Manu Ginobili: 57th Overall Pick 1999
Tony Parker: 28th Overall Pick 2001
The Spurs have been the most fortunate franchise in sports over the last 20 years, winning five NBA titles, and setting a record of sixteen straight 50 win seasons, which has not ended yet. Just when the Spurs dynasty seemed to be over, they traded for Kawhi Leonard and got right back to championship level. The Spurs would not have five titles if it wasn’t these pair of HUGE steals from Europe and South America. These two ended up becoming some of the top playmakers in the NBA.
-== Best Lakers Draft Pick & Free Agent Pairings ==-
Manu Ginobili has been one of the most unique players that the NBA has ever seen. He was never very big, athletic, or strong. Ginobili was always a good shooter, but not a great one. The Argentinian simply understood the game of basketball, and played to win every night. Sometimes Manu makes the worst passes you will ever see, but the next play he will make an impossible bounce pass through three players. Manu is one of the all-time great players to come off the bench, winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 2008.
Tony Parker was not considered a top prospect for obvious reasons, as he was listed at 6’2″ and 185 pounds, with a small vertical leap and no jumper. As we all know, Coach Popovich was harder on Parker than anyone, and all of the teaching and coaching payed off in the long run. Parker became a Hall of Fame point guard, and even won a Finals MVP trophy in 2007.
In a three year span, the Spurs were able to steal two players late in the draft, that ended up becoming two-thirds of the winningest trio in NBA history.
Next: Ice Late In The Draft