Gregg Popovich was the oldest head coach in the NBA at 76 years old. The living legend stepped away from the San Antonio Spurs after suffering a mild stroke on Nov. 2, and did not return to the bench this season. Popovich had another “medical incident” in April.
Popovich will no longer serve as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. Popovich will still serve as the Spurs’ team president.
Interim coach Mitch Johnson has been named Popovich’s successor as head coach, per Shams.
Popovich has been with the Spurs since 1994, and has been the franchise’s head coach since 1996. He led the Spurs to five NBA championships, and coached some of the games all-time greatest players like Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and Kawhi Leonard. Popovich had hoped to lead the Spurs’ new franchise star Victor Wembanyama back to the NBA promise land, but now he’ll have to try to do it from a front office role instead of the sidelines.
Johnson was named Spurs’ interim coach this past season as Popovich recovered from home. The Spurs were making a push for the NBA play-in tournament under Johnson until Wembanyama went out with a blood clot in his right shoulder after the All-Star Game.
Popovich has a case as the greatest head coach in NBA history alongside Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach. His 1,391 wins rank No. 1 all-time in the NBA. He won three NBA Coach of the Year awards. He as the longest tenured head coach in league history, with his 29 years smashing Jerry Sloan’s former record of 23 years with the Jazz. Erik Spoelstra has the active streak now with 17 years as head coach of the Miami Heat.
Popovich put out the following statement about his full-time transition into the front office:
Gregg Popovich statement pic.twitter.com/XwI3bq66TA
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) May 2, 2025
Popovich has reportedly been feeling well at home since suffering another health scare at a restaurant in April. He will remain a strong presence around the Spurs in helping the franchise take the next step around Wembanyama.
We’ll update this story as it develops.
