Spurs win top NBA draft pick, eyeing Victor Wembanyama

From Victor to Victorious

Photo by Reginald Thomas II/San Antonio Spurs

Generational talent is on its way to south Texas again. The San Antonio Spurs won the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday night, securing the right to select Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 French phenom long considered the top prospect in the upcoming draft.

With a record of 22-60 in 2023, the Spurs finished in a tie with Houston for the second-worst record in the league, better only than the Detroit Pistons at 17-65. (Thankfully, a great game day experience and meaningful outreach seem to balance that out in the eyes of fans.) The bottom three teams in the NBA have a 14 percent chance of winning the top pick in the lottery each year.

San Antonio will thus have the first choice in the draft for the third time in franchise history. The club has not missed in making its previous No. 1 selections, taking two other 7-footers who became NBA Hall-of-Famers: David Robinson in 1987 and Tim Duncan in 1999. Each would win multiple NBA titles with the club and form the cornerstones of a dynasty for a decade-plus after Duncan’s arrival.

The Spurs also have had a history of success with French players, most notably Tony Parker — their first-round pick in 2001, and another member of the NBA Hall of Fame and that championship dynasty. Parker now owns the French professional team that Wembanyama has played for during the last three seasons.

Greg Popovich, the coach who has presided over all five Spurs championships, is still at the helm in San Antonio. In Wembanyama, he now has a new centerpiece to build his team around.

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San Antonio Spurs break NBA ticket records with 50th Anniversary celebration at the Alamodome

Back Home in the Dome

As the Spurs continue celebrating their 50th anniversary this season, Friday night will be one of the biggest celebrations of them all — and not just by San Antonio standards. Tipping off at 6:30 pm, the game against defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors not only marks the Spurs' first return to the Alamodome since 2002, but is also set to break the NBA's single-game attendance record.

According to NBA.com, Friday’s matchup will be only the fourth NBA game with an attendance exceeding 50,000. So far, 64,387 people are set to attend the historic event, as of January 12 around 10 am, when the Spurs released released additional tickets to meet high demand.

Apart from breaking NBA records, this is also the most tickets ever sold for a single Spurs game, according to that release: The Alamodome was originally configured to accommodate 65,000 fans, so these additional tickets are comprised of standing-room-only on the floor, single seats and seating with limited views.

Feature limited-edition merchandise, a pre-game light show, a halftime performance by '90s rap duo Tag Team, and more, the celebrations will start well before the game and are set to continue hours later. Following the game, a postgame party will take place on the H-E-B Plaza north of the Alamodome with food, drinks, merchandise, and live music, capped off by fireworks. The fireworks will last 10 minutes, beginning at approximately 10:10 p.m.

Understandably, both the team and the City of San Antonio are encouraging fans to arrive early on Friday, which will serve as the biggest celebration for the Spurs 50th Anniversary season. (Don't worry about boredom if you arrive too early, though: Doors open at 4:30 pm, but entertainment and merchandise shopping will be available on the H-E-B Plaza beginning at 4 pm.)

The City of San Antonio announced earlier this week that parking at the Alamodome was already sold out, detailing alternatives in the area, as well as public transit options. Fans are encouraged to take advantage of the extended VIA Park & Ride services, which will be provided to and from the AT&T Center (1 AT&T Center Pkwy.) and Crossroads (151 Crossroads Blvd.) locations. Parking at both locations is free, and the cost for the service is $1.30 each way, running from 2:30 – 11:30 pm. Find more info here.

The City is also offering free parking, as available, for ticket holders entering between 3-6 pm at the City Tower (117 W. Commerce St.; enter from Main or Flores streets) and St. Mary’s (205 E. Travis St.) garages.

Fans can find a detailed game day guide at Spurs.com/DomeInfo and more information on public parking here. Still haven't bought your ticket? Single game tickets for the Spurs 50th Anniversary celebration at the Alamodome are still available for purchase at Spurs.com and on Ticketmaster.

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Fine dining chef unpacks nostalgic pop-up concept at Grayson Street bar, plus more top stories

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Editor’s note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. From pop-up concepts to Hill Country getaways and cool local pools, here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. Fine dining chef unpacks nostalgic pop-up concept at popular Grayson Street bar. The Memorial Day popup was hopefully just the start of a new series the chef hopes to hold monthly.

2. Breathtaking Hill Country hideaway is lone Texas star on Vrbo's top 10 vacation homes in the U.S. The Hill Country Riverfront Hideaway was the only Texas home chosen on Vrbo's list.

3. 7 San Antonio icons star in new Texas Monthly book documenting most influential Texans of last 50 years. To commemorate the publication's 50th anniversary, they've collected stories and photographs of 50 iconic Texans.

4. These 6 San Antonio museums are offering free admission for military families all summer long. The Blue Star Museums program begins yearly on Armed Forces Day in May and ends on Labor Day.

5. Summertime is here in San Antonio — beat the heat at these cool local pools. Mourn the loss of cool weather and beat the heat (in style) at these local pools.

'Little West Side gem" sparkles with summer grand opening

DREAMS COME TRUE

Some bar owners talk about community, but the all-woman trio behind new Prospect Hill spot Chiflada’s mean it. The team says the concept, celebrating its grand opening on June 2, wouldn’t have happened without it.

Family and friends turned out to support the bar months before it was ready for the build-out. They turned out again to help transform a vacant bungalow at 1804 West Martin St. into a comfortable and stylish lounge. When the ice machine went on the fritz during the June 27 soft opening, the bar’s supporters flexed their muscles to ensure the drinks remained cold.

Even the West Side neighborhood gave it a seal of approval. Natasha Riffle, who co-owns Chifladla’s with her mother, policewoman Veronica Riffle, and El Buho owner Melanie Martinez, says the team walked door to door to change the zoning, ensuring residential buy-in.

The result is a bar that is by and for the neighborhood. At the soft opening party, Marigolds swayed in the breeze under a pergola as congratulatory bouquets filled the bar’s shelves. Guests busily chattered as popular deejay Sunnyboy played oldies and conjunto hits.

“It feels like you’re at your abuelita’s backyard and hanging with your family,” Natasha Riffle says of the bar’s vibe.

The drinks honor that spirit, too, toeing the line between the neighborhood’s blue-collar roots and the team’s cocktail-making skills. Featured sippers include a punchy Mexican Martini, a melon Paloma, the Chif Peach, and the mezcal-based Smoke on the Water.
“It’s a place to get a nice cocktail, but also a place to get a beer and shot combo,” Natasha Riffle tells CultureMap about the high-low mix.

Ultimately, Chiflada’s feels like home — the type of place folks let loose after a long day at work, where multiple generations can get in on the party and where bartenders become close friends.

“We all lived [on the West Side] off and on,” says Riffle of the team, “and we’ve all worked with each other over the years. We are more of a family than we are co-workers — 100 percent.”

Photo by Joe Rodriquez

Natasha Riffle beams in front of her newly opened bar.

Contemporary Irish pub sprouts up in new St. Paul's Square home

DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK

One of San Antonio’s most storied bars is gearing up for its next chapter. After a brief hiatus, Southtown hot spot Francis Bogside has reopened in St. Paul Square, along with a sister concept — Anne’s.

The bar first opened in 2015 in conjunction with the fine dining eatery Brigid. The pair had barely been in business for a year before an early morning fire ravaged their shared space in 2016. In 2017, the bar reopened on South St. Mary’s Street sans Brigid, becoming one of Alamo City’s favorite haunts.

In July 2022, owner Steve Mahoney announced another change. Francis Bogside was moving out of its longtime home and into a new location. Eventually, internet sleuths figured out that spot would be 1170 E Commerce St #100 in St. Paul’s Square, the former home of Smoke BBQ.

Though in a new location, the basic DNA of the bar is still intact, with a similar layout featuring a large central bar and a jumble of artwork on the walls. The space, however, is a more contemporary interpretation of an Irish pub with a bold mix of upholstery, up-to-date wallcoverings, and mosaic tiles, all enlivening the mostly brick space.

Though Bogside’s signature cocktails have often strayed from theme, a release promised a return to form with sippers like Paddy’s Irish whiskey-based Irish Maid and low ABV Jammy Lass. As usual, the specialty drinks will be supplemented by various classics, including daiquiris and negronis.

Currently, the bar has a limited food menu of pub grub, like focaccia pizza, wings, and loaded potato skins. A more fully developed menu will be rolled out as it prepares for a grand opening later in June.

The media alert did not offer many details about Anne’s, a wine bar now open in the adjoining space, but did tease at an international bottle list. The concept will also have a dedicated food menu, although no details were shared.

Currently in its soft opening phase, Francis Bogside welcomes guests 4 pm-2 am Tuesday through Sunday. Anne’s operates Wednesday through Sunday with the same opening hours.

Photo by TXTroublemaker

A large central bar is the focal point.

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