A legend is leaving! Gregg Popovich leaves Spurs after decades of NBA history
The veteran coach, who has won five championship rings, will assume the presidency of the team and step down after 29 seasons as the head coach.
An era ends: Gregg Popovich will no longer be the head coach of the Spurs after 29 years in the role and will transition to the presidency of the franchise. The legendary coach, who holds the most wins in NBA history and boasts five championship titles, has reached an agreement with the organization to end his exhausting role on the sidelines and move to an office position, where he will remain associated with a franchise that is impossible to imagine without him. A truly legendary figure, one of the most important in the history of the North American competition, is stepping down from coaching.
BREAKING: Gregg Popovich will no longer be Head Coach of the San Antonio Spurs and is transitioning full-time to Team President, sources told ESPN. The iconic Popovich is a Basketball Hall of Famer, the NBA’s all-time winningest coach, and led the Spurs to five championships. pic.twitter.com/mbtUtpgA4V
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 2, 2025
The 76-year-old coach suffered a mild stroke on November 2 before a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and has been out of the team’s activities since then; this event happened just months after signing a five-year extension, which would have allowed him to coach into his 80s, an incredible feat.
However, far from this idea, the iconic coach acknowledged his longevity and, in an emotional speech, later told his team that he would not return for the remainder of the season, although his long-term future remained uncertain.
Just a few weeks ago, in April, the coach, who seemed to have recovered, suffered another health scare at a restaurant that required him to go to the hospital urgently. Now in rehabilitation and physically in better shape, the coach has sat down with the franchise, and both sides have agreed that it is best for him to step aside and take on a managerial role that will relieve him of the exhausting travel demands that come with being in a position that requires constant movement for months.
After 29 seasons as the head coach of the Spurs and more than 30 years connected to the coaching ranks in North American basketball, Gregg Popovich decides to step down and say goodbye.
One of the best in historyThe legendary coach bids farewell as one of the greatest coaches of all time. He is the all-time winningest coach with 1,388 wins, and his résumé includes five championship rings with the Spurs, the only ones the franchise, originally from the ABA, has won in its long history: 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014.
His partnership with Tim Duncan made them one of the greatest coach-player duos ever, and all the titles came with the help of the forward, who is also one of the greatest players in history and even served as Popovich’s assistant for one season when he retired.
In addition to working with other key figures in basketball history such as David Robinson, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginóbili, Popovich also coached the Dream Team that won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and was part of the greatest NBA expansion ever, featuring many non-American players who helped maintain the team in recent years.
First, winning the fifth and final ring of the dynasty in 2014 (with Marco Bellinelli, Patty Mills, Boris Diaw...) and later even having a veteran Pau Gasol on the team.
The Spurs, who made the playoffs for 22 consecutive seasons (a record in U.S. sports tied by the Nationals/76ers, who did it from 1950 to 1971), are saying goodbye to their most historic figure. A man with a massive social influence (his opposition to Donald Trump being at the forefront), who was one of the pioneers in introducing women into men’s basketball coaching staffs (Becky Hammon), and who is an enormous sports and cultural icon, as well as (almost unanimously) one of the three best coaches of all time, alongside Pat Riley and Phil Jackson. A legend is retiring.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Complete your personal details to comment
Your opinion will be published with first and last names