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New San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson isn’t exactly new — at least not with the franchise.
Johnson, who was promoted Friday after coach Gregg Popovich transitioned fully to his role in the Spurs front office, has been with the organization in various capacities since 2016. Johnson’s most prominent role came this past season, when he took over for Popovich as interim coach for 77 games after Popovich suffered a mild stroke Nov. 2, before a 113-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Johnson led San Antonio to a 32-45 record this season in the games he coached.
Here’s everything you need to know about new San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson:
Who is Spurs new head coach Mitch Johnson?
Johnson, 38, has served under Popovich since 2019, when he joined the Spurs staff as an assistant. He was promoted in 2020 to the front of Popovich’s bench and had been considered one of the NBA’s top young assistant coaches before taking over the Spurs on an interim basis this season.
The 2024-25 regular season marked the third time Johnson stepped in as San Antonio’s interim coach. The first came in May 2021, when Popovich attended the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction of former Spurs great Tim Duncan; Johnson and San Antonio lost that game, 140-103 to the Suns.
The second time was in March 2023 when Popovich missed one game with a non-COVID-19 illness; Johnson earned his first NBA career coaching victory then, 110-99, over the Pacers. Popovich returned the following game.
Previously, Johnson had coached with the organization’s G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs; from 2016 through 2019, he was an assistant under coaches Ken McDonald and Blake Ahearn.
Johnson played four seasons of Division I basketball at Stanford from 2005 through 2009, averaging 5.3 points, 4.1 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. Johnson helped lead the Cardinal to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2008. After his college playing career, Johnson had a brief stint in the G League with the Tulsa 66ers.
Johnson is the son of former two-time NBA All-Star John Johnson.
What happened to Gregg Popovich with the Spurs?
San Antonio had said in November shortly after Popovich suffered his stroke that he was expected to make a full recovery, though a timeline for his return to coaching had not been determined.
Popovich had spent most of the 2024-25 regular season away from the team, though he did address the team Feb. 27, informing players that he would not be returning to the sidelines for the remainder of the season.
On April 15, Popovich reportedly suffered a medical incident at a restaurant and was taken to a hospital. He was later discharged and returned home.
Then, on Friday, Popovich announced he was stepping down from the role of head coach and transitioning to focus on his other role as president of basketball operations.
According to the NBA, all wins and losses while Popovich was on leave will be counted toward his official record. Johnson went 32-45 this past season as the interim coach.
Popovich is the NBA’s all-time winningest coach with 1,422 victories against 869 losses for a winning percentage of .611. He also has won five NBA Finals.
What will Mitch Johnson need to do as head coach of the Spurs?
Essentially, Johnson will try to maintain the system and culture Popovich has built over his nearly three decades as the Spurs coach. That Johnson was promoted so quickly indicates that he was seen all along as a successor to Popovich and a steward of relative stability.
“We are thrilled for Mitch Johnson to be our next head coach,” Spurs managing partner Peter J. Holt said Friday in a statement. “Throughout his decade in the organization we have seen that Mitch has the right values, poise and potential to lead us into the future.”
Johnson will need to continue to develop star phenom Victor Wembanyama as the centerpiece of the team. The midseason trade for point guard De’Aaron Fox gave San Antonio another dynamic play maker. And while both sustained season-ending injuries this season, crafting an explosive offense around the pair — and Rookie of the Year guard Stephon Castle — could make San Antonio a candidate to break out next season to end a six-year playoff drought.
That’s only magnified when considering that San Antonio also has a pair of first-round picks in what is largely considered to be a deep NBA draft on June 25-26.
What have the Spurs said about Mitch Johnson?
Throughout his time with the organization, players and staffers alike have endorsed Johnson with rave reviews. Aside from Popovich and Johnson’s other bosses, however, the most important opinion belongs to Wembanyama, who will be the cornerstone of the Spurs for years to come.
After San Antonio’s final game of the season, Wembanyama, perhaps sensing that Johnson would eventually be promoted, said, according to ESPN:
“I trust the organization. I trust Pop to (do) all he can to come back and get his energy back. And I also trust Mitch to grow into that role. I think we are in good hands supporting each other all throughout the organization. I’m ready for anything, and I know the organization will (make) the good decisions.”
On Nov. 2, following the first game Johnson coached after Popovich sustained his stroke, a 113-103 victory over the Timberwolves, veteran point guard Chris Paul complimented Johnson.
“Mitch did a great job, man,” Paul said. “I think our whole coaching staff did. Things happen in this league all the time, and just like with the players, it’s next man up. So, shoutout to Mitch; he did a great job tonight.”
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