George Gervin: 40th Overall Pick 1974
The Spurs fortune dates all the way back to 1974 when they took “The Iceman” out of Eastern Michigan in the third round. Gervin was one of the first true scorers that the game of basketball ever saw. He played above the rim before there was MJ, Kobe, and LeBron. Gervin had a sweet mid-range jumper, and is the man credited with the creation of the finger roll.
-== Best Lakers Draft Pick & Free Agent Pairings ==-
Gervin was the best scorer in the league for a large portion of his career, winning four scoring titles including three in a row from 1978-1980. Gervin held the record for most scoring titles by a guard until Michael Jordan shattered that record with ten of his own. Gervin stands at 15th on the all-time scoring list in NBA history, and posted career averages of 25.1 points and 5.3 rebounds. Gervin showed how much natural talent can take a player in this league, as he just made the game look so easy. Gervin will always be remembered as one of the best shooting guards of all-time, and was an inspiration to many high-flying players that played the game after him.