San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, right, walks with guard Tony Parker (9) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, April 12, 2016, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 102-98 in overtime. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay, Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs on Friday announced that Gregg Popovich will no longer coach the team after nearly three decades on the sidelines.
Popovich will transition to a front office role as the team’s new president of basketball operations, the Spurs said on Friday.
Recommended Videos
Popovich’s career in San Antonio has been record-setting. Pop spent 29 seasons on the sideline for the Silver and Black, making him the only coach in NBA history to spend more than 25 years with one franchise, one of eight to do that in all major U.S. sports leagues. He is the winningest head coach in NBA history, has more road wins than any other NBA head coach, has led the Spurs to five NBA titles, and has even coached the U.S. men’s basketball team to a gold medal.
Along with former point guard Tony Parker, Pop was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2023, joining other Spurs greats Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and George Gervin, just to name a few. Pop was born in East Chicago, Indiana, and after high school, received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy. While he was there, he played basketball for four years, serving as the team captain his senior season and leading the team in scoring that year.
Here’s a look at Coach Pop’s illustrious career in San Antonio:
1990s
San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich, left, chats with his center Tim Duncan during a visit to the U.S. Olympic practice at the Orlando Magic training facility in Orlando, Fla., Thursday, July 8, 1999. (AP Photo/Peter Cosgrove) (AP1999)
(AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan, left, and coach Gregg Popovich celebrate after defeating the New York Knicks 78-77 to clinch the championship in Game 5 of the 1999 NBA Finals Friday, June 25, 1999, at New York's Madison Square Garden. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
2000s
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, center, is restrained by assistant coach Paul Pressey, right, after being called for a technical foul by official Terry Durham in the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, April 11, 2000. At left is Spurs assistant coach Hank Egan. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) (AP2000)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, right, congratulates the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant at the end of Game 6 of their NBA Western Conference semifinal game in Los Angeles, Saturday, May 15, 2004. The Lakers won 88-76 to advance to the conference finals. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian) (AP2004)
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich yells at his team during the second quarter in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in Auburn Hills, Mich., Sunday, June 19, 2005. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan, left, and Manu Ginobili of Argentina hug as coach Gregg Popovich reaches in to congratulate them after Duncan made the winning shot in San Antonio's 98-96 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on Thursday, May 19, 2005, in Seattle. The win sent the Spurs to the Western Conference finals. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich holds up four fingers to represent the four championships the Spurs have won as he takes part in a river parade to celebrate winning the NBA basketball championship, in San Antonio, Sunday, June 17, 2007. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
San Antonio Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich talks with players Tony Parker, of France, left, and Manu Ginobili, of Argentina, in the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference basketball finals, Friday, May 23, 2008, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian) (AP2008)
During a ceremony honoring his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, former San Antonio Spurs player David Robinson, left, addresses fans in front of, left to right, former Spurs players Sean Elliott and George Gervin, Spurs forward Tim Duncan, and Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, after an NBA basketball game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Philadelphia 76ers, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 97-89. (AP Photo/Darren Abate) (AP2009)
2010s
FILE - San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, left, and guard Tony Parker, right, of France, talks during practice, Wednesday, June 12, 2013, in San Antonio, ahead of Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, second from left, converses with Spurs players, from left to right, Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, of France, Manu Ginobili, of Argentina, and Boris Diaw, also of France, during a timeout in the second half of Game 1 of the Western Conference final NBA basketball playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, Sunday, May 19, 2013, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 105-83. (AP Photo/Darren Abate) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich sits with the Red Auerbach trophy during a news conference after he was named NBA basketball coach of the year, Tuesday, April 22, 2014, in San Antonio. Popovich has won the award three times. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)No description found
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich walks the sideline against the Miami Heat during the second half in Game 1 of the NBA basketball finals on Thursday, June 5, 2014 in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
FILE - San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, center, claps during the basketball team's parade and celebration for their fifth NBA Championship, Wednesday, June 18, 2014, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas, File)
President Barack Obama reacts to San Antonio Spurs head basketball coach Gregg Popovich's, right, comments on stage as the president honored the 2014 NBA Champions the San Antonio Spurs basketball team during a ceremony in the East Room White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 12, 2015. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon talks to Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, right, on the court during a timeout in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 106-102. (AP Photo/Darren Abate) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich sits on the sideline during team introductions before an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2019, file photo, U.S. coach Gregg Popovich talks to players before a Group E match against the Czech Republic in the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shanghai. Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, knows that the NBA schedule and how it comes very close to the start of the rescheduled Tokyo Games will be a challenge for USA Basketball to navigate next year when choosing the 12 players who will try to win a fourth consecutive mens Olympic gold medal. Popovich will be head coach of the Olympic team for the first time. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
2020s
FILE - United States players put a gold medal on head coach Gregg Popovich during the men's basketball medal ceremony at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, right, talks to assistant coaches Becky Hammon, center, and Will Hardy during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 119-114. (AP Photo/Darren Abate) (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, center, talks to his players during a timeout in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in San Antonio, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, right, is hugged by guard Dejounte Murray the team's NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Friday, March 11, 2022, in San Antonio. San Antonio won, making Popovich the winningest coach in NBA regular-season history. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
FILE - San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, second from right, yells at referee Bennie Adams, left, while being restrained by Spurs assistant coaches Mitch Johnson, right, and Becky Hammon during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, March 18, 2022, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate, File) (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Gregg Popovich speaks during his enshrinement at the Basketball Hall of Fame as presenters David Robinson, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, from left, listen Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023, in Springfield, Mass. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
FILE - San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, right, talks with center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in San Antonio, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, right, speaks with Spurs guard Chris Paul, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
FILE - San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich watches play during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Sunday, March 31, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate, File) (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Ryan Cerna is a digital news trainee at KSAT. Cerna graduated with degrees in Journalism and Radio-Television-Film from the University of Texas in 2024. He has worked in newsrooms in Austin and New York City before his time in San Antonio.
