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Intensive training with his teammates, discreet dinner in town with family, only one interview planned on American TV: Victor Wembanyama has chosen the reserve for his return to San Antonio, where he is preparing for a fourth season under very high expectations with the Spurs, now among the favorites for the NBA championship title next June.
Legion Hoops: J.Cole shouts out the Spurs in San Antonio: “Y’all get to witness greatness. Ya’ll done seen Spurs dynasties and sh*t. Looks like y’all might have another one on the way with that motherfu**er Victor Wembanyama.”
Is it nostalgia? Joy? Victor Wembanyama: A little bit, yes. Well, more like nostalgia, yes and no. That doesn't change the fact that I'm still very excited to be back in San Antonio and to get back to work. There's nowhere else like it to work.
San Antonio native Jordan Clarkson crossed paths with rising tennis star Alex Eala at the U.S. Open on Thursday, bringing together two prominent Filipino athletes from different corners of the sports world. ESPN shared video of the meeting on social media, showing the New York Knicks guard and Eala congratulating each other and bonding over their shared Filipino heritage.
Kevin Durant: "I was on a fence before the series. I was talking to Rich about it and I was thinking because I remember the Knicks beating them in the in-season tournament pretty badly and I was like they played them pretty well. But San Antonio was hot at the time, they had just beat the champions, so I was just on a fence on if they would win. And then they got down every game, I was like, I don't know. And then as they started coming back, I didn't become a believer to be honest until the last game. I was just like the Spurs would be up 15 points every game, 29 points, and then they would just come back and steal a game. That's probably why it was the best championship as a viewer that I've probably ever seen, just because of the Knicks' brand winning, but just the fashion that they won those games and it was insane."
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Clarkson said the championship celebration is behind him, but he is enjoying seeing his foundation continue to grow and bring more support to the San Antonio community. “It was amazing, but we put that behind us,” Clarkson said. “A lot of us already have; the celebration is done. Back to work and the goal is to do it again.”
The San Antonio city council voted 6-5 on Monday to reject a proposal to hold a public vote on the city's planned $489 million contribution for a new Spurs downtown arena. The move means a public vote on the city's contribution won't be included on the Nov. 3 midterm ballot. "Today's decision allows San Antonio to move forward on a path that was established through years of work, public discussion, city and county action and last year's vote," Spurs CEO R.C. Buford said in a statement. "We can now turn our full attention to delivering on that shared vision and the transformational opportunity ahead for our city."
Bexar County, where San Antonio is located, voted last November to approve $311 million in county venue tax dollars for the team's new arena in what was known as Proposition B. The proposal received 52.1% of the vote and authorized Bexar County venue taxes -- fees on hotels occupancy, and short-term car rental taxes -- to be increased. The rest of the public funding, $489 million, for the proposed $1.3 billion arena would come from the city of San Antonio.
Jared Weiss: The San Antonio city council denied the motion for a public vote on the city's $489 million contribution to the Spurs arena deal, so the project will continue as planned. There is still a public vote ahead to authorize the bonds that will provide that funding, though it's not expected to be scheduled until next month.
Spurs CEO RC Buford issued a carefully worded statement after the schedule release. “San Antonio is home, and we’re looking forward to bringing our community together while reaching audiences in Austin, Paris and Manchester,” the statement read. “We’re excited for what this season will bring to our fans and proud to represent San Antonio and share the spirit, culture and community that make our city special everywhere the Spurs take the court.”
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Back in November, Bexar County voters, where San Antonio is located, approved a measure to provide $311 million in taxpayer funding for the arena complex, which will be the crown jewel of the larger Project Marvel downtown development plan. The Spurs committed to contribute at least $500 million to construction of the new arena, which is estimated to cost $1.3 billion, while San Antonio’s city council approved $489 million in municipal bond funding. The Spurs also agreed to cover any cost overruns for the arena development. However, the city is facing a projected budget deficit over the next two years, which affects the infrastructure development components of Project Marvel. San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones wants residents to reauthorize the city’s portion of arena funding this fall, and the deadline to add the issue to November’s ballot is Monday.
While the Spurs continue to grow their fanbase along the I-35 corridor, they’re also trying to fund a massive arena complex set in San Antonio’s aging downtown. It’s been a delicate dance as the Spurs reaffirm their commitment to San Antonio while also growing their reach throughout Texas and abroad. Spurs CEO RC Buford issued a carefully worded statement after the schedule release. “San Antonio is home, and we’re looking forward to bringing our community together while reaching audiences in Austin, Paris and Manchester,” the statement read. “We’re excited for what this season will bring to our fans and proud to represent San Antonio and share the spirit, culture and community that make our city special everywhere the Spurs take the court.”
After Fox's rough showing in the NBA Finals, team sources said the Spurs remain committed to the veteran, pointing out that San Antonio might have never reached the Finals without the point guard's contributions while playing on a high right ankle sprain. Ultimately, though, sources said the decision between Fox and Harper will belong to Johnson and will be decided solely by what happens on the floor. Johnson mentioned wanting to experiment with playing all three guards together in some lineups.
After De'Aaron Fox's rough showing in the NBA Finals, team sources said the Spurs remain committed to the veteran, pointing out that San Antonio might have never reached the Finals without the point guard's contributions while playing on a high right ankle sprain. Ultimately, though, sources said the decision between Fox and Harper will belong to Johnson and will be decided solely by what happens on the floor.