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The San Antonio Spurs revealed that head coach Gregg Popovich suffered a “mild stroke” on Nov. 2 and will be out indefinitely. Popovich previously missed the last six games with what the Spurs said was an undisclosed medical episode.
Popovich, who is 75 and the oldest coach in the league, is the NBA’s winningest head coach with 1,390 victories and has captured five NBA championships. With uncertainty surrounding his return to the sidelines, here are six potential full-time coaching candidates for the Spurs.
Mitch Johnson
Mitch Johnson has seamlessly stepped into the Spurs’ acting head coach role during Popovich’s absence. He has served as an assistant coach with the Spurs since 2019 and previously worked for the franchise’s G-League affiliate in Austin for three seasons, winning a championship in 2018. His familiarity with the team’s system and culture makes him a natural consideration for succession.
Related: LeBron James in awe of Victor Wembanyama after rare accomplishment
Becky Hammon
Becky Hammon has a long history with Popovich and the Spurs. Hammon was an assistant in San Antonio from 2014 to 2022, and she made history when she became the first woman to serve as an NBA head coach in a 2020 game against the Los Angeles Lakers after Popovich was ejected. She left the Spurs to become the head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces and has won two championships in three seasons. Hammon also played 16 seasons in the WNBA and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.
Related: Aces’ Becky Hammon ‘disappointed’ by 2-game ban following probe
Sam Cassell
Sam Cassell’s first NBA head coaching job seems inevitable. The popular former player competed for 15 seasons, winning two championships with the Houston Rockets. After retiring in 2008, Cassell joined the Washington Wizards as an assistant coach the following year. He’s been an assistant coach for the past 16 seasons and is currently with the Boston Celtics. He also served on Doc Rivers’ staffs with the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers.
Related: Boston Celtics coach addresses ‘tension’ between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown
Jeff Van Gundy
Jeff Van Gundy has returned to NBA coaching after serving as a game analyst for ESPN for 16 seasons. Van Gundy is currently an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers, his first coaching position since 2007. He was the head coach of the New York Knicks for seven seasons, leading them to an NBA Finals appearance in 1999. He then served as the Houston Rockets’ head coach for four seasons, from 2003 to 2007.
Related: Stan Van Gundy blasts ESPN for treatment of Jeff Van Gundy during massive 2023 layoffs
Mike D’Antoni
Mike D’Antoni is one of the greatest offensive minds the league has ever seen. The two-time NBA Coach of the Year has spent 16 seasons as an NBA head coach with the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets. He revolutionized the game with the Suns during their “seven seconds or less” run with Steve Nash. D’Antoni last served as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2020-21 season.
Related: Lonzo Ball offers huge praise of San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, says he’ll be an all-time great
Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward of all time, and it’s not even close. The Spurs selected the 15-time NBA MVP with the first overall pick in 1997. Duncan was a two-time MVP and five-time NBA champion during his 19 seasons in San Antonio. He served as an assistant coach for the Spurs for one season and even filled in as head coach for a game during the 2019-2020 season. He’s currently working with the Spurs to help develop future superstar Victor Wembanyama.
Related: Can Victor Wembanyama follow Tim Duncan’s successful path with San Antonio Spurs?
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