A new study has identified San Antonio Spurs supporters as the NBA’s most optimistic fanbase entering the 2026-27 season. Casino.ca surveyed 5,000 fans across all 30 teams, combining their responses into a weighted Hope Index. San Antonio led the league with 98 out of 100, three points ahead of the New York Knicks.

That belief goes well beyond expecting another productive regular season. Sixty-five percent of Spurs respondents predicted an NBA championship, compared with the league-wide average of 26%. The results show a fanbase that views last season’s Finals appearance as a foundation for something bigger, rather than the high point of the team’s rise.

Why Spurs fans expect another major step

San Antonio won 62 games last season before reaching the NBA Finals. After coming one series short of a title, 81% of the team’s surveyed supporters expect at least 50 victories in 2026-27. No other fanbase paired championship expectations with as much overall confidence in its team.

Spurs fans produced an average team-confidence rating of 8.7 out of 10, the highest figure recorded in the study. The survey also considered expectations for the regular season and playoffs, confidence in the head coach, offseason satisfaction, and whether supporters felt better about their team than they did one year earlier.

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The Knicks followed San Antonio with a score of 95, while the Philadelphia 76ers placed third at 90. Oklahoma City and Miami completed the top five, making San Antonio one of five fanbases to score at least 80.

The Spurs still must turn those expectations into results. For now, their supporters have delivered a decisive preseason verdict: reaching the Finals only strengthened their belief that the franchise can finish the job.