After 29 seasons, an NBA-record 1,422 career wins and five NBA championships, Gregg Popovich is stepping down as the the San Antonio Spurs' coach, as first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania on Friday.
Moments after the news broke, the Spurs confirmed that Popovich, 76, will be transitioning from head coach to president of basketball operations, releasing a joint statement with the championship-winning coach.
"While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said in the statement. "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."
Coach Pop transitions to Spurs President of Basketball Operations pic.twitter.com/q8HwqDTB53
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) May 2, 2025
Popovich suffered a mild stroke at the Spurs' Frost Bank Center on November 2, and had been sidelined from coaching since. He began a rehabilitation program two weeks later and in February, it was announced that he would not return to coaching during the 2024–25 season. Given the recent health issues he's experienced, Popovich reportedly decided he "no longer could move forward with the taxing grind" of being an NBA coach.
Popovich began his coaching career as an assistant with the United States Air Force Academy's basketball program in 1973. After 15 seasons in the collegiate ranks, Popovich joined the Spurs as an assistant in 1988. Aside from a two-year stint (1992 to '94) as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, the majority of Popovich's 37 years in the NBA have been spent with the Spurs.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Gregg Popovich Releases Joint Statement With Spurs on Stepping Down From Coaching.
