Mathieu Warnier, media365: published on Monday 05 May 2025 at 10:40 p.m.
Present this Monday at a press conference for his first speech since his stroke, Gregg Popovich passed the witness to his successor with emotion but also a lot of humor.
It’s a page that turns to San Antonio. In place at the post of coach of the Texan franchise since 1996, Gregg Popovich passed the hand this Monday on the occasion of his first speech since the vascular-cerebral accident of which he was the victim last November and which leaves him visibly weakened. While he was acquired that he would not find the Spurs bench by the end of the 2024-2025 season of the NBA championship, “Pop” finally gave up his coach activities on May 2 to take the functions of president of the basketball operations of the team based in San Antonio. With Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili by his side, Gregg Popovich has officially endowed Mitch Johnson as his full -time replacement. “We have total confidence in him to continue what was started a long time ago,” said the emblematic technician about the one who will take up the torch. A decision that comes when the latter has been interiming for several months.
Popovich: “I am no longer a coach, I am el jefe”
Assuring that “things improve on a daily basis”, the 76 -year -old coach added that “they are not good enough” to allow him to resume his activities as initially planned. “It is therefore time to make a change,” he said. With emotion in the voice, Gregg Popovich said he was “grateful to all the people of this organization” for their support since the accident he was the victim. With the humor he never left, the one who brought the Spurs to five NBA champion titles between 1999 and 2014 presented his new role within the franchise through a t-shirt in which we could read “El Jefe”, either “the boss” or “the chief” in Spanish. “I am no longer a coach, I am El Jefe,” he said, making the whole assembly laugh at a moment that was initially very rich in emotions. If he will remain available for his successor, Gregg Popovich is convinced that Mitch Johnson “will do a great job” alongside a team led by a certain Victor Wembanyama.
