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San Antonio Spurs: 25 Best Players To Play For The Spurs

By Phil Watson

Apr 24, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; A general view of the AT&T center before the game between the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 24, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; A general view of the AT&T center before the game between the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 7, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) takes a shot against Indiana Pacers center Ian Mahinmi (28) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan (21) takes a shot against Indiana Pacers center Ian Mahinmi (28) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

<strong>How acquired:</strong> 1st overall pick from Wake Forest, 1997 NBA Draft.. PF-C. 1997-2016. Tim Duncan. 1. player. 29

Back surgery for one franchise big man taken first overall led to the opportunity to do draft another in the same spot a decade later.

And so it was for consensus national player of the year Tim Duncan, a three-time All-American who averaged nearly 21 points and 15 rebounds per game as a senior at Wake Forest.

SAS_01_DUNCAN
SAS_01_DUNCAN /

The

San Antonio Spurs

took Duncan first overall in the 1997 NBA Draft and reaped the rewards all the way through the 2015-16 season.

Duncan was the Rookie of the Year in 1997-98, was NBA MVP in 2001-02 and 2002-03 and is a three-time NBA Finals MVP. He was also a 15-time All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection and a 14-time All-Defensive pick.

He was second in the MVP voting in 2000-01 and 2003-04, third in 1998-99, fourth in 2004-05 and 2006-07 and fifth in 1997-98 and 1999-2000—all without ever leading the league in a major category.

Duncan was fifth in the NBA in scoring in 2001-02, has finished in the top five in rebounding 10 times, placed in the top five in blocks seven times and was fourth in field-goal percentage in 1997-98.

In five NBA Finals, Duncan has averaged 20.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 blocks in 39.6 minutes per game, shooting .485/0-for-5/.716.

He put up 27.4 points and 14 rebounds per game while winning Finals MVP honors in 1999; averaged 24.2 points, 17 boards, 5.3 assists and 5.3 blocks in 2003; and averaged 20.6 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in the 2005 Finals.

Last season, a knee injury and periodic rest limited Duncan to 61 games and he averaged 8.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks in 25.2 minutes per game on .488/0-for-2/.702 shooting.

In 19 seasons in San Antonio, Duncan averaged 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 blocks in 34.0 minutes per game, shooting .506/.179/.696.

Much like his entire career, Duncan ended without a lot of fanfare, announcing his retirement on July 11, 2016. The Spurs, in a salary cap move, waived him the following day.

Next: The 30 Best Centers of All-Time

Duncan is seventh in NBA history with 1,392 games, 10th with 47,368 minutes played, sixth with 15,091 rebounds, fifth with 3,020 blocked shots, 14th with 26,496 points, 28th with an average of 10.8 rebounds per game and 19th with an average of 2.2 blocks per game.

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