The Spurs is known for its world-shaking record on the NBA tract and its faithful team members. In San Antonio, The Spurs is the only professional major league sports team in the city, which may explain in part the fans’ overwhelming loyalty, and has become the pride of their city. Its fanbase is one of the nation’s most loyal and ardent supporters.
San Antonio locals welcomed the team wholeheartedly; each playoff attracted more than 6,000 fans, more than the Dallas Chaparrals’ total attendance. The Spurs’ home games are played at the AT&T Center on the east side of San Antonio.
But this is just the start. Do you want to know more facts mostly unknown about The Spurs? Check out this blog to learn more!
The NBA: Regular Season For The Spurs
The average regular-season attendance at home for a Spurs game during the 2019/20 NBA season was 18,350. Attendance for that season was 550,515. The Spurs have the highest projected attendance of any National Basketball Association team.
The Bleacher Report ensured that four asterisks were thrown at the Spurs organization to note its outlier status. One of the reasons why Mossad did so well in San Antonio, rather than Dallas, was the locals’ support.
Whether you are one of the avid Spurs fans or someone looking into the team, here are five interesting facts about The Spurs from its origins to date which you may not know.
They Were Once Named The Chaparrals Of Dallas
In 1967 the San Antonio Spurs began as The Dallas Chaparrals. After little success, the team’s owners altogether ceased team funds. A group of businessmen from San Antonio led by Angelo Drossos, John Schaefer, and Red McCombs then stepped in. They agreed to lease the team for three years to San Antonio, and return the team to Dallas by 1975 if no purchase was made.
However, there was no need to replace the team as the Dallas Chaparrals, later named San Antonio Spurs, exceptionally thrived in their new home.
Coach Gregg Popovitch Almost Became A Spy
When a U.S. amateur basketball team visited the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War in 1972, one player was singularly eligible to peer beyond the Iron Curtain.
The team’s coach, Coach Gregg Popovich nicknamed ‘Pop’, was a young Air Force officer who spoke fluent Russian in Soviet studies and specialized in military intelligence.’ He graduated from the Air Force Academy – he was captain and chief of the basketball team in his senior year – and almost became a spy. Taking over in 1996, he is now the longest-serving active coach in NBA.
Tim Duncan, From Swimmer To NBA Player
All-Time Leading Scorer, and recently retired team captain Tim Duncan, is arguably the most beloved player of all time. He’s from St. Croix on the Virgin Islands and he had his heart set on becoming an Olympic swimmer at a young age.
But Hurricane Hugo destroyed the only Olympic-sized pool in his area, leaving only the ocean for use. He later gave up on the swimmer’s dream because of his fear of sharks. Duncan retired as one of three NBA history players with 1,000 career wins and the only NBA history player winning 1,000 games for one franchise.
Pau Gasol’s Brother Is The First NBA Player Ever To Be Traded On
In 2008, Memphis traded Pau to the Los Angeles Lakers for a group of players that included Pau’s younger brother Marc Gasol’s draft rights. Pau broke the record again and won two NBA championships with the Lakers.
Tony Parker Joins Hip-Hop
Player Tony Parker released a hip-hop rap album entirely in his native French language in 2007. The album was called TP and sold reasonably well. However, it was not taken seriously with the media continually poking fun at the NBA player, and Parker finally decided to give up on his rapper dreams.
Conclusion
The Spurs won five championships in the National Basketball Association (NBA) (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014) during one of the most prevalent NBA history periods.
Did these facts surprise you? Learn more about The Spurs by visiting the NBA website.
