“The Admiral”, named so for his affiliation with the US Navy and rank within the hearts of Spurs fans world-wide. I think it’s pretty safe to say that the chances are more than even that David Robinson ends up as the First Team All-Spur Center, but where it should get pretty intersting is the competition for Second and Third Team.

Just as with 2’s and 3’s, it’s not uncommon for a player on the Spurs to slide between the 4 and 5 spots. So of course, I’ve used that to my advantage to offer a more inclusive list. As always though I’ve left a spot for you to name one of your favorites that I may have missed. Please feel free to leave a comment or one of your favorite memories of the players selected.

Continue on for the poll

Me too. With about a million players taking their talents to the open market, and half of them taking them to South Beach it can be a bit difficult to see the big picture. Enter the LA Times website with this helpful interactive tool:

Image courtesy of the LA Times

Head on over and give it a whirl.

We are probably the last to break this news, but if this happens to be your first time seeing it: SURPRISE!!!

Malik Hairston has signed with Montepaschi Siena of the Italian League, sources everywhere seem to indicate that the deal is for two years.

Thanks for giving it a go Malik, hopefully things go well for you abroad and we see you back stateside soon.

Photo Yardbarker

New Head Coach of the New Jersey Nets and former Spur point guard Avery Johnson told Fanhouse that rookie Derrick Favors reminds him of our very own Tim Duncan.  Johnson did play with Timmy when he was just a rookie and also played three years with him after.  Now in his thirteenth season Johnson has seen Duncan has grown into one of the leagues premier power forwards. 

Here is what he told Fanhouse.

“He reminds me of Duncan in the way he’s coachable,” the New Jersey coach said in an interview with FanHouse about Favors, taken with the No. 3 overall pick out of Georgia Tech in last month’s draft. “Duncan was that way, very coachable, but also very skilled. Duncan came in with the left and the right hand and came in with the ability to shoot the ball. And this kid didn’t even go through college as long as Duncan. We’re just getting him after his freshman year.”

So how did Favor react to what his head coach said?

“That’s an honor and a blessing.”

Photo Courtesy: Yardbarker

George Hill to some is going to be the face of this franchise. To him this is still Tony Parker’s team and he just wants to get better at playing the game as well as point guard and shooting guard.

Last season Hill stepped in playing phenomenal ball filling in for Parker when he was injured. He started the last 18 of the 23 final games and all 10 playoff games against the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns.  Mike Monroe of the Express-News had a chance to talk with George Hill about the Parker situation.

“I’ve heard that (stuff),” Hill said, “but I don’t think a player like Tony Parker, a guy who has helped this team win and has championships under his belt, can ever be considered expendable.

“Right now I don’t pay any attention to it. ‘TP’ is my teammate, and that’s all I’m riding with. Hopefully, I still get to play alongside him next year in that 1-2 combo situation.”

With training camp two months away, Hill is just as insistent he will walk into training camp expecting nothing more than to fill whatever role Spurs coach Gregg Popovich believes is best for him.

“Whatever Coach Pop needs me to do,” that’s what I’ll do,” he said. “Whether it’s playing the point guard position and starting, or playing the two-guard position and starting there, or coming off the bench. Whatever he wants me to do to help this team win ballgames, that’s what I’m down with.

“All the accolades, starting or whatever, doesn’t mean anything to me. I just want to win and be the best teammate possible, the best player possible. Everything they say for me to do, I’m going to take it and run with it and do the best I can.”

Love the attitude of this kid. No reason why he is becoming well-liked in San Antonio.

Don’t know why I didn’t catch this a lot sooner.  July 12 Joe Reinagel from Kens 5 had a chance to sit down with Splitter.  Check the video below:

I think it’s safe to say that the Spurs have run pretty deep over the years at power forward.  We all know that Tim Duncan is widely considered the best power forward of all time, but some of these other guts played a mean game of B-ball themselves.  There are also a few characters here that seemed to interesting too leave off.

Poll on the other side

the Express-News is reporting that Gary Neal will be offered a three-year-deal assuming he passes his physical.

He was pretty much lights-out in Summer League, but I’m thinking three years is too much. If I had to guess, I’d say that most of that money is unguaranteed, so this could be what you call a “make-good” contract.  Turns out my guess was wrong, it now appears that it is guaranteed for three years.  The roster now stands at 15, though that could soon change, and probably will.

Now that the most important FA out there has signed, let’s take another look at who is still out there.

The Spurs just announced that RJ has been resigned.

No word on the details of the deal, but I’ll continue to try and sniff them out as the day progresses.