Gregg Popovich steps down as Spurs head coach after 29 seasons to take over front office role

Gregg Popovich, the longest tenured and winningest coach in NBA history, is officially stepping down as the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. After nearly three decades on the sidelines, the 76-year-old will now fully focus on his role as the team’s President of Basketball Operations, the Spurs confirmed on Friday, May 2. His decision follows recent health setbacks, including a mild stroke in November 2024 and a medical scare in April.

Gregg Popovich’s career is nothing short of historic. Since taking over as head coach during the 1996–97 season, he has racked up 1,422 regular-season wins, the most in NBA history, and led the Spurs to five NBA championships. His title-winning seasons came in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014, a stretch that turned the Spurs into a model franchise and dynasty.

He helped shape the careers of legends like Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker, Manu Ginóbili, and Kawhi Leonard. Popovich also coached Team USA to gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is a three-time NBA Coach of the Year, tied for the most ever alongside Pat Riley and Don Nelson.
Although he signed a five-year extension with the Spurs in 2023, health challenges shifted his plans. Popovich suffered a stroke on November 2, 2024, and did not return to the bench for the remainder of the season. During his recovery, assistant coach Mitch Johnson took over and led the team to a 31–45 finish.

Popovich remained involved behind the scenes throughout the year, and in recent weeks, he had been seen around the team’s facilities. However, the rigors of coaching proved too demanding to return.
“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said in a statement on Friday. “I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me.”
Popovich’s coaching journey began with the Spurs as an assistant under Larry Brown in 1988 before returning in 1994 as general manager. In 1996, he appointed himself head coach midseason and soon helped engineer a historic turnaround that led to 22 consecutive playoff appearances between 1998 and 2019.
His departure marked a change of guard in the NBA. With Popovich stepping down, Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat, head coach since 2008, becomes the league’s longest tenured active coach.
Also Read: Gregg Popovich health update: Fan favorite San Antonio Spurs coach suffers scare in restaurant
Though he won’t be on the sidelines, Popovich remains deeply woven into the Spurs’ future. As San Antonio eyes its next era, he will continue working closely with leadership and players, including rising star Victor Wembanyama.