The San Antonio Spurs have been one of the most successful teams in the NBA the past two decades. The franchise has made it to the playoffs in 19 consecutive seasons and have won five championships along the way.
But in a recent research don by HoopsHype, their run of success does not only end in the NBA. Having international players in their lineup also helped them become the only team in the NBA today with at least one champion in other major basketball competitions including the Olympics, Euroleague, World Cup and NCAA.
“In our latest research, we looked up the number of champions in five major basketball competitions (NBA, Olympics, World Cup, Euroleague and NCAA) on league rosters right now. Some interesting takeaways: There’s only one NBA team with at least one champion in each of those five competitions. You will not be surprised to know that squad is the mighty San Antonio Spurs.”
Their shooting guard and Argentinian basketball hero, Manu Ginobili, is one of only two players in history to have won an NBA championship, a Euroleague title (2001) and an Olympic Gold Medal, which his country won in 2004. Spanish big man Pau Gasol won the 2006 World Cup and Danny Green won the NCAA championship while playing for North Carolina in 2009.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have players who have won four of the championships but do not have a Euroleague winner in their roster.
The accomplishments the Spurs' players have are all very difficult to achieve and so is having them play in one team, which shows how good their management is in building a winner. Being the only team in the NBA with players winning a championship in major basketball competitions, only proves that San Antonio is worthy to be called the City of Champions.
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