The San Antonio Spurs hit the jackpot when they won the lottery for the 1997 NBA Draft.
They finished with a 20-62 record the previous season as David Robinson missed the majority of it due to a back injury. Even though three teams had worse records the Spurs won the lottery and used their pick on Tim Duncan, out of Wake Forrest.
The big man played four seasons at Wake Forrest and which led to a smooth transition from college to the NBA. He won rookie of year in 1998 and formed instant chemistry with Robinson.
The two led the Spurs to their first championship on June 25, 1999, exactly two years after Duncan was drafted.
It was the first of five championships for Duncan, who was named Finals MVP in three of them. He also was named regular season MVP twice and was an All-Star 15 times.
The Spurs dreams of a dynasty became a reality when they won the lottery and selected Duncan, who quickly became one of the most dominant players in the NBA.
He is San Antonio’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocked shots and games played in the both the regular season and postseason. He retired after 19 excellent seasons with the Spurs.
Duncan became a first-ballot Hall of Famer earlier this year.
