Gregg Popovich wears 'El Jefe' shirt as Spurs introduce new head coach Mitch Johnson

Colin Capece

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Gregg Popovich wears 'El Jefe' shirt as Spurs introduce new head coach Mitch Johnson image

Gregg Popovich is a coaching legend, but he will become 'El Jefe' next season.

San Antonio's Hall-of-Fame leader is moving to a new role as team president of basketball operations, and in typical Popovich fashion, he used his trademark deadpan humor to introduce himself to the new gig. Before the Spurs introduced Mitch Johnson as the organization's next head coach on Monday, Popovich unveiled a plain black T-shirt with 'El Jefe', which means "The Boss" in Spanish, printed across the front.

Popovich, 76, announced he is retiring from coaching on Friday after 29 seasons as San Antonio's head coach. He suffered a mild stroke in November and did not coach for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

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The all-time winningest coach in NBA history appears more than ready to take his talents to the front office as he tries to build the Spurs a championship roster once again.

Here's what to know about "El Jefe" Gregg Popovich.

Gregg Popovich 'El Jefe' shirt

Before the Spurs introduced new head coach Mitch Johnson on Monday, Popovich unveiled a black T-shirt with 'El Jefe' printed in white across the front. The back of the shirt reads, "Señor Popovich President of Basketball Ops."

Spurs legends Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli helped Popovich unveil his new threads.

Popovich praised Johnson, who took over as interim head coach following his November stroke, before stepping off the stage for the new head coach 

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What does 'El Jefe' mean?

The term "El Jefe" means "The Boss" in Spanish. Popovich has always been one of the leaders of the Spurs organization, but he will be at the top of the organizational pyramid in his new role.

Popovich has a record 1,422 regular-season victories and is a three-time NBA Coach of the Year award winner, tied with Don Nelson and Pat Riley for the most in league history. He also coached the U.S. team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, leading it to a gold medal. Popovich was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

What is Gregg Popovich's new role with Spurs?

Popovich will become the Spurs team president of basketball operations. This will be his second stint in the team's front office. In 1994, Popovich rejoined the Spurs as general manager and vice president of basketball operations. He took over as head coach in the middle of the 1996-97 season.

Gregg Popovich age

Popovich is 76 years old. When he retired from coaching, he was not only the oldest current NBA head coach, but also the oldest man to ever coach a game in the Association. He surpassed the previous record holder, Hubie Brown, who was 71 when he coached his final game for the Grizzlies in 2020.

Popovich appeared to cite his health as a reason for moving from the sideline to the front office. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that while mulling his future, he came to the conclusion that he "no longer could move forward with the taxing grind of being an NBA head coach."

Colin Capece

Colin Capece is an editorial intern for The Sporting News. He previously wrote The Dallas Morning News, USA Today and The Arizona Republic. Colin earned his master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and loves to talk baseball and basketball.