As the San Antonio Spurs chase their first NBA championship since 2014, longtime fans may be reminiscing about another iconic part of the franchise’s glory years: the Spurs Silver Dancers.
The Finals run against the New York Knicks has revived memories of the Spurs dynasty era — Tim Duncan, Manu Ginóbili, Tony Parker and the roaring crowds at the AT&T Center. But one familiar courtside tradition from those championship seasons is noticeably absent. The Spurs Silver Dancers are no longer part of the organization.
The Spurs replaced the Silver Dancers with the Hype Squad, a co-ed dance squad, and formed the Spurs Jackals, a dedicated, high-energy supporter section for the San Antonio Spurs basketball team, designed to create a lively atmosphere in the Frost Bank Center. Both the Hype Squad and the Spurs Jackals are great additions to the fanbase, but there’s nothing like the Silver Dancers.
Ahead of the 2018-2019 season, Spurs Sports and Entertainment announced the Silver Dancers wouldn’t return to the court due to a “lack of interest,” according to past reporting from MySA. Former Silver Dancers told the Guardian they were alerted about the abrupt firing less than a month after the Spurs’ season ended with a first-round 2017-2018 playoff loss to the Golden State Warriors.
According to the Guardian, human resources representatives informed the dancers that “season-ticket holders no longer wanted dancers.”
At that time, the Spurs had become the only NBA team without a dance squad. However, that has changed. Several NBA teams have followed in the Spurs’ footsteps, such as the Dallas Mavericks, the Toronto Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The teams changed their dance squads to new co-ed troupes.
When news broke about the Silver Dancers, fans and former Silver Dancers shared their grievances on Twitter, now known as X. Some fans vowed to no longer be a fan of the basketball team, according to previous reporting from MySA. Silver Dancer alumna Michelle Vogel said at the time, “Does ‘lack of interest’ really mean ‘we don’t want to deal with it?'” She questioned whether the decision was made in “fear” of the #MeToo movement, a social movement that raises awareness and seeks to end sexual harassment and assault.
At the time, a petition was launched urging Spurs Sports and Entertainment to keep the Silver Dancers. Over 10,000 people signed it.
The Silver Dancers trace their roots back to the 1982-83 season, when the first squad was introduced as the Quicksilver dance troupe at the old Hemisfair Arena. They predated the vaunted Spurs Coyote by half a season.
In November 2025, MySA reached out to the San Antonio Spurs for a comment regarding the return of the Silver Dancers. The Spurs did not respond.