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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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Basketball: San Antonio Spurs Avery Johnson (6) in action vs Philadelphia 76ers Allen Iverson (3) at First Union Center. Philadelphia, PA 2/12/1999 CREDIT: Al Tielemans (Photo by Al Tielemans /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X57240 TK2 R4 F3 )
Basketball: San Antonio Spurs Avery Johnson (6) in action vs Philadelphia 76ers Allen Iverson (3) at First Union Center. Philadelphia, PA 2/12/1999 CREDIT: Al Tielemans (Photo by Al Tielemans /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X57240 TK2 R4 F3 ) /

1991, 1992-93, 1994-2001. Avery Johnson. 19. player. 29. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Free agent, Jan. 17, 1991; Free agent, Nov. 19, 1992; Unrestricted free agent, July 22, 1994.. PG

The third time was the charm when it came to Avery Johnson and the San Antonio Spurs.

The 5-foot-10 point guard played three different stints with the Spurs, finally establishing himself as their full-time floor leader the third time around.

SAS_19_JOHNSON
SAS_19_JOHNSON /

Johnson signed with San Antonio in January 1991 and finished the season with the Spurs. He made the roster to start the 1991-92 season, but was waived in December 1991.

He returned to San Antonio as a free agent in November 1992, but was unsigned over the summer and eventually joined the Golden State Warriors as a free agent in October 1993.

In July 1994, Johnson came back to the Spurs a third time as an unrestricted free agent.

This time around was different. Johnson was third in the NBA in assists in 1995-96 and helped San Antonio to its first NBA title in 1999.

In a five-game victory over the New York Knicks in the 1999 NBA Finals, Johnson put up 9.2 points, 7.2 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 39.2 minutes per game on .500/0-for-1/6-for-10 shooting.

He left the Spurs a final time to sign as a free agent with the Denver Nuggets in July 2001.

In parts of 10 seasons in San Antonio, Johnson averaged 10.1 points, 6.9 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 31.1 minutes per game, shooting .587/.161/.709.

Johnson was a JUCO transfer who played his final two seasons as Southern University in New Orleans, averaging 11.4 points and 13.3 assists per game as a senior, but was not chosen in the 1988 NBA Draft.

He played that summer in the U.S. Basketball League before landing a camp deal with the Seattle SuperSonics in August 1988. He made the roster and spent two seasons there.

Johnson was traded to the Nuggets in October 1990, but was waived in December 1990.

After being waived by San Antonio, Johnson caught on with the Houston Rockets in January 1992, first on a pair of 10-day contracts and then for the remainder of the season.

In February 2002, Johnson was traded by the Nuggets to the Dallas Mavericks.

Dallas traded him to the Warriors in August 2003, but Johnson returned to the Mavericks in September 2004, retiring in October when he was not going to make the roster and joining Don Nelson‘s staff as an assistant coach.

He is 37th in NBA history with 5,846 assists.

Johnson became Dallas’ head coach late in the 2004-05 season and was named Coach of the Year in 2005-06. He was fired after the 2007-08 season. He also spent parts of three seasons with the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets from 2010-12.

Johnson is currently the head coach at Alabama, where he was 18-15 in his first season and took the Crimson Tide to the NIT.

Next: T.C.’s Tenure Altered By Offseason Injury

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