Can Spurs' Mitch Johnson Coach All-Star Game? Possible Outcomes, Scenarios

Mitch Johnson doesn't much care for the fanfare. But, at times, he can't escape it. It's part of the trade succeeding Gregg Popovich after 29 seasons.

“I can’t be him," Johnson said during his official head coach introduction last May. "Or ‘El Jefe.' But to be able to commit and invest in people and relationships ... he did it better than anybody. I will attempt to do it my way, whatever that looks like, going forward.”

Johnson has forged that bond with his players. Since Victor Wembanyama's arrival, he's been the hand feeding basketballs to the star during warmups and in practice. At shootaround, he's the same watchful eye in the middle of the room.

He now has the chance to match his predecessor in title. Sort of.

The 39-year-old coach has captained his San Antonio Spurs to the Western Conference's second-best record, behind only the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder. San Antonio holds the third-best record in the league in a dogfight with the Denver Nuggets.

If his squad holds place by Monday evening, Johnson will be an All-Star head coach.

"It's obviously rare air," Johnson said when asked about the possibility, "being among some of the best doing it (when the All-Star Break comes around). And to be able to be a part of it, in whatever capacity you are, is a really cool experience."

Dec 18, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson yells out to players during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Frost Bank Center. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault earned the honor last season, and while his Thunder once again sit atop the Western Conference, NBA rules state that a coach cannot appear in the All-Star Game two seasons in a row. The honor will instead go to the No. 2 seed.

If selected, Johnson will join Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff as one of two league coaches assigned to coach the All-Star game. This year, the format will involve three eight-player teams: two consisting of American players, and the third of international players.

Correction: Denver has to lose to OKC tomorrow to fall back behind San Antonio. If the #Spurs' game is not played, it will not hurt them. But if they DO play tomorrow, they must win to clinch. #PorVida https://t.co/X0sYmb37ck
— Matt Guzman (@mattgzman) February 1, 2026

Bickerstaff has been in Detroit since 2024. In his first season at the helm, he led the Pistons to the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

The nod marked a full-circle moment for his family, who watched his father, Bernie, assistant coach the 1979 All-Star Game while with the Washington Bullets.

“It’s special for a lot of different reasons," Bickerstaff said. "Understanding why you’re in the position you’re in and how important the people around you are in helping you succeed ... If the guys don’t do what they do, they don’t buy in ... we’re not in this position."

Johnson has expressed a similar sentiment this season while working to find his own coaching identity. Last season, he served as the Spurs' acting coach for 78 games in lieu of Popovich, who spent the season recovering from a mild stroke.

Now with formalities addressed, Johnson has grown more comfortable.

"That'd be a huge honor in his first full year," Devin Vassell told the San Antonio Express-News. "We obviously have a mindset to win, but this puts a little bit extra into it."

Dec 21, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson talks with Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during a timeout against the Washington Wizards in the second half at Capital One Arena. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Several scenarios exist to coin the second All-Star coach; Johnson and his staff are favored in two of them. A winter storm sweeping North Carolina forced the Spurs to remain in Charlotte following a 111-106 loss to the Hornets, which has placed the team's home contest against the Orlando Magic on Sunday afternoon in jeopardy.

If SAS–ORL is postponed past Feb. 1, San Antonio will need Denver to lose to Oklahoma City on Sunday. If that happens, the Spurs will clinch the No. 2 seed, and Mitch Johnson will coach the All-Star Game.

If SAS–ORL is played on Feb. 1, the Spurs must win to remain in contention. A loss would drop San Antonio behind Denver, sending David Adelman to the All-Star Game instead.

If Denver beats Oklahoma City, the Nuggets clinch the No. 2 seed regardless of the outcome or status of SAS–ORL.

While Johnson won't be glued to the television to find out his status as an All-Star game coach, he has no aversion to good news. If it is him representing the Spurs alongside Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and David Jones-Garcia, he'll enjoy the moment.

And they'll enjoy watching his work be vindicated.

"There is some crazy amount of sacrifice and things people don't see that make the job really hard," Johnson said. "There's also really great benefits, bonuses and cool moments and experiences, at times, you get to have. I think that's what (this) would be."

2026 NBA All-Star Weekend is set to run from February 13-15 at the LA Clippers' Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The 2026 NBA All-Star Game is set for 4 p.m. Central Feb. 15.