The San Antonio Spurs officially launched their new season on Sunday, October 4, with a community-focused coaching clinic and the annual Silver & Black Scrimmage. This internal event set the tone for a team currently on a hot streak, having most recently defeated the Golden State Warriors 127-113 on April 2, 2026. The Spurs' recent form is impeccable, with five consecutive wins.
The day began with the second annual Gregg Popovich Coach the Coaches Clinic. Head coach Mitch Johnson opened the session, speaking about the program's values and the importance of sharing knowledge. He credited the event's inspiration to Gregg Popovich himself.
Popovich was escorted onto the court by assistant coach Brett Brown. In his typical fashion, Popovich spoke little about basketball tactics. He humorously stated, "to some degree, it's all bull$h!t." Instead, he passionately discussed building lasting relationships with players.
He shared that former Spurs Dejounte Murray and Derrick White had called him after leaving San Antonio to express gratitude for their development. Popovich stressed the core goal is to "sustain the culture whether you're winning or losing."
Dr. Guy W. Nicolette, the Director of Sports Medicine, set an early tone. He presented health and well-being as the primary objectives of sports and coaching. His talk covered injury prevention and the pressures that cause young athletes to burn out.
Other presentations followed from Director of Player Development Mike Noyes, Assistant Development Coach Jimmy Barron, and Lead Assistant Coach Billy Donovan. They used players from Veterans Memorial Men's Basketball for live demonstrations.
Attendees ranged from elementary school to college coaches. The Spurs staff effectively demonstrated skills and philosophies applicable to all age groups. The two-hour clinic felt brief, hinting at a vast reservoir of organizational knowledge.
After a break, over 14,000 fans entered the Frost Bank Center for the Silver & Black Scrimmage. This intrasquad game is a relaxed launch into the preseason. Fans get to see starters, rotation players, new draftees, and camp invitees in action.
The teams played four 10-minute quarters with a running clock, stopping only for timeouts and the final two minutes of each period. It offers a laid-back look at player dynamics and behind-the-scenes personalities.
For the second straight year, Keldon Johnson served as master of ceremonies. The rookies participated in a karaoke session for the crowd. Jayden Quaintance and Maliq Brown performed Drake songs, while Ja'Kobi Gillespie sang Chris Brown.
Tarris Reed, Jr. Brought down the house with Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer." Keldon Johnson brought Carter Bryant into the act to sing with him until Luke Kornet stole the microphone. The camaraderie was obvious, showing the new players are fitting into a tight-knit group.
The preseason is just three days away. The team enters this period with tremendous momentum. Their recent five-game winning run includes decisive victories like a 136-111 win over the Miami Heat on March 23, 2026, and a 127-95 rout of the Milwaukee Bucks on March 28.
They also beat the Chicago Bulls 129-114 on March 31 and edged the Phoenix Suns 101-100 on March 20. This strong form provides a solid foundation as they finalize their roster and strategies.
The Sunday event perfectly blended basketball instruction with team bonding. It reinforced the cultural pillars that have long defined the San Antonio Spurs organization. As Popovich emphasized, sustaining that culture is the constant goal, regardless of the wins and losses on the scoreboard.
