The San Antonio Spurs are hiring assistant Mitch Johnson to replace Gregg Popovich as the team's head coach, ESPN's Shams Charania.
The Spurs wasted no time in finding their new head coach as Johnson was reported to be the official replacement less than an hour after it was announced that Popovich would be stepping down following 29 seasons and transitioning into the role as the Spurs president. The news was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN.
Johnson has worked with the Spurs organization since 2016. He took over as interim coach this past season after Popovich was sidelined following a mild stroke he suffered in November.
Breaking: The San Antonio Spurs are hiring assistant Mitch Johnson as the franchise's next head coach, sources tell ESPN. Johnson has been an assistant in Spurs program for a decade, took over as interim coach in November – and now earns job as Gregg Popovich's successor. pic.twitter.com/43tpK5gEA9
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 2, 2025
As interim coach during the 2024–25 season, Johnson led the Spurs to a 34–48 record and 13th-place finish in the Western Conference. It marked the sixth consecutive season in which the Spurs failed to make the playoffs. Popovich led the Spurs to 22 playoff bids in a row from 1998 to 2019, but the team hasn't gone back since.
The Spurs now have the two most recent Rookie of the Year winners on their roster in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. Both of these young stars are still looking to make their first postseasons, so that will surely be one of the top goals next season in Johnson's first full year.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Spurs Promote Mitch Johnson to Head Coach After Gregg Popovich Steps Down.
