PtR Survey: Probably the most underrated and overrated Spurs of all time

Welcome again to the PtR Survey, the place we’re following a web-based development the place followers are voting on gamers from their workforce to fill out a grid just like the one under. We began with the Greatest and Worst Spurs of all time and got here to 2 unsurprising solutions.

There’s little doubt in anybody’s thoughts that Tim Duncan, who gained a whopping 93% of the votes, is the perfect to ever don the Silver and Black — having gained 5 championships, 3x Finals MVP, 2x MVP, 15x All-NBA and 15x All-Protection — however there was a little bit of debate over what really defines the “worst” participant. Nonetheless, ultimately, Joshua Primo gained with a comparatively comfy 47% of the vote. Picked twelfth general in 2021 — nicely forward of the place anybody else had him — he confirmed some promise as a rookie and gained over followers together with his potential and cheery perspective earlier than being all of a sudden waived early in his second season for lascivious habits. It doesn’t get a lot worse than that.

Subsequent comes a barely extra sophisticated (in my view) matter: essentially the most underrated and overrated Spurs of all time. For underrated, it was exhausting for me to look previous how neglected a few of the Spurs’ stars had been (and nonetheless are). There’s the Spurs’ unique star in George “the Iceman” Gervin. It might have helped had his whole profession been within the NBA as an alternative of cut up with the ABA, however he’s nonetheless an all-time nice who is commonly neglected in trendy days.

Then there’s two of the Spurs newer stars in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. They had been by no means underrated by Spurs followers, however they usually gave the impression to be neglected from the surface (except it matches the narrative to prop them up as a result of somebody is making an attempt to assert Duncan is overrated — humorous how that works). The truth that neither made the seventy fifth Anniversary Staff appeared wildly disrespectful, particularly when some who did get in over them.

Lastly, I attempted to incorporate a task participant in right here, and I went with one who I believe was underrated even by Spurs followers: Tiago Splitter. Many simply keep in mind the Spurs shifting Boris Diaw to the beginning lineup for the ultimate two rounds of the 2014 playoffs and take that to imply Splitter wasn’t adequate. Quite the opposite, this was only a matchup transfer, and lots of overlook how vital he was within the first two rounds towards the taller Mavericks and Path Blazers, whereas Diaw couldn’t match up with their beginning bigs.

For many overrated, now we have gamers who got here in anticipating to assist the Spurs proceed their successful methods however both didn’t contribute as a lot as anticipated or couldn’t even maintain them within the successful class. First are a few gamers within the former class: LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan. Each noticed success as stars on different groups, however that was after they had been extra just like the 1b’s on their former groups and had extra star assist. Whereas each got practically unattainable duties to switch massive names (Duncan and Kawhi Leonard, respectively), it’s most likely value contemplating that Aldridge got here on his personal volition, whereas DeRozan had no selection.

Subsequent is somebody who was being clamored for within the “worst” class: Richard Jefferson. Whereas removed from the worst Spur ever, he actually got here in with a lot greater expectations than he delivered. A few of that may be blamed on Gregg Popovich for making an attempt to show somebody who had been the primary or second possibility earlier than his arrival into merely a 3-and-D participant, however he nonetheless vastly underwhelmed.

In flip, he was traded for somebody who most likely overrates himself greater than something: Stephen Jackson. Whereas Jax contributed a lot as a task participant to the 2003 championship, he then left hoping to be the highest canine elsewhere. As a substitute, he ended up being a journeyman due behavioral and perspective points, however everybody was nonetheless initially thrilled to have him again in San Antonio in 2012, together with himself. Nevertheless, he quickly alienated himself once more over a perceived lack of a task, and he has been griping about it ever sense.

Make sure you vote, and keep in mind, if “Different” wins in both ballot, I’ll test the feedback right here and on social media, and essentially the most preferred will win.