San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich is doing well at home after needing medical attention earlier this week following an incident at a restaurant, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press on Friday.
The 76-year-old Popovich, who missed most of this season while recovering from what the Spurs called a mild stroke, was at a restaurant in San Antonio on Tuesday night when he began not feeling well, said the person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither Popovich nor the team released any details publicly.
TMZ Sports, which first reported the story, obtained video footage of what it said was Popovich being wheeled away from the restaurant on a stretcher and loaded into the back of an ambulance. TMZ said rescue officials were called by someone reporting that a person fainted in the restaurant.
Popovich had a stroke at the team’s arena in San Antonio on Nov. 2. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson took over as acting head coach that night and wound up coaching the team's final 77 games of the season.
Popovich was in regular contact with Johnson and often in the facility, even addressing the team on at least one occasion in February. Popovich, at that time, said he hopes he can “return to coaching in the future.”
The Spurs have not given any indication if Popovich plans to be back in time for the start of next season. He is under contract with the team through the 2027-28 season.
Popovich is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, has led the Spurs to five NBA championships and guided USA Basketball to an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021. He's the all-time wins leader in NBA history and one of only three coaches to win the NBA coach of the year award three times, Don Nelson and Pat Riley being the others.
His tenure with the Spurs goes back to 1988 when he joined the club as an assistant coach. He left in 1992 and returned May 31, 1994, as executive vice president for basketball operations and general manager.
He fired Bob Hill and appointed himself coach on Dec. 10, 1996, holding that title ever since.
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FILE - San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich watches play during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, March 31, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate, File)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Friday he will run in next month’s presidential election and would seek to lessen the powers of the office and ease strife-ridden domestic politics if he wins.
Han’s entry heats up the scramble among conservatives to unify behind a candidate to compete with liberal front-runner Lee Jae-myung, whose campaign recently was set back by a court decision to open a new trial on election law violation charges.
“I’ve determined to find what I can do for the future of the Republic of Korea that I love and for all of us. I’ll try my utmost to be chosen by the people at this presidential election," Han told a press conference at the National Assembly.
South Korea is holding an early presidential election on June 3 after conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted over his imposition of martial law. Han was appointed prime minister, the No. 2 post, by Yoon, and he served as acting leader after Yoon was suspended and later removed from office.
Han also was prime minister under liberal President Roh Moo-hyun from 2007 to 2008 and has served as trade minister, finance minister and ambassador to the U.S. during his 40-year career in public service. He has never held elected office but has risen politically as the main conservative People Power Party struggles in the wake of Yoon’s ouster.
Han does not belong to a political party, but contenders in the PPP have said they are willing to field a single candidate among them and Han. PPP members are scheduled to nominate their party's candidate Saturday.
Han said that if elected, he would launch a body to amend the constitution so the president and the assembly share powers based on the principle of checks and balances. His revisions would also bar the political circle and the judiciary branch from meddling in each other's sectors.
In South Korea, executive power is heavily concentrated on a president, and there have been calls for change.
The election June 3 will give the new president a full, single five-year term. But Han said he would serve three years to finish the constitutional revision and then leave.
Han said he would also use his expertise on economic affairs to resolve trade issues with the U.S. over President Donald Trump's tariff policies.
Lee's main liberal opposition Democratic Party stepped up its offensive against Han, saying he is abandoning his duties as the government's caretaker and lacks the moral standing to run for the presidency as a No. 2 official in the Yoon administration, responsible for many policy failures.
“We warn to former Prime Minister Han. Don't hide your greed with a lie that you are running for the people,” party spokesperson Noh Jongmyun said.
South Korean former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo bows after a press conference to announce a presidential bid at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Korean former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a press conference to announce a presidential bid at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Korean former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a press conference to announce a presidential bid at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Korean former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo arrives to hold a press conference to announce a presidential bid at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)