By HUNTER O. LYLE
lyleoleanstar@gmail.com
Undoubtedly, it is a bad time to be a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
The field of competition left in the NFL consists of: 1) the ‘new Patriots’ also known as the Kansas City Chiefs, 2) the local fandom rivals in the Buffalo Bills and 4) the Keystone State rivals in the Philadelphia Eagles. Unless you feel like hitching your wagon to the Washington Commanders, there’s not a whole lot to get excited about.
Well maybe the solution to your sporting void is in a different arena. Switch out the gridiron for the hardwood because the NBA is in full swing and with the All Star break approaching, the action is just heating up. Halfway through the season, a quick glance at the standings can make picking a team pretty easy for new basketball fans. Simply, you have the pick of the litter.
Do you pick the budding dynasty down in Oklahoma? Maybe you like rooting for the current Top Dogs? If so, the Celtics or Nuggets sure look like the easy choice. Or perhaps you like the flash and flare that comes with the pseudo-Showtime Lakers.
While there is no right answer for who to pick as a new fan, let me tell you why you, a Steelers fan, should align yourself with the San Antonio Spurs.
The city of Pittsburgh is ripe with history. From its days as a bustling steel and coal manufacturer, the city is famous for its nation-building hardwork. The Steelers are no different. As a grind-it out, gritty football club that tries to run you down with each snap, Pittsburgh was the perfect environment to foster such a tough team.
Over the years, that toughness and resiliency has bred Champions and Hall of Famers – six championships and 32 HOF candidates to be exact. While their timeline may be a little shorter, the Spurs exemplify those same characteristics.
San Antonio was born out of the same roll up your sleeves, dirt-under-the-nails work ethic as the Steel City. Leave the showboating glitz for Austin because the Alamo City is for the working man.
Similarly, the Spurs have the same old fashioned mindset as their city. Under the helm of Gregg Popovitch, a former Navy man, the Spurs have operated as a tough-nosed, systematic team that is a partial reflection of the Yinzers. In the Golden Years when Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli were donning the Black and Silver, there was an air of integrity, discipline and accountability that emanated from the Spurs’ locker room. And with that came perennial success.
Since joining the NBA in the 1976 expansion, the Spurs have been a staple of consistency in their dedication to winning. Through their 48 regular seasons, they have accumulated a 59.5 win percentage, a stat that is second only to the historic Boston Celtics. In the playoffs, San Antonio’s win percentage stands at No. 6 all time at 55.3 percent while they boast the fifth most championships at five – behind the Celtics, Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. They have also produced 13 Hall of Fame inductees as a little cherry on top.
If history and legacy factor into your decision, the Spurs fit that criteria.
Although the Steelers had a disappointing season overall, especially in the final weeks of the regular season, there is no doubt that the current roster holds a lot of potential. Looking at the team’s rising stars, the first six that come to mind are all 27-years-old or younger. Even TJ Watt, the anchor of the defense and unarguably Pittsburgh’s best player, is only 30. If the Steelers find some way to keep the glue between these guys intact, the years to come sure seem promising.
One of the most exciting things about being a Spurs fan is that they share the same potential. Six of San Antonio’s main contributors are all 25 or younger. This includes soon-to-be-if-not-already superstar Victor Wembanyama (21) – more on him later –, two-time NCAA champion and fourth overall pick Stephon Castle (20), three-and-D guard Devin Vassell (24) and the Rodman-esque Brit Jeremey Sochan (21).
Admittedly, the Spurs have hung around the lower rungs of the NBA standings in recent years. But, their trajectory is already rising and it has been evident on the court this season – this year’s team has improved in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, rebounding and wins among other categories compared to 2023-2024. Just like the Steelers, San Antonio’s budding talent will soon break through the glass ceiling of mediocrity.
While I said their potential was one of the most exciting things about the Spurs, the absolute most thrilling aspect of this team is watching a future Hall of Famer come into his own. If you’ve been watching Sports Center or ESPN, you may have heard his long, somewhat hard to pronounce name: Wembanyama, or Wemby for short.
With each coming draft, it seems like you usually hear about some prospect that could be ‘the next fill in the blank.’ There have been a lot of ‘next Jordans’ or ‘next Lebrons’ and usually, and fairly, the prospect doesn’t seem to live up to the high expectations. With Wemby it’s different. This 7’4 freak of nature is actually as good as he was billed.
Even as hopeful as I was to draft him, I had doubts about him being as good as everyone said, for reasons mentioned above. However, after watching even just the first half of his rookie season, I was convinced his career ceiling could be a place among the NBA greats.
Through 100 games, Wemby has more points than All-time scoring leader Lebron James (2,273 to 2,181), more 3-pointers than All-Time 3-point leader Steph Curry (225 vs 200) and more blocks than All-Time blocks leader Hakeem Olajuwan (366 to 268). Through almost every facet of the game, Wemby never fails to impress. And this is just halfway through year No. 2. Flashforward a few years and his face will be a cornerstone to the league.
Led by Wembanyama and a cast of supporting players that include ‘point god’ and future Hall of Famer Chris Paul, the Spurs are just downright fun to watch. Although admittedly they’re still working on the winning, highlights are no rare occurrence in the Frost Bank Center.
When it comes down to it, if you’re not a basketball fan or just don’t see the appeal to begin with, this most likely won’t convince you to start watching a new sport, let alone pick a new team. However, if you’re a fanatic of any sport like myself, especially one that prefers hard-fought, defense-first victories like the ones that come at Acrisure Stadium, it’s a great time to rock the Black and Silver.
