Gregg Popovich raises eyebrows with marriage to former assistant's ex-wife
Gregg Popovich raises eyebrows with marriage to former assistant's ex-wife
Joshua MbuThu, September 24, 2026 at 9:56 AM UTC
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Gregg Popovich has married Mary Barth Budenholzer, the ex-wife of former assistant coach Mike Budenholzer -Credit:X
Legendary NBA head coach Gregg Popovich quietly married the ex-wife of his former longtime San Antonio Spurs assistant, Mike Budenholzer, in a quiet Texas ceremony.
Popovich, 77, tied the knot with Mary Barth on Sept. 16, marking his second marriage. The iconic NBA coach was previously married to Erin Popovich, who tragically died eight years ago from an undisclosed severe illness.
It’s unclear when Popovich and Mary Barth tied the knot, but his new spouse has been single since her 2016 divorce from Budenholzer. Their split came three years after Budenholzer ended a nearly 20-year stint as Popovich’s Spurs assistant and became the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks. Popovich's second wedding ring comes after he suffered a career-ending health scare.
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Popovich, a five-time NBA championship-winning coach, left his role with the Spurs following a mild stroke in November 2024 and a fainting episode at a restaurant in April 2025, leading to his retirement from head coaching.
Mitch Johnson succeeded Popovich and led the Spurs to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014 earlier this year.
Still, Popovich remains a towering figure inside the Spurs organization as the franchise's President of Basketball Operations.
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He also remains a mentor to coaches and players, and Popovich is still very close with the Spurs’ leading man, Victor Wembanyama. It was when watching the Spurs last season that Popovich made a public appearance alongside his now-wife.
The newlyweds exchanged wedding rings September 16 in Texas -Credit:GettyPopovich’s longstanding Spurs presence
Spurs head coach Johnson wasn’t shy to express the impact Popovich has had on him. Especially during the Spurs’ run to last season’s NBA Finals, where they lost to the New York Knicks.
"The relationship has stayed the same in terms of feedback, discussion, challenging each other, me asking him a lot of questions, him giving me a lot of wisdom," Johnson said.
“(Popovich is) a pretty good resource for what I've been walking through since October and up until now.
"I cannot have created a better rhythm or build-out of him being a constant resource for me, but then also totally giving me the freedom and runway to try to roll this thing out in my own reflection as myself. That's pretty valuable.
Gregg Popovich suffered a mild stroke on November 2, 2024, forcing him to step down as coach of the Spurs -Credit:Getty
“To be honest, I don't know if anyone's ever had that opportunity that I've had this year. I don't take that for granted. It's not lost on me the impact he's had, while also empowering me to be myself.
"My restaurant list and wine list may not be the same as Pop's, but yeah, we're trying to connect it all and, again, keep writing new chapters."
Popovich has also sat in on film sessions to help the Spurs prepare for their games.
A prime example was during the Spurs’ NBA playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves last season.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
