Basketball Corridor of Famer Gregg Popovich will now not coach the San Antonio Spurs and is transitioning to a full-time position because the crew’s president of basketball operations, the crew introduced Friday.
Mitch Johnson, who was named performing head coach after Popovich suffered a mild stroke in November, takes over head teaching duties completely.
Popovich has been concerned with the crew and current at San Antonio’s facility in current days, and can proceed to be a significant member of the franchise’s day-to-day operations, sources advised ESPN. As a lot as he wished to return to the sideline, he determined that he now not may transfer ahead with the taxing grind of being an NBA head coach. He has been making regular progress together with his well being in restoration from the November stroke, sources added.
“Whereas my love and keenness for the sport stay, I’ve determined it is time to step away as head coach,” Popovich stated in a press release. “I am endlessly grateful to the fantastic gamers, coaches, workers and followers who allowed me to serve them because the Spurs head coach and am excited for the chance to proceed to help the group, group and metropolis which can be so significant to me.”
Johnson, who led San Antonio to a 31-45 document in Popovich’s absence, spent the previous decade as an assistant with the Spurs group. After a standout collegiate profession at Stanford, he performed for the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s NBA G League affiliate and went on to play professionally for 3 years within the G League and overseas. He then joined the Spurs as an assistant coach for the crew’s Austin G League crew in 2016.
By selecting Johnson as the brand new coach, the Spurs keep the continuity and thru line laid out by Popovich and CEO RC Buford, in addition to common supervisor Brian Wright, who was employed in the identical 2016 offseason as Johnson. All alongside, the Spurs brass had evaluated Johnson, who gained super help from the franchise’s high officers and gamers.
“I’m actually grateful and honored to obtain this unbelievable alternative,” Johnson stated within the crew’s assertion. “I’m grateful for Coach Pop, RC, Brian and [managing partner Peter J. Holt] trusting me to hold on our tradition and I promise to present this duty all the things I’ve to make Spurs followers proud.”
Popovich, 76, started his Spurs profession as an assistant coach underneath Larry Brown in 1988, serving in that position for 4 seasons earlier than a short stint underneath Don Nelson with the Golden State Warriors. He joined San Antonio’s entrance workplace in 1994 and took over as head coach in December 1996, when, as common supervisor, he fired Bob Hill after a 3-15 begin and took over on the bench. After San Antonio missed the playoffs that season and landed the No. 1 decide, taking Tim Duncan, Popovich led the Spurs to 22 consecutive playoff seasons from 1998 to 2019, together with successful at the very least 50 video games in 18 straight campaigns.
The legendary coach is the NBA’s profession wins chief with 1,422 regular-season victories and guided the crew to 5 NBA championships. He’s additionally a three-time NBA Coach of the Yr winner, tied with Nelson and Pat Riley for probably the most in league historical past. Popovich ranks third in profession playoff wins and is considered one of 5 coaches to win at the very least 5 titles, together with Phil Jackson (11), Crimson Auerbach (9), John Kundla (5) and Riley (5).
Popovich is credited as a pillar of the Spurs, partnering with Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard throughout a dynasty period of championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.
Popovich appeared poised to once more have a famous person participant underneath his tutelage with the Spurs’ collection of Victor Wembanyama with the highest total decide within the 2023 draft. He took to social media to thank his coach.
29 years.
Coach, thanks on your knowledge, on your management, for the tradition you created…
However most significantly for being a terrific and galvanizing particular person.
It was an honor to be part of these 29 years🙏🏽 Wishing you the perfect in your new chapter.
🐐
— Wemby (@wemby) May 2, 2025
Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon spent seven seasons as an assistant underneath Popovich in San Antonio and praised him for the influence he had on her teaching profession.
“He is an enormous cause why I’ve this job,” Hammon stated Friday.
“There are totally different sorts of leaders, and I feel what was all the time so superb about Pop was simply how he led,” Hammon stated. “Individuals have totally different management types. However I assumed he all the time received absolutely the most out of his roster, no matter his roster seemed like.”
Popovich had an emotional meeting with Spurs players Feb. 27, and he issued a press release at the moment that he would not be returning this season however hoped to be again sooner or later. He was hospitalized April 15 after a medical incident at a San Antonio restaurant, however he returned dwelling inside days and reportedly has been feeling significantly better.
Popovich was the oldest coach in NBA historical past. He agreed to a five-year contract extension with the crew in 2023. He additionally served as the top coach of the USA males’s nationwide basketball crew for the 2019 FIBA World Championships and the Tokyo Olympics, the place the U.S. gained its fourth consecutive gold medal.
With Popovich stepping apart as coach, the title of longest-tenured lively NBA head coach falls to Erik Spoelstra, who has led the Miami Heat for the reason that 2008-09 season. Spoelstra and Popovich confronted off in back-to-back NBA Finals in 2013 and 2014, every successful as soon as. The subsequent-longest-tenured coach is Steve Kerr, who gained the final two of his 5 championships as a participant underneath Popovich earlier than embarking on a profitable teaching profession with the Warriors in 2014.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg contributed to this report.
