“I’m sure Coach Pop gave him the ‘okay,'” said one fan. “I think we’re in good hands with Mitch Johnson.”
SAN ANTONIO — The news was double the emotion for the Spurs on the final Friday of Fiesta.
First came word from the Spurs that Gregg Popovich was stepping aside from full-time coaching duties followed shortly thereafter with word that interim head coach Mitch Johnson was being promoted to the full-time position.
We chatted with Fiesta-going Spurs fans at Market Square downtown and got their reaction to Johnson moving into his role as the new coach face of the Silver & Black.
“I’m sure Coach Pop gave him the ‘okay,'” said one fan. “I think we’re in good hands with Mitch Johnson.”
“That kind of makes sense,” said another fan. “I think that’ll work.”
“New changes, new year, new season and we’ll see what comes,” said another.
I told two Fiesta attendees not to let this news ruin their Fiesta, that this is the beginning of a new era. They agreed, although one said he was still in shock.
Another fan told me she is excited because Mitch is a product of Coach Pop. I told her that Coach Johnson also has Wemby, and that’s not all bad. “Yes, I agree,” she said.
“We have to give him a chance,” said a long-time fan. “We will give him a chance. I know I will.”
Mitch Johnson has been with the Spurs organization since the 2016 season and had been an assistant underneath Gregg Popovich since the 2019 season. He becomes the Spurs new head coach at 38 years of age.