Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich will no longer be head coach of the San Antonio Spurs and is transitioning to a full-time role as the team’s president of basketball operations, sources told ESPN on Friday.
Popovich, 76, has been in the Spurs front office since May 1994 and served as head coach since the 1996-1997 season. The legendary Popovich is the NBA’s all-time winningest coach with 1,422 regular season victories and guided the Spurs to five NBA championships. Popovich is also a three-time NBA Coach of the Year award winner, tied with Don Nelson and Pat Riley for the most in league history.
Popovich suffered a mild stroke on Nov. 2 and did not return during the season. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson took over on an interim basis to lead San Antonio to a record of 31-45 under his watch.
Popovich has been involved throughout the Spurs’ offseason and will continue to be a vital member of the franchise’s day-to-day operations, sources said.
