Spurs coach Gregg Popovich over the years

San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan holds his children Draven (left) and Sydney as head coach Gregg Popovich wipes away tears after Game 5 of the 2014 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat Sunday June 15, 2014 at the AT&T Center. The Spurs won 104-87. less San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan holds his children Draven (left) and Sydney as head coach Gregg Popovich wipes away tears after Game 5 of the 2014 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat Sunday June 15, 2014 at the ... more Photo: San Antonio Express-News Photo: San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 138 Caption Close Spurs coach Gregg Popovich over the years 1 / 138 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO - Gregg Popovich's career with the Spurs did not go as smoothly as this year's championship run. His first run with the Spurs began not as a head coach, but as a Spurs assistant under current SMU basketball coach Larry Brown. Popovich spent four years as Brown's lead assistant until he was fired in 1992 by then-owner Red McCombs

Popovich then served as an assistant for Golden State for the rest of 1992, before leaving that job at the end of the year. For two years, Popovich was out of the NBA circle, until he returned to San Antonio to serve as the team's general manager and vice president of basketball operations.

It would only take two years for Popovich to return to the bench, as he named himself head coach in the middle of the 1996 season. This season would be the only year that the Spurs would miss the playoffs with Popovich as head coach, which turned out to be a major blessing in disguise for the team. The Spurs would win the NBA draft lottery, allowing them to pick a 6'11" power forward out of Wake Forest, Tim Duncan.

It would take two more years for the Spurs to reach the NBA Finals with the team they had assembled, and they beat the Jeff Van Gundy coached Knicks four games to one to win the franchise's first NBA title.

Popovich would continue to coach, but would let R.C. Buford take over the position of general manager in 2002. This allowed Popovich to focus his efforts on coaching the team, and coaching legendary center David Robinson in his final year in the league. Robinson would go out on top with Popovich, as the Spurs took down the New Jersey Nets to win title number two. Popovich also won his first NBA Coach of the Year, an award he would win in 2012 and again in 2014.

The wait for title three would only be one season, as he took the Spurs back in 2005 to defeat his former boss, Larry Brown. The Spurs defeated the Pistons, the previous year's champions, in a thrilling seven game series.

If the team was not considered a dynasty by the end of 2005, any doubt was removed in 2007. The Spurs met the Cleveland Cavaliers, and their star forward, LeBron James in the Finals. This was James' first NBA Finals appearance, and all eyes were on him to see if he could lead his hometown team to its first NBA Championship. Popovich and the Spurs were too much for the Cavs, as the Spurs brought home their third title in five years in a sweep.

Popovich would not bring the team back to the NBA Finals until 2013, where he would face off against James again, this time with the Miami Heat. The Heat and their big three of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, were seeking their first title as a group. The Spurs seemed to have the series won in game six, before Ray Allen nailed a game-tying three, sending it into overtime. The Spurs would lose the game and the series, the first time Popovich had ever lost an NBA Finals.

Questions rose as to whether the Spurs were too old to make it back to the Finals. Upstart teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, the Houston Rockets, and the Portland Trail Blazers threatened the Spurs quest for their fifth title. The Spurs responded by coming out and dominating the regular season, with the best record in the NBA. They reached the Finals for the second year in a row, defeating the Dallas Mavericks, Portland and the Oklahoma City Thunder to face off against the Heat again.

This time, the Spurs would control the series, and Popovich would earn his fifth title. On the outside of the stern, blank-faced man who is short with the press is a coach who cares truly about his players, and winning the right way. Popovich was again rewarded with the Coach of the Year.

Popovich has said he would like to continue to coach. If he does come back in search for his sixth title, the city will welcome him back with open arms.