Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich expected to make full recovery from recent stroke

Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich has been away from the team because he suffered a mild stroke earlier this month, the San Antonio Spurs announced Wednesday.

Popovich is in his 29th season as coach of the Spurs and there is no timetable for his return to the sideline, the team said. The stroke happened on Nov. 2 at the team's arena, and Popovich is expected to make a full recovery.

The 75-year-old Popovich, the NBA's all-time win leader and a coach of five Spurs teams that won league championships, has already started a rehabilitation program, the team said.

"During this time, the organization is grateful to the extended community for providing privacy and space to the Popovich family," the Spurs said in a news release.

Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has been the acting head coach in Popovich's absence. The Spurs play at home Wednesday against Washington, the seventh straight game where Johnson will be filling in for Popovich.

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or if a blood vessel in the brain bursts. That deprives the brain of oxygen which can cause brain damage that can lead to difficulty thinking, talking and walking, or even death. Strokes may lead to difficulty speaking, paralysis or loss of movement in certain muscles, memory loss and more.

It is unknown if Popovich is dealing with any aftereffects of the stroke.

Stroke was the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than half a million Americans have a stroke every year.

The Spurs were playing the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Nov. 2, and Popovich's medical episode there occurred in the hours before that game. Johnson took over for that night's