For the first time in nearly three decades, the San Antonio Spurs are kick-starting a new era.
On May 5, Cinco de Mayo, usually a cause for celebration in San Antonio, the tone at the Victory Capital Performance Center, ‘The Rock,’ was very sober.
For the first time since suffering a mild stroke on November 2, legendary head coach Gregg Popovich would be addressing the media, although it would be to introduce his hand-picked replacement, Mitch Johnson.
Popovich was flanked by legendary players Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, who spent their entire careers playing for him. Pop joked that they haven’t left his side since his stroke, allegedly out of love, but more so to get “payback.”
Despite sprinkling his remarks with humor, it was clear that Popovich, physically, still has a long way to go in his recovery still, although he is taking over as ‘El Jefe,’ the President of Basketball Operations.
The next chapter of San Antonio Spurs basketball will still be written by Popovich.
Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty ImagesGregg Popovich led with humility and selflessness
Popovich, during his 29 seasons leading the Spurs, won 1,589 games, more than anyone else, has a fistful of championship rings, and three Coach of the Year Awards. He also coached Team USA to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, which he considers his crowning achievement.
Popovich boasts the greatest coaching resume in NBA history, but he will never take credit for the Spurs’ accomplishments.
“We will sit down, he’ll pour the wine, and he’ll say it, every time,” Steve Kerr told The Athletic. “Here’s to Tim Duncan.”
When anyone else lists reasons for the Spurs’ decades-long run of success, Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and David Robinson certainly get their credit, but Pop has always been at the center of it.
Only he would disagree with that.
Throughout Popovich’s NBA coaching tenure, which began in 1996, there have been 303 coaching changes. 138 different men have led an NBA team since 1996, but the Spurs have never had to undergo a coaching change. With much pomp and circumstance, Popovich handed the torch to Mitch Johnson, who has been an assistant on his staff since 2019.
Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty ImagesSan Antonio Spurs send clear message with new hire
The Spurs are the rare NBA team with a clear set of values. They are built on trust, discipline, and putting the team above the self.
Popovich and Robinson instilled those values in every player who suited up for the Silver and Black, and if the values didn’t stick, neither did the player, regardless of how talented they were.
More so than anything else, however, Popovich vocalized a backwards view behind closed doors, at least for an NBA coach: basketball is just a game, and the people playing it matter more than wins and losses.
It turns out that mindset leads to winning.
The Spurs searched, but not for long, for a coaching candidate who can continue their legacy.
“We’re grateful for Pop’s kindness, service mindset, and profound impact on so many,” said Spurs’ owner Peter John Holt. “Another thing that is a very clear contributor to our culture is the belief of being rooted in our proud legacy, but not beholden to it. Today represents an exciting next chapter in our journey and our culture. Mitch Johnson lives our values and strives for excellence.”
Mitch Johnson aims to pick up where Pop left off
Off the court, filling the shoes that Popovich left behind is a nearly impossible task for Mitch Johnson, and he seems to know it.
On the court, his priority remains the same as it was for Popovich in his final two seasons: to turn Victor Wembanyama into a superstar. Wemby has made it clear that he has full faith in the Spurs’ front office, and as a generational young talent, the Spurs are doing everything they can to maximize him.
Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, and Kawhi Leonard all offer blueprints on how to get the most out of an elite player, and Johnson wants the tone to stay the same.
“I feel like we have a hold on the direction that we’re heading into, and we want to be able to do that,” he said. “I feel like we’re going to build upon something. This is not a restart, this is not a reboot, it’s a new chapter because it looks different, but the theme of the book isn’t changing.”
The Spurs, more so than any other NBA franchise at any other point, have been blessed with continuity in four different decades. Johnson and the team that employs him hope that he can live up to the values instilled by his predecessor.