Home » Gregg Popovich will not return with the Spurs this season

Gregg Popovich will not return with the Spurs this season

Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich said he will not return to the San Antonio Spurs this season but hopes to do so in the future.

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Popovich will not return

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Popovich held an emotional in-person meeting with the Spurs players, who were all able to see him for the first time since his stroke in November.

After the meeting, Popovich issued a statement saying he officially will not return as coach ths season.

“I’ve decided not to return to the sidelines this season,” Popovich said in a statement issued Thursday.

“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 suffered what the team described as a “mild stroke” before a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 2.

Since then, the Spurs have gone 22-30 under assistant coach Johnson, who stepped into the head coaching role on an interim basis.

Legendary coach

Sources told ESPN that tears were shed in the room during Thursday’s meeting as players witnessed physical signs of what Popovich has endured since his stroke.

Popovich, who has led the Spurs since the 1996-97 season, is the NBA’s all-time winningest coach, with 1,412 regular-season victories and 170 more in the postseason, along with five championships.

He turned 76 in January, making him the oldest coach in NBA history.

In 2023, the legendary mentor agreed to a five-year contract extension with the team.