How Spurs' Jackals Leadership is Carrying Victor Wembanyama's Vision into Year 2

SAN ANTONIO — Chewbacca was there. So was Valak, the demonic nun from The Conjuring universe. Aliens wandered around Frost Bank Center alongside Nacho Libre, while oversized chains, wigs, flags and enough San Antonio Spurs gear to fill a Fan Shop completed the scene.

Victor Wembanyama, however, was nowhere to be found.

On Sept. 19, hundreds of hopefuls auditioned for a spot in the Frenchman's Ultras group, set to expand from 83 seats to 150 this season, just over a year after Wembanyama sat on plastic throne and handpicked its founding members. Some had been there before.

"We're scouting," Wembanyama said last September. "We're trying out for the best fans. The craziest fans, you know, the diehards. Willing to enter this new Ultras group."

Fans waited hours in line for their turn to show Wembanyama how hard they would cheer during games, if chosen. The process looked different this time. Jackals president Aidan Sterling and the group's other "Pack Leaders" handled auditions, beginning with questions meant to gauge how prospective members might respond during similar moments.

Jackals hopefuls engage in cheers with other prospective members prior to the 2026 auditions at Frost Bank Center. — Sep 19, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Jackals hopefuls engage in cheers with other prospective members prior to auditions for the Ultras group for the 2026-27 NBA season at Frost Bank Center. | Matt Guzman/Spurs On SI

"What happens if the Spurs are down two in the fourth quarter at Anthony Edwards is at the free throw line?" one of the leaders asked. Another simply requested the loudest cheer a member could muster. The group has placed emphasis on that aspect of the section.

"We're going to be louder," Sterling said. "We've got double the people that are committed to the chants ... we're going to be much louder than we were last year."

During last year's auditions, he participated in chants, encouraged prospective members and asked whether they were prepared to provide energy for 48 minutes every night. When one 14-year-old called him "sir," the then-21-year-old quickly dismissed the formality.

"You don't have to call me sir," Wembanyama said. "We're almost the same age."

Those interactions helped create the relationship Wembanyama envisioned, but its impact became clearer as the season progressed. After a January road loss against the Houston Rockets, the forward sat at his locker answering questions about defeat and maturity.

When the session ended, Wembanyama stood up and offered reporters one final observation: "I'm surprised you didn't ask about the Jackals." They had traveled to Houston, bringing a piece of Frost Bank Center with them, and their creator had noticed.

As Wembanyama later explained in an interview with The Athletic, the connection eventually became more personal than simply having an organized group cheering behind the basket.

"They really started seeing me as one of their own," Wembanyama told the outlet, "which is not something given in our position ... it’s very often that players might be dehumanized."

Sep 28, 2026; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) answers questions from the media during Media Day at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Texas. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sterling describes the other side of that relationship similarly. There was initially some awe, he said, especially given Wembanyama's stature and pensive way with words, but spending time around the 22-year-old last season quickly changed that perception.

"It's weird when people ask," Sterling began, "because he's such a personable guy, right? Not to mention he's also young. To think that I'm older than he is kind of surreal. He's a 7-foot-4 guy. He's obviously older. And he speaks so wise. He's so humble."

That comfort has given Sterling a different perspective on the superstar at the center of San Antonio's future. It also explains why Wembanyama's relationship with the Jackals has become something more personal than a typical player-fan bond.

"I can see him and say, 'Hey, that's my guy,'" Sterling said. "He represents us. He supports us. And there's never going to be that pressure from him."

As the Spurs promoted their Ultras effort to fans last season, members of the Jackals wandered around the concourse at Frost Bank Center prior to tipoff handing out cheat sheets with the words to their chants written on them. Popular ones mimic the melodies of "Olé Olé," "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" and "Winter Wonderland."

This season, with nearly double the membership, the Spurs hope their traditions will catch on. Perhaps the most popular is Wembanyama's drum cadence; the Jackals lead it before games and Wembanyama, or a teammate of his choosing, follows suit after wins.

Sep 19, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Two Jackals hopefuls pose for a photo prior to auditions for the Ultras group for the 2026-27 NBA season at Frost Bank Center. | Matt Guzman/Spurs On SI

Wembanyama's absence from September's auditions, then, carried its own significance. He remains connected to the group, Sterling said, but no longer needs to personally oversee every detail of the vision he brought to San Antonio from European supporter culture.

"We have our ways of communication," Sterling said. "It's super exciting to think that he has trusted us. He's seen what we accomplished in one year. With him by our side, he's trusted us to grow that vision, grow the practice to something even bigger."

A year after Wembanyama personally searched for San Antonio's craziest, most dedicated fans, the costumes were back and the Jackals were preparing for another season. This time, their creator didn't need to be in the room to know what they were building.

"If this group of Ultras reaches its full potential," Wembanyama said prior to Jackals auditions last season, "I have no doubt that it's going to help us win games in the future."

Per the Spurs, Jackals membership remains $999 for the 2026-27 season and requires attendance at 75 percent of eligible preseason and regular season home games. New this season, all prospective members must be at least 18 years old to participate.

Those selected for membership this season will be notified by email prior to Oct. 20.

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