Former San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is still the boss.
The team introduced Mitch Johnson as its new head coach during a press conference on May 5, during which time Popovich spoke in public for the first time since he had a stroke last November.
Before Johnson addressed the media, Popovich, who officially stepped down as head coach May 2, announced he had a new job, unzipping his jacket to reveal a T-shirt that said “El Jefe,” which is Spanish for “The Boss.”
“I’m no longer coach. I’m ‘El Jefe,’” he said while Spurs greats Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili took off his jacket and those assembled at the press conference laughed.
Popovich, 76, then turned around to show off the back of his shirt.
“Senor Popovich,” it said. “President of basketball ops.”
Popovich, who will serve as the team’s president of basketball operations, is the NBA’s all-time leader in coaching wins and won five championships as head coach of the Spurs, a position he had held since 1996. He spoke for about seven minutes, also noting that his health is improving but that now was the moment to have Johnson take over the franchise.
-“Things are getting better by the day, but it’s not good enough for what we plan ahead, and so it’s time to make this change,” he said a few moments before also thanking his rehab team and all the other people who’ve helped him during his recovery.
He also praised Johnson, while reminding people the team’s aim is to continue its excellence.
“That’s the goal, to make sure we keep it going,” he said.
Popovich initially missed games last November due to what the team described as an illness. A little more than a week later, the Spurs announced he had had a stroke, and in late February the team said he would not return to the sidelines this season.
The last game he coached was on Oct. 31. Johnson had filled in as an interim coach in the meantime.
In addition to his five NBA championships, Popovich coached the U.S. men’s basketball team to a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in 2021 and coached Spurs legends such as Duncan, Ginobili, Tony Parker and David Robinson, all of whom are in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He also coached up-and-coming Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
Popovich himself was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.
