NBA insider Shams Charania spoke on NBA Today on ESPN about Gregg Popovich‘s health. Popovich, who stepped away from the San Antonio Spurs after an undisclosed health concern, is reportedly suffering from a serious health issue, with there being no timeline for his return. Charania reports that there is a great deal of concern surrounding his health within the Spurs organization.
“I’m told that it was a serious health issue that the Spurs dealt with and Gregg Popovich health with over the weekend. It was a situation on Saturday night, pregame, and Gregg Popovich needed medical attention in San Antonio. It is still uncertain when he is going to make it back on the sidelines for this team.”
“There is a great level of concern around the situation. For the Spurs, for Gregg Popovich, in the meantime, assistant coach Mitch Johnson has stepped in as the acting interim head coach. He’s a rising head coach in this league… This is something that the Spurs are very well regarded with, they know how important he is, how valuable he is, and he will be at the helm for the foreseeable future.”
Popovich is the longest-tenured head coach in the NBA right now, having been in the big seat for the San Antonio Spurs since 1996. In the 28 years that he has been head coach, Popovich has won five NBA championships, starting in 1999 and with the latest one coming in 2014.
Despite the franchise undergoing two rebuilds under his tenure, the franchise has not looked to move away from Popovich in the last few years. With the Spurs landing the draft rights for Victor Wembanyama in 2023, the Spurs proved that they made the right decision, as he can help coach and mold the player that many consider to be the best NBA prospect since LeBron James.
How Will Popovich’s Absence Affect Spurs?
As Charania reported, Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson will fill in for Gregg Popovich as interim head coach. And with Popovich’s absence expected to be indefinite, Johnson will be on the sidelines for them for what could be an extended period of time.
Johnson, who is a disciple of Popovich’s, and was one of the most sought-after coaching hires in the NBA for the last few years, is someone who will toe the line for Popovich’s tactics, and make sure that the roster continues to implement the plans and schemes Popovich drew up ahead of the NBA season.
Johnson could treat this stint as the team’s interim head coach as an audition for the full-time head coaching role, whether that be with the Spurs, or with another team.
One can expect Popovich to be out for at least a few weeks, and with the Spurs expected to be one of the weaker teams in the NBA, Johnson will try and turn that around and win some games in Popovich’s absence.
We here at Fadeaway World wish Gregg Popovich the best and a speedy recovery.
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