According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will be sidelined indefinitely because of a health issue he suffered before the team’s game Saturday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Charania reports that assistant coach Mitch Johnson will serve as head coach during Popovich’s absence, which will span at least through Wednesday, when the Spurs face the Houston Rockets. Johnson filled in for Popovich on Saturday.
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich suffered a health issue before Saturday’s game and assistant Mitch Johnson is expected to be the interim head coach for indefinite period, including Monday vs. Clippers and Wednesday vs. Rockets, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/qqdDtyc2GJ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 4, 2024
According to Charania, the Spurs said Popovich — who missed Saturday because of an undisclosed illness — did not travel for San Antonio’s two-game road trip against the Los Angeles Clippers and Rockets. The 75-year-old Popovich has spent the past 29 years as San Antonio’s head coach and guided the franchise to five NBA championships.
Update: Popovich Is “OK” and Just Needs Some “Rest”
Tom Orsborn, a veteran reporter for the San Antonio Express, provided an update on the situation on Monday afternoon. League sources reportedly told Orsborn that Popovich is doing “OK” and just needs some “rest” before returning to the sidelines.
A league source told me Pop is “OK” but “just needs rest.”
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) November 4, 2024
Following its current two-game road trip, the team will return home to San Antonio, where it will play seven of its next eight games.
The Spurs are currently off to a 3-3 start through six regular season contests but are fresh off of back-to-back victories versus the Timberwolves and Utah Jazz.
Popovich currently owns the record for the most wins by a head coach in NBA history. Even after five consecutive losing seasons, the Spurs’ coach owns a spectacular .628 winning percentage during the regular season (1391-824) to go along with a .599 career mark in the NBA Playoffs (170-114).
