(OSV News) — As the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks captivates basketball fans across the country, one of the most unlikely storylines belongs not to a player or coach, but to a group of Catholic sisters whose devotion extends far beyond the basketball court.
The Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco in San Antonio have become national celebrities during the Spurs’ playoff run, earning the nickname “Spurs Nuns” as videos of their courtside appearances, prayers and enthusiastic support for the team spread across social media.
Yet, Sister Bernadette Mota, director of the Department of Mission Advancement for the Salesian Sisters’ Western province, is quick to put the attention into perspective.
“The goal is not to be ‘Spurs Nuns,’” she told OSV News. “That’s fun and exciting and special right now, but the ultimate mission is to be consecrated women religious dedicated to helping the young and the poor.”
That mission has guided the sisters for generations.
Follow the spirituality of St. John Bosco
Known formally as the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the Salesian Sisters follow the spirituality of St. John Bosco and dedicate themselves to educating young people, serving the poor and accompanying women at risk. Their ministries on San Antonio’s West Side focus on some of the city’s most vulnerable residents through schools, youth programs and evangelization efforts.
The sisters’ connection to the Spurs began in the late 1990s as a way to relate to the students they served. What started as a shared interest with local children gradually developed into a tradition that has endured for nearly three decades.
“This is still like rooting for the kids in our schools, only these are much bigger kids,” Sister Bernadette said with a chuckle.
That affection for the team has not gone unnoticed by the players.
During the Western Conference championship finals, videos of the sisters praying with Spurs players attracted widespread attention. One included a spirited interaction with Spurs center Luke Kornet, a practicing Catholic who has spoken openly about the importance of his faith.
Spurs’ Wemby greets each sister individually
Another involved a friendly encounter with Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama. As players emerged from the locker room, Wembanyama stopped to greet each sister individually.
“We did not talk to Victor,” Sister Bernadette said, “but he embraced each of our hands with his hands, an expression of gratitude for the prayers.”
The relationship between the sisters and the franchise stretches back much further. One elderly sister regularly exchanged letters with Gregg Popovich, former longtime Spurs coach. Popovich not only responded but eventually visited the convent with his late wife, creating a friendship that remained meaningful to the community.
More recently, the Spurs provided tickets that allowed sisters and employees from their ministries to attend games.
“We do not buy tickets to the games, but we are grateful for benefactors who donate them to us,” Sister Bernadette said. “The watch parties that we’ve had with our school kids and families have also been sponsored by benefactors.”
Going into Game 2 in San Antonio June 5, the Knicks were leading 1-0. Games 3 and 4 will be June 8 and June 10 at Madison Square Garden in New York. If a fifth game is needed, it will be June 13 in San Antonio.
Finals spark a friendly episcopal wager
At the episcopal level, the championship series has sparked a friendly wager between Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio and Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York — with regional food specialties from both cities on the line.
The two prelates, friends since their days serving together in the Archdiocese of Chicago, made the bet June 3, just hours before the Game 1 tipoff, according to The Good Newsroom, the online news outlet of the Archdiocese of New York.
If the Spurs win, Archbishop Hicks will send his Texas counterpart a box of bagels, cream cheese and Lox from H&H Bagels, an iconic New York bagel company. If the Knicks are victorious, Archbishop García-Siller will send Texas pecan coffee, cowboy cookies, barbecue sauce and other items from the San Antonio-based grocery chain H-E-B.
In a social media post announcing the wager, Archbishop Hicks noted that a trio of Knicks stars — Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and team captain Jalen Brunson — are all alumni of Villanova University, the alma mater of Pope Leo XIV.
For the Salesian Sisters, as national media attention to them has grown, they have welcomed the spotlight while remaining mindful of its purpose.
‘Definitely a lot more hype going on’
“We’ve experienced media presence before,” Sister Bernadette said. “But this time, there’s definitely a lot more hype going on.”
The attention has also provided opportunities to highlight the sisters’ ministries and the needs of the young people they serve.
For Sister Bernadette, the connection between faith and sports is natural.
“Faith and sports can go hand in hand,” she told OSV News. “Through the correct lens, there is so much we can learn from when done properly.”
Teamwork, perseverance, sacrifice and community are values that resonate both on the court and in the Gospel, she explained.
Yet while fans debate championships and bragging rights, the sisters remain focused on something larger. For the Salesian Sisters, basketball has simply become another way to build relationships, share joy and remind people of the mission that has always come first.
The excitement surrounding the “Spurs Nuns” may fade when the season ends. But their work of serving young people, educating students and accompanying families in need will continue long after the final buzzer sounds.
John Knebels writes for OSV News from suburban Philadelphia. Contributing to this story was The Good Newsroom, the online news outlet of the Archdiocese of New York.
The post Beyond the buzzer: sisters, spirit and the NBA Finals first appeared on OSV News.