Legendary San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich won’t return to the team’s bench. Popovich will continue serving as the franchise’s president of basketball operations while interim head coach Mitch Johnson will get the job on a permanent basis.
Popovich suffered a mild stroke in November and stepped down from coaching as he focused on recovering. He initially intended to return for 2025-26 but later decided to prioritize his health instead of committing to the grueling task of coaching in the NBA.
“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said in a statement released by the team. “I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff, and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach, and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me.”
Gregg Popovich initially joined the Spurs in 1988 as an assistant and served in the role until 1992. He returned to the franchise as a general manager in 1994 and named himself as the Spurs’ head coach in 1996 after he fired Bob Hill.
Since taking over as Spurs head coach, Popovich became the winningest coach in NBA history with 1,422 career wins. He led San Antonio to five NBA titles and was named NBA’s Coach of the Year three times. Popovich also won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the head coach of Team USA.
Mitch Johnson joined the Spurs’ organization in 2016 as an assistant with G League affiliate Austin Spurs. He quickly rose through the ranks and became one of Popovich’s most trusted assistants. Johnson led the Spurs to a 31-45 record during his interim stint.
