On November 2, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich missed a game due to a “health issue.” Now, it is being reported that the undisclosed illness was a mild stroke.
On Wednesday, the Spurs released a statement detailing the incident.
“The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Head Coach Gregg Popovich has suffered a mild stroke,” the statement read. “The episode occurred on November 2 at the Frost Bank Center. Popovich, who has already started a rehabilitation program, is expected to make a full recovery. At this point, a timeline for his return to the sidelines has not been determined. During this time, the organization is grateful to the extended community for providing privacy and space to the Popovich family.”
Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has assumed coaching duties in Popovich’s absence.
Popovich, 75, is the longest-tenured coach in the NBA. He has won five NBA championships and been named Coach of the Year three times. He has also won over 1,000 regular-season games and over 90 playoff games.
