Gregg Popovich has officially stepped down as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. The announcement was made by the team on Friday, marking the end of a historic tenure as Popovich led the team for nearly 29 years. Replacing Popovich, Mitch Johnson was promoted to take on the role of head coach for the Spurs. This change means that Popovich’s time as the longest-serving active coach in any of the four major U.S. sports leagues has come to an end.
The mantle now passes to Mike Tomlin, who has helmed the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers since 2007. Tomlin becomes the coach with the longest active tenure in major American professional leagues. Meanwhile, Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat, whose coaching career began with the team in 2008, now holds the record for the longest tenure as a coach in the NBA. Over in the NHL, Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning has been the longest-serving coach since starting in 2013. In Major League Baseball, Kevin Cash was hired by the Tampa Bay Rays in December 2014 and thus has the lengthiest tenure there.
Under Popovich’s leadership, the NBA saw significant turnover among coaches. From his start with the Spurs in December 1996, the league experienced 303 coaching changes, with Brooklyn and Memphis leading the charge with 17 swaps each. Not far behind were Sacramento with 16 changes and Milwaukee, Cleveland, Detroit, the Los Angeles Lakers, New York, and Washington each making 15 changes. Phoenix is also on the verge of having its 15th coaching shake-up as they prepare to appoint a replacement for Mike Budenholzer. In contrast, teams like Miami, Utah, and Dallas experienced less volatility, making only four and five changes, respectively, over the years.
Popovich is unquestionably a legend in NBA history as the career leader in coaching victories, having amassed 1,422 wins in regular-season play and 1,592 overall including the playoffs. Following Popovich’s departure, Milwaukee’s Doc Rivers becomes the most victorious active coach with 1,162 regular-season wins, and 1,277 when postseason successes are counted. To surpass Popovich, Rivers would need an average of 52 regular-season wins over five years. Rick Carlisle from Indiana and Spoelstra of Miami follow River in the ranks of active coaches with Carlisle at 993 and Spoelstra at 787 regular-season wins.
In terms of victories attained with one team, Popovich’s record is unparalleled and unlikely to be challenged any time soon. All his 1,422 regular-season wins were secured with the Spurs, distinguishing him further with Utah’s Jerry Sloan as the only other coach to surpass 800 victories with a single franchise, having 1,127 wins himself. Spoelstra could reach 800 victories with the Heat next season, a milestone achieved by only a few, but he would still be far from Popovich’s staggering numbers.
Against Popovich, only four out of 24 coaches who faced him at least 30 times have a winning record. This exclusive group consists of Phil Jackson (41-30), Steve Kerr (28-17), Billy Donovan (19-16), and Spoelstra (23-22). Each coach in this group has experienced notable success, with Jackson in the Hall of Fame and Donovan set to be inducted. It is highly probable that Kerr and Spoelstra will eventually join them in the Hall of Fame, given their championship achievements.
Furthermore, notable sports figures like Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki scored the most points against San Antonio during Popovich’s era, with Bryant scoring 2,278 points and Nowitzki closely following with 2,252. Other players who frequently battled against Popovich’s Spurs include Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Chris Paul. Meanwhile, battling the Spurs consistently through the years were notable players with high counts of rebounds, assists, and steals.
During Popovich’s illustrious tenure, the Spurs utilized a total of 222 players. The most featured players were the iconic trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, who played 1,643, 1,424, and 1,275 games respectively, including the playoffs. The enduring careers of these players, along with Popovich’s leadership, have left an indelible mark on the history of the San Antonio Spurs and the NBA as a whole.