Texas Governor Greg Abbott has come under fire after posting an artificial intelligence-generated image depicting himself dunking a basketball over New York Governor Kathy Hochul, ahead of the NBA Finals. The digital illustration, shared on X, shows Abbott in his wheelchair soaring above a woman in a New York Knicks uniform, widely interpreted as Hochul, while President Donald Trump watches courtside with a grin.
Abbott's Provocative Post
“Spurs about to dunk on Knicks like Texas has been dunking on New York,” Abbott captioned the image, adding, “Go Spurs Go.” The post quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism from basketball fans who accused the governor of politicizing the sport.
Hochul's Retort
Hochul responded on Monday with a sarcastic jab: “BREAKING: Greg Abbott comes out for men and women competing on the same court,” referencing Abbott's wheelchair and the co-ed nature of the AI image. The exchange underscores the heated rivalry between the two states, which extends beyond basketball.
Fan Backlash
Many Spurs fans rejected the political messaging. “Spurs fans don’t claim you, bud,” wrote user @tttybaby. Another user, Dan Rossiter, stated, “Bro, this weird MAGA fetish thing you’re doing… no one wants it. We love the Spurs. You, we do not love.” Others noted the irony of a conservative governor celebrating a team led by French star Victor Wembanyama. “In no way shape or form does Victor Wembanyama want anything to do with you,” wrote @SwipaCam.
NBA Finals Context
The San Antonio Spurs face the New York Knicks in a best-of-seven championship series starting Wednesday at the Frost Bank Center. This rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, which the Spurs won in five games, has reignited state pride. The Spurs advanced after a seven-game Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, while the Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The teams split their regular-season series with one win each.
