Gregg Popovich has remarried, and his new wife has a long-standing connection to the San Antonio Spurs.
The former Spurs head coach married Mary Barth Budenholzer on September 16, 2026, in Texas, according to a marriage license obtained by TMZ. Mary was previously married to Mike Budenholzer, Popovich’s longtime assistant coach in San Antonio who later became an NBA head coach.
The marriage has attracted attention because of that connection, but the public timeline is straightforward: Mary and Mike Budenholzer divorced in 2016, Popovich’s wife Erin died in 2018, and it is not publicly known exactly when Popovich and Mary began their relationship.
Who Is Mary Barth Budenholzer?
Mary Barth Budenholzer is the new wife of Basketball Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich and the former wife of NBA coach Mike Budenholzer.
Unlike both men, Mary has largely remained outside the public spotlight. Reports identify her as a Texas native who spent many years around the Spurs organization while Mike Budenholzer worked for the franchise. [Parade]
Mary and Mike have four children together. An official 2013 Spurs release announcing Mike’s move to the Atlanta Hawks listed their children as Will, Libby, Hanna and John. [Spurs]
There is comparatively little verified public information about Mary’s career or professional life. Reports about the marriage have focused primarily on her relationship with Popovich and her previous marriage to Budenholzer.
Did Gregg Popovich Marry Mary Barth Budenholzer?
Yes.
TMZ reported that Popovich and Mary exchanged wedding rings on September 16, 2026, citing a marriage license filed in Bexar County, Texas. [TMZ]
CBS Sports subsequently reported the marriage and confirmed that Mary is the former wife of Popovich’s longtime assistant Mike Budenholzer. [CBS Sports]
The Spurs did not provide a public statement about Popovich’s marriage when the news emerged.
When Did Gregg Popovich And Mary Barth Start Dating?
The exact beginning of their relationship has not been publicly established.
TMZ specifically reported that it did not know when Popovich and Mary began dating. The outlet noted that they had appeared together at Spurs games during the 2025-26 season before news of their marriage became public. [TMZ]
That means there is no verified public date for when the friendship became a romantic relationship.
Any claim that they began dating while Mary was married to Mike Budenholzer, or while Erin Popovich was alive, would go beyond the publicly established timeline. No credible reporting cited in the marriage announcement has established that.
Was Mary Barth Budenholzer Married To Mike Budenholzer?
Yes.
Mary was previously married to Mike Budenholzer, one of the most prominent members of Gregg Popovich’s coaching tree.
The couple had four children together before divorcing in 2016. [TMZ]
Mike Budenholzer’s connection with Popovich stretched across nearly two decades in San Antonio.
How Did Mike Budenholzer Know Gregg Popovich?
Mike Budenholzer joined the Spurs organization in 1994 as a video coordinator. He became an assistant coach in 1996 and eventually rose to become Popovich’s lead assistant.
When Budenholzer left San Antonio to become head coach of the Atlanta Hawks in 2013, the Spurs said he had spent 19 seasons with the organization, including 17 as an assistant coach. He was part of four Spurs championship teams in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007. [Spurs]
Popovich spoke extremely highly of Budenholzer when he left San Antonio.
“He has been more of a co-head coach than an assistant for a long time.”
Popovich also praised Budenholzer’s basketball knowledge, teaching ability and relationships with players. [Spurs]
Budenholzer went on to coach the Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns. He won the 2021 NBA championship as head coach of Milwaukee.
When Did Mary And Mike Budenholzer Divorce?
Mary and Mike Budenholzer divorced in 2016, according to the reporting surrounding Popovich’s marriage. [TMZ]
That was three years after Budenholzer left the Spurs for the Hawks and approximately 10 years before Mary married Popovich.
Who Was Gregg Popovich’s First Wife?
Gregg Popovich was previously married to Erin Popovich.
The Spurs announced that Erin died in April 2018. The organization said at the time that Gregg and Erin had been married for four decades and had two children and two grandchildren. [NBA]
Popovich later described Erin during his Basketball Hall of Fame induction as his family’s “center of gravity” and “our rock.” The NBA reported that they had been married for 42 years. [NBA]
Her death came roughly eight years before Popovich married Mary.
How Did Gregg Popovich Meet Erin Popovich?
Gregg and Erin met through the Air Force Academy.
NBA.com reported that they met during the 1970s when Popovich was an assistant coach for the Air Force Falcons. Erin’s father, Jim Conboy, was the academy’s head athletic trainer. [NBA]
The couple eventually had two children, Jill and Mickey.
Why Is Gregg Popovich’s Marriage Getting So Much Attention?
The unusual part of the story is the long professional history between Popovich and Mary Barth Budenholzer’s former husband.
Mike Budenholzer was not merely a short-term member of Popovich’s staff. He worked in San Antonio for 19 seasons, beginning as a video coordinator and eventually becoming Popovich’s top assistant.
The two coaches won four championships together, and Popovich publicly described Budenholzer as essentially a co-head coach by the time he left for Atlanta. [Spurs]
Because Mary was married to Budenholzer during much of that era, she and Popovich were connected through the Spurs organization long before their eventual marriage.
However, the available reporting does not establish when their romantic relationship began. Mary and Budenholzer had already been divorced for years by the time she married Popovich.
How Old Is Mary Barth Budenholzer?
Recent reports identify Mary as 61 years old in 2026. She is reportedly originally from Corpus Christi, Texas. [Parade]
Popovich is 77.
How Old Is Gregg Popovich?
Popovich was born January 28, 1949, making him 77 when he married Mary in September 2026.
He spent 29 seasons as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs before stepping down from the position in May 2025. [NBA]
Is Gregg Popovich Still Coaching The Spurs?
No.
Popovich stepped down as San Antonio’s head coach in May 2025 after 29 seasons. Mitch Johnson became the Spurs’ permanent head coach, while Popovich transitioned into the role of president of basketball operations. [Spurs]
The Spurs currently list Popovich as their president of basketball operations. [Spurs]
His coaching career included five NBA championships and induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
How Many Championships Did Popovich And Budenholzer Win Together?
Popovich and Mike Budenholzer were together for four of San Antonio’s five championships under Popovich:
- 1999 — Spurs defeated the New York Knicks
- 2003 — Spurs defeated the New Jersey Nets
- 2005 — Spurs defeated the Detroit Pistons
- 2007 — Spurs defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers
Budenholzer left San Antonio for Atlanta in 2013, so he was no longer on Popovich’s staff when the Spurs won their fifth championship in 2014. [Spurs]
What Is The Gregg Popovich-Mary Barth Budenholzer Relationship Timeline?
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Mike Budenholzer joins the Spurs organization as a video coordinator. |
| 1996 | Budenholzer becomes a Spurs assistant coach under Popovich. |
| 1999-2007 | Popovich and Budenholzer win four NBA championships together. |
| 2013 | Budenholzer leaves San Antonio to become head coach of the Atlanta Hawks. |
| 2016 | Mike and Mary Budenholzer divorce. |
| 2018 | Erin Popovich dies after four decades of marriage to Gregg Popovich. |
| 2025-26 | Popovich and Mary are seen attending Spurs games together. |
| Sept. 16, 2026 | Gregg Popovich and Mary Barth Budenholzer marry in Texas. |
The exact date when Popovich and Mary began dating remains private. [TMZ]
Gregg Popovich And Mary Barth Budenholzer FAQ
Who is Gregg Popovich’s wife?
Gregg Popovich’s wife is Mary Barth Budenholzer. They married on September 16, 2026, in Texas. [TMZ]
Was Mary Barth Budenholzer married to Mike Budenholzer?
Yes. Mary was previously married to NBA coach Mike Budenholzer. They have four children together and divorced in 2016.
Did Mike Budenholzer coach with Gregg Popovich?
Yes. Budenholzer spent 17 seasons as a Spurs assistant and was Popovich’s lead assistant for his final six seasons in San Antonio. They won four NBA championships together. [Spurs]
When did Gregg Popovich and Mary Barth start dating?
The date has not been publicly established. TMZ reported that the couple had attended Spurs games together during the 2025-26 season but said it was not known exactly when their relationship began. [TMZ]
Who was Gregg Popovich’s first wife?
Popovich’s first wife was Erin Popovich. They were married for more than four decades before she died in April 2018. [NBA]
Does Gregg Popovich still work for the Spurs?
Yes. He no longer coaches the team, but the Spurs list him as president of basketball operations. [Spurs]
