The San Antonio Spurs have faced a complex 2024-25 NBA season, marked not only by inconsistent results on the court but also by unexpected health issues affecting some of the franchise’s key figures. Head coach Gregg Popovich has been away since November after suffering a mild stroke, from which he is still recovering. In light of this, he announced a significant decision on Thursday.
“I’ve decided not to return to the sidelines this season,” Popovich explained through an official statement shared by the Spurs on their social media accounts. “I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future.”
In the same statement, he praised the performance of his interim replacement. “Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job,” Pop said. He also acknowledged the commitment of his players: “The resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding.”
The Spurs without Popovich
Gregg Popovich’s health issues surfaced before the San Antonio Spurs’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the AT&T Center on November 2, 2024. That marked just the team’s sixth game of the season, during which they had posted two wins and three losses.
Since then, the Spurs have been led by Mitch Johnson, who was previously Popovich’s assistant. Under Johnson’s guidance, the team’s performance has not improved significantly: they have won 22 games and lost 30, bringing their overall record to 24-33, which places them in 13th place in the Western Conference standings.
A difficult season for the Spurs
The absence of Gregg Popovich has not been the only significant challenge for the San Antonio Spurs this season. Just days ago, the team received more bad news: Victor Wembanyama’s injury will sideline him for the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season.
The French center, already the team’s undisputed leader in only his second year, has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, a condition that will require an extended recovery period, making it impossible for him to return before the season ends.
This injury has severely impacted the Spurs’ chances of contending this year. Despite some inconsistency, the team had regained hope with the addition of De’Aaron Fox, whose early performances showed strong chemistry with Wembanyama and provided valuable contributions to the team’s overall play. However, the situation now looks bleak, and with seven losses in their last ten games, the Spurs appear headed for a difficult finish to the season.