Pedro Oliveira
We present the ranking of the 5 best San Antonio Spurs players in the history of this successful NBA franchise.
With their origins during 1967 and 1970 in the American Basketball League (ABA), the Spurs have represented one of the most successful franchises from the late 1990s to the present in the modern NBA era.
Achieving 5 championships, from 1999 to the last one in 2014, San Antonio has achieved marks that could belong to a dynasty, achieving 22 consecutive seasons entering the postseason, 18 consecutive seasons with at least 50 regular season wins. It is the only team in history to win an ABA and a NBA championship, and one of the franchises with the best historical winning percentage in the North American sport.
Tony Parker
Tony Parker is one of the most important foreigners in the history of San Antonio. The Belgian-French point guard came to the NBA through the 2001 draft in the 28th position in the first round. Later, he would become one of the fundamental pieces of the Spurs in their four championships they played in the 2000s.
Parker spent 17 of his 18 NBA seasons with the Spurs franchise, averaging 15.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 1198 games played (second-highest mark on the team), and he earned 6 All-Star Game selections, 4 All-NBA quintets and the 2007 Finals MVP over LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers.
Known for his great scoring ability in the court and his lethal mid-range jumper, Parker’s No. 9 jumper was retired in 2019 when he announced his retirement from the sport.
Manu Ginóbili
It is impossible not to think of Manu when talking about the Spurs. He consolidated a 16-year career in the elite with the team, coached by Gregg Popovich, who, despite not being a Spurs player, deserves a place on this list as well.
The native of Bahia Blanca came to Texas during the 1999 draft, as the 57th pick in the second round, and before making his debut with San Antonio, he played in Italy for three years, winning several local titles and a Euroleague title along the way.
Starting in 2002, Ginóbili would become a key player for the Spurs team, having a great impact in their four championships won from 2003, against the New Jersey Nets, to 2014, against the Miami Heat.
The Argentine gave an impressive performance throughout his career, even in his senior moments, and he is considered by many to be the best Latin player in NBA history. He earned 2 All-Star Game selections, 2 All-NBA quintets and the retirement of his No. 20 by the Spurs. He averaged 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals in 1057 games played (third all-time in the franchise history). He is also the all-time leader in steals (1392), fourth in assists (4001), fifth in points (14043) and rebounds (3697).
George Gervin
The Iceman was the franchise’s most important player during its original years, and he is considered to be one of the best players in the history of basketball, being one of the most consistent scorers ever.
Gervin played 12 of his 14 professional seasons with San Antonio, even when they were still in the ABA, averaging 26.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1 block through 899 games.
He was selected 12 times to the All-Star Game, with 7 All-NBA quintets, 2 All-ABA quintets and 4 scoring championships in his career. Gervin was one of the most admired players during his time because of the smoothness and elegance of his game. He is the Spurs’ second all-time leading scorer with 23,602 points, and he is also third in rebounds, steals and blocks.
David Robinson
The Admiral, as he is known due to the time he spent at the United States Naval Academy during his college career, would become one of the best centers in NBA history and one of the most decisive players in the league during the 1990s. He was selected as the first overall pick in the 1987 draft by San Antonio, but they had to wait two years for him, as he had to fulfill his military obligations with the Naval Army. Once he stepped foot on the court, the Spurs weren’t ever going to be the same team again.
He spent 14 years averaging 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.4 steals, and 3 blocks through 987 games. These accomplishments put Robinson as the Spurs’ all-time leading player at the time, also earning one MVP award (1995), 10 All-Star Game selections, 10 All-NBA quintets, Defensive Player of the Year (1992), 8 defensive quintets, Rookie of the Year in 1990 and the organization’s first two championships in history.
Within the franchise he ranks historically for the following categories: first in free throws (6035), second in rebounds (10497), blocks (2954), and steals (1388) and third in points (20790). His career would have been longer had it not been for his chronic back problems, but Robinson’s legacy, as one of the best at his position, was cemented in NBA history. He also served as an inspiration and as a mentor to the one who would replace him as the greatest player in San Antonio history, and the next in our ranking.
Tim Duncan
Selected in the 1997 draft with the first overall pick, Duncan would immediately form a deadly duo with David Robinson, and lead the NBA’s most talented frontcourt for a couple of years, while the 6-foot-11 center from Wake Forest University took his first steps in becoming one of the most important power forwards in the league’s history.
Duncan, from the Virgin Islands, was one of the best-prepared prospects ever seen, and from his first campaign he made a monumental impact on the Spurs, averaging 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.5 blocks in 82 games during his debut season. He was selected as an All-Star for the first time and won the Rookie of the Year award without competition.
Duncan’s addition to the lineup was the necessary element for San Antonio to win its first NBA championship in 1999 against the New York Knicks, being the MVP of the Finals (the first of his three awards). In total, under Tim’s veil, the Spurs would win 5 championship rings from 1999 through 2014, and he would individually claim league MVP twice (2002 and 2003, both consecutively). As expected, Duncan was a monster in the court and under the rim, and there weren’t many who could keep up with him in scoring, defending and rebounding, as well as distributing plays for his teammates.
A born leader, he is San Antonio’s all-time leader in almost every possible statistical category. Adding to his legacy, he was selected 15 times to the All-Star Game, 15 All-NBA quintets, 15 defensive quintets (only player in history to be named to 30 quintets and all in a row). He finished his 19-year career, all with the Gregg Popovich-led franchise, averaging 19 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.2 blocks in 1392 games.
