Mitch Johnson responds to All-Star coaching nod recognition

Although the venue was not decided until February 1 was just around the corner, San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson will represent the Western Conference as a head coach in 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

When Spurs’ first man took the podium after his the team’s 112-103 win against the Orlando Magiche didn’t know if he would get the nod for the annual mid-February weekend.

“It would be an honor and a humbling to be a part of All-Star Weekend with the best players in this league,” Johnson said.

“The league always does a great job of putting on a great weekend. It’s an example and a reflection of the work these guys put in. And again, it’s something that I would be honored to have the privilege to do and probably a great bonus and memories to make with some of my family and myself and the people that will be there.”

“It would be an honor and a humbling to be a part of All-Star Weekend with the best players in this league…
An example and a reflection of the work these guys put in…”⬇

Mitch Johnson will coach the West. This reply came without the OKC/Den game still in progress#Spurs pic.twitter.com/PatPuuZV2k

— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) February 2, 2026

First-place Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Dayno is ineligible under league rules because he coached in a game last year. So the tag then falls to the coach of the team with the second best record in the conference through the first day of February.

If the Denver Nuggets had beaten OKC on the first day of the month, Nuggets coach David Adleman would have won the spot.

Instead, Johnson becomes the second All-Star head coach in franchise history and first since Hall of Fame head coach Gregg Popovich in 2016.

Mitch Johnson is enjoying an All-Star first season as a head coach

The 39-year-old former Spurs assistant has led San Antonio to a 33-16 record, which is third in the NBA and the organization’s best mark through 49 games since the 2016-17 season.

Defensively, the Silver and Black rank in the top ten in opponent second-chance points (second), fast break points allowed (second), opponent field goal percentage (fourth) and opponent scoring (seventh), while holding the league’s third-best defensive rating at 111.4.

Johnson’s latest victory came on a day when The Spurs started the day in Charlotte, North Carolina because bad weather prevented them from going next a loss to the Charlotte Hornets. That flight to the Alamo City had to be diverted to Atlanta, Georgia due to mechanical problems. The team finally arrived at home just a few hours before the game against Orlando.

“The game was extremely important because it’s one of 82 games and we’re trying to grow and we’re trying to get better and we’re in a competitive Western Conference. And that was the focus,” Johnson said when asked if a win under such unusual circumstances would have meant more to the All-Star nod.

“I’m sure there will be some moments that might hit me, but (the win against the Magic) was about the San Antonio Spurs and Game 50, no matter the number, and we had to respond because of the way we played the previous game, and we did.”

Under the Seattle, Washington native, San Antonio has the third-most wins in the NBA with 17, with a 124.8 offensive rating in clutch situations, which ranks third in the NBA.

From opening night on Oct. 22 through Jan. 11, the Spurs have scored 100+ points in 39 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in the NBA this season, and have reached 100 points in 46 of 49 games overall.

The Western Conference Coach of the Month for December will make his debut at the 75th NBA All-Star Game on February 15th at 4pm CT.