San Antonio nuns' prayers powering Spurs' NBA Finals run in 2026

San Antonio's Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco have become viral symbols of Spurs fans' faith during their 2026 NBA Finals journey.

Elementary gym hosts Game 7 At six o'clock in the evening, nearly two dozen individuals gathered inside a San Antonio elementary school gymnasium on the west side of the city to watch Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. Folding chairs were arranged facing a projector screen on a stage decorated with black and silver balloons. Young fans created handmade signs with messages like MAKE SOME NOISE, GO SPURS GO, and DE-FENSE, waving them around the room with excitement. Chants of GO, SPURS, GO filled the gym, and whenever the Oklahoma City Thunder had the ball, the crowd responded with DE-FENSE .. DE-FENSE. ## Sisters' prayers fill the room Amidst the cheers, a group of attendees chanted something entirely different, repeating phrases such as Meet the Jackals: The Spurs fan club built for the biggest stage, founded by its star Tim MacMahon and How the Spurs reached the Finals ahead of schedule. These words came from members of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, a global congregation founded in Italy in the late 1800s and known locally as the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, West Province. ## Decades of Spurs devotion The sisters, with over 10,000 members worldwide, have supported the Spurs for nearly 40 years, making them perhaps the most devoted and revered fan group in the sport. They have worked alongside children who love basketball, embracing the team's spirit themselves. Their fame has surged during the Spurs' playoff run to the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks, with Game 3 set for Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. They have attended Spurs playoff home games, interacted with players through prayers, and become symbols of good fortune or divine support during the team's late postseason surge. ## Overwhelmed by sudden attention The sisters, who are involved in various charitable efforts including work with underprivileged children across San Antonio, have found the surge in attention overwhelming. Sister Bernadette Mota explained, "We don't want to be an advertising gimmick or anything like that. Our life is dedicated to God." She added, "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. This really is a godsend for us at this moment." ## Sister's arrival deepens Spurs bond When Sister Sydney Moss arrived in San Antonio in 2013, she was immediately introduced to the team's culture at the Provincial House, where 36 sisters live, including 20 retirees. Die-hard fans there would resist turning off the television at bedtime if the Spurs were still playing. Sister Moss often sat beside Sister Angelita Guzman, a lifelong Spurs fan who quietly prayed during games with phrases like St. John Bosco, sit on the basket so the other team won't make a shot. ## Popovich's respect for the sisters The sisters' connection to the Spurs dates back to 2007, when coach Gregg Popovich visited the Provincial House with players after winning the franchise's fourth title. He spoke with the sisters, took photos, and even knelt to talk with them. Sister Gumzan, who passed away in 2018, previously shared that after his visit, she began corresponding with Popovich through letters. He was very affectionate with us, she said. Popovich also participated in a charity golf tournament that benefited the sisters and often requested their prayers for the team. ## Fading connection and new arrivals By 2019, the Spurs were declining from their championship peak, and some of the sisters who were the team's biggest fans had passed away, Sister Moss recalled. New sisters arrived, and their connection to the team began to fade. Sister Mota, who arrived in San Antonio that same year, knew basketball well—she had played in high school and coached fifth and sixth graders. She was familiar with the sisters' Spurs ties and reached out to Popovich's assistant to request tickets. The Spurs provided 30 tickets for a March 16, 2020 game, but the contest was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ## Staying loyal through tough times Years passed, including four of the Spurs' worst seasons in franchise history, yet the sisters continued cheering them on. Sister Lourdes Trevino, now 87, shared game recaps over breakfast, detailing the team's performance and standings. She knows everything about the Spurs, Sister Moss said. When the playoffs began this season, the sisters tuned in. On May 12, as the Spurs faced Minnesota in the second round, they posted on Instagram showing some wearing Spurs jerseys over their habits, watching the game together. The Salesian Sisters are cheering and praying for the Spurs! they wrote. ## Spurs surprise with tickets The Instagram post caught attention, and during the Western Conference finals, a Spurs official visited the sisters' residence, bringing merchandise and thanking them for their support. The sisters gave a tour of their home and chapel, and a Spurs staff member offered a gift as a token of appreciation for decades of backing. We want to say thank you, they said, but we also have a surprise for you. It was four tickets to Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Thunder. ## Kornet receives blessing from sister The sisters arrived before tipoff and stood on the sidelines during pregame warmups. Spurs center Luke Kornet, who is Catholic, approached and shook their hands. Sister Mota, attending her first Spurs game, looked up at him and asked, "Can I pray a blessing for you?" The 7-foot-1 Kornet bent down to the 5-foot-1 sister, and she placed her hand on his head as they closed their eyes. She prayed for the holy spirit to be with him. The moment went viral. The Spurs won. Kornet finished with six points, seven rebounds, and two blocks, and afterward said the sisters needed to be in Oklahoma City for Game 6. ## Crowdfunded trip to Game 6 The sisters were offered tickets for Game 5 but chose to stay home to watch with friends and family. For Game 6, a woman organized a crowdfunding effort to buy them four seats in the stands, and the Kahlig Auto Group provided five seats in a box suite. On game day, two black SUVs driven by Spurs security officials arrived at the Provincial House, with a police escort guiding the nine sisters through rush-hour traffic to the arena. Sitting in the SUV, Sister Mota imagined the evening ahead. Oh, we'll get to meet famous people! she said to a security official. Sister, the official replied, You are the famous people. ## Players greet sisters courtside Security escorted them inside, and some visited the suite, where they began chanting Go, Spurs, Go. Fans noticed and joined in. Before tipoff, the sisters gathered in the tunnel where Spurs players run out. As the players emerged, they greeted the sisters with high-fives and fist bumps. After waiting several more minutes, Victor Wembanyama appeared, and the sisters craned their necks upward. He looked at them, slowed his stride, and placed his hands together before passing by and clasping each of their hands. In his eyes, you could tell how focused he was, and how grateful he was that we were there, Sister Mota said. ## Sisters honored on jumbotron Throughout the game, fans asked the sisters for photos and thanked them for their prayers for the Spurs. Sister Mota replied, Yes, we can pray, but so can you. Our prayers aren't higher and holier than anybody else's. Talent has a lot to do with it. The Spurs are a good team. That night, the Spurs showed the sisters on the jumbotron, and the arena erupted in cheers. When they returned home, a passerby spotted them and slowed their car. Are you really a sister? the woman asked Sister Moss. God bless you guys, she said. And go, Spurs go! ## Game 7 watched in school gym Along with friends, family, and other children, 20 sisters watched Game 7 of the Western Conference finals from St. John Bosco Elementary School gymnasium, located across the street from the Provincial House. Sister Mota was not there—she was in Southern California for her nephew's high school graduation—but she caught the highlights afterward. When she saw Kornet's game-changing chase-down block on Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein in the fourth quarter, she noted the intensity in his eyes. Sometimes you have that ability to go beyond your normal talent to do something that you need to do right at that moment, she said. When I saw him running down the court, I was like, 'Lord, he's in him right now.' ## Spurs reach NBA Finals in celebration Inside the gym, as the final seconds ticked down, the sisters—wearing Spurs jerseys over their white-and-gray habits—pumped their fists and waved silver and black pom-poms. They chanted, cheered, and prayed as the Spurs secured a victory to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. Outside, traffic on West Commerce Street, a major route into downtown, was bumper-to-bumper, with honking cars and cheering fans marking a shared celebration. ## Sisters focus on Finals and charity After the game, Sister Moss and Sister Mota discussed their plans for the NBA Finals. They had no intention of traveling to New York for the games there and also declined crowdfunding for trips to San Antonio games. Let's use the money for something else, Sister Moss said. We don't want people to spend that much money on us to go see a game. The sisters preferred any donations to support their school and charitable work. Their newfound fame brought more online donations from across the country and beyond, including items from their Amazon wish list. One recent donation will fund a new playground and school bus for St. John Bosco Elementary School. It's all such a blessing, Sister Moss said. ## Game 1 in New York draws sisters Thanks to an invitation from the Kahlig Auto Group, four sisters attended Game 1, a loss to the Knicks. Before the game, they again gathered in the tunnel. Kornet, after walking past, returned to thank them for being there. Wembanyama came out last and acknowledged them once more. Soon after, they stood courtside when a voice called out to them. Sisters, could you please pray for me? Wembanyama asked. They were shocked and humbled. For a few moments, they all bowed their heads and closed their eyes, asking God to give Wembanyama and the Spurs the grace and strength to play well. It really just felt like it was us and Wemby, Sister Moss said. ## Sisters attend Game 2 and await Game 5 The sisters were present at Game 2 on Friday. They continued to hope and pray for a Spurs victory in the series, with special significance tied to Game 5 on June 13. That date not only marks the fifth game of the Finals but also the feast of St. Anthony, the patron saint of San Antonio. ## Playoff schedule and broadcast info The Knicks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, facing the same opponent they met then—the Spurs. Games air on ABC and the ESPN app. Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 104 Game 2: Knicks 105, Spurs 95 Game 3: June 8 at Knicks Game 4: June 10 at Knicks Game 5: June 13 at Spurs Game 6: June 16 at Knicks Game 7: June 19 at Spurs All games tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET. If necessary games are marked with *