FanPost

A Tribute to all Spurs with Multiple Championships

With the Spurs having just won their 5th championship this year, I thought it would be nice to pay a little homage to all players who contributed to more than one of those trophies. Team chemistry has been a big part of all the Spurs championships, and the longer you can keep effective players together and happy the better off the entire team will be. As many as there are now, imagine how many more we can add if we win again next year. Unfortunately that will have to wait.

Without further ado, here are all the Spurs who won multiple championships in San Antonio in ascending order. Those with the same amount of championships will be listed by total the number of seasons they played with the Spurs.

Beno Udrih – 2 championships (’05, ’07), 3 seasons

Udrih is easily the forgotten one of this group. Drafted 28th by the Spurs in 2004, most of his contributions came as a rookie when he played in 80 games, averaging nearly 6 points and 2 assists as Tony Parker’s primary backup. He fell behind Nick Van Exel and Jacque Vaughn during the next two seasons before being traded, but he was still reliable when called upon. If nothing else he can claim the highest championship percentage on this list.

Steve Kerr – 2 championships (’99, ‘03), 4 seasons

Having already won three rings with the Michael Jordan-led Bulls, Kerr brought knowledge and championship metal to San Antonio. While most of his contributions came in the form of leadership off the bench, Kerr will always be fondly remembered for "Game 6". With the Spurs reeling vs. the Dirk Nowitzki-less Mavs in the 2003 Conference Finals and a Game 7 looking inevitable, Pop turned to Kerr to fill in for an ineffective, food-poisoned Parker. Kerr led the Spurs on a massive 4th quarter rally while hitting 4-4 from three to help send them back to the Finals.

Brent Barry – 2 championships (’05, ’07), 4 seasons

Probably the funniest Spur of all time, Barry will always have a spot in Spurs fans’ hearts, especially for accepting a $100 bet from Tim Duncan to kiss David Stern on national TV. On the court, Barry brought much needed perimeter shooting to that slow, grinding offense. Unfortunately, Barry's last season (’08) was cut short thanks to a torn calf muscle. He only played in 31 games and missed the first two rounds of the playoffs. He returned for the conference finals vs. the Lakers and almost tied the series with 23 points in Game 4, but "the no-call" happened when Derek Fisher bumped him on a three-point attempt with 2 seconds left, and unfortunately the following game would be his last in a Spurs uniform.

Robert Horry – 2 championships (’05, ’07), 5 seasons

The Spurs were more than happy to have one of the winning-est, most clutch players of all time on their side. Signed after the ’03 season, Horry continued his winning ways in San Antonio. His biggest performance as a Spur came in Game 5 of the ‘05 Finals against Detroit. With Spurs down late and the Pistons threatening to take a 3-2 lead in the series, Big Shot Rob showed up. He scored 21 points in the 4th quarter and overtime, hitting several threes to keep the game close, plus the game winner in the final seconds. It proved crucial as it took the Spurs until Game 7 to win the series. Horry retired after the ’08 season and is the only player in NBA history to win multiple championships with three different teams.

Matt Bonner – 2 championships (’07, ‘14), 8 seasons

An elite three-point shooter, The Red Rocket played a big role in helping the Spurs transition from their pounding style of offense to the exciting, free-flowing system it is today. Bonner is the only player besides the Big 3 to be here throughout the largest championship gap of the Duncan era. He gets a bit of a bad rap for being a main rotation player during those "dark" times, but you have to give him credit for never complaining and always being ready when called upon. He’s a better defender than given credit for, and even if his only purpose nowadays is to stretch the floor and draw defenders out of the paint, it’s still an important role. They don’t call him the plus/minus king for nothing.

Malik Rose – 2 championships (’99, ‘03), 8 seasons

One of the biggest fan favorites of all time, Rose was known for his hustle, defense and willingness to do the dirty work despite being undersized. His best season with the Spurs was in ’03 when he averaged over 10 points and 6 rebounds per game and was a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year. Unfortunately his relationship Pop started to deteriorate over declining minutes, and by the middle of the ’05 season he was traded to New York for Nazr Mohammed. His departure ranks right up there with George Hill as one of the most heartbreaking in team history. Even though he’s a full-time broadcaster with Philadelphia now, he still spends his off-time here and can be found meandering with the public.

David Robinson – 2 championships (’99, ’03), 14 seasons

Last but not least in the two-championship category is The Admiral himself. He seems out of place in this group, but here he is. One of the best players of all time, Robinson is often seen as the savior of the Spurs franchise. Together, he and Duncan formed the dominating The Twin Towers and brought the city of San Antonio its first and second championships. One of the most admired people in all sports, David announced ’03 would be his final season, and the Spurs succeeded in sending their most decorated and admired player out with a bang.

Bruce Bowen – 3 championships (’03, ’05, ’07), 8 seasons

If Bowen had played in any decade other than the last one, The Bow Tie likely would have won Defensive Player of the Year at some point. Alas, his prime came at a time when bigs were all the rage, so he had to settle for five straight All-Defensive First Teams (and three straight on the Second Team). Regardless, he was the ultimate 3-and-D player and helped revolutionize the corner three. His defense helped make the Spurs elite and was a big part of their championship runs. No player, including Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, wanted to face him. He’s not the dirty player others have made him out to be, but he certainly was the master of doing the dirty work, and for that he will always be admired in these parts.

Manu Ginobili – 4 championships (’03, ‘05 ’07, ’14), 12 seasons

The ultimate team player, no one has sacrificed more than the pesky Argentinian. He could have been a starter and perennial All-Star anywhere else, but Manu agreed to come off the bench for the good of the team (and probably his health). As far as I’m concerned, the league should name the Sixth Man of the Year award after him. The two-time All-Star won it in ’08, although it seems like he deserves more than that. He may have never been the best player on the team (although ’11 is debatable), but he has definitely been the most important. All one must do is look at his production during the Spurs championship runs compared to the other years. When Manu was injured or ineffective the team suffered, but when he’s on there’s no stopping him. His grit and fearlessness provides the spark to go all the way. In the words of Steve Kerr, he’s just got guts.

Tony Parker – 4 championships (’03, ‘05 ’07, ’14), 13 seasons

Perhaps the most underrated point guard of his generation, Parker is by far the best the Spurs have ever had. Despite being drafted at the young age of 19, he quickly became a victim of Pop’s wrath. He toughed it out though, and because of it he’s an elite player and six-time All-Star. While Parker is often overlooked because others are flashier or get more minutes than him, he’s still one of the best in the league. No guard is better at driving to the hoop and creating shots than him. His passing ability is also underrated but exceptional. Exhaustion finally caught up with Tony this year, but after a summer of rest he should be good to go for yet another championship run this season.

Tim Duncan – 5 championships ('99, '03, '05, '07, '14), 17 seasons

Do you really need an explanation? The GOATPUFF, championships transcending three decades, 2x MVP, 3x Finals MVP…the list just goes on and on. It’s probably safe to say without this man here, there’d probably be zero reason to even make this list at all. We owe it all to you, Timmy. Let’s go out and get another for your left hand!

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