Gregg Popovich Leaving NBA Coaching After 29 Years, Moves Upstairs as Spurs President

As Shams Charania reported on Friday morning, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is leaving the Spur bench and taking over as the team’s President. 

The move understandably comes after Popovich suffered a stroke early in the 2024-25 season. He had been the head coach of the Spurs since the 1996-97 season. Now 76, Popovich is the all-time NBA coaching wins leader at 1,422 and coached the Spurs to 22 winning seasons. 

Popovich coached the Spurs to five championships, in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014. He was the NBA’s Coach of the Year in 2003, 2012, and 2014. 

The 76-year-old’s coaching career began in 1973 as an assistant at Air Force, and in 1979 Popovich took over as head coach of Pomona-Pitzer, for whom he coached until 1986 and again in 1987-88, winning three Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships in 1980, 1981, and 1982. From 1986-87, he was an assistant coach at the University of Kansas. Four times, he coached the NBA All-Star Game, in 2005, 2011, 2013, and 2016. 

During his tenure, Popovich coached the Spurs to nineteen seasons of 50 or more wins, including six 60-win seasons. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023. 

Succeeding Popovich is Mitch Johnson, who took over for Popovich in November of 2024 as the interim head coach. The 38-year-old has been a Spurs’ assistant coach since 2019. 

Congratulations on an incredible coaching career, Gregg Popovich.

As Shams Charania reported on Friday morning, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is leaving the Spur bench and taking over as the team’s President. 

The move understandably comes after Popovich suffered a stroke early in the 2024-25 season. He had been the head coach of the Spurs since the 1996-97 season. Now 76, Popovich is the all-time NBA coaching wins leader at 1,422 and coached the Spurs to 22 winning seasons. 

Popovich coached the Spurs to five championships, in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014. He was the NBA’s Coach of the Year in 2003, 2012, and 2014. 

The 76-year-old’s coaching career began in 1973 as an assistant at Air Force, and in 1979 Popovich took over as head coach of Pomona-Pitzer, for whom he coached until 1986 and again in 1987-88, winning three Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships in 1980, 1981, and 1982. From 1986-87, he was an assistant coach at the University of Kansas. Four times, he coached the NBA All-Star Game, in 2005, 2011, 2013, and 2016. 

During his tenure, Popovich coached the Spurs to nineteen seasons of 50 or more wins, including six 60-win seasons. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023. 

Succeeding Popovich is Mitch Johnson, who took over for Popovich in November of 2024 as the interim head coach. The 38-year-old has been a Spurs’ assistant coach since 2019. 

Congratulations on an incredible coaching career, Gregg Popovich.