The San Antonio Spurs announced Friday that Gregg Popovich will step down as head coach and transition to a new role as president of basketball operations.

Popovich, 76, has coached the San Antonio Spurs since 1996 and is the longest-serving head coach in the four major U.S. professional sports leagues. He won 1,422 regular season games in 29 seasons as the Spurs' head coach and led the team to five NBA championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014).

However, Popovich has been recuperating at home since suffering a mild stroke last November. During his recuperation, Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson, 38, served as acting head coach and led the team to a record of 31 wins and 45 losses.

In a statement released by the Spurs, Popovich said: "My love and passion for basketball remain, but I have decided it is time to step down as head coach. I am forever grateful to the outstanding players, coaches, staff and fans who have given me the honor of serving as head coach of the Spurs, and I am also grateful for the opportunity to continue to support the team, community and city that mean so much to me."

Spurs Managing Partner Peter J. Holt added, “Coach Popovich’s impact on our family, San Antonio, the Spurs organization and the game of basketball is profound and immeasurable. The honors and awards he has received cannot fully reflect the impact he has had on so many people. As a person, a leader and a coach, he is truly one-of-a-kind. Our entire family and fans around the world are deeply grateful for his 29-year legacy as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.”

As for Popovich's successor, the Spurs have already made a decision. They decided to make interim head coach Mitch Johnson the 19th head coach in the history of the San Antonio Spurs.

Peter J. Holt explained the decision to make Johnson a permanent employee: "We are delighted to have Mitch Johnson as our next head coach. Over the past decade, Mitch has shown us the right values, a calm attitude, and the potential to lead us into the future."

Johnson said: "I am very grateful and honored to have this great opportunity. Thank you to Coach Pop, RC, Brian and Peter for their trust in me to continue to carry forward our culture. I promise to do my best to take on this responsibility and make the Spurs fans proud of us."