Cheers and car horns could be heard on Commerce Street in downtown San Antonio and across the city Thursday night as the Spurs officially chose French player Victor Wembanyama with their number one draft pick.
The "generational" prospect has been welcomed with open arms by a city ready to win NBA Championships again.
Even though it was a certainty that Wembanyama would be a Spur, fans at the Friendly Spot bar on South Alamo erupted when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made the announcement.
Dressed in silver and black, fan Otis Jeffery believed Wemby can handle the pressure to quickly turn around the team.
"If he hadn't been playing pro ball already, I think that there'd be more pressure,” he said. “But I think he has kind of jelled in for what he's doing right now, and I just think this will work for him.”
Angelica Guzman-Jeffery said the 19-year-old Wembanyama and his new teammates could lift the spirits of the entire city by getting the team back on track. The Spurs won five championships.
"The city goes the way the Spurs go,” she said. “I know that's kind of funny, but I just feel that way. It just pumps a lot of spirit and a lot of pride into this community — for years."
Welcome home, #Wemby! 🏀 #GoSpursGo#Spurs #PorVida #gsg #NBADraft #WembyDay @vicw_32 @nba @SportsCenter @spurs @espnnba @nbatv @espn @spurs_nation @ksatnews @spurscoyote @BarstoolSports @PuroPincheSA @nbaontnt @_CharlesBarkley @TheAthletic @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/Pj83CXt4D5
— City of San Antonio (@COSAGOV) June 22, 2023
Fan Enrique Nunez liked that Wemby seemed like he really wanted to be here in San Antonio. "He seems to be excited to be working with Pop, and Duncan, Parker, Ginóbili, and add onto what will soon become a household name," he said.
It's been a tough road for the Spurs after the retirement of Tim Duncan and the departure of Kahwi Leonard.
Nina Nunez said she was glad to see a championship dry spell possibly near its end. "Even though we've had a few rough years, I'm excited to see us come back up to the top and win a championship hopefully,” she said.
Fans posed with a giant cutout of the head of Wemby as they cheered and sipped beers under the shady pecan trees — one big, proud Spurs family.
