Juan Ramirez waited at Wingstop for five hours so he could turn his back to Boban Marjanovic. And when he turned, Marjanovic laughed and marveled at something he’d never seen before.
Ramirez had Boban’s image shaved into his head.
Ramirez was one of more than 500 Spurs fans who attended Marjanovic’s autograph signing at Wingstop, with some fans arriving as much as 11 hours early for the event. He said the “bob” haircut took more than two hours to complete by Joe Barajas, better known as Joe Barber.
“We want Boban to feel at home,” Ramirez said. “He’s such a good guy and a great player, so I wanted to do something for him to make him smile.”
Marjanovic, the Spurs’ rookie center from Serbia, said he was amazed at the crowd waiting to greet him. He signed a baby, some cowboy boots, and plenty of basketballs.
“This is a first, this is just wow,” Marjanovic said. “I told a friend about the crowd, and he didn’t believe it, so I had to send him a picture.”
Season ticket member Mark Guzman wore a custom-ordered Marjanovic jersey to the autograph signing. A Christmas gift from his girlfriend, Melissa Campos, Guzman said Boban has become an instant fan favorite because of his joyful personality.
“You always see him smiling out there, and he really seems like such a genuine guy,” Guzman said. “I think that’s why we’re all out here to support him. You can tell he’s already a true Spur.”
Wingstop, which prohibited fans from camping out for the event, asked fans not to line up until 3 p.m. for the 7 p.m. event. They didn’t listen, and there was already had a crowd building outside the restaurant when it opened at 11 a.m., according to Wingstop spokesperson Stephanie Yzaguirre. By the time Marjanovic arrived, there were more than 500 fans crowded outside.
Mario Sosa was the first fan to arrive at 8 a.m., and said meeting Boban was well worth the wait.
“The wait doesn’t feel long when you’re talking about the Spurs the whole time,” Sosa said.
Marjanovic, 27, was a three-time Serbian Super League MVP before he came to San Antonio this season. He said the fan support has provided a big boost for him both on and off the court this season.
“This is like my hometown,” he said. “These people are amazing.”
lchan@attcenter.com
Twitter:@lornechan