The San Antonio Spurs are in the 2026 NBA Finals for the first time in 12 years, but did you know that some of the team’s biggest stars got their start in Texas’ Capital City? Austin Spurs players and coaches have helped shape the success of the Silver and Black for nearly two decades, and now several of them are leaving their mark on basketball’s biggest stage.
The Austin Spurs are the Spurs’ G League team, which allows players, coaches and staff to hone their skills before moving up to the next level. This pipeline from both cities has become instrumental for dozens of players and coaches to make seamless transitions into the Spurs and the NBA.
Four Spurs players and coaches this year came from the Austin Spurs, while the remaining three players gained experience from other G League teams before signing with San Antonio. Here are all the former Austin Spurs players and coaches making their NBA Finals debut.
Even Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson spent some time in Austin. He played in the G League for the Tulsa 66ers in 2009, and after his playing career, he joined the Austin Spurs coaching staff from 2016 to 2019. Johnson helped lead the team to their 2018 NBA G League Championship and is now hoping to do the same for San Antonio in this year’s NBA Finals after taking over for Popovich in 2025.
Spurs Assistant Coach and former Austin Spurs head coach Matt Nielsen has been a part of the NBA team’s coaching staff for years. Nielsen led Austin to a 10-5 record and a spot in the 2021 G League Playoffs after beginning his coaching career in San Antonio. He’s witnessed firsthand the growth of players on the Austin Spurs since 2014.