San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has informed his team that he will not return to the bench for the remainder of the season as he continues to recover from a mild stroke suffered in November, the team announced Thursday. His long-term future with the organization remains uncertain. ESPN had previously reported on Feb. 22 that Popovich was unlikely to coach again this season.
In a statement, Popovich praised his coaching staff and players, saying, “Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job, and the resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding. I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future.”
Popovich’s stroke occurred on Nov. 2 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio before a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Initially, the team stated he was out due to an unspecified illness. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson took over as interim head coach and has remained in that role. Nearly two weeks later, on Nov. 13, the Spurs confirmed that Popovich had suffered a mild stroke and had already begun a rehabilitation program, with expectations of a full recovery.
On Dec. 16, Popovich expressed gratitude for the support he received, saying, “This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and me. The outpouring of support has been overwhelming in the best way possible. While I wish I could respond to everyone, my family and I are forever grateful.” He also joked that his rehabilitation team had found him “less than coachable.”
Popovich, 76, has led the Spurs since 1996, also serving as the team’s president of basketball operations. Under his leadership, San Antonio has won five NBA championships (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014), and he has been named NBA Coach of the Year three times. He holds the record for most regular-season wins in NBA history with 1,412 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.
The Spurs are currently dealing with another setback, as rookie Victor Wembanyama has been sidelined due to deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder. He is expected to fully recover and return for the 2025-26 season. San Antonio, after a promising start, has struggled since the new year and sits in 13th place in the Western Conference at 24-33, three games behind the Sacramento Kings for the final Play-In spot. Despite acquiring De’Aaron Fox at the trade deadline, the Spurs are likely heading for the draft lottery rather than the postseason.
If they miss the playoffs, it will mark their sixth consecutive season without a postseason appearance, the longest drought in franchise history.
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