Spurs' Gregg Popovich to Make Full Recovery After Mild Stroke; Return Timeline TBD

The San Antonio Spurs announced Wednesday that head coach Gregg Popovich suffered a mild stroke on Nov. 2.

The team said he's expected to make a full recovery but that there's no timeline for his return to the bench.

Mitch Johnson has been San Antonio's acting head coach while Popovich is out.

ESPN's Shams Charania first reported on Nov. 5 that Popovich had experienced a "serious health issue," one that aroused "a great level of concern" from those involved.

The 75-year-old is midway though his 29th season as the head coach. He replaced Bob Hill midway through the 1996-97 campaign and hasn't left the role since then.

Popovich is widely considered to be one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. He has guided the Spurs to five championships, and his 1,393 wins in the regular season are the most ever.

The Hall of Famer affirmed his long-term commitment to the organization in July 2023, when he signed a new five-year contract. San Antonio winning the draft lottery probably had something to do with his decision because he knew he'd have the luxury of coaching French phenom Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama's arrival didn't prevent the Spurs from having the second-worst record (22-60) in the Western Conference, but his performance on the court pointed to a bright future for the organization.

San Antonio is off to a 5-6 start in 2024-25 and has won two of its five games since Popovich suffered his health scare.