The coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, told his team on Thursday that he will not return to the bank this season, The team announced. The long -term future of Popovich with the organization remains uncertain as it continues to recover from a slight blow that suffered in November. ESPN first reported It is unlikely that Popovich returns to train this season on February 22.
“Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job and the resolution and professionalism that players have shown, that they stay together during a challenging season, has been outstanding,” Popovich said in a statement. “I will continue to focus on my health in the hope of being able to return to training in the future.”
Popovich’s stroke occurred in Frost Bank Center in San Antonio before the spurs confrontation against the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 2. It was treated by emergency personnel and the team initially said it would be out due to an un specified disease. The assistant coach Mitch Johnson was appointed interim interim coach and has served in that role since then.
Almost two weeks later, on November 13, the Spurs confirmed that Popovich had suffered a slight blow. In a press release at that time, the Spurs said that Popovich had already begun a rehabilitation program and was expected to recover completely. ”
Popovich issued a statement On December 16, thanking everyone for their support and expressing the desire to return to banking at some point:
“This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and for me. While we work together in my recovery, I want to take a time to share that the large amount of support we have received has really been overwhelming in the best possible way. While I would like to be able to return to each of you, for now, let me say that my family and I are always grateful. We are grateful for our wonderful community, the whole organization of the spurs and our family.
“No one is more excited to see me return to the bank than to talented people who have been leading my rehabilitation process. They have quickly learned that I am less than trained.”
Popovich, 76, has been the Spurs coach since 1996 and also serves as president of team basketball operations. During his term, he took the Spurs to five championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014) and has been appointed NBA Coach of the year three times (2003, 2012 and 2014). He is the most winning coach in the history of the NBA with 1,412 wins in the regular season (Popovich had 1,390 victories before his absence and has also been officially accredited with the 22 victories that the team has collected under Johnson) and was included in the Hall of Fame of the Naismith Memorial basketball in 2023.
The Spurs recently had to close the big man Victor Wembanyama due to a deep venous thrombosis in the shoulder. The French phenomenon is expected to recover completely and return to the court for the 2025-26 season.
Victor Wembanyama lesion: The Spurs star expected to lose the rest of the season with deep vein thrombosis in the shoulder
Jasmyn Wimbish
After a solid start of the season, the Spurs have fought since the change of New Year and are now in 13th place at the West Conference in 24-33, three games behind the Sacramento Kings for the final place of the game. Even with De’aaron Fox now on board after a large agreement of the trade deadline, the Spurs seem to go to the draft lottery instead of the postseason.
If the Spurs really lose the playoffs, that would extend their drought from playoffs to a six -seasons franchise.
