There’s no question that the Spurs vs. Knicks rivalry is running deep right now. People are going hard in the paint, lobbing low blows alongside witty quips. But this massive moment in recent San Antonio Spurs history is also bringing some big names to the Alamo City, and they’re showing out for fans, even if they can’t agree on what colors to wear.
Famed filmmaker Spike Lee, along with a group of big-name celebrities including Tracy Morgan, flew private to San Antonio this week for Game 1 of the NBA Finals showdown between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks. Duane Roundtree, founder and owner of RCLLC Transportation, was tapped to take Lee and his famous friends around the city. He said they couldn’t have been nicer.
In fact, seeing Lee in town, clearly in support of the Knicks, seemed to dissolve the NBA rivalry among locals across the city during his foray into Alamo City living.
“He’s a great guy,” Roundtree told MySA, noting the Malcolm X director was more than eager to stop and engage with fans.
Roundtree says the big-time moviemaker was on the hunt for new shoes shortly after landing in San Antonio for his short stint before the game. When the crew arrived at the Champs Sports at the Shops at Rivercenter, the staff was at a loss for words as they welcomed him in. And fans quickly started crowding for photos, says Roundtree, which made the local business owner nervous, given his experience with celebrities.
However, Lee was apparently beyond gracious, willing to snap a photo with just about every excited San Antonio local who came up for a chance to shake the hand of the Do the Right Thing director.
The RCLLC Transportation founder says Lee asked to stop and get out of the vehicle midday on a busy San Antonio street, despite Roundtree’s plans to find a secluded exit for the decorated filmmaker.
“Spike even asked to stop and get out in the middle of the street in broad daylight in San Antonio at an intersection at a stoplight,” Roundtree said, recalling how this led people to clamor toward Lee for a photo.
Despite Roundtree’s instinct to keep him away from the crowd forming, he says Lee wasn’t rushing away from his fans. He engaged with the excited locals despite safety concerns. After all, Roundtree’s company is a preferred transport vendor for Hotel Emma, so he’s built a business centered on catering to high-net-worth clients who seek discretion, safety and an elevated experience.
Of course, Roundtree and Lee bantered about who would take home the championship title this year. Lee and his crew are staunch Knicks fans, while Roundtree is strongly repping his hometown team, the Spurs. But Lee apparently couldn’t have been more respectful of San Antonio fans’ loyalty, even if he doesn’t think it’s their year.
Either way, it seems San Antonio caught a bit of Lee’s heart. Whether it’s the fans or the fact that we have a Brooklyn Avenue – a street sign that prompted Lee to ask for a stop so he could take a quick photo.