Will Chris Paul on the Spurs and Klay Thompson on the Mavs bring attention to Horns?

Two of the biggest names in the NBA have signed with Texas teams in the past week. 

Long-time veterans of the league Chris Paul and Klay Thompson left the Golden State Warriors to sign new contracts with the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks, respectively.

The Spurs are located just an hour and a half away from the Texas Longhorns’ home base at the Moody Center while the Mavs are a three-hour drive from the Horns’ campus.

So, with increased star power just a stone’s throw from the Longhorns, will Texas men’s and women’s basketball see an increase in an already blossoming fan base?

Don’t worry, this isn’t an appeal to become a diehard Texas basketball fan, the Longhorns already have one of the most recognizable logos and most loyal fanbases in the country.

This also isn’t an article trying to say that the Mavs or Spurs weren’t already in the limelight, Dallas was just in the NBA Finals after all, even though the Boston Celtics swept them.

The Spurs most notably added French star Victor Wembanyama to their roster, heralding national attention for the first time in a long time for the San Antonio-based team.

Wemby and the Spurs even visited the Moody Center in March, garnering attention for the ultra-modern and multimillion-dollar Longhorns venue.

So, beyond the already undeniable attention that the Longhorns have on a daily basis, and the fan focus that the Spurs and Mavs garner each year, the NBA to NCAA pipeline is alive and well.

Many NCAA athletes have been seen attending NBA courtside when their teams are in the offseason.

As an example, while Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado Buffaloes quarterback, isn’t busy on the runway or the field, he’s become a regular at Denver Nuggets’ games.

The extra attention that Paul and Thompson will bring to the Texas-based NBA teams should undeniably bring attention to the Longhorns and their basketball stars.

Hell, women’s basketball star Rori Harmon may even be able to take on old man Chris Paul in one-on-one once her ACL is fully healed.

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