NBA Coaching Records Update
In a significant update to the all-time coaching records in the NBA, the league has recalibrated Gregg Popovich’s career statistics, reflecting the games he was unable to coach during the previous season due to health reasons. Following Popovich’s stroke on November 2, 2022, which occurred at the Spurs’ home arena in San Antonio, Mitch Johnson, who was serving as one of Popovich’s assistant coaches, stepped in to lead the team for the remainder of the season.
Record Adjustments
As a result of this adjustment, the NBA has now excluded the 77 games coached by Johnson from Popovich’s official record, redistributing the wins and losses of that stretch directly to Johnson. Consequently, Popovich’s coaching record has been updated to an impressive 1,390 wins and 824 losses, the same figure he held prior to his medical incident. During the interim period, Johnson finished with a 32-45 record as head coach.
Retirement Announcement
The decision to modify these records came after Popovich announced his retirement earlier this year, despite continuing to serve as the president of the Spurs organization and remaining actively involved with the franchise.
“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,”
he stated at that time.
Historical Context
This alteration is not unprecedented in the NBA, as similar adjustments have been made in the past. For instance, in the 1979-80 season, the Los Angeles Lakers’ coaching records were modified when head coach Jack McKinney suffered a severe injury, resulting in Paul Westhead taking over. The league recognized McKinney with a 10-4 record while awarding Westhead the final tally of 50-18, demonstrating a precedent for acknowledging coaching changes due to unforeseen circumstances.
Legacy of Gregg Popovich
Despite these alterations, Popovich retains his status as the winningest coach in NBA history, with 53 more wins than his closest rival, Don Nelson, who holds a record of 1,335 victories. In terms of winning percentage, Popovich also sees a slight improvement from .621 to .628, positioning him seventh among NBA coaches with at least 400 games coached, trailing notable figures such as Phil Jackson and Steve Kerr.
