The San Antonio Spurs are on the halfway level of the 2024-25 season, and solely 5 of their 41 video games have been performed with longtime head coach Gregg Popovich on the helm after he suffered what would later be reported as a minor stroke previous to their November 2 sport towards the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has been rehabbing ever sense, releasing a press release again in December about his progress and thanking everybody for the help.
In no small half as a result of the Spurs are underneath heavy highlight as they put together to play two video games towards the Indiana Pacers in Paris, there have been loads of questions on his standing from the media this. Spurs CEO RC Buford emphasised that whereas Pop has been resilient and nonetheless plans to return to the sideline, a timeline is just not but in place.
“All I can share is he’s attacking his rehab in a means that … you understand Pop, you’ve noticed him for years. The identical resilience that he’s proven over the course of our profession as a coach, he’s approaching his return in his rehab in an extremely distinctive means. The relationships that he had with our former gamers and the care that they’re sharing with him is wonderful. And his enchancment continues. I don’t know that we now have any option to decide the clock. Predicting what’s to come back is only a operate of the place Pop’s rehab goes.”
As he has confirmed earlier than, performing head coach Mitch Johnson reiterated that he’s in fixed contact with Pop, who watches the video games, offers him teaching recommendation, reward, and even slightly traditional Pop cussin’.
Chris Paul, who was interested in the Spurs partly due to the chance to play for Pop, additionally revealed he speaks with him after video games and receives recommendation, which he feels is one thing Pop doesn’t need to do however does anyway, exhibiting he’s nonetheless engaged from afar and cares about his gamers.
️ Chris Paul, Gregg Popovich hakkında:
“Onun adına çok üzüldüm. Kesinlikle burada olmasını isterdim, o eşsiz biri. Ona karşı oynadım ve bir koç olarak sahip olduğu tutkuya tanık olmak gerçekten etkileyiciydi.
Pop, maçlardan sonra beni arıyor. Bana maçta neler gördüğünü… pic.twitter.com/beAovbr7sI
— TrendBasket (@TrendBasket) January 22, 2025
Clearly the Spurs miss Pop in each means, each on and off the courtroom, but when there’s one place off it he at the least as slightly assist, it’s Victor Wembanyama filling in as dinner professional whereas the staff is in Paris. As Tre Jones defined to The Athletic after Wemby took them to L’atelier de Joël Robuchon Etoile:
“I believe that’s one thing Pop might have had us do if he have been right here. I believe that was actually the one distinction (between this dinner type Wemby and the same old Pop dinners). The meals was undoubtedly French, nevertheless it was wonderful, after which simply the hospitality Victor confirmed, solely being 21, clearly he’s very mature past his years, however the hospitality and likewise the appreciation he confirmed us only for being right here with him, he was so grateful to us.
“He confirmed us a good time — that was undoubtedly among the finest meals I’ve ever had.”
Everybody desires Pop again in some unspecified time in the future, however when is one thing that solely he and his medical doctors could make. Within the meantime, the Spurs will chugging alongside as they appear to get out of their January stoop, the place they’ve misplaced six of their final seven video games, and again on monitor. Hopefully that begins tomorrow in Paris in entrance Wemby’s hometown followers.
