The NBA community is giving their best wishes to San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. According to TMZ, the longtime NBA coach was taken to the emergency room on Tuesday after losing consciousness at a restaurant in the city.
“San Antonio Spurs legend Gregg Popovich left a local restaurant in an ambulance Tuesday night after officials say they received a call for an elderly person who had ‘fainted’ while eating dinner,” reported TMZ. “Officials say they responded to the scene after receiving a call for an elderly person who had fainted, and the patient was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injury or illness.”
Popovich, 76, suffered a mild stroke in November of 2024, just before a game against the Timberwolves. He’s been in recovery ever since but has yet to return to coaching full-time. This latest incident is likely related to the stroke, but we don’t yet know what it means for his recovery.
“Our sources tell us Popovich appeared to still be dealing with the effects of the mild stroke he suffered in early November while at the establishment … and was there for close to two hours before suffering the medical emergency.”
No timetable has been set for Pop’s return to the team, but he has a role on the Spurs for as long as he wants it. In his absence, Mitch Johnson has taken over, and he has emerged as a serious candidate to replace Popovich full-time when he eventually relinquishes his role.
He’s been on the job for 29 years, starting from December 10, 1996. Pop got results right away with the Spurs, using his effective coaching methods to implement a team-first culture throughout the entire organization. His first championship came just three years after taking the job, in 1999, with Tim Duncan leading the way.
From there, Popovich would go on to play a crucial role in what became a dynasty in San Antonio: five titles in 15 years. Amid all the changes and turmoil of the NBA landscape, Popovich never lost his voice, and his coaching kept the Spurs relevant for decades.
After the famed “big three” retired, the Spurs hit a rough patch, and many critics thought Popovich would step away from coaching. Instead, he agreed to stay on and usher in the next era of greatness for the franchise.
Since 2023, the Spurs’ future has been tied to Victor Wembanyama, and Popovich has been working closely with the young big man to maximize his game. Under Popovich’s leadership, Wemby had one of the best rookie campaigns ever with averages of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 46.5% shooting.
Victor missed half of the 2024-25 season with his health issues, but he’s hoping to return to the fold next season and pick up where he left off with Pop. If the veteran coach can share his wisdom and implement a plan to maximize his game, it’ll bring out the most in Victor and the rest of the team.
First, and most importantly, Coach Popovich will have to return to full health so he can be fully present on the sidelines. After today’s setback, it could be some time before we get an update on his condition, but there’s still hope that he’ll be ready for full coaching duties by the time the next season begins in October.
