The San Antonio Spurs announced Friday that longtime head coach Gregg Popovich is stepping away from the bench and transitioning into a new role as the team’s President of Basketball Operations.
The move, which is effective immediately, marks the end of a legendary career with the Spurs that spanned nearly three decades.
Over his 29 seasons with the team, Popovich secured 1,422 regular-season victories — the most by any coach in NBA history.
He led the Spurs to five NBA championships and is widely credited with nurturing the careers of international stars like the Spurs’ “big three” — Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Popovich’s coaching style was said to reflect his military roots: disciplined, team-first and focused on long-term success.
In recent months, health concerns had cast uncertainty over Pop’s future on the sidelines.
In November, he suffered a mild stroke, leading to an extended leave of absence.
Assistant coach Mitch Johnson stepped in during Pop’s recovery, helping to guide new Spurs stars like Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, who was named the 2024-25 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year earlier this week.
Pop initially expressed optimism he would return after his diagnosis; however, in April, he experienced a second “medical episode,” which reportedly led to his decision to retire from coaching.
“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 Spurs Friday. “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.”
The Spurs announced Friday that Mitch Johnson will be the team’s new official head coach.
Pop’s basketball journey began long before his days with the Spurs. After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1970 where he played basketball, he served five years of active duty, including an overseas tour and intelligence work.
He remained connected to the game through the Armed Forces basketball team, eventually transitioning into coaching. Pop returned to the Academy as an assistant coach in 1973 for four years before going on to lead the Division III Pomona-Pitzer program for almost a decade.
A short sabbatical year under Larry Brown at Kansas in 1985-86 further connected him with key figures in the professional ranks.
In 1988, Brown brought Popovich onto the Spurs staff as an assistant coach and vice president of basketball operations.
Pop later spent two seasons with Don Nelson at Golden State before returning to San Antonio in 1994 as the team’s general manager. Just two years later, he made the bold move to fire then-head coach Bob Hill and name himself head coach — a decision that would change the course of NBA history.
From that point on, Popovich molded the Spurs into one of the league’s top franchises.
He is known for evolving with the game, adapting from the grind-it-out defensive style that was typical in the early 2000s to a fast-moving, pass-heavy offense by the time San Antonio won its fifth title in 2014 over the Miami Heat, who had beaten the Spurs in the Finals the year prior.
Pop became known not just for winning, but for fostering an environment built on respect, accountability and a genuine care for his players.
Outside of basketball, Popovich has been known for his intellect, dry wit, and fearlessness in speaking his mind — often keeping sports and news reporters on their toes. He has been a huge philanthropic supporter of nonprofits and advocacy groups in San Antonio and Texas, often secretly.
A frequent critic of President Donald Trump and Gov. Gregg Abbott, Popovich has used his platform to speak out on social justice, race and leadership. His candidness, both in press conferences and behind closed doors, has become a hallmark of his identity.
Popovich’s list of accolades doesn’t end with the NBA. In 2021, he coached the 2020 U.S. men’s basketball team to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, adding to an already decorated career.
He surpassed his mentor Don Nelson in 2022 to become the NBA’s all-time winningest coach.
“Coach Pop’s extraordinary impact on our family, San Antonio, the Spurs and the game of basketball is profound,” said Spurs managing partner Peter J. Holt in the Spurs’ statement. “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.”
Spurs fans took to social media on Friday to express their gratitude for the legendary coach’s tenure and to express their well wishes.
As Pop moves into the front office, he leaves behind a legacy that’s unlikely to be matched anytime soon — not just in wins and championships, but in the values he instilled and the standard he set.
Popovich was a legend not only for the NBA and Spurs basketball, but for humankind, said Leo Gomez, former vice president of public and government affairs for Spurs Sports and Entertainment.
Gomez told the San Antonio Report Friday that Popovich is a good man and extremely deserving of his retirement from coaching, although he said Pop will still be involved and “always has work to do.”
“Where do you even start? He was a man with his eyes on a North Star — everyone could see it, and it was that stubborn discipline that he knew would get us there,” Gomez said.
