ICT Staff
The National Basketball Association season tipped off just over seven months ago on October 21, 2025. Tonight the NBA Finals get underway with the San Antonio Spurs facing off with the New York Knicks for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
While the Spurs are led by the likes of phenom, Victor Webanyama, guard Stephon Castle and veteran De’Aaron Fox; Indian Country will be tuning in in the hopes Lindy Waters III sees some action.
Waters III, Kiowa and Cherokee, is in his fourth NBA season and while he may not see a lot of playing time, he’s excited to be in the championship round with his teammates.
“I’ll say it’s a dream come true,” Waters III recently told The Norman Transcript. “It really is and I’m kind of speechless, to an extent. I’m just kind of soaking it all in, but I also know the job is not finished. We got four more.”
Off the court, the Spurs organization features another Native.
Jacob Tobey, Mashpee Wampanoag, is the team’s play-by-play announcer. The NBA Finals games are nationally broadcast by ESPN on ABC and despite not being on the call, Tobey continues to cover the team both pre and post-game.
Tobey shares interviews with and insights via his social media and has also sung the national anthem twice during the Spurs playoff run.
San Antonio last won a championship in 2014, beating the Miami Heat in five games. On the other side, the Knicks haven’t been in the NBA Finals since 1999, ironically losing to San Antonio in that series nearly 30 years ago.
New York has two NBA Championships, the last coming in 1973.
NBA Finals Game Schedule (all times Eastern)
- Game 1: Wednesday, June 3 at 8:30 p.m.
- Game 2: Friday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m.
- Game 3: Monday, June 8 at 8:30 p.m.
- Game 4: Wednesday, June 10 at 8:30 p.m.
- Game 5 (if necessary): Saturday, June 13 at 8:30 p.m.
- Game 6 (if necessary): Tuesday, June 16 at 8:30 p.m.
- Game 7 (if necessary): Friday, June 19 at 8:30 p.m.
