Is Mitch Johnson Ready To Be An NBA Head Coach?

Is Mitch Johnson Ready To Be An Head Coach?

The Spurs are ahead of schedule on their rebuild. After drafting Victor Wembanyama last year, he has exceeded even his impossible expectations. The Spurs are currently 9th in the Western Conference and are only 1 game back from being 5th in the Western Conference. However, that hasn’t been to Gregg Popovich’s doing, it has been a lot of Mitch Johnson expertise and adjustments that have pushed the Spurs to compete in the tough Western Conference since he took over head coaching duties.

Why did Mitch Johnson take over head coaching duties in the first place? Gregg Popovich had a mild stroke on November 2nd, prior to the home game vs the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Spurs were 2-3 at the time, so there’s not a huge sample size to how the season would have gone with Popovich at the helm. The Spurs have been 13-10 since Mitch Johnson took over head coaching duties and for a rebuilding team, that’s not bad at all. I would even say that is exceeding expectations. I honestly think Mitch has been a breath of fresh air. Maybe it has been because the Spurs were rebuilding and Gregg Popovich was experimenting but his rotations and adjustments the last few years have just been meh and even downright awful at times. Trey Daubert questioned if he lost his coaching mastery years ago, and at the time I didn’t think so, but with another guy at the helm, maybe that seems to be the case.

Mitch Johnson doesn’t have a lot of NBA head coaching experience but he does have some experience and is definitely learning as he goes. He has been with the Spurs organization since 2016, when he was a an assistant coach for the Austin Spurs, the Spurs G-League Affiliate, for 3 years. Since 2020 he has been a full-time assistant with the Spurs and has been an interim coach for the Spurs two games over the years before this stretch this season.

Maybe Mitch Johnson thinks this is his shot, no one knows when Gregg Popovich will come back, you know, if he comes back. Mitch Johnson is on a job interview coaching these interim games until Popovich takes over again, not only for the Spurs, but any NBA team that might need a head coach. If the Spurs make the playoffs in what is supposed to be a rebuilding year with Mitch running the show, that is surely going to turn some heads in the NBA and in the Spurs front office.

Gregg Popovich Hates The 3-Point Shot

Can Mitch Johnson keep this momentum going? I’m not sure he brings the culture and motivation that Gregg Popovich is known for, he may be riding off what Popovich has built, but as far as basketball strategy, he’s done a good job of keeping this Spurs team competitive and at least in contention for a playoff spot. Will Popovich return? Who knows? Mitch Johnson is going to take all of the experience he can to see if he is ready to be an NBA head coach.

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