Popovich 'forever grateful' for support in 1st comments since stroke

In his first public comments since suffering a stroke, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich expressed his gratitude.

"This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and me. 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," he said in a statement. "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."

Popovich suffered a mild stroke on Nov. 2 at the team's home arena and was listed as out with an undisclosed illness before the diagnosis came to light. The 75-year-old led the team to a 2-3 record before the stroke.

Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has taken over on an interim basis, helping the Spurs reach a 13-13 mark.

Popovich has spent 29 seasons as the head coach of the Spurs, guiding the franchise to five championships over his tenure. He's the NBA's career leader in victories with 1,390.

"No one is more excited to see me return to the bench than the talented individuals who have been leading my rehabilitation process," Popovich added. "They've quickly learned that I'm less than coachable."