San Antonio fans say ‘Spurs Are Back’ with the pending arrival of Wembanyama

by Raul Dominguez of Associated Press | June 18, 2023

Fans react to Spurs winning NBA Draft Lottery

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.