SAN ANTONIO, TX – Legendary San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has suffered a mild stroke, the team announced on November 13th.
He is expected to make a full recovery.
Popovich, 75, has been on the sideline for the team since November 2nd, with the initial reason being “health issues”. Popovich, also known as “Pop”, suffered the stroke at the Spurs home arena before their game that evening against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
During the six games that Pop has been out, the Spurs have gone 3-3 in six games under interim head coach Mitch Johnson.
Pop has been the Spurs’ general manager since 1994 and head coach since 1996, where he has presided over the most successful era in the franchise’s history. Under his leadership, the Spurs have gone 1393-827 (with his win total being the most in league history) while winning 5 NBA titles. Popovich has also won NBA Coach of the Year three times (2003, 2012, 2014).
During his GM tenure, Popovich led one of the best scouting departments in basketball, where the team found diamonds in the rough in Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, and Dejounte Murray. Recently, the Spurs drafted the most hyped prospect since LeBron James in 7’5″ Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, who won NBA Rookie of the Year in 2024.
Initially, Popovich was reported as “not feeling well”, before eventually being downgraded to being out indefinitely with “no timetable for his return”. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Mitch Johnson will continue to coach in Popovich’s absence.
