lurker23
06-25-2010, 01:44 AM
Despite not having picks high in the draft the last several years, the Spurs haven't settled for guys who were 2nd or 3rd bananas on their respective teams. Rather, the Spurs have chosen guys who were the best in their league, no matter what that league happened to be. The collection of MVPs and accolades is actually quite astonishing:
2007: #28 pick, Tiago Splitter: MVP of the Spanish Supercup tournament in both 2006 and 2007, All-Euroleague First Team for the Euroleague 2007-08 season, Spanish League MVP and Spanish League Finals MVP in 2010.
2008: #26 pick, George Hill: 2007-08 Summit League Player of the Year, 2004 was named to the prestigious Indiana All-Star Team and was named the City Player of the Year by The Indianapolis Star.
2009: #37 pick, DeJuan Blair: 2008-09 co-Big East Player of the Year, in HS was two-time AP player of the state, Pittsburgh City League Player of the year three times.
2010: #20 pick, James Anderson: 2009-10 Big XII Player of the Year, 2007 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Arkansas.
Even among NBA teams with lottery picks every year, I don't know that many (if any) other teams can boast those kind of credentials for their last 4 picks.
One only hopes that the Spurs on-the-court success when picking "the player with the most hardware" continues with Splitter and Anderson.
2007: #28 pick, Tiago Splitter: MVP of the Spanish Supercup tournament in both 2006 and 2007, All-Euroleague First Team for the Euroleague 2007-08 season, Spanish League MVP and Spanish League Finals MVP in 2010.
2008: #26 pick, George Hill: 2007-08 Summit League Player of the Year, 2004 was named to the prestigious Indiana All-Star Team and was named the City Player of the Year by The Indianapolis Star.
2009: #37 pick, DeJuan Blair: 2008-09 co-Big East Player of the Year, in HS was two-time AP player of the state, Pittsburgh City League Player of the year three times.
2010: #20 pick, James Anderson: 2009-10 Big XII Player of the Year, 2007 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Arkansas.
Even among NBA teams with lottery picks every year, I don't know that many (if any) other teams can boast those kind of credentials for their last 4 picks.
One only hopes that the Spurs on-the-court success when picking "the player with the most hardware" continues with Splitter and Anderson.