The San Antonio Spurs have announced that they are naming interim head coach Mitch Johnson as their full-time replacement for Gregg Popovich. The news came after the team announced that Popovich would step down as head coach and transition into becoming the team president.
Popovich retires from coaching as the winningest coach in NBA history, accumulating 1,422 victories, as well as a five-time NBA champion and six-time NBA Finals finalist. Only two coaches, Phil Jackson and Pat Riley have more playoff wins than Popovich, and only Red Auerbach and Jackson have more titles.
Gregg Popovich steps down as Spurs coach, will remain with franchise as team president
Sam Quinn
Popovich stepping down ends an extensive era for Spurs basketball, one that spans five decades, going back to when he started as an assistant coach with the franchise in 1988. He was elevated to head coach in 1996 and proceeded to create one of the most well-respected cultures and franchises in the league. With Popovich stepping into a front office role, the question became who will be his successor? The Spurs could’ve conducted a wide-ranging search as this easily becomes the most attractive job on the market, but there won’t be a search after all with Johnson named the successor.
Johnson was named the interim in November 2024 when it was announced that Popovich suffered a stroke and would remain away from the team indefinitely. Under Johnson, the Spurs went 32-45. Johnson joined the Spurs as an assistant in 2019, he was promoted to a full-time assistant in 2020 after Hall of Famer and Spurs legend Tim Duncan stepped down from his role as an assistant coach. Before last season, Johnson had previously served as interim head coach for Popovich in 2021 and in 2023 when Popovich was dealing with an illness.
“We are thrilled for Mitch Johnson to be our next head coach,” Spurs managing partner Peter J. Holt said in a team statement. “Throughout his decade in the organization we have seen that Mitch has the right values, poise and potential to lead us into the future.”
Before joining the Spurs, Johnson was a G League assistant coach for the Austin Spurs, where he helped the team win a championship in 2018.
“I am truly grateful and honored to receive this incredible opportunity,” Johnson said. “I am thankful for Coach Pop, RC, Brian and Peter trusting me to carry on our culture and I promise to give this responsibility everything I have to make Spurs fans proud.”
At 38 years old, Johnson becomes the third youngest active coach in the league, behind Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla (36) and Will Handy (36) of the Jazz. He now has one of the most intriguing jobs in the league with Victor Wembanyama as the face of the franchise, and will now fully be at the helm as he tries to lead the Spurs back to the playoffs starting next season.
