San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich announces he will not return this season

Gregg Popovich, the longtime head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, released a statement announcing that he will not be returning to coach the team this season.

Popovich, 76, has been away from the team since he suffered a stroke during a home game in San Antonio on Nov. 2. He met with the team recently and then issued a statement.

"I have decided not to return to coaching this season," Popovich said in a statement. "Mitch Johnson and his staff have done an outstanding job, and the players have shown amazing unity and professionalism throughout this challenging season. I will continue to focus on my recovery and hope to return to coaching in the future."

Popovich started coaching the San Antonio Spurs in 1996 and signed a five-year contract extension in 2023, extending the original contract to the 2027-28 season. Popovich is the coach with the most wins in NBA history. Before his stroke, Popovich's coaching record was 1,338 wins and 824 losses.

During Popovich's absence, Johnson led the team to a record of 22 wins and 30 losses. According to league rules, these wins and losses are still counted towards Popovich's personal coaching record.

As one of the greatest coaches in the NBA, Popovich has won five NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs and led the US men's basketball team to win the gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, also leaving brilliant achievements in the international arena.

In addition, Popovich is one of only three coaches in NBA history to win Coach of the Year three times, the other two being Don Nelson and Pat Riley.