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As the San Antonio Spurs embark on their 23rd Rodeo Road Trip, they do so with recent history stacked against them. Correlated to their struggles over the last half-decade, the Silver and Black hope to turn those fortunes around with Victor Wembanyama in the mix for a second time as well as with the brand new addition of De'Aaron Fox via trade.
Last year's first Rodeo Road Trip with Wemby didn't turn out well. Of course, it's far from the 7-foot-5 phenom's fault. The Spurs haven't enjoyed success on their annual month-long journey in almost ten years.
The evolution of Spurs' Rodeo Road Trip success
Every February since 2003 the Spurs have left their home arena for approximately three weeks so that the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo can take center stage. For the better part of the first decade and a half of what became a valuable tradition, the franchise would use the trip as a bonding experience that would aid eventual long playoff runs.
In fact, members of San Antonio's 2003 championship team have pointed to that Rodeo Road Trip as a catalyst for hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy. That team started that nine-game jaunt with a 28-15 record. By the time they finished it, they were 36-16 on their way to a 60-22 mark that topped the NBA. The home-court advantage proved key in a run that saw them dethrone the three-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in part by hosting and winning three of the first five games of that series before they clinched in Game 6. Another Game 6 victory, this one at home, proved the difference vs. the New Jersey Nets in the Finals.
The correlation continued in 2005, '07 and '14. The Spurs never suffered a losing record on the Rodeo Road Trip in any of those title years, going 5-2 and 6-3 in '05 and '14 respectively. The franchise went sub .500 on the next year's trip and hasn't truly enjoyed a winning record on the annual excursion since 2017 (they went 2-1 in 2021 because of COVID-related cancellations). That includes 1-8 marks in each of the last two seasons.
Spurs set for 2025 Rodeo trip
De'Aaron Fox is expected to join the Spurs on Wednesday in Atlanta for their second game of a stretch that will end March 1. The month away from home will also mark a first for Harrison Barnes.
“I enjoy playing on the road,” the veteran forward told ClutchPoints. “It's always an experience that I think brings the team closer together. I'm looking forward to it,” he added after admitting that he hadn't thought specifically about the annual tradition.
Talked with Harrison Barnes, in his 13th #NBA season, about his first #Spurs Rodeo Road Trip, which starts tomorrow in Memphis…
“…the focus is still the same, the preparation is still the same…”
Full thoughts ⬇️#GoSpursGo #PorVida pic.twitter.com/ST93APRqnd
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) February 3, 2025
“We've talked about it a few times as a team, just in terms of the focus and how difficult it is,” Barnes continued. “For me, I look at it as there's the All-Star break in between so that kind of breaks it up, which is nice. And after, the games in Austin; although it's not here, it still feels like home.”
Barnes and the Spurs will play two games in the state capital on February 20 and 21st in what will mark a third straight season they've traveled a couple of hours up I-35 to play in front of fans in Austin. Acquired during the off-season in a trade, Barnes is in his 13th NBA season.
“For me, it's just a normal road trip. A little bit longer, but the focus is still the same, the preparation is still the same. I'm looking forward to it.”
The Spurs who've been on the team for a couple of years now hope the 2025 version of the Rodeo Road Trip isn't the same as the ones they've experienced.
