San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will not return to the sidelines this season, the 76-year-old said in a statement released by the team on Thursday.
Popovich has been away from the team since he suffered a stroke at the Spurs’ Frost Bank Center on 2 November before a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In his absence, 38-year-old assistant coach Mitch Johnson has led San Antonio to a 22-30 record, with the team currently 13th in the Western Conference standings.
“I’ve decided not to return to the sidelines this season,” Popovich said in a statement.
“Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job and the resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding.
“I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future.”
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 27, 2025
The Spurs have now lost their two biggest stars this season, as All-Star center Victor Wembanyama will also miss the rest of the season due to a blood clot.
Popovich, who signed a five-year contract extension with San Antonio, has been with the franchise since the 1996-97 season.
He is the oldest coach in NBA history and the league’s winningest coach ever with 1,390 regular season victories and 170 wins in the postseason.
Popovich led the Spurs to five NBA titles in his 29 seasons as head coach and led the United States to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.
