For several days now, the biggest mystery has surrounded the absence of Gregg Popovich on the edge of the floor during San Antonio Spurs matches. It was lifted this Wednesday by the Texan NBA franchise. The historic coach of Spurs, where French giant Victor Wembanyama plays, is convalescing after suffering a stroke described as “benign” at the beginning of the month.
The incident took place on November 2 at the Frost Bank Center, the Spurs said in a press release. Until now, the Texan franchise had been evasive about his state of health, contenting himself with mentioning an absence for an indefinite period. “Popovich, who has started a rehabilitation program, should recover all his abilities. No timetable for returning to the sidelines has been established at this time. During this period, the San Antonio Spurs thank those around the franchise for respecting the privacy of the Popovich family. »
In his absence, the team has been coached for five games by his assistant Mitch Johnson, who has a record of three wins and two losses. The Spurs’ next meeting takes place on the night of this Wednesday to Thursday with the reception of the Washington Wizards. A match which will mark the reunion between Victor Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly, former teammates at the Metropolitans 92 before their arrival in the NBA in 2023 or in the French team this summer during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Aged 75, Gregg Popovich has been the head coach of the Spurs since 1996. He has won five NBA titles (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014).
