Gregg Popovich retired from coaching last year, but he has not disappeared from the San Antonio Spurs. The NBA’s all-time winningest coach has spent this season working behind the scenes, and for some players, the presence of the man once known for his hard edge is still daily and immediate.
That influence is not abstract. Devin Vassell said Popovich keeps it real, gives him nuggets of wisdom and helps him feel back on top of the world. Rookie Carter Bryant said Popovich has been a big part of the whole year, adding that he tries to absorb as much as he can from having the greatest coach of all time close by. Bryant said he talks to Popovich on the phone three times a week and gets texts from him nearly after every game, sometimes so fast that the calls come while he is still in the locker room. Keldon Johnson speaks with Popovich every day, and Steph Castle leans on him often for advice as he navigates the season.
The arrangement grew out of a hard turn for the franchise. Mitch Johnson stepped in on an interim basis in November 2024 after Popovich suffered a stroke, then took over the bench after Popovich later announced he would step away from coaching and move into the role of “El Jefe.” Popovich is formally listed as president of basketball operations, but his presence this season has clearly been about more than a title. He has been part mentor, part sounding board and part steady hand for a young roster trying to find its footing.
That has made his role an open secret inside the team. The Spurs have built around a new coach, but Popovich has remained woven into the daily rhythm of the locker room, offering guidance to Johnson and maintaining close relationships with players throughout the year. For a 62-win contender of the past and a team still defining its next stage, the message is that Popovich may be off the sideline, but he is still shaping the room.
The question now is how long that balance holds as the Spurs continue forward with Johnson on the bench and Popovich in the background, still answering calls, sending texts and leaving his fingerprints on the season.
