San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich made a major announcement on Friday. The longtime NBA head coach has stepped away as head coach and is transitioning to a full-time front-office role as the team’s president.
The news was revealed by ESPN’s Shams Charania, and it comes after Popovich suffered a mild stroke in November and decided to step away from the sidelines in February.
Now, Popovich will no longer coach in what has been a legendary career. He has five NBA titles, three NBA Coach of the Year awards, and 1,422 career wins, making him the all-time winningest coach in NBA history.
Popovich had been the head coach of the Spurs since the 1996-97 season, so it will be different not seeing him on the sidelines in San Antonio.
Reactions pour in after Gregg Popovich news
After the news came, a flurry of former NBA players reacted to the move by Popovich.
One of the first came from Kevin Garnett.
“Shout out to Pop… hell of a coaching career!”
Former NBA champion Antonio Daniels also weighed in.
“The greatest coach in the history of the league. This is truly the end of an era!!”
A few hours after the announcement was made, Spurs star Victor Wembanyama shared the following message:
29 years.
Coach, thank you for your wisdom, for your leadership, for the culture you created…
But most importantly for being a great and inspiring person.
It was an honor to be a part of those 29 years🙏🏽 Wishing you the best on your new chapter.
🐐
— Wemby (@wemby) May 2, 2025
More reactions came pouring in, including one from Lil Wayne.
Congrats on the career Coach Pop!!
Flowers!! 💐 I’ve observed your approach to coaching and to the game and I applied the same approach to life at times and came out a winner every time. Thx Coach! I just might have to Popavich! Shut yo mouth. I’m just talmbout Pop!— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) May 2, 2025
Salute 🫡 https://t.co/cwd4nvxI3t
— Caron Butler (@realtuffjuice) May 2, 2025
🐐 https://t.co/7nnbl6hhg4
— Sandro Mamukelashvili (@Mamukelashvili5) May 2, 2025
Gregg Popovich one of the greats..5 NBA championship rings..legendary run🐐
— Jaden Ivey (@JadensIV) May 2, 2025
Love you Coach Pop! ❤️
— Jeremy Sochan (@JeremySochan) May 2, 2025
Love and Respect to Coach Pop. All time Great!
— Shaun Livingston (@ShaunLivingston) May 2, 2025
MITCH JOHNSON IM PROUD OF YOU!!!! 👏🏽🖤 You Deserve This ⭐️ #SEATTLE pic.twitter.com/TDRHXI0zMD
— Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray) May 2, 2025
It’s the end of an era for an absolute legend, and the reactions will continue to pour in after Popovich made the move to the front office.
MORE GREGG POPOVICH NEWS:
