Gregg Popovich spoke publicly Monday for the first time since suffering a stroke six months ago, saying at the news conference where the San Antonio Spurs formally introduced Mitch Johnson as his replacement that the time was right to make that move.

"Thank you, Coach Pop" art by San Antonio artist Ray "Tattooed Boy" Scarborough. The ode to former Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich includes a reference to the "El Jefe" T-shirt that Popovich wore at a recent Spurs press conference.

The longtime Spurs coach suffered a mild stroke in November, which kept him sidelined for the rest of the season.