The San Antonio Spurs' rise to second place in the Western Conference with a 55-18 record reflects not only roster construction and the emergence of Victor Wembanyama as one of the NBA's best players, but a deeply personal working relationship between head coach Mitch Johnson and general manager Brian Wright, who have been colleagues for nearly a decade. I'm fortunate we have a personal history and a personal relationship that allows us to have honest conversations and trust each other and hopefully agree, disagree, and then align, Johnson said of his relationship with Wright. Both men joined San Antonio in 2016 with Johnson as an assistant with the Austin Spurs and Wright as assistant GM under R.C. Buford. Wright became GM in 2019. Johnson succeeded Gregg Popovich as head coach in 2025 following six years as an assistant and nearly a full season as acting head coach after Popovich suffered a stroke. That shared climb through the organization's ranks shaped their partnership, Johnson said. He's someone I'm very fortunate to have as my boss and someone to work with and partner with, Johnson said of Wright, whom he described as leader of our project construction and a lot of things that are at the foundational level of our organization from top to bottom. The bond has produced results. San Antonio ended six consecutive losing seasons without a playoff appearance and has emerged as a legitimate title contender behind Victor Wembanyama. Wright is now considered a leading candidate for NBA Executive of the Year, an honor the franchise last received from Buford in 2016. He's a great man and a great leader, Johnson said.
March 27, 2026