The hits simply hold coming for the Spurs this week and this season as a complete. The identical week it was introduced that Victor Wembanyama would miss the rest of the season with a blood clot in his shoulder, ESPN’s Shams Charania studies that Gregg Popovich just isn’t anticipated to return this season after struggling a minor stroke again on November 2. Whereas that alone isn’t too shocking, he added that Pop’s future stays unsure at the moment.
San Antonio Spurs’ Corridor of Fame coach Gregg Popovich just isn’t anticipated to return this season, and his future is unsure as he recovers from a light stroke suffered in November, league sources inform ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EekHlDa8NI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2025
Clearly there’s a protracted option to go earlier than subsequent season, and Pop has said that he hopes to get again to teaching as quickly as doable. Nevertheless, whether or not he’ll be capable to (or ought to) apparently stays up within the air. When/if he does retire, he’ll do it because the oldest coach to ever coach an NBA recreation at age 76, surpassing Hubie Brown at 71, and because the coach with probably the most wins in NBA historical past.
That being mentioned, Pop continues to be president of basketball operations, and he has reportedly been actively speaking with Wemby this week within the wake of his personal analysis of deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder. Contemplating a explanation for strokes could be a blood clot denying blood provide to the mind, it’s actually one thing the 2 can relate over regardless of being 55 years aside in age.
“Sources say Wembanyama and Popovich have been in very lively communication within the wake of this analysis. They have been talking continuously. Gregg Popovich has been very hands-on with Wembanyama within the wake of what is occurred this week.”
– Shams Charania pic.twitter.com/qf8Ua7Deb7
— Josh Paredes (@Josh810) February 23, 2025
Mitch Johnson has been serving as interim head coach for the Spurs in Pop’ absence, and so they have posted a 21-27 report underneath his steerage. Whereas the Spurs are nonetheless within the play-in race record-wise, it might find yourself being tough for them to make it after the lack of Wemby and a tough, exhausting schedule over the remaining 28 video games, with just one occasion of greater than someday off.
It has been a attempting season for the Spurs. Regardless of shedding Pop early, they bought off to a superb begin, sitting at 18-16 after a win in Denver on January 3, but it surely has been powerful crusing ever since because the schedule heated up. There was transient respite from the frustration, and even pleasure, a few weeks in the past when the Spurs acquired De’Aaron Fox forward of the commerce deadline, and whereas the long run nonetheless seems extraordinarily vibrant with him becoming a member of the core, the information of shedding Wemby has actually put a damper on the remainder of the season, and at the moment’s Pop information simply provides to the frustration, even when it was to be anticipated.
