Spurs’ Gregg Popovich taken away in ambulance after scary restaurant incident

Legendary Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who suffered a stroke before a game in November and was away from the team for the rest of the season, “fainted” in a San Antonio steakhouse Tuesday night, left on a stretcher and was taken away in an ambulance, according to TMZ Sports.

The incident reportedly occurred around 8:20 p.m. after Popovich — who, according to TMZ, “was alert and talking” by the time he reached the ambulance — had been inside the restaurant for two hours, and it was labeled a “non-life-threatening injury or illness.”

Popovich, 76, has since returned home in stable condition and is “doing fine,” according to ESPN.

The Spurs announced in early November that Popovich would be out indefinitely with a health issue, and the team revealed later that month that he’d suffered a mild stroke before their Nov. 2 game.

“This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and me,” Popovich said in a statement in December. “As we work together on my recovery, I want to take a moment to share that the outpouring of support we’ve received during this time has been truly overwhelming in the best possible way. While I wish I could get back to each one of you, for now, let me say that my family and I are forever grateful. 

“We’re thankful for our wonderful community, the entire Spurs organization, and our family and friends.”

Mitch Johnson served as interim head coach for the rest of the season, replacing the franchise staple who has won five titles with the Spurs and three Coach of the Year honors.

The Spurs hired Popovich as their head coach ahead of the 1996-97 season, and he proceeded to oversee franchise cornerstones Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili guide San Antonio to titles.

Then, in 2023, Popovich added Victor Wembanyama as his next star to coach when the Spurs landed the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

Popovich had collected 1,422 wins during the regular season and a .621 winning percentage at the time of his stroke in November.

The Spurs finished the 2024-25 campaign with a 34-48 record, sitting in 13th place in the Western Conference ahead of just the Pelicans (21-61) and the Jazz (17-65).