San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, the NBA’s all-time leader in wins who has been sidelined since suffering a mild stroke on Nov. 2, announced Monday his intention to return to the bench. And he did it with a dose of classic Popovich humor.
“No one is more excited to see me return to the bench than the talented individuals who have been leading my rehabilitation process,” the 75-year-old Popovich said at the end of the team-issued statement. “They’ve quickly learned that I’m less than coachable.”
As The Athletic reported earlier this month, Popovich has planned to return for quite some time now. Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson took over in his absence, with San Antonio going 10-10 since then (the Spurs are 13-13 overall and currently 11th place in the Western Conference).
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) December 16, 2024
“This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and me,” Popovich said at the start of the statement. “As we work together on my recovery, I want to take a moment to share that the outpouring of support we received during this time has been truly overwhelming in the best possible way.
“While I wish I could get back to each one of you, for now, let me say that my family and I are forever grateful. We’re thankful for our wonderful community, the entire Spurs organization, and our family and friends.”
The Spurs play their next two games at home, on Dec. 19 against the Atlanta Hawks and Dec. 21 against Portland Trail Blazers. Popovich could also return on the road on Dec. 23 in Philadelphia or on Christmas Day in New York against the Knicks.
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