Updated: September 24, 2026
Gregg Popovich has long stood as one of the NBA’s most respected figures, the steady hand behind five San Antonio Spurs championships and the league’s all-time wins leader. Yet behind the sideline intensity and sharp wit sits a private personal life that fans have followed with quiet interest. Questions about “Gregg Popovich wife” now point to two distinct chapters: a 42-year marriage to Erin Popovich that ended in 2018, and a new beginning with Mary Barth Budenholzer, whom he married in September 2026.
Here is the clear, up-to-date picture of the women who have shared life with the coaching legend.
Table of Contents
Erin Popovich: The Quiet Center of Gravity
Erin Rose Conboy Popovich met Gregg while he served as an assistant coach at the Air Force Academy. Her father, Jim Conboy, was the academy’s longtime athletic trainer, so the connection felt natural. They married on October 10, 1976, and built a partnership that lasted more than four decades.
Erin stayed deliberately out of the spotlight. She raised their two children—Jill and Micky—and later welcomed grandchildren whom Popovich has called “the stars of the show.” Those who knew the family described her as the calm counterbalance to Popovich’s intensity. She supported local causes in San Antonio and kept the household grounded while championships and coaching demands filled the calendar.
In his 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame speech, Popovich spoke with rare emotion about her, calling Erin “our center of gravity” and “our rock” who made everything worthwhile.
The Loss That Changed Everything
Erin Popovich died on April 18, 2018, at age 67 after an extended illness. The Spurs organization released a statement calling her “a strong, wonderful, kind, intelligent woman who provided love, support and humor to all of us.” The news broke during the playoffs, and tributes poured in from across the league.
Popovich has spoken openly about how family, not basketball, remains the true priority. The loss left a lasting mark, yet he continued coaching with characteristic focus until health challenges and a transition to the front office in 2025.
Mary Barth Budenholzer: Gregg Popovich’s New Wife
In a development confirmed by a Bexar County, Texas, marriage license and first reported widely on September 23, 2026, Gregg Popovich married Mary Barth Budenholzer on September 16, 2026. At 77, the former Spurs coach—and current president of basketball operations—has begun a new chapter.
Mary Ellen Barth was born October 10, 1964, in Corpus Christi, Texas. She graduated from the University of Texas and kept a low public profile while married to Mike Budenholzer. The couple had four children: William, Savoia “Libby,” Hanna, and John. They divorced in 2016.
Mary and Popovich had known each other for years through the tight Spurs circle. They were seen together at games during the 2025-26 season before tying the knot privately in Texas.
The Budenholzer Connection and What It Means
Mike Budenholzer served as Popovich’s assistant for nearly two decades (1996–2013) and was part of four Spurs title teams. He later won a championship as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. The overlapping histories make the marriage notable, yet both men appear to have moved forward with their personal lives. Reports indicate Budenholzer is also in a new relationship.
The Spurs organization has offered no public comment, consistent with its long-standing preference for privacy on personal matters.
| Detail | Erin Popovich | Mary Barth Budenholzer |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship | First wife (1976–2018) | Current wife (married Sept. 16, 2026) |
| Background | Daughter of Air Force Academy trainer | Born Corpus Christi, TX; UT graduate |
| Children | Jill and Micky (plus grandchildren) | Four with Mike Budenholzer |
| Public Profile | Extremely private | Extremely private |
| Key Note | Died April 18, 2018, at 67 | Ex-wife of longtime Spurs assistant |
Quick facts many fans still search for:
- Popovich and Erin were married 42 years.
- Their children remain close; Jill has helped keep the family grounded.
- Mary has four adult children from her previous marriage.
- Popovich stepped down as head coach in May 2025 after a stroke and later health issues, shifting to a front-office role.
- The September 2026 wedding is the first public personal milestone for Popovich since his Hall of Fame induction.
Gregg Popovich has always insisted that basketball is a temporary tool, not the center of a life. Family, he has said, is what endures. Erin provided that foundation for more than four decades. Now, with Mary, he has chosen a new partner for the years ahead—still private, still rooted in the same San Antonio community that shaped so much of his career.
In the end, the story of Gregg Popovich wife is less about headlines and more about two women who preferred substance over spotlight. That preference itself may be the most lasting reflection of the man they chose to share life with.
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