Inside The Spurs

Spurs Starter, June 16, 2024: Victor Wembanyama Takes eBay Marketplace By Storm

Your daily briefing on what's going on with the San Antonio Spurs, including news, draft & more.

Matt Guzman

Nov 6, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Nov 6, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
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Happy Sunday, Por Vida Fans and happy Father's Day! Welcome to your morning Spurs Starter.

While any NBA star is sure to garner attention on the court and on social media, there's another side of sports fame that's vastly different, yet equally important: memorabilia.

Whether it be collectible items like limited-edition bobble heads or jersey sales and signed basketballs, the most popular NBA players tend to amass a following among collector's marketplaces, and San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama is no exception.

At the most common scale, the 7-foot-4 frenchman finished fourth overall in jersey sales across the NBA. Getting more niche, Wembanyama had his one-of-one rookie card auctioned off for over $60,000 after signing it. So, where is the middle ground?

READ MORE: Victor Wembanyama's Pre-NBA Rookie Card Auctions For Record Amount

Well, that lies online. eBay. And it seems that as Wembanyama garnered more attention on the court, so, too did his collectibles. In fact, the multinational e-commerce company reported that from Feb. 18t until May 11, Wembanyama was the only basketball player to surpass Michael Jordan in searches.

Sure, it seems like a lot for a rookie's collectibles to be so sought after, but for the kind of player Wembanyama is, it makes sense. And as he continues to grow, fans can expect his memorabilia to do the same.

As strange as it sounds, $67,000 might end up being a low point.

Now, on to the headlines:

THE NEWS

1. READ: EX-SPUR DANNY GREEN SPEAKS ON VICTOR WEMBANYAMA, TEAM REBUILD

On a recent podcast appearance, one of the San Antonio Spurs' former sharpshooters gave his two cents on one of the team's current sharpshooters — or, at least, hopeful sharpshooters.

Read the full story above.

2. WATCH: FORMER SPURS TELL HUMOROUS GREGG POPOVICH STORY

During a podcast appearance, former Spur Josh Richardson talked about "a rule" that Gregg Popovich had with his players regarding eating out.

Check out a clip of the interview below:

THE DRAFT

The 2024 NBA Draft is 10 days away, and set to take place over the course of two days — a new format — from Wednesday, June 26 to Thursday, June 27.

According to The Ringer's big board, San Antonio is projected to select Kentucky's Rob Dillingham with the No. 4 overall pick to headline its 2024 draft class and Colorado's Cody Williams with No. 8 overall pick, should it elect to keep both.

The Spurs aren't locked into their decision as of now, so a deal could still come to fruition, but only time will tell how the team decides to use their two top-10 picks.

THE PLAYOFFS

After going down 3-0 to the Boston Celtics, the Dallas Mavericks faced a win-or-go-home scenario.

A second straight loss at home meant their season was over, but while it was highly unlikely, a win gave them a slight chance at a comeback. Luka Doncic had been shouldering the load entering the game, and did so again in Game 4, though by the time his night was over, the third quarter hadn't even finished.

Dallas secured a 38-point victory in what turned out to be a home blowout. It isn't completely finished yet, and now looks ahead to a road test in Game 5 with another chance to stay alive. As Doncic said himself: 'It's not over until it's over."

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts with Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half.
Jun 14, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts with Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half against the Boston Celtics during game four of the 2024 NBA Finals at American Airlines Center. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Game 5 between the Mavericks and Celtics is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CST Monday.

THE CLOSER

Make sure to check out our homepage for more news, including full coverage of the NBA Finals, and follow us on the platforms below. Thank you for tuning in and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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