Popovich or Duncan? Ranking the Greatest San Antonio Spurs Ever
The San Antonio Spurs have been one of the best teams in the NBA since they joined the Association in 1977. Up to 2019, the team had only missed the playoffs four times.
Since 2019, until 2026, they hadn't made it once. But an influx of youth is reminding Spurs fans of the halcyon days, days that saw three of San Antonio's four best players lead the Spurs to five NBA titles.
Here are the four icons we'd put on San Antonio's Mount Rushmore. And no, Victor Wembanyama doesn't make an appearance (...yet).
The Honorable Mentions
- Tony Parker (2001-2018)
- Manu Ginóbili (2002-2018)
- Kawhi Leonard (2011-2018)
4. Gregg Popovic (1996-2025)
Popovich could very well be No. 1 on this list and few would argue. The Spurs remain the only NBA team for which he served as head coach, doing so for 29 seasons before moving into a front-office role in 2025.
In those 29 seasons, Popovich won five NBA championships and was named NBA Coach of the Year three times. In 2022, when the NBA released its 75th Anniversary Team, it also released its list of the 15 greatest coaches in history. Popovich was on it and was elected to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame the very next year.
3. George Gervin (1973-1985)
Gervin started his career in the American Basketball Association in 1972 before making his way to San Antonio in the 1973-74 season. He stuck with the Spurs as they joined the NBA in 1976 and proceeded to finish in the top five in MVP voting in four straight years from 1978 to 1981.
Gervin led the NBA in scoring in four different seasons and tired after the 1986 season at the age of 33 when he was still starting 75 games and averaging more than 16 points per.
2. David Robinson (1987-2003)
A dominant force from the moment he entered the league, Robinson made the All-Star game in each of his first seven seasons. He won Rookie of the Year in 1990, Defensive Player of the Year in 1992, and MVP in 1995.
The Spurs captured the franchise's first NBA title in 1999 when Robinson was 33. He went on to play another four seasons, making two more All-Star Games, before he handed the reins completely over to the No. 1 player on this list.
1. Tim Duncan (1997-2016)
No sizzle. All steak. Duncan is the best NBA big man of the 2000s. For his 19-year career, "The Big Fundamental" won two MVP awards, five championships, Rookie of the Year, three NBA Finals MVPs, and was named a 15-time All-NBA selection.
It's hard to imagine many other athletes meaning more to their city's franchise than Duncan means to San Antonio.
Related: Who Are the Best NBA Coaches of All Time? Here's the Top 10
Related: The NBA's MVPs: Complete List of NBA MVP Winners and Their Stats
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 12:17 PM.