Gregg Popovich, one of the most decorated coaches in professional sports history, officially retired as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs on May 2, 2025. The announcement ended a legendary 29-year run on the sidelines — a career that began on December 10, 1996, when Popovich fired then-coach Bob Hill and promoted himself to the top job. His retirement marks the close of one of the most extraordinary chapters in NBA history, and the basketball world has not stopped talking about it since.
The Road to Retirement: What Happened?
The path to Popovich’s retirement was not sudden. In November 2024, the Spurs announced that he had suffered a mild stroke, forcing him to step away from coaching duties mid-season. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson stepped in as interim head coach. In February 2025, Popovich publicly confirmed he would not return for the remainder of that season, stating he was focused on his health and recovery.
Then, on May 2, 2025, the San Antonio Spurs made it official: Gregg Popovich was retiring as head coach and transitioning into the role of President of Basketball Operations. Mitch Johnson was formally named as his permanent replacement on the bench. In his retirement statement, Popovich said, “While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach. I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued a public statement honoring Popovich’s contributions to the league, and the U.S. Congress introduced a resolution congratulating him as the winningest head coach in NBA history.
Gregg Popovich’s Legendary Coaching Record
Popovich retires holding records that may never be broken. Over 29 seasons, he compiled 1,422 regular season victories — the most wins by any coach in NBA history. His achievements include:
- 5 NBA Championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)
- 3 NBA Coach of the Year Awards
- 22 consecutive playoff appearances
- 6 NBA Finals appearances
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (2023)
- Head coach of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team (gold medal, 2021 Tokyo Olympics)
He began his Spurs tenure when the team was 3-15, took over the day David Robinson returned from injury, and never looked back. The Spurs went on to win their first championship just three years later in 1999 with Tim Duncan and a core group that would define an era.
How Old Is Gregg Popovich? Age, Early Life & Career
Gregg Charles Popovich was born on January 28, 1949, in East Chicago, Indiana, to a Serbian father and a Croatian mother. That makes him 76 years old as of 2025. He grew up in Merrillville, Indiana, where he lettered in three sports at Merrillville High School before earning an athletic scholarship to play basketball at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
After graduating in 1970, Popovich served five years of active military duty — an experience that shaped his disciplined, team-first leadership philosophy. He later attended Indiana University and studied Soviet Studies, giving him the intellectual depth that became a hallmark of his coaching style.
His college coaching career started in 1979 at Pomona-Pitzer College. He eventually made his way to the Spurs organization in 1988 as an assistant coach before leaving briefly to run his own program, only to return as General Manager in 1994. His career trajectory — from Air Force officer to the most winning coach in NBA history — is one of the great American sports stories. At 76, he remains active in the Spurs organization as President of Basketball Operations, and his influence on the league’s culture and coaching tree shows no signs of fading.
Gregg Popovich Net Worth: How Much Is He Worth?
Gregg Popovich’s net worth is estimated at approximately $50 million as of 2025. That figure, while impressive, actually understates the raw earnings he accumulated throughout his career. According to Sportico, Popovich earned over $200 million in career coaching earnings during his nearly three decades with the Spurs — making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the history of American professional sports.
His final contract, signed in the summer of 2023, was a five-year deal worth approximately $80 million ($16–17 million per season), which ranked him second among the highest-paid NBA coaches at the time, just behind Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Before the modern coaching salary boom — triggered largely by the Detroit Pistons’ record-setting deal with Monty Williams in 2023 — Popovich had long been the only NBA coach earning over $10 million annually. Beyond his coaching salary, Popovich made strategic real estate investments, including a luxury condo in San Francisco’s Presidio Heights purchased in 2002 for $1.475 million, later listed for $2.675 million. He also owned a sprawling 9,640-square-foot estate in San Antonio’s gated Vineyard Estates community, complete with a vanishing-edge pool and a 600-bottle wine cellar. His net worth reflects not just financial savvy but also decades of smart career longevity in a high-paying profession.
Gregg Popovich’s Wife: The Story of Erin Popovich
One of the most meaningful parts of Gregg Popovich’s life story is his relationship with his late wife, Erin Popovich. The couple married in 1976 and shared 42 years of marriage before Erin passed away in 2018 after a prolonged illness. The exact cause of her death was never publicly disclosed, consistent with the couple’s deeply private nature.
Erin was widely regarded within the Spurs organization as its emotional anchor — a beloved figure among players, staff, and the broader San Antonio community. Those who knew her described her as the “center of gravity” and “rock” of the Popovich family, whose warmth and steadiness complemented Gregg’s intense, demanding persona on the court. Her passing in 2018 sent shockwaves through the basketball world, with players, coaches, and fans around the league paying tribute.
Together, Gregg and Erin raised two children: Jill Popovich, who has been involved in raising awareness for lung disease research through the Erin Popovich Endowment, and Micky Popovich, an artist and musician based in Seattle. Gregg is also a grandfather of two, whom he has affectionately called “the stars of the show” in public interviews — joking that his own children now seem “a little bit boring” by comparison.
What’s Next for Gregg Popovich?
Popovich is not leaving basketball entirely. As the Spurs’ President of Basketball Operations, he will continue to shape the franchise’s direction — most notably in supporting the development of young superstar Victor Wembanyama, the generational talent who represents San Antonio’s next era of championship contention. Popovich’s basketball mind and institutional knowledge remain invaluable assets for the organization he has served for over three decades.
His retirement as head coach also signals the maturation of a vast coaching tree he cultivated. Former assistants and players who trained under his system — including Steve Kerr, Mike Budenholzer, and Ime Udoka — have gone on to become successful NBA coaches in their own right, spreading the Popovich philosophy of team basketball across the league.
Did Gregg Popovich’s retirement surprise you, or did you see it coming after his stroke? Drop your thoughts in the comments below — and follow along for the latest updates on his role with the Spurs!