Texas Triangle: 9 players who played for the Mavericks, Rockets, and Spurs
By Cal Durrett
Fans of the NBA no doubt knows about the Texas Triangle, consisting of the three largest cities in the state, each of which has an NBA team: the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and San Antonio Spurs. Each of those teams has had significant success throughout their history, with the Rockets, Mavericks, and Spurs having won a total of eight championships.
Not just that, but there have been numerous Hall of Famers who have spent time playing for one of the aforementioned teams, including Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone, Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Dirk Nowitzki.
Having so many stars playing in the Texas Triangle is definitely impressive but what about the players who have played for all three teams? Here are the nine players who've played for the Mavericks, Rockets, and Spurs.
9) Pops Mensah-Bonsu
One-time NBA big man Pops Mensah-Bonsu has the distinction of playing the fewest games of any player on this list. Although he played four years in the league, he played just 61 total games, which makes his trip around the Texas Triangle all the more impressive, or at least notable.
He went undrafted but broke into the league in 2006 with the Mavericks, playing 12 games that year and 22 games in 2008–09, with a season spent in oversees in between. He was then picked up by the Spurs and played three games but failed to make a lasting impact.
Mensah-Bonsu then signed with the Toronto Raptors and played a year and a half with them. That turned out to be the longest stop of his career, with him playing more than half of his career games with the Raptors. Of course, he was eventually traded to the Rockets but lasted only four games before being waived.
He returned to Toronto and finished his career in New Orleans at the age of 27 years old. That might not have been the most prolific career, but at least he is one of the nine players to ever play for the Mavericks, Rockets, and Spurs.