The San Antonio Spurs recently announced a significant change in leadership: Gregg Popovich is stepping down as head coach to fully dedicate himself to his role as president of basketball operations.
Popovich, now 76, concludes his remarkable coaching career holding the NBA record for regular-season victories with 1,422. His tenure included five championships and an NBA record-tying three Coach of the Year awards. Mitch Johnson, who served as acting head coach after Popovich suffered a mild stroke in November, will now take over as the permanent head coach.
This transition prompts key questions about the Spurs franchise`s future, especially as San Antonio looks to build a competitive team around their emerging superstar Victor Wembanyama, guard De`Aaron Fox, and the newly named Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle. Experts share their insights on the reasons behind this decision, the league`s perspective, Mitch Johnson`s qualifications, the team`s offseason priorities, and expectations for the upcoming season.
How did the Spurs and Pop come to this decision?
The Spurs organization was committed to respecting Popovich`s wishes regarding the timing of his departure. Popovich himself had stated that his return to coaching depended on feeling physically capable of performing the job. He had expressed renewed energy in coaching younger players in recent years.
Ultimately, Popovich decided that transitioning to a supportive role was the right move, particularly to facilitate the leadership of Johnson, whom he held in high regard as his potential successor.
What are people around the league saying about Pop`s move?
The news brings a sense of clarity and relief throughout the league. While Popovich had considered coaching in recent months, creating some uncertainty, there was underlying concern for the legendary coach`s health. A recent incident requiring hospitalization further highlighted these worries.
Popovich leaves the Spurs organization in an excellent position. Beyond his five coaching titles, successfully executing a clean succession plan stands as one of his major accomplishments.
He took a lot of losses over the last few years that he didn`t have to take; it was a very unselfish act. The team is set up for success. Unfortunately for him, he won`t be on the sidelines for it, but the next generation of the team has his fingerprints on it.
In addition to navigating the challenging rebuilding phase in his final years, Popovich was crucial in establishing and maintaining the Spurs` renowned culture. Many organizations have attempted to replicate this by hiring away personnel from his staff and front office. This established culture is expected to persist long after his move from the coaching role.
Furthermore, he actively prepared his successor, gradually increasing Johnson`s responsibilities on the bench. Even before Johnson became acting head coach, Popovich would frequently have him design late-game plays during huddles. Over the years, many assistants were seen as potential head coaches in San Antonio. This stemmed from Popovich`s belief in developing assistants with high potential, similar to how he nurtured young players.
If this coaching position had been genuinely available to the market (which it wasn`t, as the Spurs managed the transition internally and quietly), it would have been considered one of the league`s most attractive jobs. As soon as Popovich`s transition to president was announced, it was widely anticipated that Johnson would be the chosen successor. The Spurs` tradition of keeping things within the organization is often viewed as a key to their unique success. Popovich consistently valued and protected this approach, ensuring its continuation.
Who is Mitch Johnson, and why did the Spurs give him the long-term job?
Mitch Johnson initially caught the Spurs organization`s eye during their evaluation of New Orleans Pelicans point guard Dejounte Murray before the 2016 draft. Murray has credited Johnson with profoundly impacting his life as a teenager, helping him overcome challenges and focus on academics and basketball, which paved his path to college and the NBA. This led the Spurs to hire Johnson as an assistant coach for their G League team.
Murray reflected on their connection, stating,
One thing we said when he came and got me out of juvenile when I was 15 was, `We are in this together.` It was like, we`re going to put in all this damned work and we`re going to see where the work takes us. So, even when we got into the league, we never knew all these things were going to happen or how things would happen. But it was like, we both put the work in. The rest is going to be history.
Johnson quickly advanced within the franchise, spending the last six seasons as an assistant under Popovich, including five years in a prominent position on the front bench after being promoted in 2020.
He is the son of former NBA player and champion John “J.J.” Johnson. Mitch was also an accomplished player, winning high school state championships and starting for four years at Stanford, where he played alongside future NBA players like Brook and Robin Lopez. Brook Lopez nicknamed Johnson “Maestro” in college due to his ability to lead and manage the team, describing him as an incredibly intelligent player with the highest basketball IQ he`d encountered.
Within the Spurs organization, Johnson impressed key figures like Popovich, CEO RC Buford, and GM Brian Wright with his leadership during a challenging season marked by Popovich`s health absence and Victor Wembanyama being sidelined briefly due to a blood clot issue. Johnson`s composed leadership persisted through difficult situations, and he effectively held players accountable. His communication resonated strongly in the locker room, and the team`s consistent competitive effort under his guidance did not go unnoticed by the franchise`s decision-makers.
Victor Wembanyama expressed confidence in the transition, stating,
I trust the organization. I also trust Mitch to grow into that role. I think we are in good hands supporting each other throughout the organization.
What will the offseason look like in San Antonio?
Clarifying the head coaching position was the top priority for the Spurs entering the offseason. The focus now shifts to the draft lottery. San Antonio holds its own first-round pick along with one from Atlanta, providing opportunities to improve their draft position.
Regarding the current roster, ten players are under contract, anchored by back-to-back Rookies of the Year, Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. The acquisition of De`Aaron Fox positions San Antonio to potentially pursue another major player if a star becomes available this summer.
The Spurs possess significant future assets, including the right to swap picks with Atlanta next year and Atlanta`s unprotected first-round pick in 2027. In total, they hold six first-round picks over the next eight years, multiple future pick swap rights, and numerous second-round selections. They also have notable contracts with Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and Keldon Johnson.
A key date for the Spurs is August 3rd, the first day De`Aaron Fox is eligible to sign a max contract extension. Additionally, Chris Paul, who completed a full 82-game season on a one-year deal, is entering free agency and his future is also something to monitor.
What are the expectations for San Antonio next season?
Making the 2026 postseason is a reasonable expectation for the Spurs, and failing to reach the playoffs might be seen as a disappointment. This past season, the team finished 21-25 in the 46 games Wembanyama played, but only five of those featured both Wembanyama and De`Aaron Fox together before Wembanyama`s sideline stint due to a blood clot issue.
The cautious approach to Wembanyama`s development allowed the Spurs to secure Stephon Castle with the fourth pick last June and another high lottery pick this year. However, with Fox`s arrival and the team`s accumulated draft capital, the time is right for the young core to gain experience in high-stakes games.
Historically, only a select few players—Kobe Bryant, Luka Doncic, Dwight Howard, and LeBron James—have earned All-NBA honors before turning 21.5. Wembanyama was on track for this achievement before missing the 65-game minimum. All of these elite players made their playoff debuts by their third NBA season, with Howard and James both breaking through in their third year.
The most significant challenge for the Spurs to reach the playoffs is the highly competitive Western Conference, where even the lowest-seeded playoff team won 48 games last season. While it`s difficult to predict which current playoff teams might falter, unexpected shifts do occur, as seen with Houston and Memphis entering the playoff picture recently while Phoenix and New Orleans surprisingly missed out.
At a minimum, San Antonio should aim to make the play-in tournament for the first time since 2022. They might have had a chance at securing the 10th seed this season had Wembanyama remained healthy. However, the target should be reaching the West`s top six, a feat the Spurs last accomplished in 2019. This represents the NBA`s second-longest active playoff drought, trailing only the Charlotte Hornets.
