San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich suffered a stroke in early November and has been out of commission since with assistant Mitch Johnson serving as the acting HC. For the first time since the incident, Popovich spoke out on Monday, releasing this statement.
Via Shams Charania:
It's still unknown when Coach Pop will return to the Spurs bench, but this is a good sign that he's trending in the right direction. San Antonio is currently 13-13 and sits in 11th place in the Western Conference.
Popovich has obviously been missed by the Spurs, but they've managed to stay afloat under Johnson. Victor Wembanyama is having a fantastic season while Chris Paul has been the perfect veteran addition to this squad. But that doesn't mean Pop's return wouldn't be instantly celebrated. We're talking about one of the most legendary coaches to ever grace an NBA sideline.
The 75-year-old has won five championships and has nearly 1,400 victories in his prestigious career. Coach Pop also signed a new extension prior to the 2023-24 season, which means he will be around for the foreseeable future, barring any more health concerns of course.




In mid-November, Spurs GM Brian Wright said Popovich was “doing well” but didn't give a timeline on his return. Via ESPN:
“It is on all of us to play our part, to play our role, to continue to lean on each other, support each other, and be there for one another. And we look forward to the day that we can welcome him back,” Wright said on November 13.
“But it takes a village, and we're all committed to that. But most importantly, we're committed to making sure that he has everything he needs and giving him the time and space to continue to recover. And we'll look forward to getting him back.”
Stay tuned for more updates on Coach Pop's status moving forward.