The NBA community is speaking out in response to a fan’s racist text directed at Spanish-speaking people cheering on the San Antonio Spurs during a recent game.
On Thursday, a woman appeared to use her phone to respond to someone addressing the ‘crazy Spanish fans’ at Spurs. play-off victory over the Phoenix Suns, as of a viral TikTok clip shot by @inluvwganineee.
“Totally Spanish! How can they afford it,” read a message allegedly written by the woman in the video.
The clip quickly caught the attention of the San Antonio Spurs, an organization primarily based in a city with a predominantly Hispanic/Latino population.
“All of us in the Spurs organization are proud to live in San Antonio, a city that shines and thrives because of the culture and contributions of our Latino community,” the Spurs said wrote in a statement on Friday.
“Inclusion is a foundation for the San Antonio Spurs. We strive to provide an environment, in our facilities and throughout our community, that celebrates belonging and respect regardless of race or ethnicity. Por Vida.”
Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox also responded to the clip over the weekend, telling reporters that he attended a high school in Texas that was “60% Hispanic.”
“So if someone were to complain about that, especially being in San Antonio, I don’t know why that would make any sense. But this should be normalized,” he said.
“You’ll see people who don’t look the same as you, who probably have a different accent than you. So at this point you’d think it would be normal. But to each their own.”
Several fans in Texas and beyond on TikTok responded to the text by sharing photos of their game-day views from arena suites and other seats close to the NBA action.
“Damn right, we can afford it✨,” replied TikToker @itsvalcarter, who uploaded a photo of her with a drink just steps away from the Spurs’ home base at Frost Bank Center.
Sports writer and Spurs fan Shea Serrano also proudly attended X: to write“Legally changing my name to Crazy Hispanic Fan.”
By the time the Spurs returned to their home court to play the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, X users reported to see scores by fans – including members of the San Antonio Jackals supporters section – rocking different versions of shirts that read “Crazy Hispanic Fan” at the San Antonio arena.
The jackals, in a message to X which shows some members wearing “Crazy Hispanic Fan” T-shirts, emphasized that the group will not tolerate “any discrimination.”
“That said, we will not give power to the ignorant. We are proud of our heritage, our culture, and our city. There is a reason why our hashtag is #PorVida. So yes, we are crazy Spanish-speaking fans, but don’t think for a second that that is an insult,” the group wrote in the post on Saturday.
