What to Know About Salesian Sisters, the Spurs Fans Trending During NBA Finals Run vs. Knicks

San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama isn't the biggest breakout star of the 2026 NBA playoffs. No, that title belongs to the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco.

The "Spurs nuns" have been a fixture during the team's NBA Finals run.

The Sisters said their fandom dates back decades to the Spurs' dynastic run with Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich. Popovich once made a personal visit with his wife after one Sister wrote him a letter.

Thanks to San Antonio's on-court success, the Salesian Sisters have never had a bigger national spotlight.

Sister Bernadette Mota told ESPN's Baxter Holmes the attention is a "godsend."

"We don't want to be an advertising gimmick or anything like that," she said. "Our life is dedicated to God.

"We're in a very poor and impoverished area. We have a school that's hanging on by an edge right now, so the amount of support that has come through is a real blessing because otherwise we wouldn't be making it."

As one example, the Sisters are planning to build a new playground and purchase a bus for St. John Bosco Elementary School thanks to their surge in donations. The San Antonio Zoo donated 200 tickets for the Sisters to distribute.

Holmes credited Mota, who moved to San Antonio in 2019, with helping to re-strengthen the bond between the Spurs and the Salesian Sisters. A passionate basketball fan, she reached out to the team about getting tickets for a game that was ultimately postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, that planted the seeds for what was to come.

"Years passed, including four of the Spurs' worst seasons in franchise history. Still, the sisters cheered them on," Holmes wrote. "Sister Lourdes Trevino, now 87, provided recaps over breakfast, telling her fellow sisters how the team performed and where the team was in the standings."

Some Spurs players have fully embraced the informal connection. Prior to Game 1 of the Finals, Wembanyama stopped to have a prayer with one Sister situated at courtside.

Whether the Sisters and their favorite team get a storybook ending remains to be seen. The odds aren't looking good as San Antonio trails the New York Knicks 2-0 with the series heading to Madison Square Garden.