'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The San Antonio Spurs are one of the most storied NBA franchises in the history of the league. They were founded in 1967, and are one of the 4 teams that remained intact after the ABA-NBA merger. They have won 5 NBA championships, in 1999, 2003,2005,2007, and most recently in 2014, and have a massive 22 divisional titles.
They have only missed the playoffs 4 times in their history and have gone to the playoffs for 20 consecutive seasons since 1997. Their front office and franchise structure has been touted as one of the best ever in modern basketball, and teams take into consideration how well this franchise been built over the span of the last 20-25 years.
They have been led by a singular president and coach in Gregg Popovich since 1996, and thus have had tremendous success. Let us look at the best San Antonio Spurs players that have played for them since 2000.
#5 Bruce Bowen (2001-2009)
Bruce Bowen was one of those players who was known for his solid defensive game and was selected to 8 consecutive All NBA defensive team of the years, apart from the 3 NBA titles to show for. His fitness levels were also undoubtedly amazing as he played almost all the games of the season, rarely missing any.
He joined the Spurs in the 2001-02 season, joining stars David Robinson and Tim Duncan in a team that had championship aspirations. His offensive numbers were not high, as he averaged a career 6.1 points per game, his highest being 8.2 points per game in the 2004-05 season. He is one of those players to whom statistics do not do justice as he did not have good numbers, but his minutes with the Spurs were always at a consistent 30+ per game.
With other stars to take on the offensive load, he knew his task was to keep the defenders from scoring, and he did his job really well. He became the prototype for a typical 3 and D wing player, his 44% from beyond the arc in the 2002-03 season was the highest in the league, and he has the second highest 3s made in franchise history as well.
#4 Manu Ginobili (2002-2018)
Manu Ginobili is probably one of the most underrated players in NBA history and the typical example of how the statistics of a player do not define his career. He is one of most loved characters in the league and retired in 2018, spending his whole NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs. He was drafted 57th in the 2nd round of the 1999 draft but he joined the Spurs only in the 2002-03 season.
He only got better as he progressed and had a career year in 2007-08 when he averaged 19.5 points per game, along with 4.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game too. He played a major role in the playoffs as well, leading the Spurs to their 4th NBA title.
He has won a huge number of honours: he is a 4 time NBA champion, 2 time NBA All Star, NBA 6th man of the Year, 2 time All NBA 3rd team nominee. He was one of the most clutch players ever, coming up with the goods whenever the Spurs needed him the most, and this puts him at the #4 spot.
#3 Tony Parker (2001-2018)
Tony Parker has been one of the most consistent point guards in the history of NBA. In his stint with the Spurs, Parker won 4 NBA championships, won the NBA finals MVP in 2007, and is a 6 time NBA All Star, a 3 time All NBA second team nominee and a All NBA third time nominee as well.
He played for the Spurs all his career until this season, where he moved to the Charlotte Hornets as a free agent. He has consistently improved from his rookie season to the 2007-08 season, where he won the finals MVP, averaging 18.8 points per game, along with 6 assists a game as well. He is not only a star on the offensive end but his work rate on the defense has earned him a lot of plaudits.
His 2 way game has been decisive in pushing him into talks of being in the top 10 point guards of all time, handling the ball and the Spurs during their most prosperous time.
#2 Kawhi Leonard (2011-2018)
Kawhi Leonard has been the San Antonio Spurs' most recent superstar and was considered the type of player that was perfect for the Spurs: a superb 2 way player, a 3 and D wing that had an amazing offensive game and was just as good, if not better, on the defensive end. He earned himself the nickname "the Klaw".
He was drafted by the Indiana Pacers as the 15th pick in the 2011 draft but was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. His rookie season and consequent two seasons were not great as he was dealing with niggling injuries and slowly was improving. He exploded in the 2013-14 season, leading the Spurs from the front with his superb shooting numbers and amazing defensive work.
They faced the Miami Heat in the finals and beat them in a 5 game series, with Kawhi Leonard winning the NBA finals MVP. He was the 3rd youngest player to win it, and the first since Chauncey Billups to win it and not be a part of the All Star team. From then, his game only got better and he won the defensive player of the year in 2014-15, but could not lead the Spurs to another NBA title.
He is a 3 time NBA All Star, a 2 time All NBA First team selection, 2 time NBA defensive player of the year. If he had not had a falling out with the Spurs and been traded away, he would have had a shot at becoming the best Spurs player in the modern era.
#1 Tim Duncan (1997-2016)
Tim Duncan was one of the best players to ever grace the basketball court and is widely considered as one of the greatest power forwards in modern era.
He played his entire 19 year career with the San Antonio Spurs and is a 5 time NBA champion, a 3 time NBA finals MVP, a 2 time NBA MVP, a 15 time NBA All Star, a 10 time All NBA first team selection, 8 time All NBA defensive first team, NBA rookie of the year and a 7 time All NBA defensive second team.
He has career averages of 19 points per game, along with 10.8 rebounds and 3 assists per game. He was also an excellent rim protector and averaged 2.3 blocks per game in his career. He is probably a top 10 player of all time, and words cannot put how good his career was with the Spurs, and he takes the #1 spot for the best Spurs player not just in the 2000s, but probably in their history.
