NBA still hasn't caught up to what Mitch Johnson did for Spurs this season

Early success often comes with a few rough patches. That's the case with Mitch Johnson. He led the Spurs to unexpected levels of success this season, making the playoffs for the first time since 2017 as the second seed in the West. But even with that, it still feels as if he isn't getting the credit and recognition he fully deserves.

Look at the Coach of the Year results, for example. Joe Mazulla and J.B. Bickerstaff ranked above him in first-place votes. Sure, they accomplished so much for their respective groups, but what Mitch Johnson did for these young Spurs wasn't replicated by any other coach in the league this year.

Johnson deserves a lot more credit, not only for what San Antonio did in the regular season, but also for the run they're making in the playoffs. There aren't a lot of other coaches in the league today who could squeeze this much out of a team like the Spurs.

Mitch Johnson did the impossible with this Spurs roster

Mitch Johnson answered a call that only a few leaders can. He stepped up as San Antonio's interim head coach after Greg Popovich's health issues and was tasked with prioritizing the development of the Spurs' young talent.

It's a tough balancing act. Not only did he have to help his players grow, but he also had to endure the hard knocks and challenges that come with being a new head coach for such a respected organization. The expectations of his job were extremely high.

But Johnson took this challenge head-on. In his first full season as the Spurs' head coach, he cultivated a system that allowed his young stars to develop while putting wins on the board. It led to San Antonio's securing the second seed in the Western Conference and a deep run in the NBA playoffs.

It's one of the most impressive regular seasons in the Spurs franchise's history. This sounds hyperbolic on the surface, but when you look at what this team accomplished with the inexperienced tools they have, it makes sense. And Coach Johnson's leadership was the catalyst behind that.

Johnson is proving that he's the Spurs' long-term head coaching answer

One of the most painful parts of a team's development into a powerhouse is sifting through countless head coaches to find the right fit. Think about the Warriors. Mark Jackson was great for that team and led them to playoff appearances, but Steve Kerr got them to the next level.

With the job Mitch Johnson did this season, there shouldn't be any doubt about his ability to lead this team long-term. Is he perfect? No, he does have his flaws that showed up here and there through the playoffs. But he did a flawless job of optimizing the performance of an inexperienced team.

The Spurs didn't have to wait for years to exit their rebuild phase. Johnson's plan catapulted them to contender status in just the third season of the Victor Wembanyama project.

Regardless of the results of this Western Conference Finals series, we can be confident that the Spurs will be a powerhouse for the foreseeable future.

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