SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs likely wouldn't be in San Antonio if it wasn't for the late Red McCombs.
The former team owner was instrumental in bringing the Spurs from Dallas and keeping the team in San Antonio.
His passing impacted the Spurs and the city of San Antonio.
To honor McCombs' legacy with the franchise, the team added a red ribbon with his initials on their jersey for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.
And to continue that fitting tribute, the popular video game, NBA 2K23, recently added a game patch to the virtual Spurs' jerseys the “RM” stripe to honor the former owner.
Following his passing, many spoke out about the positive impact McCombs had on the city and the people he met.
“Red was a true icon. A Texas legend. It’s impossible to overstate the impact he had on the City of San Antonio. Perhaps, his most impressive trait was his commitment to the community. Red and Charline impacted tens of thousands of lives, here in San Antonio and across Texas," head coach Gregg Popovich said. "From multimillion-dollar donations to flying a stranded Little League team back to San Antonio, the McCombs family has always put community first. To me, most of all, he was a good friend and mentor.”
Peter J. Holt, SS&E Managing Partner, also praised McCombs for the influence he had on his family.
“Red had a profound influence on our family through his focus on positively impacting all around him. For me personally, his kindness, thoughtfulness, and boldness will forever shape my perspective," Holt said. "His card that reads 'Expect to Win' sits on my desk as a daily reminder of the continuous need for positivity and abundance in this world. We sure do love Red and will miss him deeply.”
Follow us on Twitter at @KENS5 and at @JeffGSpursKENS5.