KEYPOINTS SUMMARY – Gregg Popovich Retires
- Gregg Popovich retires after 29 seasons as Spurs head coach
- Leaves behind 5 NBA titles, 1,422 wins, and Hall of Fame legacy
- Missed most of last season due to stroke, passes torch to Mitch Johnson
- Will stay on as team president while stepping away from coaching
- Known for his grumpy humor, fierce loyalty, and basketball brilliance
- Helped shape stars like Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, and even Team USA
Gregg Popovich Retires After 29 Seasons — And the NBA Will Never Be the Same
The basketball world just got a little quieter. A little grayer. And a lot less grumpy.
Gregg Popovich, the NBA’s all-time wins leader and the legendary mastermind behind the San Antonio Spurs dynasty, has officially retired as head coach after an unforgettable 29-season run. It’s the end of an era — one defined by five championships, a mountain of wins, and a coaching style that was equal parts military, mystery, and mayhem.
While stepping down from the bench, Pop isn’t disappearing completely. He’ll stay on as the team’s president, a comforting fact for Spurs fans not quite ready to let go.
But make no mistake — the Popovich coaching chapter is now closed. And it went out the same way it began: with no fanfare, just a short statement and a quiet mic drop.
A Legacy That Started With a Firing and Ended in Glory
Let’s rewind to December 10, 1996. The Spurs were a disaster at 3-15. Popovich, then the GM, made the bold decision to fire head coach Bob Hill and promote himself to the job. Critics howled. The media scoffed.
And then came the titles.
1999. 2003. 2005. 2007. 2014.
Each one a masterpiece in team basketball, humility, and ironclad discipline.
Pop built not just a team, but a basketball culture. He nurtured three future Hall of Famers — Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili — into a dynasty that ran circles around flashier franchises. He made the Spurs the blueprint for success.
And he did it all in the smallest market in the league.
Pop Misses Season After Stroke — But Keeps Fighting
The 2023–2024 season saw a frightening turn: Popovich suffered a stroke on November 2 at the team’s arena. He missed all but five games that season.
While he never returned to the sideline, he stayed involved, speaking to the team, encouraging players, and staying connected. Fans hoped he’d come back full-time.
But in late March, he released a statement that hinted the end was near.
Now it’s official: Gregg Popovich is done coaching.
And Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson, who stepped in to coach the remaining 77 games, is now the new head coach.
One Coach, 29 Seasons, 303 Coaching Changes Around Him
Here’s some perspective: since Pop took over in 1996, the NBA has seen 303 other coaching changes.
Pop went toe-to-toe with 170 different coaches during his career. He coached 1,422 wins, the most in NBA history, plus 170 playoff wins — the most ever by a coach with one team.
He coached six Hall of Famers:
- Tim Duncan
- Manu Ginobili
- Tony Parker
- David Robinson
- Dominique Wilkins
- Pau Gasol
And he faced — and beat — legends like Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, and Erik Spoelstra.
Simply put, no coach stayed longer, won more consistently, or aged more stubbornly than Popovich.
Chris Paul Saw Pop’s Grind Up Close
Veteran point guard Chris Paul, who joined the Spurs late in his career, saw Pop’s resilience firsthand — especially after the stroke.
“I was the first one in the building,” Paul recalled. “And Pop was already on the treadmill, doing rehab.”
Even off the court, Pop was all hustle.
“I saw a guy fighting just to stay strong,” Paul said. “Not for basketball, but for life. That’s the stuff I’ll never forget.”
The Grumpy Genius Who Won Gold and Broke Barriers
Pop was many things:
- Grumpy with reporters
- Brilliant with X’s and O’s
- Secretly hilarious behind the scenes
- Fiercely loyal to his players
- Unapologetically outspoken about politics and social justice
He coached Team USA to gold in Tokyo, finally getting his redemption after a disappointing 2019 World Cup.
He also made history by hiring Becky Hammon, the first woman to be a full-time paid assistant coach in the NBA. She later became the first woman to coach an NBA team (even if just for one night) — thanks to Pop.
“He doesn’t see gender,” said Dawn Staley. “He sees basketball minds.”
From Air Force to All-Time Great
Before becoming an NBA icon, Pop was just a kid from the Air Force Academy, where he played ball and developed the discipline that would define his career.
He coached at Pomona-Pitzer, a small Division III school where he turned a laughingstock into a winner.
Then came the NBA.
Then came Duncan.
And then came destiny.
Pop’s Final Gift to San Antonio: Victor Wembanyama
Even as he retires, Popovich leaves one last ace in the Spurs’ deck: Victor Wembanyama.
The French phenom is already being called the next Spurs legend, and under Pop’s short but impactful guidance, he’s off to a roaring start.
Pop may be gone from the bench, but his fingerprints will be on Wemby’s growth for years to come.
NBA Stars and Coaches React to Pop’s Goodbye – Gregg Popovich Retires
Here’s what some NBA icons are saying:
- Erik Spoelstra: “Class. Dignity. That’s Pop.”
- Steve Kerr: “There is no one out there like Pop.”
- Jayson Tatum: “He’s got the best sense of humor. Don’t let the interviews fool you.”
- Manu Ginobili: “The best there ever was.”
And from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver:
“There are few people in the basketball community as beloved and revered as Coach Pop.”
Gregg Popovich Retires – What’s Next for Coach Pop? (Besides Wine and Sarcasm)
Now that he’s off the bench, what will Gregg Popovich do?
Probably:
- Sip his favorite red wines
- Watch international news
- Continue supporting local San Antonio charities
- Work behind the scenes as Spurs president
- Possibly teach a college history course on the Soviet Union (we’re only half joking)
And maybe — just maybe — pop into a Spurs practice to give some “gentle” feedback.
Legends Don’t Fade — They Echo
Gregg Popovich’s retirement marks the end of a chapter not just for the Spurs, but for the entire NBA.
He was tough. He was brilliant. And he was hilarious when he wanted to be. And more than anything, he was authentically himself.
No one else stayed in one place for three decades. No one else did more with less. And no one else could make reporters sweat and players cry tears of joy in the same week.
Gregg Popovich retires, but his legacy will never leave the court.
