Longtime Spurs coach Gregg Popovich steps down; Mitch Johnson named successor

Gregg Popovich’s days as an NBA head coach appear to be over after 29 seasons, as the legendary coach is transitioning from being the San Antonio Spurs head coach to President of Basketball Operations, he and the team announced in separate statements on Friday.

“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said. “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.”

“Coach Pop’s extraordinary impact on our family, San Antonio, the Spurs and the game of basketball is profound,” Spurs Managing Partner Peter J. Holt said. “His accolades and awards don’t do justice to the impact he has had on so many people. He is truly one-of-one as a person, leader and coach. Our entire family, alongside fans from across the globe, are grateful for his remarkable 29-year run as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.”

The 76-year-old Popovich missed the majority of this season due to a stroke, with Mitch Johnson serving as the acting head coach.

Johnson will become San Antonio’s full-time head coach, the team announced Friday. He had been on Popovich’s coaching staff the past six seasons and was the franchise’s G League head coach for three seasons beforehand.

Popovich leaves his head-coaching post far and away first in Spurs history with 1,422 regular-season wins. As a whole, the Spurs were 1,422-869 in the regular season and 170-144 in the postseason under Popovich, counting this season. Furthermore, he’s first in NBA history among coaches in regular-season wins and third in postseason wins.

Popovich was an assistant coach for the Spurs and Golden State Warriors for a combined six seasons before becoming San Antonio’s head coach for the 1996-97 season. The Spurs went on to win five NBA championships with him as head coach (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014). He was a three-time NBA Coach of the Year.

This season, the Spurs went 34-48, good for the 13th seed in the Western Conference. They acquired point guard and 2022-23 All-Star De’Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings in February, pairing him with young superstar Victor Wembanyama. Granted, both players didn’t finish the season; Fox had a pinkie finger injury, and Wembanyama had a blood clot in his right shoulder.

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!