Although Gregg Popovich is remaining with the organization he helped become a model of consistency for two decades, a new era of San Antonio Spurs basketball is officially underway.

The man who worked the sidelines for 29 years and guided the franchise to five NBA championships stepped down as head coach last week amid ongoing speculation about his health status, transitioning into a president of basketball operations role. His influence on the team will obviously remain prominent, but this move will still bring about surreal change for those who have closely followed the Spurs since the end of the last century.

It will take some time for the public to get used to the huge adjustment. Luckily, Popovich is doing his part to help everyone adapt to the management shakeup, in only the way he can.

During the introductory press conference for new full-time HC Mitch Johnson, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee creatively and conspicuously communicated his updated standing with the team. “I'm no longer coach, I'm El Jefe,” Popovich said, via ClutchPoints. All-time great big man Tim Duncan and Sixth Man extraordinaire Manu Ginobili, two of the 76-year-old's brightest pupils, helped him remove his jacket and expose his informative T-shirt.

“El Jefe,” which is Spanish for “the boss,” was displayed on the front and “Senor Popovich: President of Basketball Ops” covered the back. The three-time NBA Coach of the Year is still showing the effects of a mild stroke he suffered in early November, but his sense of humor remains intact. This marked the first time Popovich has spoken in front of cameras since he left the Spurs to recover. It was obviously important to him to stand behind Johnson on this day.

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Gregg Popovich helps set the table for his Spurs successor

Popovich remains committed to re-establishing San Antonio as a power in the Western Conference, and with that stance comes the desire to squash all skepticism fans may have about the future of the franchise. Mitch Johnson has worked for the Spurs in some capacity since 2016, beginning as an assistant for the G League squad in Austin before eventually joining Popovich on the NBA bench in 2019.

He assumed leadership during a trying time for the team and community, earning the respect of players and colleagues while learning on the fly. Johnson will have the opportunity to craft his own unique legacy on the Silver and Black with Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox and recently crowned Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, among others.

Johnson has enormous shoes to fill, but fortunately for him, Gregg Popovich will still be around to lend counsel if necessary. Moreover, as the NBA legend just made clear, he is still the boss.