San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is expected to recover fully after experiencing a mild stroke earlier this month, the team announced on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on November 2 in San Antonio, just before the Spurs’ 113-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. At the time, the team reported that Popovich missed the game due to illness.
The 75-year-old coaching legend has since begun a rehabilitation program, though a specific timeline for his return has not been set. In Popovich’s absence, assistant coach Mitch Johnson, 37, has taken over interim coaching duties, leading the team through their past five games.
With a coaching tenure dating back to the 1996-97 season, Popovich has guided the Spurs to five NBA championships and holds an impressive career record of 1,390-827. He claimed the all-time record for regular season wins in March 2022, surpassing Don Nelson with his 1,336th victory.
A three-time NBA Coach of the Year, Popovich also led the U.S. men’s national team to a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.