Spurs hold open practice, community fair in Uvalde, Texas, months after school shooting
Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs took their practice on the road this weekend.
The Spurs held an open practice and a fair in Uvalde, Texas, on Saturday afternoon in an effort to try and bring at least a little joy to the community that suffered the worst school shooting in the United States in more than a decade earlier this year.
Stronger Together 🖤🤝
It was an honor to spend the day in Uvalde sharing joy with community members and families. pic.twitter.com/r2e6MEC8vu— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 8, 2022
"It's extremely sad," Spurs guard Tre Jones said, via The Associated Press. "We wish everybody was with us, still being able to enjoy this moment. We are just trying to bring joy to the families and all the kids who were friends with those kids that died and help the teachers as well. We want to bring a moment of happiness into their lives again and try to just bring a smile to their faces."
Uvalde sits about 90 minutes west of San Antonio. In May, 19 students and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary there, which made it the deadliest school shooting in the United States since 2012.
The incident has drawn plenty of criticism and sparked a renewed push for better gun control in the country. Uvalde’s school district suspended its entire police department on Friday amid continued backlash and protests from residents over their response, too, according to The New York Times.
Plenty in the sports world have reached out to try and help the Uvalde community in the months since the shooting. Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis donated $1 million to the school district in June, and former Raiders and MLB star Bo Jackson donated to help cover funeral costs for victims. The Houston Texans bought new uniforms and equipment for the high school football team, too.
The Spurs didn’t spend a lot of time in Uvalde. They will return to San Antonio to host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday afternoon, and are set to open their season on Oct. 19 against the Charlotte Hornets.
The time they did, though, clearly had a tremendous impact on the community that is still reeling from the tragedy.
"It's big for me to be able to come out here and see the kids smile," Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, via The Associated Press. "We know it's been tough. If we can just come out here and bring just a little bit of joy, it's a successful day for us."
