Why are they called the San Antonio Spurs?

The San Antonio Spurs are the model of consistency in the NBA. Making the playoffs for 23 consecutive seasons from 1996 to 2019, the Spurs have their name synonymous with consistency and eliteness in the NBA. However, for the last few years, the team has been going through a rough patch, missing the playoffs for four straight seasons.

This season, however, the Spurs hit the jackpot. With the number one pick in the 2023 NBA draft, the Spurs drafted 19-year old French phenom Victor Wembanyama. Listed at 7 '4, Wembanyama is a true unicorn. With his incredible length, he is a terror on defense and blocks every shot within sight.

Wemby is also gifted with guard-like skills and can put the ball on the floor. He has a delicate shooting touch and great finishing skills around the rim. In short, Wembanyama is a demi-god. He is what every team wants and is everything the opponent doesn’t want to see on the court.

It is truly amazing that Wembanyama got drafted by the San Antonio Spurs as such a raw prospect like him needs tons of attention and development. The Spurs are known to have one of the best player development staffs in the league and players such as Kawhi Leonard have credited the Spurs training staff as a major reason as to the player he is today.

Reason behind the name “Spurs”

The San Antonio Spurs derived their name like every other NBA franchise — they let their fans choose it. The San Antonio Spurs were initially called the Dallas Chaparrals, which was an ABA and then when they moved to the NBA, the team was purchased by a new owner and he relocated that team to San Antonio. The initial name given to the Spurs was Gunslingers. After that, the team held a name-the-team contest in San Antonio and the name Spurs was chosen.

Who is the current coach of the San Antonio Spurs?

The current coach of the San Antonio Spurs is Gregg Popovich. Widely regarded as one of the best coaches of all-time, Popovich is currently in his 28th season with the franchise. He has been a recipient of the Coach of the Year award three times in his career and is also a five-time NBA champion.

Gregg Popovich is the highest paid coach in the league, with a salary of roughly $16 million per season. With a new prospect like Victor Wembanyama, Popovich could be rejuvenated to coach this team and take it where it once was.