Sawt Falasteen - One of our own: San Antonio embraces 'Wemby' ahead of NBA Finals

In this sun-baked Texan city, San Antonio Spurs players often bump into fans at the supermarket, mingling easily with a community that has embraced its young team, which has carried the franchise back to the NBA Finals.

The Spurs are everywhere in this city of 1.5 million people, where Latinos form a majority of the population.

The team's name adorns restaurant windows, cafes and bars.

Black-and-silver pennants flutter from front porches while residents proudly wear jerseys bearing the iconic spur logo.

On the city's south side stands a giant, 5.5 meter (18-foot) figure of Victor Wembanyama, unveiled in 2023 -- the year the 7-foot-4 (2.24m) French prodigy arrived in Texas and transformed the fortunes of the franchise.

Throughout San Antonio, confidence is high that a sixth NBA title is within reach as the Spurs prepare to face the New York Knicks on Wednesday in game one of NBA Finals, 27 years after defeating the same opponent to secure their first championship in 1999.

- 'A new time' -

"It's a new time," says 32-year-old musician Bobby Rivas. "We've been here all our lives, so we were here for the (Tim) Duncan, the (Manu) Ginobili era and all of that. And now we're back, baby. It feels great."

Bridgette Sanchez, 38, a member of the band HoneyBunny with Rivas, agrees.

"It's a new chapter," Sanchez said. "We're back. It's a whole new wave. We love Wemby," she adds, referring to Wembanyama by his commonly used shorthand nickname.

Ricky Alvarado and Luis Ramos -- two contractors and die-hard Spurs fans -- were part of the family group that built and installed the giant "Wemby" figure at the entrance of a family-owned workshop.

Crafted from wood, reinforced with metal, and repainted from time to time, the statue stands as a testament to their fandom.

"Definitely excited about it, man," Alvarado says. "I want to see what they do. We've got a good team. I think they're playing strong."

Building the giant Wembanyama statue was born from "love for the Spurs".

"Just made us just want to build this," he said.

Alvarado said that while he hasn't met Wembanyama in person, the Frenchman is considered part of the community, even visiting the statue to sign it -- an autograph that was eventually washed away by rain.

"It's good to see him interacting because a lot of stars, they want to get away from people," Alvarado said. "But it's good to see him engage in the community, actively serving, and you know, want to be here. He seems like a good man. He's got a good heart."

With game one of the finals a little more than 24 hours away, the souvenir shop at the Frost Bank Center -- home of the Spurs -- was packed with fans browsing for jerseys.

The fan fervor has even swept up the city's Salesian nuns, who have taken to wearing Spurs jerseys over their habits.

The nuns went viral after posting videos of themselves shooting hoops on the convent grounds.

Candles featuring photographs of Wemby -- depicting him as a saint-like figure —- are also being sold in local bars and souvenir shops.

- 'Everyone contributes' -

The arrival of Wembanyama, 22, thrust the Spurs into the global spotlight while retaining the down-to-earth nature of city and its team.

It is that spirit that revered figures like Duncan and Gregg Popovich —- the club's former head coach and now president —- have upheld for 29 seasons.

Long-time Spurs fans Jim and Elsie Fellows have decorated the entrance to their home with pennants and slogans supporting the Spurs.

"It's a great team. At the very top is Wemby; when he's on the court, everything just works better. Everyone contributes," Jim, 55, says.

Elsie, meanwhile, recalls attending the victory parade after the team's 1999 title, and had no doubt Wembanyama would fit seamlessly into San Antonio.

"We thought after reading about him he would be perfect because he's really humble, and a lot of Spurs players they're still local," she said. "They're very humble, we see them at (supermarket) HEB, at the mall and it's just like, 'hey' and you keep walking, you don't bother them. He's like part of the community, he's just like a normal guy. But on the basketball court he's fantastic."

Y.Zaher--SF-PST