For the second time since the 2024 NBA Draft, all eyes were on San Antonio. The city and the Alamodome hosted the NCAA Tournament’s men’s Final Four, with the Florida Gators defeating the Houston Cougars in the final. As is customary, the end of March Madness was a star-studded affair, and San Antonio has no shortage of stars.
Two Spurs icons, both past and present, were seen watching the game. Before the game, legendary Spurs center David Robinson was seen meeting fans, but he declined to sign autographs. One fan approached him with a jersey (which sells for $139.99 at the NBA store) seeking to get his autograph.
When Robinson graciously refused, the fan left the jersey at The Admiral’s feet.
“Weirdo was obviously looking to resell it,” wrote a fan on social media. “Athletes should also support those who support them,” argued another. “It takes 2 seconds to sign something.” While fans were divided on Robinson’s refusal, it did bring to mind Shaquille O’Neal’s assertion that when he was a kid, Robinson declined a signature, sparking a career-defining dispute between the two when O’Neal joined the league. Shaq then stated that he made up the tale and that there was no such interaction. While Robinson’s appearance, or at least the circumstances surrounding it, appeared divisive, Victor Wembanyama was also in attendance.
Wembanyama never played college basketball, but he appeared to be rooting for Houston, or at least sitting close to a Cougars great.
Wembanyama introduced a new hairstyle while sitting next to Hakeem Olajuwon, the player to whom he is most often compared. “The Dream” never won a championship with Houston, but he came close and was an All-American in his third and final season before being selected first overall in the 1984 NBA Draft by his hometown Rockets.
Wembanyama is anticipated to return to the NBA full-time next season after missing the second half of current year due to a deep vein thrombosis.
Leave a Reply