It’s been a strange sight watching the San Antonio Spurs play without Gregg Popovich patrolling the sidelines for the past six weeks.
In his first public statement since suffering a mild stroke on Nov. 2, Popovich said he was grateful for the support he has received over the past six weeks.
“As we work together to recover, I wanted to take a moment to share that the outpouring of support we have received during this time has truly been overwhelming in the best way,” he said in a statement released by the team.
He gave no indication of a possible timetable for his return.
Hall of Famer Popovich, 75, in his 29th season as Spurs head coach, called the health scare “out of the blue.”
He added that he and his family are “eternally grateful” to everyone who has reached out.
“We are grateful to our wonderful community, the entire Tottenham organization and our family and friends,” he said.
The Spurs currently rank 11th in the Western Conference with a record of 13 wins and 13 losses.
Popovich is the winningest player in NBA history. He led the Spurs to five championships and led the U.S. men’s basketball team to a gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Despite Popovich’s absence, his trademark wit appears to be still present.
“No one is more excited to see me back on the bench than the talented people who have been leading my recovery process.
“They figured out pretty quickly that I wasn’t very coachable.”
The stroke occurred at the team’s home court, and Popovich began receiving treatment almost immediately because rescuers were there. He was taken to a nearby hospital.
There has been no word on the lasting effects of Popovich’s stroke or how long his recovery process may take. Longtime Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson has served as acting coach in Popovich’s absence.
“Mitch did a great job,” Orlando head coach Jamal Mosley said earlier this month.
Popovich is one of only three coaches to win the NBA Coach of the Year award three times, along with Don Nelson and Pat Riley. He is one of five coaches to win at least five NBA championships; the others are Phil Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), John Kundla (5) and Riley (5 years old).
Popovich has been with the Spurs for nearly 35 years. He served as an assistant coach from 1988-92 before returning to the club on May 31, 1994, as executive vice president of basketball operations and general manager. On December 10, 1996, he fired coach Bob Hill and appointed himself coach.
He has been Spurs’ touchline boss ever since.
“We look forward to the day we can welcome him back,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said last month.
–With files from The Associated Press
