Report: Spurs’ Popovich not expected to return this season, future uncertain

The San Antonio Spurs reportedly will not see the return of Gregg Popovich down the closing stretch of the season.

The Hall of Fame head coach is not expected back before the campaign is over, per ESPN’s Shams Charania, and his future is uncertain as he recovers from a stroke suffered in November.

Popovich had the stroke, a mild one as described by the team, on Nov. 2 at the arena where the Spurs play. At the time of the news, the team said the 76-year-old bench boss had begun a rehabilitation program with the belief that he would make a full recovery. The team released no other details, including what aftereffects of the stroke — if any — that he is dealing with.

Popovich is the NBA’s all-time wins leader who has led the Spurs to five championships, plus guided USA Basketball to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He is in his 29th season as coach of the Spurs.

He made his first public statement on Dec. 16, saying that he was thankful for the support he’d received to this point.

“As we work together on my recovery, I want to take a moment to share that the outpouring of support we’ve received during this time has been truly overwhelming in the best possible way,” he said in a statement released by the team.

Popovich is one of only three coaches to win the NBA Coach of the Year award three times, Don Nelson and Pat Riley being the others. He’s one of five coaches with at least five NBA titles; Phil Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), John Kundla (5) and Riley (5) are the others.

Popovich has been part of the Spurs for nearly 35 years. He was an assistant coach from 1988 through 1992, then returned to the club on May 31, 1994, as its executive vice president for basketball operations and general manager. He made the decision to fire coach Bob Hill and appoint himself coach on Dec. 10, 1996.

Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has been the acting head coach in Popovich’s absence. The Spurs are currently 24-30, 12th in the Western Conference.

With Popovich no longer expected to return, that’s a second major loss for San Antonio just this week. Sophomore phenom Victor Wembanyama’s season is also over after he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulder.

Wembanyama is beginning treatment immediately and the Spurs are working under the expectation that the seven-foot-three centre from France will fully recover, per multiple reports. His condition — deep vein thrombosis — was diagnosed this week after he returned from the All-Star Game in San Francisco, the Spurs said Thursday. It is almost always treated with blood-thinning medication, and more evaluation will be needed.

The Spurs return to action on Sunday as they visit the New Orleans Pelicans.

— with files from the Associated Press