The winningest coach in NBA history, Gregg Popovich, retired in May. The San Antonio Spurs won a whopping 5 NBA championships under his leadership. He’s arguably got a lot to gloat about.

But there’s a story I read about in The Athletic that highlights something truly remarkable about Coach Pop (Popovich’s nickname).

According to Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, every time Coach Pop pours a drink for the people around his table, nobody is allowed to sip until he makes a toast. And the toast is the same every single time.

“Here’s to Tim Duncan.”

Now, if you don’t know, Tim Duncan is the basketball star who, under Coach Pop’s leadership, led the Spurs to all five of their championships.

The toast is a way of expressing gratitude and humility. Yes, Coach Pop may be able to say he’s got the most wins as a coach. But he never forgets to give gratitude to his star player.

Humility helps us to grow. It makes us more approachable. It makes us more, well…human.

But, we’ve all been on the opposite end of that story, too, haven’t we?

The one where someone else gets the credit. Where our name doesn’t make the toast, even though we helped build the table. Maybe it was at work, in a relationship, or even on a sports team – that moment when your effort made something possible, but your contribution quietly disappeared behind someone else’s headline.

It stings. Because we all want to feel seen for the part we play. But that’s also what makes Coach Pop’s ritual so powerful. He doesn’t just celebrate success, he shares it. And in a world obsessed with ownership, individuality, and visibility, humility can feel like a lost art. But the truth is, leadership without humility is just performance. The best leaders (the kind who build trust and loyalty that lasts decades) don’t need the spotlight to feel important.

They happily, willingly, unreservedly shine it on others.

And maybe that’s the real legacy worth toasting to.

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On Monday’s episode of the podcast, I spoke with the neuroscientist Emily McDonald, also known as Emonthebrain, for an in-depth conversation about the neuroscience behind being your truly best self. We talk about getting clear on goals, the benefits of self-talk, and how to actually rewire your brain to help you achieve success. If you feel stuck in your job, or in your relationship, or in your development as a person, you need to check this episode out to learn more about how your brain works.

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Reflect on your biggest accomplishments in school, life, and your career. For each moment, who’s your Tim Duncan? The person, or people, without whom you never could’ve achieved success?

When’s the last time you raised a glass to them?