Gregg Popovich is married again.
The longtime San Antonio Spurs icon tied the knot with Mary Barth Budenholzer in a private ceremony on September 16 in Bexar County, Texas, according to a marriage license obtained by TMZ Sports. Popovich, 77, and Mary Barth Budenholzer were married after keeping the ceremony out of the public eye.
The connection makes the news even more notable inside the Spurs circle: Mary Barth Budenholzer was previously married to Mike Budenholzer, one of Popovich’s former assistants. TMZ Sports reported that she “worked very closely with Coach Pop to win 5 NBA Championship rings for the Spurs.”
Popovich has been a widower since 2018. He was married to his first wife, Erin, from 1976 until 2018. She died in April of 2018.
Mike Budenholzer, 57, spent 1996 through 2013 as an assistant coach in San Antonio and was part of four different NBA championship teams during that stretch. He later moved on to become head coach of the Atlanta Hawks from 2013-18, then coached the Bucks from 2018-23 and won a championship in Milwaukee.
Budenholzer, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, most recently worked as a head coach in Phoenix from 2024-25. He and Mary Barth divorced a decade ago.
Popovich coached the Spurs from 1996 until 2025, winning five NBA titles and earning Hall of Fame recognition along the way. He officially retired in May of 2025 and moved into a new role as president of basketball operations.
Mitch Johnson took over as head coach in San Antonio and led the Spurs to an NBA Finals appearance last June.
In Other News...
Spurs Suddenly Have A Real Fight Over A Key Starting Spot
Julian Champagnies new three-year extension seemed to settle one part of San Antonios forward picture, but the Spurs may still have a real battle on their hands at the position hes held down. Tobias Harris arrived with plenty of mileage and the kind of multi-faceted offensive game that has kept him in starting roles on successful teams, which gives San Antonio a legitimate alternative as it sorts out its lineup.
For the Spurs, the question is less about reputation than fit, and both players bring a case to make. Champagnie has already established himself as a useful starter, while Harris adds experience and a proven ability to contribute in different ways. The final call is expected to come in training camp and preseason, and for a team trying to sharpen its rotation, that competition could end up being one of the more important decisions of the fall. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Added One Unusual Piece That Could Change Everything
San Antonio spent the offseason trying to build on last years progress without losing the identity that made the young group so intriguing, and the result was a roster that still leans heavily on its core but now has a more seasoned layer around it. The front office kept the supporting cast together and added a veteran who brings experience, versatility and a different kind of presence than the Spurs have had in recent seasons.
What makes the move interesting is how it could reshape the way the lineup functions on both ends. Analysts see him as someone who can add physicality and give the offense another reliable way to attack, which matters for a team still figuring out the best way to balance growth with winning now. The unanswered part is whether that new piece settles in where San Antonio has been searching for steadier production. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Harper Just Gave Spurs Fans Another Reason To Question ESPN
ESPNs latest top 100 NBA players list gave Spurs fans a fresh gripe, and it came in the form of a curious comparison that had little to do with how the two young players actually performed last spring. Dylan Harpers stock was boosted by a long postseason run in San Antonio, where he was on the floor for every game as the Spurs pushed all the way to the Finals and got real value from his scoring efficiency and two-way play.
Still, the ranking landed with Harper sitting behind Kon Knueppel, a placement that felt out of step with the broader evidence from the season and the playoffs. Harpers production in that run, along with the defensive impact that helped shape San Antonios march, makes the gap hard to justify, especially when the other side of the comparison struggled in Charlottes play-in games. [Read more 🡒]