Gregg Popovich won’t coach this season. He’s not ruling out a comeback sooner or later.
Popovich met with the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, releasing a statement afterward to make his resolution on this season — and hope for subsequent season — public. The 76-year-old Popovich, the NBA‘s all-time teaching wins chief, had a stroke on the workforce’s enviornment in San Antonio on Nov. 2 and has been away from the workforce since.
“I’ve determined to not return to the sidelines this season,” Popovich mentioned in an announcement distributed by the workforce. “[Acting coach] Mitch Johnson and his employees have performed an exquisite job and the resolve and professionalism the gamers have proven, sticking collectively throughout a difficult season, has been excellent.”
Popovich has been in common contact with Johnson, some workforce officers and has talked with some gamers at occasions throughout his absence — however he has not been seen at video games or been recognized to be at any practices for the reason that stroke occurred.
“I’ll proceed to deal with my well being with the hope that I can return to teaching sooner or later,” Popovich mentioned.
Popovich’s go to to the workforce got here per week after the Spurs introduced that All-Star middle Victor Wembanyama — the defensive participant of the yr favourite on the time and somebody who was a severe candidate to make the All-NBA workforce — won’t play once more this season after deep vein thrombosis, or a blood clot, was present in his proper shoulder.
The Spurs haven’t up to date Popovich’s rehabilitation course of in a while, apart from saying that he’s anticipated to make a full restoration. The workforce has not revealed what, if any, points Popovich has been coping with for the reason that stroke.
Popovich agreed to a five-year contract extension with the workforce in 2023, one that will have him signed to be on the sideline by means of the 2027-28 season. His solely public remark previous to Thursday about his well being and his future got here in mid-December, when he mentioned he and his household have been overwhelmed by “the outpouring of assist we have acquired throughout this time.”
Popovich talked about returning to teaching in that assertion, however didn’t reveal any timetable in a self-deprecating quip. “Nobody is extra excited to see me return to the bench than the gifted people who’ve been main my rehabilitation course of,” Popovich mentioned within the December assertion. “They’ve rapidly discovered that I am lower than coachable.”
Reporting by The Related Press.
Need nice tales delivered proper to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Nationwide Basketball Affiliation
San Antonio Spurs
Get extra from Nationwide Basketball Affiliation Comply with your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra
