SAN ANTONIO – Sean Elliott has brought countless smiles to Spurs fans for decades now. Elliott’s play, his commentating and, most importantly, his personality and interaction with fans are what make him stand out among a sea of NBA legends.
During his early NBA career, Elliott showed the fun side many aren’t able to see from professional athletes: movie reviews, Taco Cabana commercials and dressing up as a ninja for Halloween.
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Other memories come to mind when Spurs fans see his retired jersey number in the rafters of the Frost Bank Center. For one, his ”Memorial Day Miracle.”
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Elliott’s clutch three-pointer will turn 25 on May 31, 2024. It’s the game-winner that dreams are made of.
A shot practiced over and over in the driveway of a childhood home. A moment that can define a season.
As Spurs fans relive Elliott’s shot, here are some reflections from the KSAT 12 newsroom on that remarkable Monday afternoon.
DAVID SEARS, KSAT 12 News:
“I was on press row. I was sitting right there watching every bit of it. And when he hit that shot, the place absolutely erupted. It was amazing, and it made it easier doing interviews in the postgame locker room because everyone was all pumped up. That set the tone for that whole entire playoff run and championship run. That one shot. That’s why we remember the “Memorial Day Miracle.” I just watched it again. I still get goosebumps. It has its own Wikipedia page. You Google ‘Memorial Day Miracle,’ and that’s the title of it. It stands alone in sports lore.”
MARK AUSTIN, Good Morning San Antonio:
“Spurs’ first big playoff run. We had numerous crews dispatched. I think we had a sports crew there and three news crews, so I was sent basically to cover fan reaction. I was there inside the (Alamo)dome for it, and I will never forget that day in my life. The moment Sean hit the shot, I had never done this before in my life, I couldn’t look. I knew there was going to be a big play. They got the ball off. That somebody would step up and take the shot, but I wasn’t watching the jumbotron. I wasn’t watching the crowd. I was off to the side in the tunnel where the Spurs run back to the locker room. All I heard was the thunder. I’ve never heard a crowd react like that. You could feel the sound waves coming from the crowd when Sean hit the shot. I’m grateful I was there. What a remarkable day to be a San Antonian.”
URSULA PARI, KSAT 12 News:
“We were on the set. We were waiting for the game to end, and we were going to go right on the air as soon as it was over. All of a sudden, we see this shot come out of nowhere. We’re screaming and yelling. Everyone in the studio. Everyone in production. We were screaming for so long and so loud that we almost didn’t know what to do to start the newscast. It was not lost on anyone what had just happened and we knew: this was a new, special season. One that Spurs fans had never seen before.”
MARIO ORELLANA, KSAT 12 News Director:
“I was working here at KSAT. I was on my lunch break at Mr. Gatti’s on Broadway, and watched it on a big screen. Just kind of watching it, watching them chip away at that 18-point lead. All of a sudden, that shot goes in and I remember the crowd yelling, ‘No, no, no, bad shot,’ and it just went crazy. I looked at my co-worker and I said, ‘We got to get back to the station.’ We get here, and we have to get everything in order to celebrate the Spurs win and the reality they may be going to the NBA Finals. They had never been. I would like to think that was the birth of honking on Commerce Street and Market Street. That may be where it all started.”
LARRY RAMIREZ. KSAT 12 Sports Director:
“Back in May 1999, I was a store manager for KB Toys at Chapel Hill Mall in Akron, Ohio. I was going to school for TV, but wasn’t yet in the business. Back then, I was the king of Furbies, Barbie dolls, and video games. I remember waking up the morning after Sean Elliott’s shot and watching the highlights on ESPN as I was getting ready for work. I recall thinking, ‘How did he keep his balance? How did he stay in bounds? How did he make that shot?’ That basket, and Tim Duncan hugging Elliott afterward are images I’ll never forget.”
DANIEL P. VILLANUEVA, KSAT 12 Sports Producer:
“I had flown to Las Vegas with my parents that day and did not get to see any of the Spurs game until the final moments. Had no idea what was going on. Tried to hurry up the desk person at the Luxor Hotel so I could get the room key, rush to my room and turn on the television. Once I did, (Spurs guard Mario) Elie was trying to inbound the pass to Sean. Once he made the shot, I was jumping up and down in my hotel room yelling as loud as I could. Wish I could have been there, but the memory of watching that shot go down on national television is ingrained in my memory forever.”
Daniel P. Villanueva has worked with KSAT 12 for over 21 years and is an award-winning producer. To submit story ideas, email dvillanueva@ksat.com