Spurs rumor: The primary reason why Greg Popovich stepped down as Spurs head coach

Greg Popovich stepped down as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs after 29 seasons; ESPN's Shams Charania reveals the key reasons behind this decision.

After nearly three decades of coaching, Greg Popovich stepped down as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, marking the end of one of the most legendary coaching careers in NBA history. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Popovich's decision was mainly due to health concerns and the physical stress brought by his NBA coaching career, especially after a stroke last November.

Chalanya reported on Friday that while Popovich initially wanted to continue coaching, he eventually thought the pace of returning to the coaching table to coach full-time was too difficult.

"Although Greg Popovich is eager to continue coaching and wants to coach again... I heard he finally concluded that returning to the sidelines as head coach was too hard on the NBA," said Charania. "Especially after he suffered a stroke last November, he has been recovering and his situation has improved, but taking on the burden and pressure of coaching every day is completely different from living an ordinary life."

Greg Popovich's coaching career ended, coaching for 29 seasons, but his leadership will continue to be in the management of the Spurs.

Popovich, 76, informed all retired and present players of his decision within the past 24 hours. The transfer officially ended his 29-year coaching career, which included five NBA championships, 22 consecutive playoffs and a league record of 1,422 regular season wins. He has been the head coach since 1996 and has become synonymous with the Spurs' culture of discipline, selfless dedication and sustained success.

Although Popovich will no longer be the coach, he has not completely left the team. Charania added that the long-time coach will continue to be deeply involved in team affairs as the president of basketball operations and has worked closely with staff to prepare for the transition.

"On the other hand, this marks the beginning of another era," said Charania. "I heard that Greg Popovich will continue to be an important part of the Spurs' daily operations. He has even been in the training venues with his staff to prepare for the arrival of the Mickey Johnson era. But for the NBA, it is undoubtedly a huge change for Greg Popovich to stop being a head coach." The Spurs have appointed Mickey Johnson as official head coach, who served as interim head coach after the health crisis last fall. Johnson led the team to a record of 31 wins and 45 losses, while Popovich focused on the team's recovery.

Popovich's departure marks a turning point for the Spurs, who are in a reconstruction period centered on rising star Victor Vibaniama. Looking ahead, Popovich's influence will still lead the team forward-though he is in a new position in management.