BREAKING: Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich Hospitalized After Medical Scare

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was taken out of a local restaurant on a stretcher Tuesday night, according to TMZ.
Oct 30, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich watches his team play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center.
Oct 30, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich watches his team play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was taken out of a local San Antonio steakhouse on a stretcher Tuesday night around 8:20 p.m, per TMZ.

Officials reportedly responded to a call from the establishment claiming that "an elderly person" had "fainted," which turned out to be the 76-year-old coach. Popovich suffered a mild stroke on Nov. 2 prior to a home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

After his initial health scare, Popovich stepped away from the team to prioritize his health. Save for a meeting he held at the Spurs' practice facility in February when he announced his decision to not return for the remainder of the season, his primary source of interaction with his team came digitally.

"This is a difficult time for everyone," Spurs general manager Brian Wright said a few days after Popovich's stroke. "(Popovich) has been the leader of this organization for the last three decades. When we walk into the building each and every day, we feel (his) presence."

TMZ added that Popovich was alert and talking by the time he entered the back of the ambulance, and that he was admitted to a hospital with "non-life-threatening injury or illness."

It took a few months before Popovich was able to walk again following his stroke, and while his condition seemed to be improving, Tuesday's incident bears no positive outlook on the future of his coaching career.

Neither the Spurs, nor Popovich, have made any official announcement at this time.

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.