5 things to know about Indiana native and Hall of Fame basketball coach Gregg Popovich

Gregg Popovich, the longtime NBA coach, has been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Popovich, 74, has been the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs since 1996 and is a five-time NBA champion. But before all that, Popovich's basketball career began in Indiana.

The hall of fame announced the 12 inductees in the Class of 2023 to be celebrated during the enshrinement festivities on August 11-12, according to a release. The announcement was made in Houston, the site of the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four, and was televised on ESPN.

Here are five things to know about the new hall of famer:

Gregg Popovich was born in East Chicago, Indiana

Popovich grew up in the East Chicago neighborhood of Sunnyside. According to a 2013 IndyStar story, he once described the area to Sports Illustrated as a blue-collar, mixed-race neighborhood with "a white family here, a Puerto Rican family there, a Polish or Czech family over there." His heroes growing up were the East Chicago Washington players and coach John Baratto.

One of his greatest thrills as a child was listening on the radio in 1960 as East Chicago Washington defeated Muncie Central to win the state championship.

Gregg Popovich graduated from Merrillville High School in Indiana and had an interesting nickname

Popovich, a 1966 Merrillville graduate, had the nickname "C.C." in high school. According to friends, Bill Metcalf, the Merrillville basketball and baseball coach at the time, repeatedly called Popovich "Craig." Gregg Charles Popovich then became known to his friends as "C.C."

From the archives:Gregg Popovich got his start in northwest Indiana

Gregg Popovich was cut from his high school basketball team

When Popovich was a sophomore, Metcalf cut him from the basketball team. During this time, Popovich was involved in student council, speech club and the baseball team.

But being cut only fueled Popovich. He spent his summer nights at Glen Park on 39th and Broadway in south Gary, going against the top players in the area. He came back as a junior and a better player, starting on the varsity team.

The 6-3 Popovich was known as a good, but not great player.

"He was a good rebounder, but that was mostly tenacity on his part," Wayne Svetanoff, a Merrillville teammate, said. "He understood technique to be in the right position. He didn't have the hops of some kids, but he was willing to work and be active. He also shot the ball pretty well and could handle it."

Gregg Popovich considered working for the CIA before coaching in college

Popovich left Indiana after high school to attend the United States Air Force Academy. He played on the basketball team and was the team's captain and leading scorer during his senior year.

After college, he briefly considered a career with the Central Intelligence Agency. Popovich became an assistant coach for Air Force in the 1970s before being named the head coach at Pomona-Pitzer, the joint men's basketball team of Pomona College and Pitzer College in Claremont, California.

Gregg Popovich's coaching history

1973-1979: Air Force assistant

1979-1986: Pomona-Pitzer head coach

1986-1987: Kansas assistant

1987-1988: Pomona-Pitzer head coach

1988-1992: San Antonio Spurs assistant

1992-1994: Golden State Warriors assistant

1996-present: San Antonio Spurs head coach