FC Barcelona and the San Antonio Spurs are two of the most successful professional sports organizations in the world.
This fact is not lost on one of Barcelona's key players, Gerard Pique, who mentioned San Antonio when discussing his own team's preparation for the UEFA Champions League final, per the San Antonio Express-News' Dan McCarney:
“What differentiates us is to appreciate the philosophy of the club. There are players who have been here for many years, and that does not happen today. The philosophy is, no matter what happens, they rely on the players. We’re talking about something that is unique. I compare it with the Spurs in basketball: (Tim) Duncan, (Manu) Ginobili and (Tony) Parker, always there. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose. But other people follow, trusting them and giving results.”
The Spurs are widely considered to be the NBA's model franchise, and Pique nails down why. For two decades they developed their own talent, stuck to their core, and developed mutual trust with their players.
San Antonio was eliminated by the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round this season, but they'll bounce back strong next year. They always do.
(h/t: San Antonio Express-News)
