Mitch Johnson introduced as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs by former coach Gregg Popovich

Mitch Johnson introduced as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs by former coach Gregg Popovich

[Applause] He’s going to do a great job. I am honored by this opportunity and even more humbled by the people that I’ll be able to partner with and serve. I’d just like to share a few acknowledgement and thank yous. First to the whole family, Peter, John, Lauren, Kate, Karina, JB, to RC Buford, Ryan Wright for all you guys do and continue to grow our program, push this place forward and think innovatively. to the staff this past year under such unique circumstances that supported me and made the job so much more enjoyable to be around when times were hard and not too overwhelming when things were tough. I thank you for that. It required all of us to step up out of our comfort zones and do a little bit more than was initially expected when we started training camp. I would like to say a special thank you to Brett Brown. He is a uncle, not by blood, but someone that I look up to very much and someone that I leaned upon. Thank you for the rest of the staff. the people in this building, the organization, people at the Frost Bank Center, as Pop alluded to earlier, all that you do to make this place one of a kind and all the efforts that go behind the scenes, late nights, early mornings, when no one’s watching, thank you to our former players. Your continued presence make this place not an NBA team, but a program. and you welcomed me with open arms almost 10 years ago. Thank you for that. To the fan base with the unwavering support and the commitment to want us to win so bad. We appreciate that even when the frustrations and the competitiveness kicks in even in your world to this amazing city of San Antonio and the relationship that it’s built with this organization for over 50 years. We moved here six years ago as a family. I’d like to thank my wife Jessica. She had lived u nowhere in the world other than Seattle for 34 years and we moved here and San Antonio has become our home and now we don’t foresee us being able to live anywhere else. Thank you for conducting yourself with such grace and humility and being the backbone of our family with your unconditional love. Our world could not uh go on without you. To my four kids, Tasia, Tatum, Johnny, and Jameson, you for did not choose this lifestyle. The many sacrifices and things that you have to experience and go through do not go unnoticed. and your unconditional support is thanked to the current players. You are the part of this opportunity that is the most exciting. You guys have put yourselves in a place to continue to grow to do something special and I cannot wait to continue to grow with you, partner you. partner with you, excuse me, challenge you and try to get better every single day. And my only guarantee is that I will give you everything I have to do that. Where do I begin? You’ve taught me so many things. Led by example in so many ways. The players are always first. Attention to detail. Maniacal competitiveness. Play harder and smarter for more of the 48 than your opponent. the best thing you’ve ever taught me. And you’ve shown me more than you’ve talked about it. You understand the moment and how important every single moment is. And no moment is like any other. And the discipline that you have to be grounded and present and give yourself to every moment is what I will never forget. And in this moment, I just would like to say thank you. [Applause] Mitch, what what uh what do you think the the most important thing besides just the moment you got from Pop during this past year? I think to have confidence to be myself and to do it my way. There’s principles and values that are here and have been laid upon decades ago. So the blueprint has been around for a while, but to be able to do it in my own skin and my way to be authentic for the players most of all is probably the biggest thing that I leaned on. Brian Pop talked about the belief this organization has had in Mitch starting almost 10 years ago. What was it about him that made you and everyone around you feel so sure that he is the guy to do this? Well, I I think you just heard a lot of it. Um, you know, these positions are hard and you know, in the seat that I sit in, you want a leader that’s authentic and genuine to themselves. You want a teacher that can help bring a group forward and you want a partner. And we started the exact same summer. So, I’ve seen his growth, he’s seen my growth. We’ve been a part of each other’s growths. And um it was an easy decision and felt super confident in the human being that he is and his ability to do those dream three things. Lead, teach, and be an amazing partner. Hey Mitch, congratulations. First of all, is there anything uh you learned about yourself or or the job itself in this past year that you think probably prepares you what lies ahead? Yeah, I think there’s a lot of experiences along the way. You know, all all the experiences will hopefully be able to be something to have a take away from to grow from, positive or negative. Um, I think being able to be in front of these guys and partner with them and and challenge them and lead them is going to be the biggest thing because I feel like we have a hold on the direction that we’re heading into and we want to build upon something. This is not a restart. This is not a reboot. This is not a it’s a new chapter because it looks different, but the um the theme of the book isn’t changing. Mitch, just again to see this overwhelming support that you have from everyone in the organization, you know, how much does that give you confidence going forward that you know that support will sustain you through it? You you’ve been through some rough times already, but you know, for what lies ahead immensely. I I do think you guys asked a lot this year and when I did say the support that I was feeling throughout the organization, the building, top to bottom, everywhere, it was authentic and it does go a long way for someone’s confidence because there are times of um questioning, concern, you know, is this the right thing? And it takes a village in a lot of different ways. Mitch, congratulations. Can you speak to that balance of being you and and doing this your way to a certain extent, but at the same time, you know, integrating yourself in a culture that’s worked for God knows how many years now. Yeah. I’ve been doing it, I think, just like every other staff member and employee here for the last nine years myself. Um, I don’t think that standard or that approach changes regardless of title. Obviously, the responsibilities of that title change. But starting to work in this organization can be difficult at times because you want to find your way, but you also want to be told what to do just because they’ve done so many things right. And a lot of times, sometimes you don’t get the direction because you need to just feel it and be in it and learn it. And I think every step of the way in every different title or role that I’ve experienced that’s been a part of it while also being true to yourself because as long as you’re true to yourself even as you have some tough times and mistakes the the genuinity and authenticity comes out and because you are blessed to be working with so many great people and kind of find a way to problem solve and and figure things out. Congrats Mitch. The Spurs were able to identify some of those innate qualities that you had to be able to accelerate your career and come to this position today. Where did those come from? When did you know that you had something special? Who was most important for planting those seeds for who you are and your leadership qualities, etc.? Yeah, I’ve been blessed to work with and play for many great coaches. Um, I was blessed to have a very strong um source of parental guidance. My mother, my father, my stepfather were very strong. Um I realized on a basketball court early as a player the power and the value of making someone else better. And when you have that trait amongst a team in any walk of life or line of profession, if people really commit to and hold value to making others better and being the best you can be, I think that’s something that’s contagious and can lead to a really strong group. Mitch, obviously it was a difficult season in a lot of ways, but after the season ended to hear some of the players come out and support you in the job you did, what did that mean to you? It meant a lot. Uh, it meant a lot obviously. It’s always nice to hear good things even if it’s not something that you’re seeking. I also think it’s a reflection again of the organization from the top to bottom. I think those words were not necessarily meant for me individually, but it was how this building, this organization, this place operated in this uh air quote difficult season for whatever reasons those were. And I think the alignment that we have and the belief that we have in each other and all these different departments of the organization allow us to work through those things. Mitch, getting back to the notion of the organization as a whole. I’m not sure there’s any other organization where you’ve got generations of players coming back to to attend press conferences, you know, for for a new coach. But for you personally, what do you get out of talking to the players who have played before you even join the organization? What do what do you get from talking to those guys about what this place and what this team is? Yeah, I mean, they have the best insight there is. They’ve been through it. They know this place. They know this city. There is, in my opinion nowhere as connected like it in professional sports. When you talk about the city, the community, the organization, and those former players and for them to be a resource for our current players, myself or anybody else, it’s invaluable. They understand the fabric of what we’re about and they’ve lived it and they set the foundation. Hey, Mitch. Um that image to me of Tim and Manu and Papa over there is just so powerful and so loving and you can just tell what type of family this is in the Spurs. When you look over there and you see those three, what does that mean? I think exactly what you said. It means family means the love and support and the togetherness and it’s throughout the whole building. Those guys are obviously the most highest profile people that people recognize for a reason. But I think you could have that same image and feeling amongst everybody that’s here. Hey Mitch, congratulations. Uh what do you learn from the Elfe that you plan to carry into your leadership? Um how important people in relationships are. He he understands people and relationships and the significance of every moment and every touch point with every person and I can’t be him or LFA but um to be able to commit and invest in people and relationships and that can be having to yell and hold someone accountable and that can be to put your arm around someone’s shoulder. and love him and he did it better than anybody I think that’s ever walked the sidelines and I will attempt to do it my way in whatever that looks like moving forward. Coach, you talked about being honored with this opportunity. Does it surprise you any how soon this happened? And what does it mean when a man like Coach Papovich says you’re the guy to do this? Surprise is a tricky word because I don’t know how you ever are expecting to be named a head coach or when it really sinks in. That’s a question I get a lot. I don’t I don’t know how to answer it. It’s something that is constantly um sometimes hitting my emotions differently. I think um last year Pop and I stayed very connected and and he supported me and gave me confidence plenty of times throughout the season in different ways when things were going well and when things were not going well. And again, even in those moments as he was nurturing and supporting me was also a learning lesson for me moving forward of what I can do for others. Looking at the offse, do you have things that going to advocate to target to enhance this roster, make it what you’re what you want this upcoming season. Uh, I think the thing that I will be focusing on the most in this off season will be this current group of guys and the current players in our roster right now and get them as much better as we can in that time allowed. And then obviously Brian and the rest of the group will do the due diligence they do and we will partner and discuss things and be on the same page and aligned as we always are. But I think my my uh sweat equity and time will be devoted to these current guys right here and continue to get them as improved as we can. Thank you, Mitch. Congratulations. [Applause]

Mitch Johnson was officially introduced as the new head coach of the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, marking a significant milestone in his coaching career.