Subscribe
Follow Us
The San Antonio Spurs were blessed with a dynasty in the late 1990s until the mid-'10s dedicated around star power forward Tim Duncan, who contributed to five NBA championship teams.
That being said, Duncan isn't the only talented power forward in San Antonio's franchise history.
Here are the five best power forwards in Spurs history.
5. Matt Bonner
Matt Bonner, a.k.a. the “Red Rocket,” holds a special place on Spurs fans' hearts. The 6-foot-10 power forward/center was a stretch big who spent 10 seasons in San Antonio, first arriving in 2006-07 in the summer before via trade with the Toronto Raptors.
Bonner was a key off-the-bench piece for the Spurs for a decade during their late-dynasty years, winning two championships with the south central Texas club. He led the league in 3-point percentage in 2010-11 and provided fans memorable moments coming off the pine for a decade for head coach Gregg Popovich's team.
4. Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman only spent a pair of seasons with the Spurs, arriving via trade from the Detroit Pistons in his post–”Bad Boys” franchise destination, and was a helpful compatriot in the frontcourt with All-Star and MVP center David Robinson.
Dennis was a menace on the boards, averaging 17.1 rebounds per game in his two seasons in San Antonio—leading the league in a feat in which he was the best in the NBA in rebounding for seven straight years.
Rodman, Robinson, and the Rockets fell to the eventual-champion Houston Rockets in six games in the Western Conference Finals in 1995—San Antonio's best chance at a chip in the pre–Tim Duncan era.
3. Robert Horry
There's a good argument that Rodman was a better individual player than this man, but it's difficult to argue with rings. Robert Horry—already a five-time NBA champion with the Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, joined the Spurs following the franchise's second title win and spent the final five seasons in the league in San Antonio.
Article Continues Below
“Big Shot Rob” would win two more titles with the Spurs, mostly coming off the bench for Duncan and providing a stable veteran who knew how to win in the most clutch situations for Popovich and the coaching staff.
Horry only averaged 4.7 points and 3.4 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per game in his five years in the regular season with the Spurs, but he was a part of maintaining a championship-caliber dynasty team and had an unforgettable Game 5 performance in the second half of the 2005 NBA Finals.
2. LaMarcus Aldridge
Perhaps a bit controversial given vitriol he has received from select fans, but LaMarcus Aldridge is one of the most talented power forwards in Spurs history and surely one of the best power forwards in the game today.
Aldridge signed a four-year, $80 million deal as a free agent before the 2015-16 season after nine seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. A five-time All-Star, the 6-foot-11 power forward has since earned two more All-Star selections with the Spurs, averaging 19.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in 355 appearances over the last four-plus seasons.
Much like in the vein of the next and last entrant, Aldridge has moved between power forward and center, relating the successful messaging and powerful urgency longtime coach Gregg Popovich has bene able to convey while at the top post with the Spurs.
1. Tim Duncan
Anybody else would simply be trolling. Tim Duncan is the Spurs, in many ways, and helped define a generation and a half of Spurs basketball under Popovich's tutelage. The five-time champion, two-time NBA MVP, 15-time MVP, and now first-ballot Hall of Famer had a heckuva history in San Antonio. The prize of earning the top pick in the 1997 draft, Duncan's calm presence in the paint and competitive edge on both sides of the court was only rivaled by the sheer teamwork and camaraderie expressed by past Spurs teams.
In his first 17 NBA seasons, Duncan averaged 19.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game. Duncan owns the franchise record in games played, minutes played, points, rebounds, and blocks, and many more. “The Big Fundamental” will live on for eons as the dutiful face of the franchise with plenty of bling to make up for his introverted personality.
