Gregg Popovich is a living legend for the San Antonio Spurs. At 75 years old, Popovich is the oldest head coach in the NBA today, and with five championship rings, he’s one of the most accomplished coaches in league history. Popovich’s 1,391 wins ranks No. 1 all-time in the NBA.
Gregg Popovich updates: Spurs coach suffered mild stroke, no timeline for return
The legendary Spurs coach is away from the team indefinitely after a health scare.
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Popovich is stepping away from the Spurs after a health scare, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson will be San Antonio’s new interim head coach. Pop is expected to be out indefinitely. Popovich has an undisclosed illness, according to the team.
Popovich suffered a mild stroke, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. He’s expected to make a full recovery, but there’s still no timeline for his return.
Popovich reportedly became ill about two hours before tip-off ahead of the Spurs’ win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. He will not travel with the team on their current road trip to Houston and Los Angeles.
Shams Charnia reported that Popovich needed medical attention before Saturday’s game. It was described as a “serious” health issue. The franchise reportedly has a “great level of concern” for Popovich.
Here are the initial reports on Pop’s health:
The Spurs are 3-3 on the young season. San Antonio has struggled struggled in recent years, but the Spurs have as much hope as any team in the league going forward with Victor Wembanyama as their centerpiece.
Popovich has been the Spurs’ head coach since 1996. He’s a three-time NBA Coach of the Year, and led USA Basketball to a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
We’ll update this story as it develops.
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