San Antonio Spurs: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history
By Simon Shortt
4. Tony Parker (PG) — No. 28 pick in 2001 NBA Draft
Career stats (with the Spurs): 1,143 GP, 16.2 PPG, 5.8 APG, 2.8 RPG, 49.3 FG%, 75.3 FT%
Tony Parker joined the San Antonio Spurs at the age of 19 but was immediately given the keys to the car. He started at point guard in 72 games as a rookie, helping the team get to a 58-24 record and into the second round of the postseason. His 9.2 points and 4.3 assists a night earned him All-Rookie First team honors and he continued to shine in the playoffs with 15.5 points and 4.0 assists per game.
What might have been even more impressive was his ability to take care of the ball. Only two other rookies in NBA history have started 70+ games and averaged four or more assists with two or less turnovers: Nick Van Exel and Chris Duhon.
Gregg Popovich was willing to give the young rookie the reins after the Spurs had a point guard by committee the season before. Terry Porter, Avery Johnson and Antonio Daniels all played at least 21 minutes a game, and each started at least a quarter of the season. In Parker’s rookie year, Johnson was no longer with the team and Porter started playing less than 20 minutes a night.
For as good as Tim Duncan was in all his years with the Spurs, Parker was often the head of the snake. His quickness, agility and ability to get to the rim at will was what got San Antonio’s offense going night in and night out.
Over the next seven years (2002-09) he averaged 17.8 points and 5.8 assists a night and shot 50 percent from the field, with his best year coming in 2008-09 when he averaged 22.0 points and 6.9 assists per game. In this time he went to three All-Star games, had one All-NBA Third Team selection and three championships.
His production continued in the postseason, but no year was more important than in 2006-07 when the Spurs won their fourth championship and Parker was named Finals MVP. That year he averaged 20.8 points and 5.8 assists per game, and in the Finals posted a team-high 24.5 points per game.
Over the next six years it was more of the same for Parker, averaging 17.2 points and 6.0 assists from 2009-15. In that time he made it to three more All-Star games and was named to three All-NBA Second Teams. His production in the playoffs never wavered either, averaging 18.3 points and 5.7 assists per game on the way to another NBA championship.
Entering the 2015-16 season, Parker was going into his 15th year in the league at age 33. With “The Big Three” era reaching its twilight and Kawhi Leonard becoming the team’s best player, Parker started his “decline.”
In these last two years he’s averaged 11.1 points and 4.9 assists per game, still running the team’s offense but letting others carry more of the load. Although until his injury knocked him out of the postseason this year, he proved he still has plenty left in the tank, averaging 15.9 points per game as the team’s No. 2 to Leonard.
Tony Parker has stated his career is not over yet. After undergoing successful surgery this summer, the point guard plans on going for 20 years with the Spurs. Whether he makes it there or not, Parker will remain a top-five player in franchise history…but maybe another ring and brilliant playoff performance can bump him up the list a little.