Inside The Spurs

Spurs Starter, Wednesday, July 24, 2024: Spurs to Host 12 Restaurants In Culinary Residency Program

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

Matt Guzman

The San Antonio Spurs are inviting local restaurants to participate in their Culinary Residency program for the upcoming season.
The San Antonio Spurs are inviting local restaurants to participate in their Culinary Residency program for the upcoming season. / Photo provided by the San Antonio Spurs
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Happy Wednesday, Por Vida fans! Welcome to your afternoon Spurs Starter.

Last season, the Silver & Black found a way to better represent the city of San Antonio at Frost Bank Center with what they called the Spurs Culinary Residency Program — an initiative set to enter its fourth season.

This year, 12 restaurants will be invited to showcase some of their top dishes — and can apply online through Aug. 2 at 11:59 p.m — as a way for fans to taste some different cuisine during home games.

A photo of a dish from Howzit Hawaiian Kitchen — one of last year's participants in the Spurs Culinary Residency program.
A photo of a dish from Howzit Hawaiian Kitchen — one of last year's participants in the Spurs Culinary Residency program — is taken from above. / Photo provided by the San Antonio Spurs

“With the Spurs Culinary Residency program, we've made it our mission to cultivate San Antonio's culinary landscape by empowering local restaurants," Associate Director of Culinary Experience at Spurs Sports & Entertainment Kevin Barker said. "The city has such a vibrant local food scene and there's always more to discover."

READ MORE: 'Roca & Martillo' Oficially Open At Spurs' La Cantera Campus

Eight restaurants were selected for the 2023-24 season — a few of which have since been offered full-time locations based on fan reception — and this year, the field will be expanding. Restaurants that are selected will work with the Spurs and Aramark to develop a rotating schedule that will give each kitchen nine home games to showcase their menus.

"By expanding the program from eight to 12 restaurants, we can give more fans the experience of trying our city’s unique flavors," Barker said. "while supporting the entrepreneurial spirit that makes San Antonio special."

Local kitchens are encouraged to apply up until the deadline, and with potentially a full-time location at stake, it certainly seems like a no-brainer.

Now, onto the headlines:

THE NEWS

1. READ: WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SPURS ROSTER; WHAT SCENARIOS EXIST?

The San Antonio Spurs are continuing to trek toward contention, but remain one of the league's youngest squads — an indication of their patient approach. That isn't a negative thing, but it can be confusing, so here's what you need to know.

Read the full story at the link above.

2. WATCH: WHO DESERVES 2-WAY CONTRACTS AFTER SUMMER LEAGUE?

Zach Collins struggled to play the way he was expected to alongside Victor Wembanyama last season, leaving his immediate future unclear — yet currently guaranteed. That makes next year especially important.

Watch the latest episode of The San Antonio Minute below:

3. READ: INSPIRED BY IDOL, BLAKE WESLEY STRIVES TO GIVE BACK TO YOUTH

San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley remembers when he was a kid wanting to be like some of his basketball idols. Now that he's achieved that goal, he strives to give back to kids who think the same of him.

Read the full story above.

THE DRAFT

Now that the 2024 NBA Draft is over, you can check out the newest Spurs and what they might bring to the team next season and down the road. Below are the some stories about the rookies selected:

Round 1, Pick No. 4: Stephon Castle

Round 2, Pick No. 36: Juan Núñez

Round 2, Pick No. 48: Harrison Ingram

THE SCHEDULE

There are 92 days until opening night of the 2024-25 season, but the San Antonio Spurs have more to look forward to prior to that. The regular season schedule has yet to be released, but the entire preseason schedule — also still a ways away — has. There, the team will get its first chance to hit the floor with a complete roster.

Below is a list of dates and start times (all in CST) for those games:

San Antonio Spurs Preseason

Oct. 7: Home vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Tipoff at 7 p.m.)
Oct. 9: Home vs. Orlando Magic (Tipoff at 7 p.m.)
Oct. 12: Home vs. Utah Jazz (Tipoff at 7 p.m.)

Oct. 15: Away at Miami Heat (Tipoff at 6:30 p.m.)
Oct. 17: Away at Houston Rockets (Tipoff at 7 p.m.)

AROUND THE NBA

Catch up on some of the league-wide headlines below:

Also, be sure to follow along with Spurs On SI's NBA tracker, with more detailed breakdowns of major league news and updates.

THE CLOSER

Check out our homepage for more news and follow us on the platforms below. Thank you for tuning in and enjoy the rest of your Wednesday.

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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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