Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson and Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy have maintained a close friendship since their time as assistants on Gregg Popovich's coaching staff, according to a November 2 report.
The bond between the two coaches began while they were members of the Spurs coaching staff and included participating in assistant staff pickup basketball games.
Mitch Johnson, 39, is currently in his second season leading the Spurs. Will Hardy, 38, is in his fifth season guiding the Utah Jazz.
Johnson noted that Hardy helped show him the ropes after Johnson was promoted to Popovich's staff in 2019. Johnson credited Hardy and Chip Engelland with helping him understand the unwritten rules and the lay of the land within the organization.
Hardy previously provided encouragement to Johnson in November 2024 when Johnson became the Spurs acting head coach following a stroke suffered by Popovich.
The two coaches squared off Monday night at the Frost Bank Center. This marked their second matchup in less than a week, following a Spurs overtime victory in a series opener last Wednesday in Salt Lake City.
Hardy expressed admiration for Johnson's coaching abilities and described him as a point guard through and through. Hardy also commented on the Spurs' performance during their previous playoff run, which included victories over Portland, Minnesota, and Oklahoma City before a loss to New York in the Finals.
The friendship between the coaches traces back to 2016 when Johnson joined the Spurs as an assistant with the Austin Spurs in the G League. This followed a one-year stint as an assistant at the University of Portland.
Hardy is a native of Richmond, Virginia, and played four years at Division III Williams College in Massachusetts from 2006 to 2010. Johnson performed as a 6-1 point guard for four seasons at Stanford from 2005 to 2009.
The Spurs and Jazz are scheduled to play their final matchup of the season on Nov. 15 at the Delta Center.
