San Antonio Spurs Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich is not expected to return to the bench this season, and his long-term status remains unclear as he recovers from a stroke suffered in November, league sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Saturday.
San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich Suffered A “Mild Stroke” On Nov. 2 Before Minnesota Timberwolves Matchup
On Nov. 2, Popovich suffered what the Spurs called a “mild stroke” ahead of a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. San Antonio moved 38-year-old assistant Mitch Johnson into the head coaching role on an interim basis. Johnson has coached a young San Antonio squad to a 21-27 record.
Popovich is the NBA’s winningest coach with 1,390 regular-season victories and another 170 in the postseason to go with five championships. The Indiana native is also a three-time NBA Coach of the Year (2003, 2012, 2014) and four-time NBA All-Star Game head coach (2005, 2011, 2013, 2016).
San Antonio Spurs’ Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich is not expected to return this season, and his future is uncertain as he recovers from a mild stroke suffered in November, league sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EekHlDa8NI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2025
This news comes just days after the Spurs announced plans Thursday to shut down franchise superstar Victor Wembanyama after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. The condition is a form of blood clot that is typically treated with blood-thinning medication.
Popovich and Wembanyama have been in close contact the past few days, sources told Charania. The coach has been communicating and “providing guidance in the wake of Wembanyama’s diagnosis,” according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
“It is wild to think of the circumstances and the situations that we’ve been through as a team this year,” Spurs point guard Chris Paul said after Wembanyama was ruled out for the season. “But I think you guys know when situations happen in your family that somehow, someway brings you closer.”
Gregg Popovich Is The Oldest Coach In NBA History
Popovich, who has coached the Spurs since the 1996-97 season, turned 76 in January and is the oldest coach in NBA history. In 2020, he passed the previous record held by Hubie Brown, who was 71 when he coached his final game with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Spurs expected Popovich to return at some point this season when they promoted Johnson to head coach. Popovich released a statement in December thanking the community, the Spurs organization, and friends for their outpouring of support.
“No one is more excited to see me return to the bench than the talented individuals who have been leading my rehabilitation process,” Popovich said in the statement. “They’ve quickly learned that I’m less than coachable.”
In July 2023, Popovich agreed to a new five-year contract with the team, valued at more than $80 million. Popovich, who has an average annual salary of $17 million, is the second-highest-paid NBA coach behind Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr ($17.5 million).
Spurs’ Legendary Coach Has Kept In Touch With Johnson
Popovich, who also serves as the team’s president, has remained in contact with Johnson throughout his absence, as well as with Spurs players, by providing support and input on game plans. Johnson revealed in January that Popovich is “giving praise and cussing me out all at the same time.”
“It’s not one person to fill Pop’s shoes in this moment. It’s a village,” general manager Brian Wright said 11 days after Popovich’s stroke. “We’ve all bonded together. We’re all playing our roles in that part, and we’ll continue to do that. It’s what he would want.”
Spurs CEO RC Buford, Popovich’s closest friend and the architect of most of the franchise’s title teams, said in January that the coach was “attacking his rehab.”
“The same resilience he’s shown over the course of our career as a coach, he’s approaching his return in his rehab in an incredibly unique way,” Buford said. “The relationships he’s had with former players and the care they’re sharing with him is amazing, and his improvement continues.”
The 2024-25 NBA season is Popovich’s 29th season coaching the Spurs.
