By Shams Charania | ESPN, 2025-05-02 23:48:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
圣安东尼奥马刺队周五宣布，篮球名人堂成员格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)将不再担任球队主教练，而是转任球队篮球运营总裁的全职职位。
米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)在波波维奇11月轻微中风后被任命为代理主教练，现在将永久接任主教练的职责。
消息人士告诉ESPN，波波维奇最近几天一直参与球队事务，并出现在圣安东尼奥的训练基地，并将继续是球队日常运营的重要成员。尽管他非常希望回到场边执教的位置，但他最终得出结论，自己无法再承受NBA主教练的繁重工作。消息人士补充说，自11月中风以来，他的健康状况一直在稳步恢复。
“虽然我对比赛的热爱和激情依然存在，但我已经决定是时候卸任主教练的职位了，”波波维奇在一份声明中说。“我永远感谢那些出色的球员、教练、工作人员和球迷，是他们让我有机会担任马刺队的主教练。我很高兴有机会继续支持这个对我意义重大的组织、社区和城市。”
约翰逊在波波维奇缺席期间带领圣安东尼奥取得了31胜45负的战绩，过去十年一直担任马刺队的助理教练。在斯坦福大学取得了出色的大学生涯后，他曾为俄克拉荷马城雷霆队的NBA发展联盟附属球队效力，并在发展联盟和海外打了三年职业篮球。2016年，他加入马刺队，担任球队奥斯汀发展联盟球队的助理教练。
通过选择约翰逊作为新教练，马刺队保持了波波维奇和首席执行官RC·布福德(RC Buford)，以及总经理布莱恩·莱特(Brian Wright)制定的连续性和主线，莱特和约翰逊都是在2016年休赛期加入球队的。一直以来，马刺队的高层都在评估约翰逊，他赢得了球队高层和球员的大力支持。
约翰逊在球队声明中说：“我非常感激和荣幸能获得这个难得的机会。我感谢波波维奇教练、RC、莱特和[执行合伙人小彼得·霍尔特(Peter J. Holt)]信任我，让我继承我们的文化，我保证会尽我所能，让马刺队的球迷感到自豪。”
76岁的波波维奇于1988年在拉里·布朗(Larry Brown)手下开始了他的马刺队生涯，担任了四个赛季的助理教练，之后在尼尔森(Nelson)手下短暂效力于金州勇士队。1994年，他加入了圣安东尼奥的管理层，并在1996年12月接任主教练一职，当时他作为总经理，在球队以3胜15负开局后解雇了鲍勃·希尔(Bob Hill)，并亲自执掌教鞭。在圣安东尼奥队当年无缘季后赛并获得状元签，选中蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)之后，波波维奇带领马刺队从1998年到2019年连续22个赛季进入季后赛，其中包括连续18个赛季至少取得50场胜利。
这位传奇教练以1422场常规赛胜利成为NBA历史上胜场最多的教练，并带领球队五次获得NBA总冠军。他还是三次NBA年度最佳教练奖的获得者，与唐·尼尔森(Don Nelson)和帕特·莱利(Pat Riley)并列历史第一。他在季后赛胜场数方面排名历史第三，是仅有的五位至少赢得五次总冠军的教练之一，其他四位分别是菲尔·杰克逊(Phil Jackson)（11次）、里德·奥尔巴赫(Red Auerbach)（9次）、约翰·昆德拉(John Kundla)（5次）和莱利（5次）。
波波维奇被认为是马刺队的支柱，他与邓肯、大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)、托尼·帕克(Tony Parker)、马努·吉诺比利(Manu Ginobili)和科怀·伦纳德(Kawhi Leonard)合作，在1999年、2003年、2005年、2007年和2014年赢得了王朝时代的冠军。
波波维奇在2月27日与马刺队球员进行了一次充满感情的会面，当时他发表声明说他不会在本赛季回归，但希望将来能够回归。4月15日，他在圣安东尼奥的一家餐厅发生医疗事故后住院，但几天后就回到了家中，据报道感觉好多了。
波波维奇是NBA历史上最年长的教练。2023年，他与球队续签了一份为期五年的合同。他还担任了2019年国际篮联世界杯和东京奥运会上美国男子篮球队的主教练，美国队在那届奥运会上赢得了第四枚连续金牌。
随着波波维奇卸任教练一职，现役NBA主教练中执教时间最长的头衔将归于埃里克·斯波尔斯特拉(Erik Spoelstra)，他自2008-09赛季以来一直执教迈阿密热火队。斯波尔斯特拉和波波维奇在2013年和2014年的NBA总决赛中连续交手，各胜一次。执教时间第二长的是史蒂夫·科尔(Steve Kerr)，他在2014年开始执教勇士队之前，作为球员在波波维奇手下赢得了五次总冠军中的两次。
点击查看原文：Gregg Popovich done coaching Spurs; Mitch Johnson takes over
Gregg Popovich done coaching Spurs; Mitch Johnson takes over
Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich will no longer coach the San Antonio Spurs and is transitioning to a full-time role as the team’s president of basketball operations, the team announced Friday.
Mitch Johnson, who was named acting head coach after Popovich suffered a mild stroke in November, now takes over head coaching duties on a permanent basis.
Popovich has been involved with the team and present at San Antonio’s facility in recent days, and will continue to be a vital member of the franchise’s day-to-day operations, sources told ESPN. As much as he wanted to return to his place on the sideline, he came to the conclusion that he no longer could move forward with the taxing grind of being an NBA head coach. He has been making steady progress with his health in recovery from the November stroke, sources added.
“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said in a statement. “I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me.”
Johnson, who led San Antonio to a 31-45 record in Popovich’s absence, spent the past decade as an assistant with the Spurs organization. After a standout collegiate career at Stanford, he played for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s NBA G League affiliate and went on to play professionally for three years in the G League and abroad. He then joined the Spurs as an assistant coach for the team’s Austin G League team in 2016.
By choosing Johnson as the new coach, the Spurs maintain the continuity and through line laid out by Popovich and CEO RC Buford, as well as general manager Brian Wright, who was hired in the same 2016 offseason as Johnson. All along, the Spurs brass had evaluated Johnson, who gained tremendous support from the franchise’s top officials and players.
“I am truly grateful and honored to receive this incredible opportunity,” Johnson said in the team’s statement. “I am thankful for Coach Pop, RC, Brian and [managing partner Peter J. Holt] trusting me to carry on our culture and I promise to give this responsibility everything I have to make Spurs fans proud.”
Popovich, 76, began his Spurs career as an assistant coach under Larry Brown in 1988, serving in that role for four seasons before a brief stint under Nelson with the Golden State Warriors. He joined San Antonio’s front office in 1994 and took over as head coach in December 1996, when, as general manager, he fired Bob Hill after a 3-15 start and took over on the bench. After San Antonio missed the playoffs that season and landed the No. 1 pick, taking Tim Duncan, Popovich led the Spurs to 22 consecutive playoff seasons from 1998 to 2019, including winning at least 50 games in 18 straight campaigns.
The legendary coach is the NBA’s career wins leader with 1,422 regular-season victories and guided the team to five NBA championships. He is also a three-time NBA Coach of the Year winner, tied with Don Nelson and Pat Riley for the most in league history. He ranks third in career playoff wins as a coach and is one of five coaches to win at least five titles, along with Phil Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (nine), John Kundla (five) and Riley (five).
Popovich is credited as a pillar of the Spurs, partnering with Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard across a dynasty era of championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.
Popovich had an emotional meeting with Spurs players Feb. 27, and he issued a statement at that time that he wouldn’t be returning this season but hoped to return in the future. He was hospitalized April 15 after a medical incident at a San Antonio restaurant, but he returned home within days and reportedly has been feeling much better.
Popovich was the oldest coach in NBA history. He agreed to a five-year contract extension with the team in 2023. He also served as the head coach of the United States men’s national basketball team for the 2019 FIBA World Championships and the Tokyo Olympics, where the U.S. won its fourth consecutive gold medal.
With Popovich stepping aside as coach, the title of longest-tenured active NBA head coach falls to Erik Spoelstra, who has led the Miami Heat since the 2008-09 season. Spoelstra and Popovich faced off in back-to-back NBA Finals in 2013 and 2014, each winning once. The next-longest-tenured coach is Steve Kerr, who won the last two of his five championships as a player under Popovich before embarking on a successful coaching career with the Warriors in 2014.
By Shams Charania | ESPN, via ESPN