Some have referred to the San Antonio Spurs as “The United Nations of Hoops” (Salzbrener, 2014). In June of 2014, the Spurs won their fifth NBA championship in 16 seasons. Tim Duncan, the oldest of the star players on the team at the time (at age 38), had been playing basketball for the Spurs about as long as the youngest player on the Spurs has been alive. The Spurs players also come from all parts of the world. According to the NBA, there were 92 international players in the NBA for the 2013–2014 season across 30 teams, for an expected average of three international players per team. There were 10 international players on the Spurs, more than half the team, which makes the Spurs one of (if not) the most diverse teams in the NBA (NBA, 2013). The men on this team represent the United States, France, Argentina, Italy, Brazil, Australia, Canada, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (Cacciola, 2014).

They speak many different languages, come from completely different cultures, and vary dramatically in age and appearance. Yet they play basketball very well and very reliably year after year, making plays that require tacit coordination and execution in a split second. Sportscasters have joked that the only thing the Spurs players have in common is how different they are.

How do they handle diversity in the process of being so successful?

Aside from having an excellent coach and players with a great level of ability who complement each others’ skills very well, the San Antonio Spurs appear to have a culture that accepts diversity. They are the first NBA team to have a woman assistant coach, Becky Hammon (National Basketball Association, 2014). They also seem to use the players’ international diversity to their advantage. For example, they use their knowledge of language to help reinforce plays and tactics on the basketball court. Tony Parker and Boris Diaw are both French and sometimes speak to each other in French during the game when they need to convey something quickly. The two Australians on the team, Patty Mills and Aron Baynes, have their own dialect.
Also, Manu Ginobili of Argentina speaks three different languages, Spanish, Italian, and English. He speaks in Spanish to his teammate Tiago Splitter, in Italian to the Italian teammate, Marco Belinelli, and in English with everyone else (Cacciola, 2014). According to Belinelli, “When me and Manu speak Italian on court, we try to use that as an advantage” (Cacciola, 2014). Therefore, they have found a way to take a situation that might normally present language barriers and have turned it into a tactical advantage (Rice, 2014).
It is also notable that their coach seems quite open to diversity and respectful of the multicultural background of his team (Salzbrenner, 2014). The coach, Gregg Popovich, had a Serbian father and a Croatian mother and takes pleasure in learning about his players’ backgrounds. In fact, when they go on the road trips, the team visits museums together. According to a quote from Popovich, “I think it’s just a respect for letting them know you understand they are from another place. We all grew up differently.” Popovich majored in Soviet studies while at the Air Force Academy and is known for being able to converse a little bit in different languages with various players (Cacciola, 2014).
This is an example of how diversity can be an advantage in teams if it is managed properly (Salzbrenner, 2014). The subgroups within the team that form based on nationality and language are used up to the point where they provide camaraderie and a tactical advantage. Beyond that, the players carefully note that they speak English most of the time because they do not want the majority of the team to feel excluded (Cacciola, 2014). Further, by having a coach who sets a tone of inclusion and valuing their multiculturalism, diversity becomes a strength and its challenges are mitigated (Rice, 2014).
Discussion Questions:
1. In what ways do you think the diversity of the Spurs could be an advantage?
2. In what ways do you think the diversity of the Spurs could present challenges?
3. If you were coaching the Spurs, what types of things would you do to mitigate the potential challenges and increase the team’s advantage associated with diversity?