A viral post claiming Gregg Popovich would return to coach the San Antonio Spurs for the remainder of the NBA Finals is false.
The post came from NBA Centel, a parody account on X, and was phrased to look like a report from NBA insider Shams Charania. The post said the Spurs had announced Popovich would be coaching “for the remainder of the series,” but there has been no such announcement from the Spurs, the NBA or Charania. The fake post surfaced before Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Spurs and New York Knicks, a high-stakes elimination game for San Antonio.
The confusion is understandable only because Popovich remains closely tied to the Spurs. He is still a major presence around the franchise. But he is not replacing Mitch Johnson on the bench for Game 5.
Gregg Popovich is Not Returning to Coach the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals
Popovich is not returning to coach the Spurs in the NBA Finals.
San Antonio’s former coach, Popovich now holds an official title of president of Spurs basketball. Johnson remains the coach of the current Spurs team.
That is the real story: Popovich is still influential, but Johnson is the head coach.
Popovich retired from coaching after a decorated run that included five NBA championships and the most regular-season wins by a head coach in NBA history. His voice still matters inside the Spurs’ building, especially with a young roster led by Victor Wembanyama. NBA.com reported that Popovich has remained around practices, games and the locker room during San Antonio’s playoff push.
But influence is different from a coaching change. There has been no credible report that the Spurs are making a bench switch during the Finals, and the viral post that caused the confusion came from a parody account.
The Rumor Lands as San Antonio is in Desperation Mode with New York Leading 3-1 in the NBA Finals
The timing of the fake Popovich report mattered because the Spurs are coming off their most painful loss of the season.
New York leads the NBA Finals 3-1 after winning Game 4, 107-106, at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won Game 1, 105-95, and Game 2, 105-104, before the Spurs answered with a 115-111 win in Game 3. The Knicks then took Game 4 by one point to move within a win of the title.
Game 4 was an all-time collapse for San Antonio. The Spurs led by as many as 29 points, but the Knicks rallied behind Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby. Anunoby’s late tip-in gave New York the 107-106 win and a 3-1 series lead.
That is why the Popovich rumor found traction. The Spurs are facing elimination, Johnson is coaching in his first Finals and Popovich is still one of the most respected figures in league history. For some fans, the fake report sounded like a dramatic emergency move.
It was not.
The Spurs’ actual challenge is more practical: recover emotionally from Game 4, fix the late-game execution problems that cost them a chance to even the series and find a way to beat a Knicks team that has already won twice in San Antonio during this Finals.
Spurs-Knicks Game 5 Is Saturday: Time, TV and Gameday Information
Game 5 of the NBA Finals is Saturday, June 13, in San Antonio. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
The Knicks can win the championship with a victory. The Spurs need a win to extend the series and force Game 6, which would be Tuesday, June 16, in New York. A potential Game 7 would be Friday, June 19, back in San Antonio.
The Knicks are one win away from their first NBA title since 1973.
So the answer for fans is clear: Popovich is not taking over. Johnson remains the Spurs’ coach. The Spurs’ season, however, really is on the line Saturday.
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