Category: Spurs History

Spurs were one of most dominant championship dynasties ever

The San Antonio Spurs were one of the best dynasties in NBA history, and they were amazing in the NBA Finals.

At the conclusion of the 1998-99 season, the San Antonio Spurs were crowned champions of the NBA. Over the course of the next 15 years, they would consistently be one of the top teams, bringing home five titles behind the talent of Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker, among others.

To this day, they are one of the winningest franchises in the history of the sport. Their five championships rank fifth among all NBA teams, behind only the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Chicago Bulls. Led by Gregg Popovich, the Spurs stood on top more often than not.

The FreeDawkins YouTube channel recently compiled a four-hour video of the Spurs’ best moments in the NBA Finals.

Duncan was at the forefront of the Spurs’ success over the years. His dominance isn’t always appreciated in the grand scheme of things, but he’s widely regarded as one of the best power forwards of all time. And yet, he’s still somehow underrated historically.

Guys like Robinson, Parker, and Ginobili were there to back him up.

Now, Victor Wembanyama is looking to lead a new generation of Spurs into the future. The rookie Frenchman has been great this year, but unfortunately, the Spurs haven’t been winning just yet. It could take a few years for them to get back to that point and even longer to get back into title form.

Wembanyama isn’t Duncan, and he never has to be, but for as long as he stays in San Antonio, he’ll have a great example to follow.

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Spurs legend Tim Duncan’s rookie season was best ever

San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan may have had the best rookie season ever.

The San Antonio Spurs are having a rough season, but the presence of Victor Wembanyama has been a bright spot. He’s not shooting particularly well from the field (or from three-point land), but his potential is clear. At his height and with his knowledge of the game, he’s set to be the face of the Spurs franchise for years to come.

Wembanyama is averaging 18.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 43.3% from the floor and 27.8% from behind the arc. The statline is incredible. However, it’s not even the best rookie season produced in Spurs history. No, that title belongs to Tim Duncan, who was not only the best San Antonio rookie ever but perhaps the best rookie ever, period.

The Bench Mob YouTube channel recently broke down why Duncan’s rookie season may have been the best in NBA history.

In his rookie year, Duncan averaged 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 54.9% from the field. He was an All-Star in his rookie year.

Duncan helped lead the Spurs to the second round of the playoffs in his rookie season, and in his sophomore year in the league, he helped them win an NBA Championship.

That said, Duncan did have the help of fellow legend and Hall-of-Famer David Robinson in his first few years, giving him a perfect co-star to help him compete.

With the numbers he put up and the level of success he found, Duncan’s rookie year may very well be the best ever.

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Former NBA Champion Metta World Peace calls Spurs legend Tim Duncan ‘greatest NBA player of all time’

Former NBA Champion Metta World Peace recently declared San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan as the GOAT.

The San Antonio Spurs have been home to lots of legends over the years. David Robinson, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and current head coach Gregg Popovich are all Hall-of-Famers. But none of them top Tim Duncan – arguably the greatest power forward of all time and one of the best to ever step foot on the hardwood.

Despite his elite play and five championships, Duncan can often be overlooked in many GOAT conversations, and one former NBA Champion recently showed him some love. Metta World Peace has been discussing his list of the best NBA players ever, and while he didn’t include Duncan initially, he mentioned him after the fact.

World Peace listed his top five players as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, and Larry Bird, but in a new tweet, he took it all back, noting that Duncan is the GOAT.

Former Spur Boris Diaw on Gregg Popovich: ‘He made us keep it real’

Spurs Wire chatted with former Spur Boris Diaw about coach Popovich, Tony Parker, and the entire San Antonio franchise.

There was plenty of love on display for the San Antonio Spurs during the 2023 enshrinement ceremony at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich was honored, along with Tony Parker, coach Becky Hammon, and Pau Gasol. The entire weekend was full of stories and praise for these members of the Spurs family, and plenty of current and former Spurs were in attendance to celebrate.

During the enshrinement event for the Class of 2023, Spurs Wire caught up with former Spur and 2014 NBA champion Boris Diaw. Diaw spent four seasons in San Antonio, and served as a key role player during the club’s 2014 title run. Diaw presently serves as the president of Metropolitans 92, Victor Wembanyama’s former club. He spoke about his time with the Spurs, coach Popovich, and fellow Frenchman Tony Parker.

“It was an amazing era.” Diaw said. “The last three Hall of Fame classes we’ve had players from the Spurs. You can see how many great people came from this great organization.”

Gregg Popovich gives hilarious and heartfelt answer when asked why he keeps returning as Spurs coach

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich delivered a classic one-liner before offering a sincere message when asked why he continues to return to the San Antonio sidelines each year.

San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Popovich has been in the NBA for a long time. His first gig in the Association was as an assistant with the Spurs in 1988. A few seasons later, he debuted as a head coach with San Antonio, and has been on the sidelines every since.

Since Popovich’s first season as a head coach was with the Spurs in 1996, and he’s been a force in the league ever since. At the time of this writing, he’s won five NBA titles, and has earned Coach of the Year honors three times. Popovich has established himself as one of the most influential and winningest coaches in NBA history. This summer, he was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, despite signing on to coach the Spurs for five more seasons just a few weeks prior.

At a press conference celebrating the Hoop Hall Class of 2023, Popovich was asked why he keeps returning to the hardwood after all of these years. He gave a classic answer.

“Money.” Popovich joked. “Money, money, money.”

Tony Parker on entering Hall of Fame with Gregg Popovich: ‘Just can’t get rid of him’

San Antonio Spurs legend Tony Parker poked fun at Gregg Popovich when discussing their simultaneous enshrinement into the 2023 Hall of Fame.

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With Tony Parker‘s and Gregg Popovich‘s induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2023 class, the San Antonio Spurs will go down as one of the greatest organizations in NBA history. In 2021, Tim Duncan was inducted, and Manu Ginobili followed him in 2022. Now, the entire core will be in the Hall together.

Parker is a four-time NBA champion, a six-time NBA All-Star, a four-time All-NBA player, and the 2007 NBA Finals MVP. And with his induction, Parker will become the first French player enshrined into the Hall of Fame. It’s an enormous honor, but Parker will have to share it.

During his press conference on Friday afternoon, Parker was asked about what it’s like to enter the Hall of Fame alongside Popovich, and he poked fun at his long-time coach.

“I just can’t get rid of him,” said Parker. “Really, you have to put Pop in the same Hall of Fame [class] as me?”

Parker spent nearly his entire career playing under Popovich, and while he made sure to crack a joke at his expense, the former point guard also spoke highly of his coach.

“Pop meant so much to me for my life and my career,” said Parker. “He was like a second dad. And at the end of the day, he threw me into the fire. After five games into the season, he was like, ‘You’re our starting point guard at 19 years old.’ And the rest is history. I feel very lucky and blessed to go in with Coach Pop.”

Now, Parker and Popovich will join Duncan and Ginobili in the Hall of Fame, cementing that era of Spurs basketball in history forever.

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2023 Basketball Hall of Fame Class: Pau Gasol’s time with Spurs

Here’s a look at Pau Gasol’s time with the San Antonio Spurs ahead of his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

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Over the years, the San Antonio Spurs have been home to plenty of legends. From David Robinson to Tim Duncan to Tony Parker to Manu Ginobili, plenty of Hall-of-Famers have passed through San Antonio. And now, with Victor Wembanyama on the roster, they have another guy who could potentially reach that peak.

And while Pau Gasol never got the chance to win championships with the Spurs, he still enjoyed a couple of successful seasons with the organization. The six-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion is set to be a part of the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame class, joining other Spurs legends such as Parker and Gregg Popovich.

So, as Gasol gets ready to be inducted, let’s reminisce on his time with the Spurs, courtesy of the team’s official YouTube channel.

And for a more in-depth look at Gasol’s time with the Spurs, here are some of his highlights from the 2017-18 season, courtesy of Mickey Mickeal on YouTube.

For more Hall of Fame content throughout the week, make sure to keep up with us here at Spurs Wire.

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2023 Basketball Hall of Fame Class: Tony Parker’s top plays with Spurs

In honor of the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame class, here are San Antonio Spurs legend Tony Parker’s top plays with the Spurs.

San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker is set to join the Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2023 class alongside current Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and former San Antonio assistant Becky Hammon. It’s a massive honor for the six-time All-Star and one that underscores what a magnificent career Parker put together in the Association.

Parker spent 17 seasons with San Antonio, earning four titles in that time, including the 2007 NBA Finals MVP award. He became an integral pillar for a dominant Spurs team alongside Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, both of whom have landed in the Hall of Fame in recent years.

The French point guard could light it up when he needed to and averaged 2.4 more points per game in the postseason. More importantly, though, he was a critical playmaker for San Antonio, giving the team’s offense structure and rhythm.

As such a prolific point guard, Parker had a number of iconic plays throughout his time with the Spurs. You can check out Tony Parker’s entire highlight package here, courtesy of the NBA’s YouTube page.

Make sure to keep tabs on Spurs Wire for updates on the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame class.

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