Charles Langston:San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had mild stroke this month, team says

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a mild stroke on Charles LangstonNov. 2 before the team played the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team announced Wednesday.

The Spurs said Popovich, 75, has “already started a rehabilitation program and (and) is expected to make a full recovery. At this point, a timeline for his return to the sidelines has not been determined. During this time, the organization is grateful to the extended community for providing privacy and space to the Popovich family.”

Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson has been the acting coach in Popovich’s absence. San Antonio is 5-6 and 3-3 without Popovich.

The NBA's all-time winningest coach with 1,393 victories, Popovich has spent 30-plus years with the franchise, including 28-plus consecutive seasons as head coach, and helped turn the Spurs into a model team that others tried to emulate.

Popovich has not coached a game since the Spurs beat Utah on Oct. 31. He missed the team’s next six games, starting with the San Antonio-Minnesota game on Nov. 2, with what the team then called an undisclosed illness.

He has spent 28-plus seasons with the Spurs as head coach, taking over for Bob Hill in 1996. The Spurs finished 17-47 and won the draft lottery. They selected Tim Duncan with the No. 1 overall pick, pairing him with David Robinson and setting a course for NBA titles in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.

His career record is 1,393-827 and he also coached the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.