Before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, basketball phenom Victor Wembanyama paused on the court, not for a pre-game ritual, but to share a moment of prayer with a group of women in San Antonio Spurs jerseys worn over their habits. They are the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, affectionately known as the "Spurs Nuns."
This unique sight highlights a two-decade-long relationship between the San Antonio Spurs and a dedicated group of nuns whose devotion extends beyond the basketball court to their community work. For the sisters, the connection is a natural extension of their mission.
"We’re serving the poor and the young," said Sr. Bernadette Mota, the director of the department of mission advancement for the Salesian Sisters. "And in order to reach the young where they’re at, you have to love what they love and then they’ll love who you love. So, we have that affinity with the Spurs because it gives us an avenue to do our mission with the young people that we serve."
The tale of this unlikely alliance began decades ago, rooted in the passion of retired sisters, native Texans and ardent Spurs fans, who would follow games intently, even from hospital beds. These sisters, observing Coach Gregg Popovich's sideline intensity, felt compelled to offer both praise and gentle correction.
"They would write to Coach Popovich and let him know when they thought he was he doing great and let him know when he lost his temper — but they were really supporting him," Mota explained. "He's the one that actually responded back to them, thanking them for their support for him and for the Spurs. It was really just a very organic conversation that started all of this."
Indeed, the nuns were not shy about offering their feedback. "They would, in a nice way, in a very nice way," Mota confirmed. "They’d be like, ‘Coach, you lost your temper there, come on, we’re praying for you, you can do better.’"
This "very organic conversation" blossomed into an enduring bond. Popovich and his late wife, Erin, who passed in 2018, fostered close ties with the sisters and their charitable endeavors. The relationship has proven mutually beneficial; the Spurs appreciate the sisters' presence at games, and the story of their unique fandom has inspired many to support their mission.
"We’ve had a number of individual people reach out and they’ve been donating anywhere from $10 to $100, and we’ve had a few ones who have larger capacity reach out, too," Mota said. "All of this is divine providence, God’s gift, because we’re actually very much in need. Our mission, we rely on the generosity of people who are our partners and collaborators in our mission."
While the nuns offer spiritual support, the Spurs' fan base this season has also seen the emergence of the "Jackals," a group envisioned by Wembanyama to emulate the vibrant, organized chants and drumming common in European soccer matches. The nuns pray, the Jackals chant "Olé, Olé, Olé." Different approaches, but with shared intentions.
"I’ve known for years that the Spurs community had this strength in them," Wembanyama said. "Now to finally see it being channeled into something organized and efficient and effective, it’s a great joy."
The sisters, too, speak of "joy" in their connection to the team. A notable moment occurred during the Western Conference finals when they offered a special blessing to player Luke Kornet. Shortly after, Kornet executed a crucial chasedown block midway through the fourth quarter of Game 7, a play some might attribute to more than just skill.
It is also not lost on the sisters that Pope Leo XIV's prayer intention for June focuses on the value of sports and their potential to promote peace and respect globally. "I don’t know if his people who helped him out in terms of creating prayer intentions were also in tune with what’s going on with the sisters and the San Antonio Spurs," Mota mused. "Maybe, maybe not. I have no idea. But I just thought it was pretty awesome that his prayer intention for June is for sports."
