When Gregg Popovich trudged through the tunnel at the AT&T Center after being ejected Wednesday, the magnitude of the moment -- Becky Hammon replacing him to become the first woman to act as head coach in a regular-season NBA game -- didn't immediately set in.
"Not on the way to the locker room," Popovich told reporters on a video conference call before the San Antonio Spurs played the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. "I was otherwise engaged, emotionally."
While Popovich's rage subsided, recognition for Hammon's historic feat began to sweep across the country.