The NBA has updated legendary coach Gregg Popovich’s career record by removing the 77 games he missed last season due to health issues, officially crediting them to his former assistant and now San Antonio Spurs head coach, Mitch Johnson.
Popovich, who suffered a stroke at the Spurs’ arena on November 2, 2024, stepped away from coaching duties for the remainder of the season. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson took over in an acting capacity, finishing the season with a 32-45 record. With Popovich’s retirement confirmed earlier this year, Johnson was named his permanent successor.
The NBA, in agreement with the Spurs, decided it was appropriate to credit Johnson with those 77 games, adjusting Popovich’s final record to 1,390 wins and 824 losses — precisely where it stood before his medical emergency. This change, while symbolic, reinforces the distinction between active coaching and statistical attribution in the league’s historical records.
This isn’t the first time the NBA has made such a correction. A similar adjustment occurred during the 1979-80 season when Los Angeles Lakers coach Jack McKinney was sidelined by a serious bicycle accident. Interim coach Paul Westhead, who eventually took over full-time, was credited with the games he coached, while McKinney retained a 10-4 record from earlier in the season.
Despite the update, Popovich’s place atop the NBA coaching leaderboard remains untouched. His 1,390 victories still put him 53 wins ahead of Don Nelson’s 1,335, cementing his status as the league’s all-time wins leader. The change slightly elevates Popovich’s career winning percentage from .621 to .628, moving him to seventh all-time among coaches with at least 400 games, behind notable names such as Phil Jackson and Pat Riley.
This adjustment reflects not only the NBA’s commitment to accurate historical records but also a respectful nod to Mitch Johnson’s contributions during a turbulent time for the franchise. As Johnson begins his full-time tenure, he does so with official credit for steering the Spurs through a challenging transition, a testament to the continuity and resilience Popovich fostered over his historic career.
