It’s still unclear when he will return to the sidelines, but former San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has 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 November 2, and has been recovering since then.
“This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and me,” he said in a statement Monday afternoon, marking his first comments since his stroke.
“As we work together on my recovery, I want to take a moment to say that the outpouring of support we have received during this time has been truly overwhelming in the best way possible. While I wish I could reach all of you, for now I just want to say that my family and I are forever grateful. We are grateful for our great community, the entire Spurs organization and our family and friends.”
The Spurs initially said Popovich was absent due to an unspecified medical issue, although they confirmed he suffered a stroke nearly two weeks later. Popovich is expected to make a full recovery.
Assistant coach Mitch Johnson will lead the Spurs in his absence. The team currently has a record of 13-13 heading into Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. The Spurs have finished 11-10 without Popovich, though they have lost four of their last six.
The 75-year-old Popovich is now in his 29th season as Spurs head coach, making him the longest-tenured head coach in the league. He leads the NBA with 1,391 regular season wins, and he has another 170 postseason wins with five championships to his name, most recently in 2014.
Neither the Spurs nor Popovich have said when he will be able to return. But from the sounds of it and knowing his personality, Popovich is more than ready.
“No one is more excited to see me back on the bench than the talented individuals who led my rehabilitation process,” Popovich said. “They quickly learned that I’m not exactly coachable.”
