Gregg Popovich’s days as an NBA head coach look like over after 29 seasons, because the legendary coach is transitioning from being the San Antonio Spurs head coach to President of Basketball Operations, he and the workforce announced in separate statements on Friday.
“Whereas my love and keenness for the sport stay, I’ve determined it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said. “I’m eternally grateful to the fantastic gamers, coaches, employees and followers who allowed me to serve them because the Spurs head coach and am excited for the chance to proceed to assist the group, group and metropolis which can be so significant to me.”
“Coach Pop’s extraordinary impression on our household, San Antonio, the Spurs and the sport of basketball is profound,” Spurs Managing Associate Peter J. Holt mentioned. “His accolades and awards don’t do justice to the impression he has had on so many individuals. He’s really one-of-one as an individual, chief and coach. Our whole household, alongside followers from throughout the globe, are grateful for his exceptional 29-year run as the pinnacle coach of the San Antonio Spurs.”
The 76-year-old Popovich missed nearly all of this season as a result of a stroke, with Mitch Johnson serving because the performing head coach.
Johnson will develop into San Antonio’s full-time head coach, the workforce introduced Friday. He had been on Popovich’s teaching employees the previous six seasons and was the franchise’s G League head coach for 3 seasons beforehand.
Popovich leaves his head-coaching submit far and away first in Spurs historical past with 1,422 regular-season wins. As an entire, the Spurs had been 1,422-869 within the common season and 170-144 within the postseason below Popovich, counting this season. Moreover, he is first in NBA historical past amongst coaches in regular-season wins and third in postseason wins.
Popovich was an assistant coach for the Spurs and Golden State Warriors for a mixed six seasons earlier than changing into San Antonio’s head coach for the 1996-97 season. The Spurs went on to win 5 NBA championships with him as head coach (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014). He was a three-time NBA Coach of the 12 months.
This season, the Spurs went 34-48, good for the thirteenth seed within the Western Convention. They acquired level guard and 2022-23 All-Star De’Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings in February, pairing him with younger famous person Victor Wembanyama. Granted, each gamers did not end the season; Fox had a pinkie finger damage, and Wembanyama had a blood clot in his proper shoulder.
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