Fans in San Antonio always love to check in on their beloved Gregg Popovich. The president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs recently gave residents an unexpected reason to remember their grocery store trip.
The former Spurs head coach and his wife, Mary Beth, surprised shoppers at an H-E-B supermarket by paying for their groceries ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
According to Spurs In Focus reporter Jeff Garcia, Popovich pulled up a chair near the checkout lanes at the store on North New Braunfels and covered shoppers' bills. He also stayed to take pictures with fans who approached him.
Store employee Michael Wiggins shared the experience on social media, describing how Popovich and his wife surprised both shoppers and staff.
“Was blessed to meet coach Pop and his wife today at my store where they surprised not only us, but our shoppers, and paid for all of their groceries,” Wiggins wrote. “P.S. We got to get a photo with Pop.”
One shopper, Alice Morales, shared an emotional reaction to the gesture.
Article Continues Below“He paid for my groceries and I started crying. I love that man,” Morales wrote alongside a photo with Popovich.
During his coaching career, he regularly highlighted that basketball was only one part of life and supported causes beyond the sport, including efforts to address childhood hunger.
For those who remember, Popovich stepped down as the Spurs' head coach in May 2025 and now serves as the franchise's president of basketball operations. He spent nearly three decades leading San Antonio, winning five NBA championships and earning three Coach of the Year awards.