It’s still unclear when he will be back on the sidelines, but longtime San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich issued a statement thanking fans and the basketball world for their support after he suffered a stroke earlier this year.
Popovich suffered a mild stroke at the team’s arena on Nov. 2, and he’s been recovering ever since.
“This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and me,” he said in a statement on Monday afternoon, marking his first comments since his stroke.
“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 truly been overwhelming in the best possible way. While I wish I could get back to every single one of you, for now, let me just 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.”
The Spurs initially said that Popovich was out with an unspecified medical issue, though they confirmed that he had a stroke nearly two weeks later. Popovich is expected to make a full recovery.
Assistant coach Mitch Johnson is leading the Spurs in his absence. The team currently holds a 13-13 record heading into Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. The Spurs have gone 11-10 without Popovich, though they’ve lost four of their last six.
Popovich, 75, is now in his 29th season as the Spurs’ head coach, which makes him the longest-tenured head coach in the league. He leads the NBA with 1,391 career regular-season wins, and he has another 170 postseason wins with five championships under his belt, most recently in 2014.
Neither the Spurs nor Popovich have said when he will be able to return. But by the sound of it, and knowing his personality, Popovich is more than ready.
“No one is more excited to see me return to the bench than the talented individuals who have been leading my rehabilitation process,” Popovich said. “They’ve quickly learned that I’m less than coachable.”
