Before last night’s game against Charlotte, Spurs stars came into the arena paying tribute to some former college hoopers.
The NCAA Women’s basketball tournament is in San Antonio, after all. So the players repped their schools, and one even wore their assistant coach’s gear.
Upon entering the arena, Dejounte Murray donned Becky Hammon’s uniform from Colorado State. At CSU, the Spurs assistant was a three-time All-American and led the Rams to a Sweet 16.
Rudy Gay, who played for UConn, showed some love to fellow Husky Rebecca Lobo, who won the school’s first NCAA Women’s basketball championship in 1995.
DeMar DeRozan rocked Cheryl Miller’s USC kit. She was a two-time champ.
And Patty Mills wore his wife, Alyssa’s, old college jersey. The couple met at Saint Mary’s and recently married in 2019. Patty said he got Alyssa’s jersey “straight outta the frame.”
The shout-outs and tributes are welcome, especially after a weekend where the NCAA and college athletes have been at odds over discrepancies between men’s and women’s facilities, COVID tests, and other amenities.
It’s a small but important tribute. Now, there’s at least one organization in San Antonio giving women ballers some well-deserved recognition.