Gregg Popovich on what makes players like LeBron James and Tim Duncan all-time greats: "Their basketball IQ allows them to adjust their game"
San Antonio Spurs president Gregg Popovich recently had a lot of praise to offer LeBron James and Tim Duncan. Speaking with NBA.com's Mark Medina, Popovich shared how both players evolved their games over the course of their careers.
Gregg Popovich is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball coaches of all-time. As the coach with the most wins in NBA history, Pop certainly makes a solid case for being considered the greatest.
Having spent his entire career as a head coach with the San Antonio Spurs, Popovich has had the opportunity to coach and play against some of the best to ever do so.
With this in mind, in a recent interview, the Spurs coach praised the two players for their ability to adapt to the game over the course of their careers. While speaking to Mark Medina, Gregg Popovich pointed this aspect out with specific reference to Tim Duncan and LeBron James. He said:
"They're both people who love to play. They love the game. But they also have high basketball IQ's. So, they know. A young player has to learn what their skills are and what his strengths are and his weaknesses. You work on your weaknesses. You mostly figure out your role. If you try to do too much of things you're not capable of doing, that's when you're in trouble."
"As these guys got older, they've understood there have been things they didn't do as much. Maybe they figured out that shooting this shot or not dunking as much or knowing when to relax a little bit to conserve, they're smart enough to know how to do that and not hurt their basketball team."
"That's the best way to put it. Their basketball IQ allows them to adjust their game as they do to get better."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on how Tim Duncan and LeBron James evolved their game throughout their careers. https://t.co/JGeZ93LJtJ
Since facing each other in several NBA Finals matchups, both James and Duncan have made several adjustments to adapt to the effects of time.
With Popovich facing off against James yet again this season, the Spurs coach can't help but take note of the manner in which the superstar has adjusted to his situation.
Read: Gregg Popovich certain Tim Duncan doesn't have interest in coaching: "He may never go to a game the rest of his life"
Tim Duncan and LeBron James made considerable adjustments to their games
Tim Duncan and LeBron James are both undoubtedly legends of the game of basketball. While Duncan is widely regarded as one of the best power forwards to ever play the game, James is viewed as one of the greatest as a whole.
Needless to say, both were superstars in their prime. While LeBron was the archetype of the dominant and athletic forward, Duncan was the antithetical prototype of the fundamental big man.
What was surprising, however, was the manner in which both adjusted to the changing times in the later stages of their careers. Duncan sacrificed his role to accommodate a budding superstar in Kawhi Leonard.
Meanwhile, LeBron simply adapted his playing style to reduce the wear-and-tear on his body. Needless to say, this went a long way as James remains a dominant force even in his 20th season.
Read: Tim Duncan: One of the most underappreciated legends in Basketball
Read: LeBron James ties Michael Jordan for ridiculous record with 46 pts against LA Clippers: All you need to know
LeBron James is on the brink of making history as he nears Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record. With only a few points left, James continues to display his longevity and talent.