SPURS COACH GREGG POPOVICH CHASTIISES HOME FANS FOR BOOING KAWHI LEONARD AND THE CLIPPERS

AP Photo 

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich grabbed the microphone and chastised the crowd at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday night, telling fans to stop booing former Spurs All-Star Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers.

“Excuse me for a second,” Popovich said, silencing the crowd late in the first half. “Can we stop all the booing and let these guys play? Have a little class. It’s not who we are. Knock off the booing.”

Leonard had 24 points as the Clippers beat San Antonio 109-102 on Wednesday night, handing the Spurs their 10th straight loss.

“I thought that was an awesome moment, despite the fans booing, I think, even more,” Clippers star Paul George said. “I think that was a hell of a moment, Pop having Kawhi’s back in that situation.”

SAN ANTONIO FANS SAY 'SPURS ARE BACK' WITH THE PENDING ARRIVAL OF VICTOR WEMBANYAMA

AP

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — San Antonio businessman Roland Ramirez predicted the outcome of the NBA draft lottery months before Commissioner Adam Silver announced the Spurs had won the No. 1 pick.

Ramirez believes it was fate that Victor Wembanyama is on his way to San Antonio as the first overall draft pick.

As the Denver Nuggets continue to celebrate their first NBA championship, fans in San Antonio are counting the days until the 7-foot-3 French phenom officially joins the Spurs. Sure, San Antonio’s front office is doing its due diligence and interviewing other players, but Wembanyama is the unquestioned No. 1 pick on June 22.

Ramirez was so sure of San Antonio’s lottery hopes that he put pen to paper. Well, paint to canvas.

The owner of Rudy’s Seafood restaurant, Ramirez had local artist Nik Soupe paint a mural of Wembanyama in a Spurs uniform at the entrance of his restaurant near downtown, about eight miles from the team's home arena. Ramirez did so. In March. While the season was still taking place. Even when the Spurs were not guaranteed a top three pick.

FANS REACT TO SAN ANTONIO SPURS BEING PICKED 1ST IN THE NBA DRAFT