By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
NBA icon Gregg Popovich has married Mary Barth Budenholzer, the ex-wife of his former assistant Mike Budenholzer, TMZ reported on Wednesday.
Marriage documents filed in Bexar County, Texas, show the couple wed on September 16.
While the news highlights a major shift in Popovich’s personal life, it also brings together two deeply connected basketball journeys.
Their history began in San Antonio, where the former NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks spent 17 seasons on Popovich’s bench. He started as a video coordinator in 1994, moving up to assistant coach two years later. Together, they helped build a franchise powerhouse, winning four NBA titles in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007.
Budenholzer eventually left Texas to run his own teams. He earned Coach of the Year honors with the Atlanta Hawks in 2015 after a 60-win regular season. Later, he moved to the Bucks, where he won a second Coach of the Year award in 2019 and led the franchise to a championship in 2021. He eventually took over the sidelines for the Phoenix Suns starting in 2024.
Off the court, both dealt with major transitions. Mike and Mary divorced in 2016. In 2018, Popovich lost his wife of 40 years, Erin, to a severe illness.
Popovich has stepped down from his coaching role following health issues and focused entirely on his job as team president.
TMZ noted that everyone involved has moved on, with Budenholzer in a new relationship and Popovich finding a fresh start at home.
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