San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich announced Thursday that he will not return for the remainder of the season as he continues recovering from a stroke suffered in November. The 76-year-old has not coached since October 31.

Popovich praised assistant coach Mitch Johnson and the team for their resilience, stating, “I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future.” He informed Spurs players of his decision earlier in the day, though ESPN reported that his future beyond this season remains uncertain.

Victor Wembanyama has also had his season cut short by a blood clot.

Popovich, San Antonio’s head coach since 1996, is one of the most decorated figures in NBA history. He has led the Spurs to five NBA championships, tied for the third most all-time, and holds the record for the most coaching wins in NBA history. He also coached the U.S. men’s national team to a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

The Spurs, currently 24-33 and sitting 13th in the Western Conference, are also without star center Victor Wembanyama, who was ruled out for the season due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.