San Antonio Spurs: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history
By Simon Shortt
10. Johnny Dawkins (PG) — No. 10 pick in 1986 NBA Draft
Career stats (with the Spurs): 178 GP, 13.0 PPG, 5.6 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 45.8 FG%, 86.1 FT%
The San Antonio Spurs were an average team when Johnny Dawkins was selected 10th overall in 1986. Having just finished their second losing season in the last three years, they were looking toward the future of their franchise.
With their starting point guard Johnny Moore suffering from a rare illness during the 1985-86 campaign and never fully getting back to form, the Spurs selected Dawkins to be their next point guard. Dawkins had averaged 19.2 points and 4.2 assists per game in his time at Duke, including a trip to the national championship game his senior year. The lefty seemed like a perfect fit to come in and help the team get back to its glory days — and then some.
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Dawkins spent his rookie year as a backup playing 20.8 minutes a game, but appeared in 81 contests and averaged 10.3 points and 3.6 assists per game. In his second year he broke out to the tune of 15.8 points and 7.4 assists as the starter in 61 of the 65 games he appeared in.
Unfortunately, Dawkins’ departure came as swiftly as his arrival. After an injury-plagued third season, the former Blue Devil was traded for veteran point guard Maurice Cheeks from the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer before the 1989 season. With David Robinson’s impending rookie season, Spurs brass decided to make a few win-now moves, and moving on from Johnny Dawkins was included.
But no matter how short-lived his tenure, Dawkins proved to be one of the brightest and more talented players the Spurs had ever drafted. And since his selection led to the eventual acquiring of Rod Strickland (Cheeks was traded for Strickland just sixth months after his arrival), who had a good run with the Spurs, Dawkins continued to give even beyond his departure from the team.