It’s the end of an era for the San Antonio Spurs, as Gregg Popovich is officially stepping down as the team’s head coach after 29 years. After spending many years on the sidelines, Popovich will take over as San Antonio’s president of basketball operations.
As expected, tributes poured in for Popovich, given what he’s done for the NBA. One of them came from league commissioner Adam Silver, who described Popovich as the “driving force” behind basketball’s growth.
“Gregg Popovich’s sustained success as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs is incomparable. In addition to his many accolades, including five NBA championships, the most wins in league history, and an Olympic gold medal, Coach Pop has developed generations of players and coaches and has been a driving force behind the growth of basketball,” Silver said about Popovich in his official statement.
“There are few people in the basketball community as beloved and revered as Coach Pop. We thank him for his extraordinary leadership and commitment to our sport and wish him well as he embarks on his new role with the Spurs organization,” he concluded.
San Antonio Spurs officially name Mitch Johnson as the team’s full-time head coach
Mitch Johnson was appointed San Antonio’s interim head coach when Gregg Popovich suffered a health scare last November. The San Antonio Spurs finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 34-48 record, with Johnson as the team’s acting coach for 77 games.
The San Antonio Spurs have always put a premium on continuity, so it didn’t come as a surprise when they promoted Johnson to take over for Popovich full-time.
“I am truly grateful and honored to receive this incredible opportunity,” Johnson said in a statement. “I am thankful for Coach Pop, RC, Brian and Peter trusting me to carry on our culture and I promise to give this responsibility everything I have to make Spurs fans proud.”
