NBA superstar and team ‘wind down’ with Alabama director’s horror hit before Finals

How does a professional basketball team decompress after a grueling seven-game series in the NBA Western Conference Finals? For the San Antonio Spurs, the answer is a cinematic detour into terror, courtesy of an Alabama-born filmmaker.

From the Court to the Cinema

Fresh off a high-stakes Game 7 victory against the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder and two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the young Spurs squad is preparing for a new challenge. Led by 22-year-old superstar Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio has reached the NBA Finals for the first time in over a decade. Standing in their way are the New York Knicks, who are hungry for their first title in more than 50 years.

To find some focus before the series tips off tonight at 7:30 p.m. CST on ABC, Wembanyama treated his team to a screening of the breakout horror hit Obsession. The film is the work of 26-year-old Alabama filmmaker Curry Barker.

A Record-Breaking Phenomenon

The decision to relax with a horror movie may seem intense, but it mirrors the unexpected rise of both the Spurs and Barker himself. Just as Wembanyama is shattering career expectations at a young age, the Mobile, Alabama native has turned the film industry on its head.

Produced on a shoestring budget of under $1 million, Obsession has evolved into a massive cultural force. After three weeks at the box office, it has grossed more than $100 million domestically. The film’s trajectory has been nothing short of stunning, having achieved the unthinkable by increasing its gross earnings in subsequent weeks, including a 40 percent jump in its second weekend.

Humility Amidst the Hype

The film’s meteoric rise has been fueled largely by grassroots buzz across social media. While critics have compared Barker to modern horror icons like Ari Aster and Jordan Peele, the director remains grounded. Barker previously told 205focus.com that he is humbled by the response.

"I didn’t set out to make the greatest horror movie of 2026 or whatever people are calling it," Barker said. "I just wanted to make a decent movie that I would be excited to watch in the theater."