A Conversation with George Felton of the San Antonio Spurs: “Here are two young women from different cultures, and they’re best friends – that just pierces your heart”
February 18, 2025
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We sat down with George Felton, a veteran scout with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs and a longtime friend of PeacePlayers, for an honest conversation on how basketball can offer hope and the possibility for a more peaceful future. We were also lucky enough to have George join us here in the Middle East at our overnight leadership retreat this past September.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got involved with PeacePlayers.
My name is George Felton. I got connected with PeacePlayers through my boss, [San Antonio Spurs CEO] R.C. Buford, who is involved in PeacePlayers. And I did a lot of international scouting for the Spurs. So, anytime I came into Israel to watch, say, Maccabi, and the better players for the NBA, I would come and I met the PeacePlayers team, who were doing clinics with both Israeli and Palestinian young ladies.
And, my background is in education. So I always wanted to help kids. And, as you grow through life, there are a lot of people who help you during your journey. And I, a young kid from the Bronx, wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for others helping and reaching out. So that’s my way of giving back – to do as much as I can and help these young kids.
What has kept you connected to PeacePlayers over the years?
It’s the people. The organization is all about helping. And I think anytime you can be around groups of people that really care about others, it’s amazing what they can accomplish. I mean, I was part of the [Friendship Games] a few years ago when we had it here in the Middle East. So, we had Cyprus, South Africa, Northern Ireland, and the Middle East. So we probably had over 100 kids. We took the kids everywhere. To the Church of the Holy Sepulchre [in Jerusalem], down to the Wailing Wall. And, what was really interesting is talking to young people that are, like 14, 15, 16, 17 years old. We were sitting outside with a group from Northern Ireland. So, I asked, “How’s your situation in Northern Ireland, with the Protestants and the Catholics?” So what really impressed me was the Protestant and the Catholic young men said, “Listen, this is my best friend.” I said, “Well, how does that happen in an area where there’s a lot of prejudice?”
And the young men looked at me and he said, “Coach George. We get along. We have a lot of things in common. You know what the problem is? It’s our parents’ generation. And it’s the same thing here. You know, and this situation goes on for centuries. You know, when you’re told every day that this group of people, they’re responsible for whatever situation the country is in. It’s hard to change that. And I think PeacePlayers offers a wonderful opportunity for young people to share their cultures, share their religions.
And so, at Friendship Games, we were up on a hill looking over Jerusalem, and we had music for the kids, and they were dancing and everything. And the Palestinian and Israeli young ladies told the story of how they met through PeacePlayers. And I thought that kind of just pierces your heart. To say, you know, here are two young ladies from two different cultures, and they’re best friends. It was pretty impressive to see these two young ladies, 18 or 19 years old, and the bond, the friendship that will never go away. So that’s my hope for PeacePlayers – that they can continue to go into different areas and touch the lives of these young people.
And in Northern Ireland, the conflict is similar in the way that Catholics and Protestants often go to separate schools, live in different communities, and without PeacePlayers, they wouldn’t even meet. That gives me chills. And at Friendship Games, we had them do presentations. And, you know, some of the insight that the kids had was amazing. Politicians should all listen to them.
But, you know, I hope you know the impact that PeacePlayers and different organizations are having on the youth. There might be one person, one friendship. And then one friendship can lead to 2 or 3. So, that’s basically why I do this.
What makes sport so powerful in creating trust and connection?
It’s a team sport. And anything that deals with a team you’re going to have rules, regulations, responsibilities, not only to yourself but to your teammate. So to me, being on a team has a tremendous impact. Because if you don’t like people, you can’t be on a team. That’s true. As simple as it sounds, a lot of people don’t look at it that way.
But you know, for 60 years of my life I’ve been associated with the game of basketball and I’ve been part of teams like the San Antonio Spurs. It’s a team. It’s not George Felton.
