From Australia to Korea, Spurs fans rally for Finals

Zoom in: Thousands of miles from San Antonio, Angus Hartmann in Canberra, Australia, and Kwon Tae Sung in Seoul proudly rep the Silver and Black.

State of play: Hartmann is spending a week in San Antonio to attend the first two NBA Finals games and experience the fan culture he's only known through screens and social media.

• Hartmann tells Axios he's been a Spurs fan for nearly a decade. Thanks to the time difference, he typically watches games around 10am in Australia.

Midway through the season, he promised himself he'd travel to San Antonio if Wemby made the Finals.

• "I just didn't expect it to happen this early in his career," he tells Axios.

Meanwhile, Sung is holding down the fort in South Korea, where local Spurs fans often gather to watch games together. They stay connected through a group chat of more than 200 people.

• "I truly hope more Spurs fans around the world can see that there is real love for this team here in Korea," he tells Axios.

The vibe: Hartmann says he admires the Spurs Jackals and intentionally chose a seat near their section at the Frost Bank Center.

• "The atmosphere at Frost Bank just looks unbelievable and looks so loud, and I also love the Jackals. That's exactly what I aspire to be as a fan," he says.
• "I genuinely think there'll probably be a tear come out of my eyes, because it's just a crazy experience to know that I'm actually there."