Mitch Johnson of the Spurs appointed as coach for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs’ Sunday commenced in Charlotte, North Carolina, followed by a stop in Atlanta due to an equipment malfunction on the team’s charter flight.
However, by the conclusion of the evening, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson had achieved a significant milestone in his career. With his team’s 112-103 victory over the Orlando Magic, Johnson secured the opportunity to represent the Western Conference as a head coach in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game on February 15 in Inglewood, California.
“It would be a privilege and a humbling experience to participate in All-Star Weekend alongside the top players in this league,” Johnson stated. “The league consistently excels at organizing a fantastic weekend. It serves as a testament to the dedication these players have shown.”
Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff will lead one of the three All-Star teams under the new “U.S. vs. the World” format, having earned that position because the Pistons are leading the Eastern Conference. Johnson will coach another team. Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault, who leads the team with the best record in the West, is ineligible to coach the All-Star Game this year as he served in that role last season.
This left Johnson and the Nuggets’ David Adelman competing for the position, which was determined on Sunday when the Spurs (33-16) defeated Orlando and Oklahoma City overcame Denver (33-17).
The NBA has not disclosed how the coach of the third All-Star team will be selected.
Johnson reached this achievement following a tumultuous day that began on the road at 6 a.m. ET in Charlotte, where the team had been stranded overnight due to a loss to the Hornets on Saturday. The Spurs were initially set to return home right after Saturday’s game, but a reported 11 inches of snow fell at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, leading to the grounding of over 1,000 flights and prompting the NBA to postpone the start of Sunday’s Magic-Spurs game from 3 p.m. CT to 6 p.m.
Once the weather improved enough for the Spurs to depart for San Antonio, less than an hour into the flight, a pilot announced that the flight had to be redirected to Atlanta due to a mechanical issue. Consequently, the NBA postponed tipoff by an additional two hours.
The Spurs arrived at San Antonio International Airport nearly 4½ hours prior to tipoff.
“It was a bit alarming,” remarked forward Keldon Johnson. “They announced over the intercom that we were losing cabin pressure. We had to make an emergency landing. Our pilot managed the situation well. After that, the atmosphere lightened up and returned to joking. It was frightening.”
Mitch Johnson, in his first full season as the Spurs’ head coach, becomes the second All-Star Game head coach in the franchise’s history and the first since Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich in 2016.
San Antonio’s 33-16 record stands as the franchise’s best through 49 games since the 2016-17 season.
Throughout the season, Johnson has guided the Spurs to achieve the third-most clutch victories in the NBA (17), with the team recording an offensive rating of 124.8 in clutch scenarios.
“I’m thrilled for him,” said Spurs big man and All-Star starter Victor Wembanyama after achieving his 23rd game with at least 25 points and 5 blocks. “I’m not sure how many [coaches] have accomplished this in their first season or first-and-a-half.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
