Michael C. Light Pull 18, 2025, 03:50 PM ET
ESPN of Bears previously covered in 2010 on ESPN.com played college football at West Texas A&M
SAN ANTONIO – Spurs coach Greg Popovich was taken to the hospital after a medical incident at a restaurant Tuesday night, but is now home and feeling well.
Popovich, 76, the oldest coach in NBA history, made a mild stroke in November and missed the rest of the season.
According to TMZ, which first reported the medical case, Popovich was placed on a stretcher and taken to hospital by officials saying he was a life-threatening injury or illness. Sources told TMZ that Popovich was on alert when he entered the ambulance.
Editor’s Pick
1 Related
On November 2nd, Popovich suffered from what the team called “mild strokes” ahead of his matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Hall of Fame, who coached the Spurs since the 1996-97 season, is the NBA’s most-winning coach with 1,412 regular season victories and 170 postseason victories, winning five championships.
He agreed to a five-year contract extension with the team in 2023.
Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has tentatively taken over San Antonio to lead him to a 31-45 record under surveillance.
Franchise Cornerstone Victor Wenbanyama was diagnosed with deep venous thrombosis or thrombosis in the right shoulder shortly after the NBA All-Star break and was ruled out for the rest of the regular season. Newly added guard Dearon Fox, who joined the Spurs through trade in February, missed the final 18 games due to an injury to his left little finger, requiring surgery.
Before Popovich’s latest health incident, the Spurs were already facing an uncertain future as to whether their coach would return to the 2025 and ’26 season. Johnson said the Spurs have already put together an offseason plan that will be run collectively later this spring by Popovich’s absent staff.
“I don’t think I had time to deal with it yet,” Johnson said after the April 13 season finale.
“This organization still prioritizes Pop’s health. He makes decisions by doing what he needs to do. It goes through this organization on so many levels. We really put that plan together as a group. Obviously, my role changed nine years later.
The organization is internally keeping Popovich up to decide whether he wants to return to his 30th season with San Antonio. Sources who have been in contact with Popovich since his stroke say the coach has expressed his intention to return to the bench to lead the Spurs next season.
“I trust the organization,” Wenbagnama said after the season finale. “I trust Pop [do] You can do everything he can to get back and regain energy. And I also trust Mitch will grow into that role. I think it’s a good job to support each other across the organization. I’m ready for anything and I know the organization will do so [make] A good decision. ”
Popovich held an emotional meeting with the Spurs players on February 27th, releasing a statement that he will not officially return this season at that point, but hopes to return in the future.
“I will continue to focus on my health in the hopes of being able to return to coaching in the future,” his statement said.
Popovich has won Don Nelson and Pat Reilly three times the NBA Coach of the Year as one of only three coaches. He is also one of five coaches who have won at least five NBA championships alongside Phil Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), John Kundra (5) and Riley (5).
