San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich is out for the season after suffering a stroke in November, a report says.
The coach released a statement on Thursday praising interim head coach Mitch Johnson for the “wonderful job” he has done during the season.
“I’ve decided not to return to the sidelines this season,” he said in the statement. “I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future,” Popovich added, according to TMZ.
The last game Popovich was at full strength for was October’s Halloween game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
At 76, the opinionated coach is currently the oldest in the NBA.
The Spurs have a 24-33 record this season and are 13th in the Western Conference. They will next face the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.
Popovich has won five NBA championships and has been named Coach of the Year three times. He has also won over 1,000 regular-season games and over 90 playoff games.
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