Basketball great Gregg Popovich steps down as Spurs head coach after nearly 30 years

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Legendary basketball coach Gregg Popovich announced Friday that he will be stepping down as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs and will transition full-time to president of basketball operations.

The announcement followed Popovich’s absence for most of the 2024 season following what the team previously called a mild stroke. 

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, left, and guard Tony Parker, #9, talk during practice on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 in San Antonio ahead of Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

"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 Friday afternoon. "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."

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Popovich’s tenure comes to an end after a nearly three-decade run that saw him coach the Spurs to five NBA Championships. He remains the league’s all-time wins leader and has the most playoff wins with one team by any coach in NBA history. His career, which also included being named NBA Coach of the Year three times and an Olympic gold medal, earned him a place in the Hall of Fame in 2023. 

U.S. basketball players each put a gold medal on coach Gregg Popovich during the men's basketball medal ceremony at the 2020 Summer Olympics on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021 in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

"Coach Pop’s extraordinary impact on our family, San Antonio,