Spurs HC Gregg Popovich Won't Return This Season, Future Uncertain

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Ricardo Sandoval is a Newsweek contributor based in Los Angeles, CA. His focus is sports content. Ricardo has been with Newsweek since 2024 and also writes for On SI for the Lakers, Bucks, Celtics, Pacers, and Trail Blazers sites. Ricardo also is a staff writer for Dodgers Nation. He is a graduate of California State University Northridge. You can get in touch with Ricardo by emailing r.klein@newsweek.com. You can also follow Ricardo on X @_RicardoSand

Contributing Sports Writer

San Antonio Spurs legendary head coach Gregg Popovich is not expected to return this season, and his future is uncertain as he recovers from a mild stroke suffered in November.

More Spurs: Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama Shockingly Done for Season with Scary Injury

ESPN's Shams Charania shared via X.

Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs looks on against the Houston Rockets during the first half of a preseason game at Toyota Center on October 17, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Popovich, 76, has not coached since Nov. 2 after getting tended to by emergency personnel who were at the arena for the Spurs' game that night.

A month ago, Spurs CEO R.C. Buford said in a statement that Popovich was doing the best he could to return to the sideline.

"All I can share is he's attacking his rehab in a way that ... you know Pop, you've observed him for years," Buford said. "The same resilience that he's shown over the course of our career as a coach, he's approaching his return in his rehab in an incredibly unique way. The relationships that he had with our former players and the care that they're sharing with him is amazing. And his improvement continues."

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Buford also added that there was no timeline on when or if he would return.

San Antonio moved assistant Mitch Johnson into the head coaching role that night on an interim basis. Since then, Johnson has posted a record of 21-27.

Popovich is one of the best and arguably the best NBA head coaches in the league's history. He is also one of the top winningest coaches in the league, having led San Antonio to five NBA titles and coached USA Basketball to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

This is the latest in the string of bad news for San Antonio. They were informed earlier this week that their superstar center, Victor Wembanyama, is ruled out for the rest of the season due to a blood clot in his right shoulder.

Wembanyama was having one heck of a season and was on pace to win his first Defensive Player of the Year award. The French phenom was spectacular this season, earning his first-ever All-Star appearance. He averaged 24.3 points per game, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 3.8 blocks in 46 games and 33.2 minutes of action.

More Spurs: What Victor Wembanyama's Injury Means for Spurs' Future

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