NBA
Billy Joe “Red” McCombs (95) Passed Away On Sunday, Former Owner Of The Spurs And Nuggets
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated21 Feb 2023
The San Antonio Spurs may not be having a successful season in 2022-23, but the team has a rich history of winning in the past. Founded in the 1973-74 season, Billy Joe “Red” McCombs owned the team and was an integral piece in getting the team merged into the NBA from the ABA. McCombs also owned the Denver Nuggets before he would go back and buy the Spurs once again. On Sunday, ninety-five year old Red McCombs passed away and he was a visionary for the game of basketball.
He owned more than 400 businesses in his lifetime and was a driving force behind the creation of the NBA as we know it today. Not only did he twice own the Spurs and the Denver Nuggets, but he also owned the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings franchise as well.
McCombs was a driving force in the creation and success of the San Antonio Spurs and the franchise cannot repay him for all he did in his time. NBA betting sites have the Spurs at (+150000) to win the Finals this season.
Earlier this year Gregg Popovich talked about his friend and first boss, Red McCombs, on his 95th birthday.
"Since this is our 50th anniversary, we wouldn't be having this without Red McCombs."
A larger-than-life figure for the Spurs and the entire San Antonio community. pic.twitter.com/OdANO8Gu2W
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) February 20, 2023
Former Spurs and Nuggets owner Red McCombs passed away at the age of 95
He helped the Spurs franchise integrate into the NBA back in the 1976 season as a part of the NBA-ABA merger. McCombs grew up in a town called Spur, Texas and that’s where San Antonio gets their name from. The team flourished with the help of George Gervin and McCombs then sold his share of the Spurs to buy the Nuggets back in 1982.
He then sold his share of Denver back in 1985 and re-bought his share of the Spurs in 1986 before buying the team outright in 1988. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued this statement on behalf of the league after hearing about McCombs passing away.
““Red McCombs brought the Spurs to San Antonio and was a driving force in creating the modern NBA. He was an innovator and savvy entrepreneur who never shied away from taking risks. We mourn Red’s passing and send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends and the Spurs organization.” – Adam Silver
McCombs is survived by daughters Lynda McCombs, Marsha Shields and Connie McNab, as well as eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
