LeBron James Says Gregg Popovich Is Greatest Coach in NBA History

The Cleveland Cavaliers host the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night, and LeBron James offered high praise for Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich ahead of the matchup.

"I think he's the greatest coach of all time," James said after the Cavs' 118-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, per ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst.

This is not a new sentiment from James, who made similar comments to USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt last summer about potentially playing under Popovich when he takes over as head coach of USA Basketball for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

"It would be pretty amazing to be able to actually play for the greatest NBA coach of all time," James told Zillgitt.

Popovich and James worked together on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team that won a bronze medal; Popovich served as an assistant on Larry Brown's staff.

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James noted how even though the game has changed in recent years, the Spurs continue to be one of the league's top teams every season.

"We went from a league where it was inside out, where every time you came down it was throw it to the big, and then it goes to every time down pick-and-roll, and then it goes to every time down shoot a three," he said. "Pop has been able to adjust every single time and still, for some odd reason, keep those guys under the radar. I don't understand it."

Even though James hasn't had the good fortune to play for Popovich as a head coach, the two are familiar with each other. They have met in the NBA Finals three different times, and Popovich won in 2007 and 2014.

Beyond those wins, Popovich's resume since taking over the Spurs in 1996-97 is incredible. His teams have won at least 50 games every season since 1999-2000, won five NBA titles in six appearances and reached the Western Conference Finals nine times.

There are certainly arguments to be made for coaches like Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach, among others, especially since their careers on the sideline are finished.

But Popovich is the most accomplished active head coach. He has an incredible resume that will put him on a Mount Rushmore of NBA coaches when he walks away from the game.