SAN ANTONIO – The longest-tenured coach in NBA history won’t return to the sidelines for the remainder of this season.
According to a report from veteran NBA insider Chris Haynes, Gregg Popovich met with Spurs players on Thursday and told them he won’t return to coaching in 2024-25.
The Spurs later confirmed Haynes' report on Thursday afternoon.
BREAKING: Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich addressed team today for first time since suffering a stroke to update them on his recovery and to inform that he’s not returning this season, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/ECeDWmWjfx
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 27, 2025
Popovich, 76, suffered a mild stroke on Nov. 2, 2024, and has not coached the team since. The Spurs announced Popovich’s diagnosis on Nov. 13, 2024.
With Popovich out, assistant coach Mitch Johnson was selected as the team’s acting head coach. Johnson has a 22-30 record in Popovich’s absence.
Earlier this week, ESPN reported that Popovich was also unlikely to return to coaching this season.
The Popovich news is the latest big blow to the Spurs franchise.
Days after his first NBA All-Star Game appearance earlier this month, the Spurs announced Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. The injury has also sidelined Wembanyama for the rest of the 2024-25 season.
In a statement, Popovich — who has been the Spurs’ head coach for most of the last 29 NBA seasons — said Thursday he hopes to return to coaching.
“I’ve decided not to return to the sidelines this season. (Assistant coach) Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job and the resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding,“ Popovich said in a statement released by the Spurs. ”I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future.”
The Spurs (24-33) have dropped four of their first five games since the end of the All-Star break, including a 118-106 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
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