Sports

With an NBA playoff berth out of sight, Spurs fans are looking to the future — where will the top draft pick land? Will the team's dismal record send coach Gregg Popovich into retirement? And if so, will his last game be on the road?

State of play: Nine games remain in the Spurs' season. The final "home" game will be played in Austin at the Moody Center, followed by a road game against the Dallas Mavericks to close the season.

As the season winds down, the NBA playoff race is heating up and so is the race to the bottom for Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-2-inch, once-in-a-generation prospect.

• Wembanyama is a French 19-year-old who is developing a one-legged three point shot and has been compared to Kevin Durant.

A new line of Spurs merchandise will celebrate the team's 50th anniversary.

Driving the news: Spurs Sports and Entertainment's fourth partnership with Hill Country-based Bexar Goods offers a line of T-shirts, caps, wallets, bandanas and more that will go on sale Mar. 17 at the AT&T Center.

Details: The line’s aesthetic nods to the Spurs' 1990s Fiesta jerseys, with touches of turquoise, fuchsia and orange.

• Some designs were inspired by the 1996 All-Star Weekend, which was hosted in San Antonio.
• The items will be on sale in the arena’s Ultra Club as the Spurs host the Memphis Grizzlies.

What they're saying: "This collaboration continues bringing unique merchandise to our fans and each new iteration gives us a chance to deepen our roots with local creators who we admire," Jordan Mandelkorn, SS&E's senior director of marketing, said in a statement.

San Antonio's new era of professional sports kicks off at 2pm Sunday when the XFL Brahmas take on the St. Louis BattleHawks at the Alamodome.

Context: The league, an alternative to the NFL, originally launched in 2001, but only lasted a season.

• It restarted in 2020, but ended after five games due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• Later that year, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale pulled together to resurrect the league.
• San Antonio was announced as one of eight XFL cities in July.

Details: Season and single-game tickets are available online.

• VIA Park & Ride will provide service from the Crossroads location starting at noon for $1.30 each way.
• Can't make the game? You can watch it on ABC.

The intrigue: The Rock could be in attendance at the game, according to WOAI sports journalist Don Harris.

The Brahmas set a 51-man roster and concluded their practices last week.

• The full roster is available here.

What to do: Nearby business Alibis Sports and Spirits will open at noon to celebrate the kick-off.

• Tailgating will be in Lots B and C starting at 8:30am, according to the Brahma's Fans Facebook page.
• It might be too late to get merch for the first game, but official Brahmas gear is available here.

Even without a Texas team in the Super Bowl, the state is well-represented in the big game on Sunday between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles with plenty of players hailing from the Lone Star State.

Driving the news: Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, quarterbacks for the Chiefs and Eagles, respectively, have Texas ties.

Spurs fans have the chance to own a piece of Manu Ginóbili's championship history in San Antonio through an online auction.

Why it matters: Ginóbili's tenacious playing style made him a fan favorite through 16 seasons. He spent his entire NBA career with the Spurs and helped the team win four championships.

What's happening: Spurs Give, the charitable arm of the team, is auctioning five items now through Feb. 8 at 10pm.

• All proceeds will benefit the team's nonprofit and will support the Spurs Youth Basketball League, which promotes the game in predominantly low-income neighborhoods.

How it works: Fans interested in placing bids can access the auction here.

• Three jerseys, one of which was worn by Ginóbili during the 2011-2012 season, are available.
• Two prints are also in the auction inventory.
• All items were signed by the basketball star.

What's next: Spurs Give says the auction was planned to align with the Spurs 2005 Championship-themed night on Feb. 1. Ginó bili, who retired in 2018, was part of the 2005 title team.

• The themed night, happening as the Spurs host the Sacramento Kings, is part of the 50th anniversary schedule.
• The first 10,000 fans at the game will get a Ginóbili bobblehead.

Meanwhile, Ginóbili, 45, is spending his retirement cycle training in Spring Branch.

He also caught up with nine former teammates, including Tim Duncan, Patty Mills and Fabricio Oberto recently.

The Spurs yesterday announced a new partnership with Victory Capital, a local investment management firm.

What's happening: Victory Capital is the naming rights partner for the new Spurs performance center at the Rock, which is set to open at La Cantera in August. The Rock will be a Spurs campus that will also house a 22-acre park, a plaza and space for retail and hospitality.

On Friday, the Spurs, who usually play at the AT&T Center, will return to the Alamodome for the first time in 20 years.

Why it matters: The Spurs are celebrating 50 years as an NBA team. The commemorative "Back Home in the Dome" game is poised to be a citywide celebration.