Gregg Popovich’s family life has entered a new chapter after the longtime San Antonio Spurs leader married Mary Barth Budenholzer in Texas on September 16, 2026. The wedding came more than eight years after the death of his first wife, Erin Popovich, with whom he shared more than four decades of marriage, two children and two grandchildren.
The marriage has attracted unusual attention because Mary is the former wife of Mike Budenholzer, Popovich’s longtime Spurs assistant. She and Mike share four children and divorced in 2016. Popovich and Mary had been seen together at Spurs games before their marriage, although neither has publicly disclosed when their relationship began.
Who Is Gregg Popovich’s Wife?
Gregg Popovich’s current wife is Mary Barth Budenholzer.
The couple married on September 16, 2026, according to a marriage license filed in Bexar County, Texas. Popovich was 77 at the time of the wedding.
Mary, 61, is originally from Corpus Christi, Texas. She spent years around the San Antonio Spurs community during her marriage to Mike Budenholzer, who worked alongside Popovich for nearly two decades before leaving to become head coach of the Atlanta Hawks in 2013.
Mary has generally maintained a private life despite her connections to two prominent NBA coaches. She has not built a public-facing entertainment or sports career, and details about her current professional life remain limited.
Mary Was Previously Married to Mike Budenholzer
Before marrying Popovich, Mary was married to Mike Budenholzer.
Mike joined the Spurs organization in the 1990s and became one of Popovich’s trusted assistant coaches. He was part of San Antonio’s championship staffs in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007 before leaving the franchise in 2013. The Spurs won another championship in 2014, after Budenholzer had already moved to Atlanta.
Mary and Mike divorced in 2016.
Their long marriage produced four children: William Vincent, Savoia Elizabeth “Libby,” Hanna Louise and John Bent.
The exact timeline of Mary’s later relationship with Popovich has not been made public. Current reporting establishes only that Mary and Mike had been divorced for approximately a decade before her 2026 wedding to Popovich.
Who Was Gregg Popovich’s First Wife?
Gregg Popovich’s first wife was Erin Popovich.
Gregg and Erin were married for more than four decades before she died on April 18, 2018, at age 67 following a long illness. The Spurs publicly announced her death and described her as a deeply valued member of the organization’s extended family.
The couple reportedly met through the U.S. Air Force Academy. Erin’s father, Jim Conboy, served as the academy’s head athletic trainer while Popovich had strong ties to Air Force basketball.
Popovich has generally kept his family life private, but Erin’s death produced an outpouring of condolences from across the NBA.
The Spurs were competing against the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 playoffs at the time. Popovich stepped away from coaching duties following her death, with assistant Ettore Messina taking over temporarily.
How Many Children Does Gregg Popovich Have?
Gregg Popovich has two biological children from his marriage to Erin: Micky and Jill Popovich.
Official Spurs records have long identified Micky and Jill as the couple’s children.
Both have largely stayed away from the level of publicity surrounding their father’s NBA career.
That privacy is consistent with Popovich’s approach to his personal life. Despite spending decades as one of basketball’s most recognizable coaches, he has rarely turned his children into public figures or discussed their private lives extensively.
Gregg Popovich Has Two Grandchildren
Popovich also has two grandchildren through his family with Erin.
When the Spurs announced Erin’s death in 2018, the organization confirmed that she and Gregg had two children and two grandchildren.
Few verified details about the grandchildren have been made public, including their names and everyday lives.
That lack of information appears intentional. The Popovich family has consistently maintained privacy around younger family members.
Does Gregg Popovich Have Stepchildren?
Through his marriage to Mary Barth Budenholzer, Popovich has joined a family that includes Mary’s four children from her previous marriage.
They are William Vincent, Savoia Elizabeth “Libby,” Hanna Louise and John Bent.
They can ordinarily be described as Popovich’s stepchildren following the marriage, although there has been no public discussion from the family about how they personally define those relationships.
There are no reports that Popovich and Mary have children together.
Popovich and Mike Budenholzer Have Decades of Shared NBA History
The family connection has generated attention largely because Popovich and Mike Budenholzer have such a substantial professional history.
Budenholzer spent almost two decades with the Spurs organization and served as one of Popovich’s assistants from 1996 until 2013.
He later built a successful head-coaching career of his own, leading the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks before coaching the Phoenix Suns. His biggest achievement came in 2021, when he guided Milwaukee to the NBA championship.
That relationship makes Mary’s marriage to Popovich an unusual intersection of two prominent NBA families.
There has been no verified public statement from Mike about the wedding.
Mike Budenholzer Has a Partner Named Lisa
Mike Budenholzer has also publicly indicated that he moved forward in his personal life after his divorce.
At his Phoenix Suns introductory press conference in May 2024, he acknowledged a partner named Lisa and described her as a major positive influence in his life.
Details about Lisa remain private, and Budenholzer has not extensively discussed their relationship publicly.
Popovich’s Family Life Changed After Erin’s Death
Erin’s death was one of the most significant personal events of Popovich’s later career.
The couple had shared decades together while Popovich progressed from college coaching and NBA assistant positions to becoming the central figure in the Spurs organization.
Their marriage covered virtually his entire rise to NBA prominence.
By the time Erin died in 2018, Popovich had already won five championships and established San Antonio as one of the league’s most consistent franchises.
His September 2026 marriage to Mary therefore represents his first publicly documented marriage since losing Erin.
Gregg Popovich Is No Longer Coaching the Spurs
Popovich’s family changes have also occurred during a major professional transition.
He stepped away from his role as Spurs head coach after 29 seasons, with San Antonio formally naming Mitch Johnson as its new head coach in May 2025. Popovich transitioned into a full-time role as president of basketball operations.
His final adjusted regular-season coaching record stands at 1,390 wins and 824 losses after the league reassigned the 77 games he missed during the 2024-25 season to Johnson.
Popovich’s coaching career included five NBA championships and one of the longest tenures with a single franchise in league history.
A New Family Chapter for Gregg Popovich
Gregg Popovich’s marriage to Mary Barth Budenholzer adds another chapter to a personal life that he has traditionally kept far more private than his basketball career.
His first marriage to Erin lasted more than four decades and produced children Micky and Jill and two grandchildren. After Erin’s death in 2018, Popovich remained publicly single for years.
Mary brings her own family history into the marriage, including four children with Mike Budenholzer.
The September 16 wedding confirms Popovich and Mary’s relationship, but many details remain deliberately private. Neither has publicly explained when they began dating or shared extensive details about the ceremony.
FAQ
Who is Gregg Popovich’s wife?
Gregg Popovich’s wife is Mary Barth Budenholzer. They married in Texas on September 16, 2026.
Who was Gregg Popovich’s first wife?
His first wife was Erin Popovich. They were married for more than four decades before Erin died in April 2018 at age 67.
How many children does Gregg Popovich have?
Popovich has two biological children, Micky and Jill, from his marriage to Erin.
How many grandchildren does Gregg Popovich have?
The Spurs confirmed in 2018 that Gregg and Erin had two grandchildren.
Was Mary Barth Budenholzer married before?
Yes. Mary was previously married to NBA coach Mike Budenholzer. They divorced in 2016.
How many children does Mary Barth Budenholzer have?
Mary has four children with Mike Budenholzer: William Vincent, Savoia Elizabeth “Libby,” Hanna Louise and John Bent.
Did Gregg Popovich and Mike Budenholzer coach together?
Yes. Budenholzer spent nearly two decades with the Spurs and served as an assistant under Popovich before becoming Atlanta Hawks head coach in 2013.
Is Gregg Popovich still the Spurs coach?
No. Popovich transitioned to president of basketball operations in 2025, and Mitch Johnson became San Antonio’s head coach.
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