Manu offers sneak peek at upcoming Spurs HEB commercials; Is Duncan included?

SAN ANTONIO – It's become a rite of passage before the NBA regular season tips-off: the release of the popular Spurs H-E-B commercials.

Manu Ginobili offered a sneak peek of the commercials at Thursday’s Spurs practice. 

For years, the Spurs big three, along with other San Antonio stars such as Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills and Danny Green, starred in the commercials, which are annually voted as some of the best in the league.

However, this year will be the first batch of commercials without Spurs icon Tim Duncan who retired over the summer. 

Ginobili was asked if Duncan could still make an appearance.

“I don’t think so, I read the scripts and he wasn’t in them,” Ginobili said. “Maybe he can be an extra, like make a cameo in the back. We’ll see.”

Ginobili added that shooting the commercials is an all-day process, but the players have the freedom to add their own phrases and words here and there.

He also said that while it remains to be seen if Duncan makes an appearance, there will be a new face for Spurs fans.

“There’s a big, tall, long Spanish dude added to the commercials,” Ginobili said. “I can’t tell you who it is, but I think we have some additions.”

The commercials are usually released near the start of the regular season. Here’s a look at three of last year’s commercials: