San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will reportedly be out for an indefinite amount of time while recovering from "health issues."
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Popovich began to experience said issues before Saturday's 113-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The nature of the illness was and remains undisclosed at this time.
Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson is expected to be the interim head coach as the team prepares for a two-game road trip against the LA Clippers on Monday and Houston on Wednesday.
San Antonio announced Popovich did not travel with the team.
"He's not feeling well," Johnson said. "This has happened before. I think everybody's just always got to be ready for the next man up. We've had it with injuries and sometimes people get sick or don't feel well or things come up in life. He's just not feeling well."
Johnson was informed about the upgrade just hours prior to Saturday's tipoff. Veteran point guard Chris Paul praised his assistant coach for stepping up on such short notice.
"Mitch did a great job, man," Spurs guard Chris Paul said after Saturday's win. "I think our whole coaching staff [did]. Things happen within this league all the time and just like with the players, it's next man. So, shoutout to Mitch; he did a great job tonight."
Popovich's reputation precedes him. After 29 years of coaching, he's racked up 1,391 wins in the regular season making him the most winningest coach in NBA history. Not to mention the five titles he has won and plethora of star-studded talents he developed in his tenure - all as the head coach for the Spurs.
The legendary head coach has never been one to speculate on his own retirement, once describing the question as "inappropriate." Nevertheless, his recent health scare has stirred up conversations among fans and officials alike. For now, the league waits, hoping that this rest is just a minor setback, and that Popovich will return soon, sharp as ever.
