Nowadays, the San Antonio Spurs are often linked to Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, the international Big 3, and organizational success. But the Spurs have been around since long before they became a hub for international players and set the standard for a world-class franchise. The Spurs have come a long way to become the team they’re nowadays. From their days as the Dallas Chaparrals and Texas Chaparrals in the ABA to the NBA Finals and featuring multiple Hall of Famers, it’s been a wild ride for the Texan franchise.
And even though the current status of the team may not be encouraging or bringing a lot of fans to the arena, one should know better by now. The Spurs always bounce back. That’s why today, we’re going to walk you through the long and winding history of one of the best in the game and the only former ABA team ever to win an NBA championship: The San Antonio Spurs.
The ABA Days
As we already mentioned, the Spurs franchise was actually born as the Dallas Chaparrals. The team was founded in 1967 to join the American Basketball Association (ABA) for the league’s inaugural season. Needless to say, they didn’t find too much success under player/coach Cliff Hagan during the first couple of seasons.
An empty arena didn’t bring much money, either. The concept of an American professional basketball team wasn’t as luxurious as it’s nowadays, so the team struggled to get by and didn’t raise much interest in the community. They tried to rebrand the team ‘Texas Chaparrals’ in 1970 to bring in more fans to their games, playing in multiple arenas across the state. Unfortunately, that didn’t work, either, so they were forced to head back to San Antonio in almost no time.
Arriving In San Antonio
Despite a revamped momentum on the court in their third season, the team couldn’t sell out the arena to save their life. The team’s physical defense helped them become a bit of a powerhouse in the ABA, but with no fans to show for it, most predicted they would fold sooner rather than later. The owners wanted no part of that and refused to invest in the team and were hesitant to continue with their latest endeavor. That forced their hand to sell the franchise to either El Paso or San Antonio.
There, a group of San Antonio Businessmen led by Red McCombs, John Schaefer, and mostly Angelo Drossos saw this as the perfect opportunity to enter the basketball world, moving the team to San Antonio with the a clause that stated an intention to buy it after three seasons. The San Antonio businessmen agreed to move the team back to Dallas if they didn’t purchase it at the end of that lease agreement, but that never happened.
The team was supposed to be named San Antonio Gunslingers. However, they changed it to Spurs at the eleventh hour and that name never saw the light of day. They also decided to go through a full rebrand, changing their signature colors from the American flag to the black, white, and silver we still see nowadays. It was the beginning of the modern Spurs franchise as they looked to translate their success on the court to more revenue off it.
Led by their physical defense, the reborn Spurs dominated the regular season upon George Gervin’s arrival. He was a frenetic scorer like few in the league and one of the most spectacular players basketball had seen at the time and led them to their first playoff berth under this new name. That success brought over 6,000 fans to the arena night in and night out, all but proving that they had found a new home. The rebrand was a success.
No longer sinking financially and with a newfound explosive offensive philosophy, the team still struggled to find any sort of playoff success. Despite being heavily favored by most, they couldn’t get to the second round of the playoffs. Nevertheless, their attendance numbers and the on-court show made the up-and-coming NBA set their eyes on the franchise.
So, for the 1976 season, the ABA and NBA finally merged, and the Spurs, joined by the New York Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Denver Nuggets made the most of the chance to lure stars from folding ABA franchises. The Spurs managed to land former Kentucky Colonels stars Louie Dampier, but the deal had serious financial implications for their first years in the NBA.
Entering The NBA
The gaudy attendance figures for their home games were fairly justified on the court. George Gervin was a one-man show and led them to fourth place in the Eastern Conference in their first season in the NBA. Still, ABA teams struggled to compete with their rivals, as they didn’t get an equal share of TV revenues or draft picks.
But as it had happened in the ABA days, Gervin’s scoring outbursts weren’t enough to get the job done in the postseason. He did manage to lead them to five division titles and even the Conference Finals against the Washington Bullets in 1979, but that would be the furthest they’d go in their first two decades in the league. Eventually, they were moved to the Western Conference, but with no different outcome in the playoffs, especially in a league dominated by the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers.
A Dark Era
In 1985, The Spurs realized that being a perennial playoff team wasn’t good enough. They needed to rebuild, so they traded Gervin to the Chicago Bulls. As expected, that took a massive toll on the team’s ability to compete at the highest level, leading to losing seasons and a major drop in attendance.
Things went south so drastically that league officials speculated whether the franchise would be forced to relocate. Then, in 1987, the Spurs won the NBA Draft lottery for the first time in franchise history, an event that would mark the start of one of the most iconic dynasties this game has ever seen.
The Spurs used that pick to land David Robinson. However, they’d have to wait another two seasons before The Admiral could join them, as he was fully committed to serving in the United States Navy. Red McCombs became the team’s full-time owner and needed Robinson to rescue the franchise before it was too late.
The Admiral To The Rescue: David Robinson Touchs Base In San Antonio
David Robinson made an immediate impact on Larry Brown’s team, helping the Spurs compete right away. Joined by Terry Cummings and fellow rookie Sean Elliott, they led the franchise to an impressive 56-26 record just one year after having the worst record in their young history, winning their first division title in seven seasons.
The Admiral proved why everybody was so high on him coming out of the Navy, earning unanimous Rookie of the Year honors after scoring 24.3 points with 12.9 boards per game. But as great as the team was in the regular season, they continued to stumble upon better rivals come playoff time.
Their constant underperformance in the postseasons led to Larry Brown’s firing. Bob Bass took over midseason in 1991 and the Spurs made the playoffs, but Robinson wasn’t healthy and the outcome was the same as every year. Then, a desperate McCombs hired Jerry Tarkanian out of UNLV to become their next coach, but he was fired after just 20 games.
The Spurs’ coaching gig became a revolving door and no one seemed to be able to get them over the hump in the playoffs, regardless of Robinson’s dominance on both ends of the floor. Frustration grew within the front office, up to the point that Red McCombs sold the team for just $75 million.
In 1994, Bob Hill took over for the new-look Spurs, with Dennis Rodman also on the team. They had the best record in the league at 62-20 and Robinson was named MVP and looked like a sure thing to make the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Unfortunately, they couldn’t stop Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets, who would go on to win the NBA championship.
That postseason failure led to a bit of a feud between Rodman and Robinson, with the former eventually being traded to the Chicago Bulls to join Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen en route to three NBA championships. The Spurs, on the other hand, slowly began to fade with an often-injured Robinson and wound up winning just 20 games that season, leading to Gregg Popovich’s appointment as their coach. However, even though it seemed like a disaster, that season marked the beginning of a new era in San Antonio and league history, as the Spurs won the NBA Draft lottery and were able to draft Tim Duncan first overall.
Tim Duncan And The Twin Towers
Now with a healthy Robinson and the budding Tim Duncan, the Spurs ‘Twin Towers’ wroke havoc all around the league. They could both get their own in the offensive end while also playing lockdown defense all over the paint. Duncan stepped over right away with 21 points and nearly 12 boards per game in his rookie season, helping them win 56 games. The Spurs, however, once again fell in the postseason.
It wouldn’t take long before the new duo finally led the team to the top. The 1998-99 shortened season saw them win 37 out of 50 possible games, boasting the best record in the Association. They crushed their rivals in the playoffs with an 11-1 postseason record to meet Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, with Duncan earning Finals MVP honors after a dominant 4-1 Spurs series win.
Entering the campaign as defending champions, the Spurs were once again the team to beat in the West. Nonetheless, Duncan’s knee injury all but doomed their hopes in the postseason. Still, there was something special brewing in San Antonio, and the building of their new arena helped them bring in even more fans. Unfortunately, they failed to reach the ultimate stage again until 2002.
David Robinson announced that the 2002-03 campaign would be his last, so the Spurs looked to make a big push in his farewell season. Sophomore PG Tony Parker slid to the starting lineup, while unknown foreign star Manu GinΓ³bili was going to make his NBA debut after being drafted in 1999. The Spurs also welcomed sharpshooter Steve Kerr, defensive standouts Stephen Jackson and Bruce Bowen, and Danny Ferry.
Popovich’s team struggled early in the season and some claimed he was on the hot seat, boating a 19-13 record before the Rodeo Road Trip. Then, they won eight of their next nine games and wound up winning 60 games, with Tim Duncan winning back-to-back MVP awards. The Spurs had little trouble reaching the Western Conference Finals and made the NBA Finals again, this time against the New Jersey Nets. They won in six games, Duncan won his second Finals MVP, and Robinson retired as an NBA champion.
The Big 3 Era: One Of The Deadliest Trios In NBA History
Despite early skepticism about how the San Antonio Spurs would fare without Robinson, Popovich’s squad went back to its winning ways right away. The trio of Duncan, Paker, and Ginobili had the league in shambles and the addition of 3-and-D specialist Robert Horry also had plenty to do with their post-Robinson success, although they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs.
Next season would grant them the crown again. They sat at a 25-6 record by New Year’s eve and Glenn Robinson’s addition gave them the sharpshooter they needed to get over the hump. They dominated the Western Conference and got past the league’s best Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals. Then, they met the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals in an epic, back-and-forth series marked by the elite, physical defense. The Pistons took them to seven games, but a 25-point performance by Tim Duncan shift the scale in the Spurs’ favor and gave him his third Finals MVP award.
Winners of three rings in seven seasons, the Spurs were considered a dynasty already. They kept the foot on the gas in the 2005-06 campaign, adding Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley to a championship-winning core. They dominated the Southwest Division again and won a franchise record of 63 games. Unfortunately, they would lose to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs.
But in what had become a trend, the Spurs vowed vengeance for next season. In 2006-07, they got off to a slow start, yet dominated at will when they found their grove. They crushed the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, and Utah Jazz en route to facing LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Led by Tony Parker, the Spurs swept the Cavs to win their fourth title and become the first European player to win the award.
The Spurs kept on being one of the most dominant teams in the league, yet they constantly fell short of the ultimate stage again. Even so, the trio of Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker would go on to win 575 regular season games and 126 playoff games together. Also, they helped the team win 50+ games in 14 straight seasons, as well as clinch a playoff berth in 16 consecutive years.
Kawhi Leonard Takes The Torch
The Spurs traded for Kawhi Leonard in the 2011 NBA Draft. He was a defensive specialist and not much of an offensive factor, which is why it was surprising to see them trading George Hill for him. Leonard didn’t make much of an impact early in his career, but time would eventually prove Popovich was right about him.
It had been a while since Duncan’s team had reached the ultimate stage. Then, in 2013 and despite concerns about their age, they made the NBA Finals again. Unfortunately for them, LeBron James would get his revenge once and for all, as the Heat managed to orchestrate one of the most epic series comebacks ever to beat the Spurs in seven games.
Popovich acknowledged that the loss, the first at that stage in franchise history, really stung them. The Spurs vowed vengeance and became obsessed with making the Finals again. They faced the Heat’s Big 3 again and beat the odds by taking them down in just five games. Kawhi Leonard earned Finals MVP honors for his defense on LeBron and proved that he could become the team’s focal point going forward.
The Spurs, still with their veterans, reshaped their offense to run through Kawhi. He developed and quickly rose as one of the league’s best two-way players. They also traded for All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, while Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili’s roles started to take a dip. Duncan retired in 2016, leaving the franchise in Leonard’s hands.
Even without Duncan, the Spurs looked like the only team that could stop the up-and-coming Golden State Warriors, but Leonard suffered an injury that would mark the end of his time in San Antonio. Leonard’s camp didn’t like the way the Spurs handled the injury, leading to a lengthy absence and the eventual desire to be traded. That 2018 season would also see Parker leave the team to sign with the Charlotte Hornets and Manu Ginobili announcing his retirement to put the last nail in the dynasty’s coffin.
The Post-Kawhi Days
The Kawhi Leonard trade left the NBA and the Spurs franchise in shambles. They got a very good player in return in DeMar DeRozan and still had LaMarcus Aldridge, but they still had lost the best two-way player in the league. As expected, the Spurs still fought for a playoff berth in the Western Conference, but struggled to keep up with other powerhouses like the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Los Angeles Clippers. Also, both Aldridge and DeRozan seemed unhappy under Popovich’s system and failed to lead the team to success.
The Spurs tried to keep up with a Western Conference that was only getting better by the day. They lacked the up-tempo, three-point happy offense that most teams featured nowadays, and playing stout defense wasn’t enough to keep them in contention night in and night out. The dynasty was no more and Popovich’s postseason record was in serious jeopardy.
Eventually, in 2021 and after years of failed playoff stints, DeRozan, Aldridge, and Patty Mills left as free agents, leaving the franchise in Dejounte Murray’s hands. Murray blossomed into a two-way star and even got an All-Star nod, but it wasn’t enough to keep a team full of young players to the postseason. It was clear the Spurs needed a new direction to get back to their winning ways.
What Does The Future Hold For The Spurs?
Things are likely to get worst before they get better for the Spurs. They traded their All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks, all but dooming their chances of making the playoffs any time soon. Instead, the Spurs will turn to young, budding players like Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Joshua Primo. They’re likely to keep offloading veteran players and absorbing other NBA teams’ salaries to gather picks.
The Spurs want to get younger and better and tanking is the way to go for small-market teams. San Antonio Spurs fans may not be used to this strategy. But they’ll have no other choice but to trust Gregg Popovich again as they’ve always done, and it’s not like they’ve done wrong in the NBA Draft lottery. The only two times they had the first overall pick, they landed David Robinson and Tim Duncan.
Gregg Popovich isn’t getting any younger and he knows that the end of his tenure in charge of the team is likely coming to an end. But he wants the transition to be as smooth as possible and leave the team in good hands once he decides that enough is enough. That could happen as early as the 2023-24 season, or he could shock the world and continue to build on his NBA record as the longest-tenured coach in league history.
Who’ll take the torch? Fortunately, they have no shortage of options for potential successors. Assistant coach Becky Hammon could become the first female head coach in NBA history. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili have also been rumored to be candidates to take on a coaching job eventually. If not, Popovich’s coaching tree runs deep in the league, with Quin Snyder, Brett Brown, James Borrego, Ime Udoka, Mike Budenholzer, Monty Williams, Taylor Jenkins, Doc Rivers, Steve Kerr, and Mike Brown all tied to him one way or another.
Whoever takes over, it’s clear that Popovich is one of the most brilliant masterminds in basketball history. His tough love and tight-lipped style helped him build a winning, team-first kind of culture that multiple franchises have tried to replicate not only in basketball but in all sports. So, even if things get tough for the San Antonio Spurs in years to come, fans can only be grateful for how he managed to turn a modestly successful team into a standard for success and win five NBA championships.
San Antonio Spurs: Every Coach In Franchise History
- Cliff Hagan (1968-70): 109-90 (.548%)
- Max Williams (1970-71): 28-32 (.467%)
- Bill Blakeley (1971-71): 25-40 (.385%)
- Tom Nissalke (1972-75): 105-91 (.536%)
- Dave Brown (1973-73): 4-8 (.333%)
- Babe McCarthy (1973-73): 24-38 (.333%)
- Bob Bass (1975-92): 143-108 (.570%)
- Doug Moe (1977-80): 177-135 (.567%)
- Stan Albeck (1981-83): 153-93 (.622%)
- Morris McHone (1984-84): 11-20 (.355%)
- Colton Fitzsimmons (1985-86): 76-88 (.463%)
- Bob Weiss (1987-88): 59-105 (.360)
- Larry Brown (1989-92): 153-131 (.539%)
- Rex Hughes (1993-93): 1-0 (1.000%)
- Jerry Tarkanian (1993-93): 11-9 (.450%)
- John Lucas (1993-94): 94-49 (.657%)
- Bob Hill (1995-97): 124-58 (.681%)
- Gregg Popovich (1997-present): 1344-701 (.657%)
Every NBA Finals In San Antonio Spurs History
- 1999: 4-1 win vs. New York Knicks
Finals MVP: Tim Duncan
This was the first title in franchise history. The Twin Towers combined to average over 43 points, 25 rebounds, and five blocks per game to dominate Patrick Ewing down low. It was a defensive-oriented, physical series with neither team topping the 100-point mark in any of the five games. The Knicks threatened to make it a series by taking the third game to bounce back from a 2-0 deficit, but Tim Duncan led the Spurs past Jeff Van Gundy’s team in the following matchups.
- 2003: 4-2 win vs. New Jersey Nets
Finals MVP: Tim Duncan
Even though the Nets had two of the league’s most prominent players in Kenyon Martin and Jason Kidd, Tim Duncan was in the midst of the best season of his career, becoming an unstoppable force on both ends of the floor. He had two 20+ rebound performances throughout the six-game series, led both teams in boards in every game, and was also the leading scorer in five of the six games as well. Kidd would have to wait a little longer before winning his first and only NBA championship.
- 2005: 4-3 win vs. Detroit Pistons
Finals MVP: Tim Duncan
Back in the day, the Pistons were the only team that could’ve matched up defensively against the Spurs. They were physical, strong, and pesky, and vowed to make things tough for Duncan inside the restricted area. The momentum of the series swung back and forth, and the Pistons put them against the ropes more often than not. Duncan led the playoffs in both points and rebounds and managed to put up 25 points against perennial DPOY candidate Ben Wallace in the title-clinching game. He became the fourth player to win at least 3 Finals MVPs, joining Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O’Neal.
- 2007: 4-0 win vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Finals MVP: Tony Parker
LeBron James showed that he was destined for greatness by leading a subpar Cavaliers team to the Finals in just his fourth season in the league. Nonetheless, Popovich’s team was just too experienced, too talented, and too well-coached for them to stand a chance. James led the series in points and assists, yet the San Antonio Spurs still swept them. Tony Parker averaged 24.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game on 56% from the floor and 51% from three-point range to clinch Finals MVP honors.
- 2013: 4-3 loss vs. Miami Heat
Finals MVP: LeBron James
The San Antonio Spurs were pretty close to clinching their fifth title in franchise history. They were up five points with under 30 seconds left to play. Then, the Heat managed to tie the game with a miracle corner three by Ray Allen after an offensive rebound. Erik Spoelstra‘s team held on and tied the series in overtime after many of their fans had already left the arena. With all momentum on their side, the Heat dominated in Game 7, and the Spurs lost an NBA Finals series for the first and only time in their history.
- 2014: 4-1 win vs. Miami Heat
Finals MVP: Kawhi Leonard
Gregg Popovich’s team came back stronger than ever next season. They were obsessed with the idea of getting back to the ultimate stage and beating the Heat’s Big 3. The Spurs’ dominant defense and Kawhi Leonard’s surprising surge helped them outwork the Heat on both ends of the floor, taking home the win in just five games. Leonard averaged 17.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game and played some impressive defense on LeBron down the stretch.
San Antonio Spurs Franchise Records:
- Minutes: Tim Duncan (47,368)
- Games Played: Tim Duncan (1,392)
- Points: Tim Duncan (26,496)
- Field Goals: Tim Duncan (10,285)
- Triples: Manu Ginobili (1,495)
- Free Throws: David Robinson (6,035)
- Rebounds: Tim Duncan (15,091)
- Assists: Tony Parker (6,829)
- Blocks: Tim Duncan (3,020)
- Steals: Manu Ginobili (1,392)
- Rings: Tim Duncan (5)
- Fouls: Tim Duncan (3,304)
- Turnovers: Tim Duncan (3,381)
- Triple-Doubles: Dejounte Murray (17)
- Wins As A Coach: Gregg Popovich (1,344)
