The Spurs are in Paris this week for a pair of games against the Indiana Pacers.
Gregg Popovich is still away from the San Antonio Spurs after he suffered a stroke last fall.
While it’s unclear when he will be able to return to the bench, if at all, Spurs CEO R.C. Buford, a longtime friend of Popovich, had a very positive update on his recovery on Wednesday.
“All I can share is he’s attacking his rehab in a way that … you know Pop, you’ve observed him for years. The same resilience that he’s shown over the course of our career as a coach, he’s approaching his rehab in an incredibly unique way,” Buford said, via The Associated Press. “The relationships that he had with our former players and the care that they’re sharing with him is amazing. And his improvement continues.”
Popovich suffered a mild stroke at the team’s arena on Nov. 2, and he’s been recovering ever since. He is expected to make a full recovery, though specifics of his stroke or what his rehab looks like are still unknown. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has led the Spurs in his absence, and he’s gone 17-19 since taking over.
The team is currently in Paris ahead of a pair of games against the Indiana Pacers this week, featuring star Victor Wembanyama, who grew up just outside of the French capital. The team holds a 19-22 record heading into Wednesday’s contest. They’ve lost six of their last seven.
Popovich, who took over as the Spurs’ coach in 1996 while working as their general manager, is the league’s all-time wins leader. He’s led the franchise to five NBA titles, and led USA Basketball to a gold medal at the 2021 Olympics. He will turn 76 next week.
Even though he’s recovering away from the team, Popovich is still incredibly involved with their day-to-day operations. Johnson said they are in contact constantly, and that Popovich is “still as opinionated as he’s ever been.”
“I’m not even sure if this is public, but he calls,” Spurs guard Chris Paul said on Wednesday. “He calls after games and I talk to him, and he tells me what he sees, and I appreciate that more than anything because he doesn’t have to do that. And he does.”
When Popovich is ready to return is still anybody’s guess. And while the updates have been minimal, it at least sounds like things are moving in the right direction for him.
“He’s really an institution and he’s been such a constant,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “It’s different not seeing him. But I’ve had some communication with him. He’s doing better all the time. And the hope is he’ll be back.”
