SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich made his first public comments since suffering a stroke in November, making clear he intends to return to the sidelines in the future.
The Spurs released a statement from Popovich as he thanked fans for the support he has received after he suffered what the team called a mild stroke before the Spurs’ November 2 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and me,” Popovich said. “As we work together on my recovery, I want to take a moment to share that the outpouring of support we’ve received during this time has been truly overwhelming in the best possible way.”
“While I wish I could get back to each one of you, for now, let me say that my family and I are forever grateful. We’re thankful for our wonderful community, the entire Spurs organization, and our family and friends,” he added.
Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson has served as acting coach in Popovich’s absence, leading San Antonio to an 11-10 record.
Popovich is currently in his 29th season as the Spurs’ head coach, the longest-tenured head coach in the league. He leads the NBA with 1,391 career regular-season wins, and he has an additional 170 postseason wins with five championships, most recently in 2014.
