Victor Wembanyama revealed he isn’t worried about Gregg Popovich‘s health but conceded that he isn’t allowed to speak to the San Antonio Spurs head coach as he continues to work through an undisclosed health issue.
The legendary NBA coach, who is a five-time champion and Olympic gold medalist, stepped back from the role on November 4 to the surprise of fans as Mitch Johnson steps in on a temporary basis.
So as the 75-year-old, who has the most wins in league history, looks to get his health back onto the right track updates have been quite sparse but respectfully, Wembanyama isn’t keen to invade the privacy of his boss and kept his cards close to his chest when asked.
“We don’t hear a lot from Pop,” Wembanyama said, as per Tom Orsborn, ahead of their clash with the Portland Trail Blazers. “But let’s say they keep us informed as much as we’re allowed to know.
“So, I’m not worried about him. I know he’s going to come back soon. But no, we’re not talking to him directly.”
Popovich is currently the longest serving manager in the NBA and has been the head coach of the Spurs organization since the 1996/97 season after previously working within the franchise in other coaching roles.
But some things are more important than basketball and he has stepped back temporarily, thus missing their games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers with no official timeline on his return.
Wembanyama stats vs Trail Blazers
Wembanyama had a quiet game by his usual standards by producing 12 points, two assists and eight rebounds in 32 minutes of action, compared to his 2024/25 average of 18.4 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game prior to the game.
He will look to get back to form against the Utah Jazz (1-7/.125) on October 9 at the Frost Bank Center in Texas, with tip-off expected at 18:00 ET/16:00 PT.