If, as extensively anticipated, the San Antonio Spurs choose Rutgers guard Dylan Harper with the second choose of the NBA draft, the group will definitely improve its legacy of neighborhood influence.
Solely 19, Harper has already used his basketball platform to volunteer in soup kitchens in New Jersey and New York, tutor college students in math and assist manage a Christmas coat drive.
Ought to he develop into a Spur, Harper will be a part of an extended historical past of draft picks who’ve made their mark on San Antonio and past. Take into account three examples:
David Robinson, the primary choose of the 1987 draft, constructed the IDEA Carver Academy, a Nationwide Blue Ribbon constitution college.
Tim Duncan, the primary choose of the 1997 draft, launched a basis to assist well being consciousness, training and youth sports activities.
Manu Ginobili, the 57th choose of the 1999 draft, began a basis in his native Argentina to serve youth and the impoverished.
“Once you get right here, you see how the Spurs are so community-centered,” mentioned former Spur Sean Elliott, the third choose within the 1989 draft. “You see the connection between town and the group. It’s a pure perform to present again. It helps when you’ve a man like Large Dave [Robinson] setting the instance.”
‘One of many nice legacies’
Elliott’s contributions have additionally prolonged far past San Antonio. He’s served because the spokesperson for the Nationwide Kidney Basis and continues to boost consciousness of kidney illness.
As an envoy for the Methodist Healthcare System, Elliott shares how he acquired a life-saving transplant from his brother in 1999 and encourages individuals to develop into residing donors.
“I do campaigns yearly with my spouse Claudia,” Elliott mentioned. “We’re ambassadors for wholesome residing and a wholesome life-style. And never only for kidney illness however for different illnesses and causes.”
The spirit of volunteerism, Elliott believes, originates with dad and mom. The Spurs stir that spirit — and star gamers function function fashions.
“My mother made me volunteer once I was in highschool,” he mentioned. “She made me a candy-striper. She gave me and my brothers a way of giving again. The identical might be mentioned for David’s dad and mom, Manu’s dad and mom and Timmy’s dad and mom.”
Spurs rookie Stephon Citadel, the fourth choose within the 2024 draft, served as commissioner of the Spurs Youth Basketball League and volunteered on the San Antonio Meals Financial institution, together with a number of teammates.
“It’s been one among the good legacies of the Spurs as a enterprise to have their management, and significantly, their star gamers, main in the neighborhood and shining a highlight on issues like meals insecurity,” mentioned Michael Guerra, Chief Philanthropy Officer for the San Antonio Meals Financial institution. “Lots of them have shared their very own experiences of rising up in meals insecure households.”
The emphasis has lengthy began on the high: former Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has served on the meals financial institution’s advisory board for twenty years. Twice a yr, Guerra says, Popovich would carry his gamers to the meals financial institution to serve.
“Volunteerism is a core worth,” Guerra mentioned. “They’ve been on the Haven for Hope kitchen many occasions. Gamers’ wives and youngsters additionally come. Tim Duncan has finished an unbelievable quantity for us, financially. He places up a giant problem each vacation season.”
Duncan triples donations with a two-to-one match each December. For each greenback given, he offers two. In keeping with the meals financial institution, every two-to-one match offers “21 nutritious meals.”
New Spurs coach Mitch Johnson additionally serves. He lately visited oncology sufferers at Methodist Youngsters’s Hospital, serving to them craft calming jars and joined a music remedy session.
‘A pure course of’
The legacy of giving again extends to Spurs acquired by means of trades and free company. Corridor of Famer George Gervin, acquired in a 1974 commerce, constructed the George Gervin Academy, a constitution college that serves 1,100 pre-Okay-12 college students on three campuses.
Former defensive star Bruce Bowen, acquired as a free agent in 2001, began a Get Match with Bruce and Buddy program. He participated within the Elf Louise Christmas Undertaking, learn to youngsters in faculties and launched a basis to supply college students with faculty scholarships.
Harrison Barnes, acquired in a 2024 commerce, earned an NBA Cares Neighborhood Help Award final yr after he and his spouse Brittany donated $250,000 to the AlamoPROMISE tuition-free program, a present that advantages college students at St. Philips Faculty.
In March, the couple began an initiative to supply high-quality basketball courts to underserved communities. Harrison additionally donated $100,000 to Athletes in Motion, a worldwide neighborhood that helps athletes develop bodily, mentally and spiritually, and $50,000 to UNICEF USA’s humanitarian help efforts within the U.S.
“I’m actually impressed with Harrison Barnes and his spouse,” Elliott mentioned. “They simply acquired right here and instantly took some huge cash out of their very own pocket and gave it away. I assumed that was fairly outstanding.”
All-Star Victor Wembanyama, the primary choose of the 2023 draft, helped fund and dedicate a basketball court docket in his hometown of Le Chesnay, France. He dressed up as Santa Claus and delivered presents for the Elf Louise challenge.
“Steph has solely been right here a yr and Victor two years,” Elliott mentioned. “However you get extra ingrained in the neighborhood the longer you’re right here. It’s a pure course of. And their contributions will get greater and greater.”
The most recent recruit?
A consensus of NBA analysts anticipate the Spurs to pick out Harper with the second choose in the course of the league’s annual draft, which kicks off at 7 p.m. Central on Wednesday.
An ESPN mock draft defined: “Harper has visited the Spurs in San Antonio, and hosted the entrance workplace privately, showing to have appreciable enthusiasm for becoming a member of the storied franchise because it seems to be to return to championship competition.”
If he joined the Spurs, Harper would match proper in.
Two days earlier than Christmas in 2024, Harper joined his father, mom, brother and sister in distributing Nike coats to youngsters and households in Paterson, N.J.
“That goes proper again to his dad and mom,” Elliott mentioned.
Spurs followers, enthusiastic about Harper’s measurement, passing and scoring skill, if not his community-mindedness, will collect at Roca & Martillo on the Rock at La Cantera to look at the draft on a 40-foot LED display.
