San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is stepping down from his position and transitioning into the role of president of basketball operations, the team announced Friday, and the decision sends seismic implications through the franchise and the NBA.
Popovich has spent 30-plus years with the franchise, including 28-plus consecutive seasons as head coach, and helped turn the Spurs into a model team that others tried to emulate.
Popovich has not coached a game since the Spurs beat Utah on Oct. 31. The Spurs later announced he suffered a stroke on Nov. 2, and the 76-year-old did not return to the sideline as the team finished with a 34-48 record under interim coach Mitch Johnson.
“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said in a statement. “I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me.”
Popovich spent 28-plus seasons with the Spurs as head coach, taking over for Bob Hill in 1996. The Spurs finished 17-47 and won the draft lottery. They selected Tim Duncan with the No. 1 overall pick, pairing him with David Robinson and setting a course for NBA titles in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.
The hallmark of Popovich’s championship-caliber teams included quality defense, crisp offense reliant on two of the game’s all-time great big men and supreme roster building, which included drafting Tony Parker with the No. 28 pick in the 2001 draft and Manu Ginobili with the 57th pick in the second round of the 1999 draft. Drafting Kawhi Leonard with the No. 15 pick in 2011 helped the Spurs to the title in 2014.
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