NBA Analyst Has 7 Former Spurs on List of Top Players from Last 50 Years

An always-controversial NBA analyst continues to stir the pot with his latest rankings release.

Given the current state of the franchise, the San Antonio Spurs may not seem like a team decorated with history if you were born yesterday. 

But through five NBA championships and multiple Hall of Famers, the Spurs have had some of basketball's most legendary players since taking on the team name in 1973. 

One NBA analyst, Nick Wright, seems to have a high level of respect for some of the franchise's best players, per the most recent release of his list of the NBA's top 50 players from the last 50 years. Through a few controversial exceptions and ranking choices, Wright still has seven players on his list who at one point played for the Spurs.

Spurs fans will likely love parts of his rankings but disagree with others:

No. 5 - Tim Duncan

No. 12 - Moses Malone

No. 23 - David Robinson

No. 32 - Kawhi Leonard

No. 36 - George Gervin

No. 46 - Dominque Wilkins

No. 47 - Dennis Rodman

Many fans disagree when Tim Duncan, the no-doubt greatest Spur of all time, is left out of the top 10. But Wright clearly has a love for The Big Fundamental. Including his Twin Tower teammate at No. 23, David Robinson, is a respectable ranking for another all-time great.

Wright also shows loves to Kawhi Leonard at No. 32. Despite being a controversial figure in the eyes of Spurs fans, the two-time Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year used seven seasons in San Antonio to become one of the best players in the league. 

Ranking Leonard over George Gervin might be tough to swallow, but the comparison in career accolades speaks for itself.

At first glance, the most noticeable exceptions are Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, who have an argument to be in the top 50 players of the last 50 years. Each with four championships and a decade or more of elite production, the backcourt duo are two of the best international players in NBA history. 

Moses Malone, one of the best big men of all time and the sixth-leading rebounder in league history (16,212, one spot ahead of Duncan) played his first season with the Spurs during his final year in the NBA in 1995 after a legendary 20-year playing career.

Other names like Dominique Wilkins and Dennis Rodman combined to play just three seasons in San Antonio after successful careers in the Eastern Conference.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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