Who Should Be the Spurs’ Next Head Coach?

The Spurs may soon be looking to hire a new head coach.

On Feb. 22, Shams Charania reported that the San Antonio Spurs’ long-time head coach, Gregg Popovich, is not expected to return for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. The 76-year-old hasn’t coached since November after suffering a stroke.

San Antonio Spurs' Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich is not expected to return this season, and his future is uncertain as he recovers from a mild stroke suffered in November, league sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EekHlDa8NI

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2025

Pop is widely regarded as one of the greatest head coaches of all time. Over his 29-season career, he’s accumulated the following accolades:

– Five NBA Championships
– Most wins ever by a head coach
– Three-time Coach of the Year
– Two Olympic gold medals
– Most consecutive winning seasons (22)

Pop is also known for his exceptional player development skills. He helped players such as Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, and Dejounte Murray rise to stardom. Many of his former assistant coaches have also gone on to become head coaches of their own teams.

Victor Wembanyama gives the Spurs an exciting future. If Pop decides to retire after this season, here are some potential head coach candidates who could establish a new dynasty in San Antonio:

Mitch Johnson

The Spurs elevated Johnson from assistant to interim head coach this season. As of Mar. 13, he’s led the team to a 26-37 record. Fans have questioned some of his tactics. For example, there have been moments this year when he’s limited rookie Stephon Castle’s playing time even though he should be getting plenty of experience. Johnson, however, believes he knows what he’s doing.

Are small ball lineups causing confusion among Spurs fans? Coach Mitch Johnson reveals it's a tactical choice and it’s also about keep the rotations tight with 9 players who ‘have earned their minutes.’ 🤔#PorVida pic.twitter.com/5Agu3mSBuh

— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) December 28, 2024

The Spurs chose Johnson as interim head coach because of his six years of experience with the staff. He’s clearly earned the team’s trust. If he secures the permanent head coaching position, he will enter next season with one year of experience.

With Wembanyama out for the remainder of the season, the team has a unique opportunity to evaluate Johnson’s coaching abilities. Johnson will be forced to manage a variety of in-game scenarios and player minutes.

While the Spurs are likely tanking, teams don’t intentionally lose games. The rest of this season will help them assess whether he is the right choice to lead the franchise moving forward.

Mike Brown

Early in his career, from 2000 to 2003, Brown was an assistant under Popovich, giving him prior connections to the Spurs organization.

Brown’s first head coaching job was with the Cavaliers during the 2005-10 seasons, which included a young LeBron, where he won the 2009 Coach of the Year Award. The Lakers hired him as head coach in 2011, but would fire him just five games into his second season. Cleveland would give Brown one more run as head coach during the 2013-14 season, but fired him at the end of that year.

The Kings hired Brown in 2022 and he would go on to win the first ever unanimous Coach of the Year Award in his first season. His success did not last long, though, as the Kings fired him this past December.

Brown coached De’Aaron Fox in Sacramento; the Spurs recently acquired Fox via trade and are including him in their future plans. Together, Brown and Fox ended the Kings’ 16-year playoff drought. The two have shown much appreciation for each other.

"If Mike [Brown] gets fired, I'll be going on my fifth coach. … I'm not going to play for another coach. I'm going to play for another team." 😳

How Mike Brown's firing ended De'Aaron Fox's time with the Kings from @mikecwright ⬇️ https://t.co/rTSkK2X1Jz

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 7, 2025

Brown’s coaching experience, ties to the Spurs organization and history of leading young teams, and stars, on playoff runs shows that he is capable of leading Wemby, Fox and the rest of their crew.

Sam Cassell

Cassell is currently serving as an assistant coach for the defending champion Boston Celtics. He is a member of the Popovich coaching tree and has been receiving interest for head coaching positions. With over 15 years of assistant coaching experience, Cassell is regarded as one of the best assistants in the league.

Having worked with multiple teams, Cassell has adapted to different systems, which is a valuable asset. However, there is some concern that transitioning from the Celtics to the Spurs could alter the Spurs’ offensive style since the Celtics have a heavy focus on three-pointers and isolation plays.

The Spurs historically have been at the bottom of the league in attempted threes with Pop. Despite Wemby being a good shooter, a three-point heavy offense would not be best for his development.

Cassell won three championships as a player and another as a coach. He knows how to succeed in the NBA. As a former guard, he can help players like Castle and Devin Vassell develop into stars and reach their full potential. Cassell’s ability to connect and relate to players makes him a strong candidate for the Spurs’ coaching position.

Sam Cassell DESERVES to be a head coach, but does he want it? pic.twitter.com/IGTAlV1Gkc

— The Sheed & Tyler Show (@SheedXTylerShow) July 13, 2024

Becky Hammon

Another member of the Popovich coaching tree makes this list. Hammon was part of the Spurs coaching staff from 2014 to 2021. In 2015, she led the Spurs to the Las Vegas Summer League title. In 2020, after Coach Pop was ejected from a game, Hammon filled in and made history as the first female head coach in an NBA game.

Since 2021 she has been the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces, leading stars such as A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum. Hammon won two WNBA Championships in her first two seasons and was named Coach of the Year in 2022.

Hammon is undoubtedly an NBA-level coach. During her time with the Spurs she worked closely with Pop, focusing on scouting and game planning. She has demonstrated success when given the opportunity. Her connections to the team and her accomplishments over the last few years will certainly catch the Spurs’ attention.

Becky Hammon pulled up to the Spurs game and was welcomed with open arms ❤️

📸: @spurs pic.twitter.com/e7mkwK3k1Q

— espnW (@espnW) October 29, 2022

Dan Hurley

Hurley has been a head coach in college basketball for many years at various schools. He’s currently the head coach of UConn where he led the Huskies to back-to-back national championships. After last season’s success, NBA teams became interested in Hurley. He was even a finalist for the head coaching position with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Ultimately, Hurley chose to return to UConn. However, this season has been challenging for his team, and Hurley recently revealed that at least 50 percent of his players are considering entering the transfer portal. If more players decide to leave, it could push Hurley toward the NBA.

His college coaching experience could be beneficial in guiding a young NBA team filled with talent like the Spurs. He even has the connection to Castle, who is now a frontrunner for the NBA Rookie of the Year award, having coached him at UConn last season.

Hurley’s intense coaching style and ability to develop young players make him an appealing candidate for NBA teams. His success at the collegiate level demonstrates that he can build a winning culture, which could translate well to the professional game.