The San Antonio Spurs already have their replacement for legendary head coach Gregg Popovich. The team will reportedly hire Mitch Johnson as its next head coach, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Johnson, 38, served as the team’s interim head coach last season after Popovich took a leave of absence following a stroke. The Spurs finished 34-48, and missed the playoffs under Johnson’s guidance.
Popovich spent the majority of the 2024-25 NBA season away from the team and in recovery. He was eventually ruled out for the season, but did make enough progress to meet with the Spurs in person following the All-Star break.
Shortly after the season ended, reports emerged suggesting the Spurs would allow Popovich to decide whether he would return and coach the team for the 2025-26 NBA season. In April, Popovich, 76, was transported to a hospital after experiencing a medical episode in a restaurant. He was released and was said to be in stable condition at home.
On Friday, Popovich announced he was stepping down as the team’s head coach after 29 seasons. He leaves that role as the winningest coach in NBA history. Popovich will remain with the organization, and will serve as the Spurs’ team president.
Johnson, meanwhile, will officially take over as the Spurs’ head coach after nearly a decade with the team. After starring at Stanford in college and spending time in Europe and the G League, Johnson was eventually hired to coach the Austin Spurs — a G League affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs — in 2016. He led the team to a G League championship in 2018 before joining San Antonio as an assistant head coach under Popovich in 2019.
In that role, Johnson served as the team’s interim head coach twice ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season. He filled in for a game in 2021 when Popovich attended Tim Duncan’s Hall of Fame induction. Johnson also coached the team for a game in 2023, when Popovich was unavailable due to an illness. Johnson went 1-1 in those contests.
After being thrust into the head-coaching role last season, Johnson will now have a full offseason to adequately prepare for the job. The Spurs are looking for improvement after a tumultuous year, and Johnson will need to show he can guide the team forward. Getting Victor Wembanyama back from injury will certainly help, as will the team’s two first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft.
While the team’s future looks bright, following in Popovich’s footsteps will not be an easy task. Living up to the lofty standards Popovich set during his tenure as the team’s head coach is impossible, and one of Johnson’s earliest tasks will be finding a way to separate himself from that legacy so he can forge his own path forward.
The San Antonio Spurs already have their replacement for legendary head coach Gregg Popovich. The team will reportedly hire Mitch Johnson as its next head coach, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Johnson, 38, served as the team’s interim head coach last season after Popovich took a leave of absence following a stroke. The Spurs finished 34-48, and missed the playoffs under Johnson’s guidance.
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Popovich spent the majority of the 2024-25 NBA season away from the team and in recovery. He was eventually ruled out for the season, but did make enough progress to meet with the Spurs in person following the All-Star break.
Shortly after the season ended, reports emerged suggesting the Spurs would allow Popovich to decide whether he would return and coach the team for the 2025-26 NBA season. In April, Popovich, 76, was transported to a hospital after experiencing a medical episode in a restaurant. He was released and was said to be in stable condition at home.
On Friday, Popovich announced he was stepping down as the team’s head coach. Popovich will remain with the organization, and will serve as the Spurs’ team president.
This story will be updated.
