tim Duncan, who is a product of that environment,” he said on Games with Names.
Video games, cars, and poker were the only things that mattered outside of basketball for Pop. Being under his guidance, most of his players also ended up developing similar personalities.
