'Making Their World': How Are Spurs Rookies Giving Back to San Antonio Community?

SAN ANTONIO — Tarris Reed Jr. has vivid memories of early August. The San Antonio Spurs rookie had basketball season around the corner to look forward to, yes.

But he had to get through hours of dull, gray Walmart aisles first.

"We used to always go two weeks before school started," Reed said, recounting an annual childhood memory with his mother, Darlene. "I hated it. I hated looking for notebooks."

Reed, along with the other three Spurs rookies — Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Maliq Brown and Jayden Quaintance — made an extra trip to Frost Bank Center Saturday afternoon to volunteer at the Spurs' fifth annual Back to School Bash hosted for local San Antonio families.

Aug 8, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Maliq Brown (15) and Ja'Kobi Gillespie (17) hand out notebooks to families during the team's fifth annual Back to School Bash at Frost Bank Center. | Photo courtesy of the San Antonio Spurs

The free event, which has drawn over 14,000 attendees across five years, provides students and educators with school supplies, health screenings, haircuts and resources ranging from enrollment information and extracurricular activities to family and mental health support.

Spearheading the effort is Spurs Sports and Entertainment Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer Patricia Mejia, who joined Reed, Gillespie, Brown and Quaintance on-site on Saturday.

"It's incredible to see young families come in and see who they might see (the players)," Mejia began, "seeing what backpacks they might get. It's really exciting ... every student deserves to begin the school year with the tools and confidence they need to succeed."

Beyond taking pictures with some of the students in attendance, Reed's task during the Back to School Bash was simple. It brought him more joy this year than when he was a kid.

"My job today was pencils," Reed said, smiling. "I've been giving out pencils. It's just been fun seeing the smiles on kids' faces ... they're seeing us, we're making their world."

Aug 8, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie (17) and center Jayden Quaintance (22) enter Frost Bank Center for the team's fifth annual Back to School Bash. | Photo courtesy of the San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs rookies' appearance marked their first since the end of Summer League in Las Vegas, when the Summer Spurs — led by assistant coach Corliss Williamson — finished 4-1. Since then, they've turned their attention to start of training camp at the end of September.

Even without being there, Williamson can speak to the importance of his players taking an afternoon to meet the community they're stepping into, especially as rookies.

"You hear a lot about the Spurs' organization from the outside," he said in Las Vegas, "but to actually be within it, experience it, it's wonderful ... the Spurs do everything the right way."

Reed, for one, agreed with the sentiment. Admittedly, he learned a lesson of his own while handing out pencils. Maybe he should have embraced the Walmart aisles a little more.

"The more I look back," Reed said, "those times with my mom (make it) great to be here."

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