State Rep. James Talarico smiles as he watches the San Antonio Spurs take on the New York Knicks during Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Credit: Michael Karlis
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico revealed he’s a longtime Spurs fan during a surprise appearance at a watch party at Chalmers Live Bar in East Austin for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
A state rep representing the Austin area and a former San Antonio public school teacher, Talarico told the Current that the Silver and Black has been a big part of his life since childhood.
While Talarico’s favorite player of all time is former Spur and NBA Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, he admires current Spur Stephon Castle’s leadership. The lawmaker added that his favorite Spurs moment was the team’s 2014 NBA title run, and politically, he thinks of himself as playing center.
“When I was a legislator, I was always the calm, grounded one that kind of held the team together,” Talarico told the Current. “I think that’s the kind of role I want to serve in the U.S. Senate.”
Despite his years of Spurs fandom, Talarico — who will face Republican Ken Paxton in this November — has never been honking. Even so, he added that he’s open to heading downtown and blaring his horn if the opportunity presents itself.
The Spurs ended up defeating the New York Knicks 115-111 at Madison Square Garden. A small army of celebrities showed up for the game, ranging from Seinfeld creator Larry David to hip-hop icon Jay-Z. Fans loudly booed President Donald Trump during the national anthem, and he reportedly fell asleep during the third quarter.
Led by Victor Wembanyama, the Silver and Black came back from a seven-point deficit at the half to outscore the Knicks. A clutch three-pointer and two free throws in the final seconds of the fourth quarter by sophomore guard Castle sealed the deal, giving the Spurs their first victory of the series.
The steller comeback led Talarico to tell the Current that he still believes the Spurs can win in seven games.
The Spurs will take on the Knicks at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in New York. The game will air on ABC and ESPN. It also will be available on streaming platforms YouTube TV and Hulu.
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