The San Antonio Spurs' deep NBA Finals run has intensified local debates over a proposed downtown entertainment district as community leaders on the city's Eastside prepare for the basketball team's scheduled departure from the Frost Bank Center.
During a recent episode of the "Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective" podcast, ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon made a critical remark regarding the location of the current arena.
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"I wish (Tim) Duncan would have picked a better neighborhood," MacMahon said.
According to Yahoo News, local fans on Threads criticized the comment as disrespectful. MySA reported that MacMahon did not immediately respond to requests for comment before publication.
The remark sparked pushback from community figures on San Antonio's Eastside, a cultural hub that leaders acknowledge has faced long-standing economic hurdles due to historic patterns of neglect.
"Because there was a perception that 'we don't go to the Eastside,' it had an impact," said James Nortey, CEO of San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside (SAGE).
Nortey explained that the local district is currently grappling with the long-term socioeconomic consequences of those past biases.
"As a result, we're now dealing with some of the implications from what happened decades ago," he said.
To combat these historical challenges, the non-profit economic development organization is focusing heavily on localized investments and community-driven partnerships.
"We here at SAGE, as well as the community, can reverse these by putting our dollars and our time into this space," Nortey said.
