Gregg Popovich: Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs is absent indefinitely due to a health issue he developed over weekend. Until Popowicz can be back on the sidelines, assistant coach Mitch Johnson is supposed to cover for him.
NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN broke the news on social media.
The 75-year-old Popovich is the oldest active coach in the NBA and has been with the Spurs since he was hired in 1996. During his tenure in San Antonio, he has turned the Spurs into a powerhouse.
Between 2000 and 2015, San Antonio won five NBA titles. The Spurs have achieved great success under Popovich, who is widely regarded as one of the best head coaches in NBA history.
Under him, San Antonio had a long streak of at least 50 wins in a season. Between the 1996-97 and 2017-18 seasons, San Antonio posted at least 50 wins every year with the exception of the 1998-99 season, when the first few months of the year were affected by a lockout.
San Antonio had 37 games that year, finishing with Popovich’s first NBA championship. San Antonio was always a contender even in the years they failed the title under Popowicz; most Western Conference teams did not want to have them in the playoffs.
Thanks him, many players—including Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker, Manu Ginóbili, Kawhi Leonard, and others—have had career highs. Among the most esteemed coaches we have ever known in history is Popovich.
Still, the Spurs suffered a great dip as some of the icons retired. Since the 2018–19 season, San Antonio has not made it into the playoffs and has not won more than 24 games annually.
But under second-year sensation Victor Wembanyama leading San Antonio, the future seems really bright. Named Rookie of the Year last season, the star rocked the league.
San Antonio will have to hope Popovich is healthy once Johnson steps in to run the game. But the players seem to trust his assistant while he is out.
“Mitch did a great job,” Spurs guard Chris Paul said after Saturday’s win. “I think our whole coaching staff did. Things happen all the time in this league, and just like the players, it’s all about the next man. So kudos to Mitch; he did a great job tonight.”
Let’s hope Popovich won’t be out for long and that the problem isn’t too serious.
