17 most important players who never made an NBA All-Star team with Spurs

The Spurs have a rich history of winning based on a strong and classy culture. Since the days of Artis Gilmore and George Gervin, San Antonio has been a team that you had to respect. Guys like David Robinson and Sean Elliott followed, only to be backdoored by the greatest power forward ever: Tim Duncan.

With the addition of Victor Wembanyama, the tradition of great big men in Alamo City continues, but as important as those guys are, they get enough publicity. Some players played a role on a championship team or made their mark in other ways and deserve to be acknowledged. The fans in San Antonio have always done a great job of showing love to the entire roster, so this is just keeping the culture alive.

These Spurs helped usher in unforgettable eras

George Hill (2008-2011)

All Spurs fans remember George Hill. The do-it-all point guard out of IUPUI made an impact on everyone in the city with his positive attitude and hard work. Coach Popovich spoke about his affinity for Hill and how trading him was very difficult. But that trade led to drafting Kawhi Leonard and while the Klaw's saga ended poorly, he helped this organization reach the mountaintop again after not winning a championship for seven years. He was the Finals MVP and won DPOY twice in a San Antonio uniform. None of it happens without George Hill.

DeMar DeRozan (2018-2021)

It's weird for DeRozan to be included on this list, I know. But despite his six all-star selections, none of them happened while he wore silver and black. Some of that was a product of a stacked Western Conference, but some of it was his struggle to get acclimated to his new circumstances. When the Spurs traded him to the Chicago Bulls, it was the first domino leading to a rebuild that landed SA Victor Wembanyama. There's not much more that needs to be said about how important that is.

The beginning of a ridiculous run

Avery Johnson (1990-1993, 1994-2001)

Avery Johnson was the leader of the Spurs throughout the 1990s. His jersey is in the rafters for good reason and it goes beyond the clutch shot he hit in the playoffs that helped San Antonio secure their first championship.

Vinny Del Negro (1992-1998)

Vinny Del Negro never won a championship with the Spurs, but he was one of the best players on the team throughout the 1990s. He carried himself like a pro, and the fan favorite helped maintain the culture that led to that championship one year after he left the team in 1998.

Mario Elie (1998-2000)

Elie joined the Spurs with one thing that none of the rest of the players had: championship experience. Elie was in Houston with Hakeem Olajuwon for those playoff runs in 1994 and 1995. When he joined the Spurs, he was 35, but he still knew how to show up when needed, as he scored double digits in the Finals three times. He has only cracked 10 points once during the playoffs until that point.

Malik Rose (1997-2005)

Malik Rose spent eight years in San Antonio averaging eight points, five rebounds and one assist per game. He was an undersized but versatile big man who could do a little bit of everything. Rose has two rings to his name as a member of the Spurs and was close to a third but was traded during the 2005 season to the New York Knicks for Nazr Mohammed, who was a better fit next to Duncan, who still wanted to play power forward as opposed to the center position.

Players with a little extra history

Stephen Jackson (2001-2003, 2011-2013)

Jackson is one of the more controversial players in San Antonio's history, but you can't deny his part on the 2003 championship team. Captain Jack averaged 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal per game during that playoff run. He probably could have stuck around longer during his second stint with the team in 2011 if he didn't think he was better than Manu Ginobili—a massive error in judgment on his part.

Steve Kerr (1998-2001, 2002-2003)

'Til this day, Steve Kerr has the record for the best three-point percentage in NBA history. It's not hard to imagine why that skill was so important back when he played basketball. The three-ball was just getting recognition as a serious weapon, and Kerr was a master. He helped the Spurs win the 1999 championship as well as this one, adding to the three he stacked in Chicago with Michael Jordan.

Kerr is still utilizing the lessons he learned during those runs to terrorize the league with Steph Curry. It's been bittersweet to watch his success, but there's no doubt that he credits part of his run to Coach Popovich and his experience in San Antonio.

Heavy contributors with interesting careers

Brent Barry (2004-2008)

Brent Barry had one of the most fascinating careers in Spurs' history. His father is Rick Barry, but it wasn't nepotism that earned him his spot in the NBA. Brent Barry was a good shooter, a solid defender and competed hard every night. His athleticism jumped off the screen, winning a dunk contest in 1996. Barry helped San Antonio win championships in 2005 and 2007.

Robert Horry (2003-2008)

Horry and Stephen Jackson must have gone to the same school because they both bit the hands that fed them after they left. Robert Horry was known as 'Big Shot Bob' for good reason. He made teams pay for leaving him open in the biggest games. He was important to the 2005 and 2007 championships, stretching the floor from the power forward position when stretch-fours were less popular.

He was also a versatile defender and played with the grit that the Spurs needed. If you remember the infamous playoff series against Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

The ultimate professionals and culture guys

Michael Finley (2005-2010)

Michael Finley spent the better part of his career terrorizing the Spurs as a 20-point-per-game scorer on the rival Dallas Mavericks. Eventually, he joined San Antonio, and in his second season with the team, he won his only championship at age 33 in 2007. He played a full 82 games that year. If Finley was anything, he was reliable. He made the right plays, and he was a great locker-room guy.

It was nice to win that championship for many reasons, one of which was that the Spurs lost to Dallas in Finley's first season with the team. He didn't get to knock his old team off in the postseason, but a ring is a fantastic consolation prize.

Matt Bonner (2006-2016)

Bonner was a company guy from day one. A humble player and a hard worker. Bonner was on the roster for 10 years, making himself a staple in the community. He's one of the best three-point shooters in San Antonio's history, with a 41% career shooting percentage. Bonner's unassuming demeanor even penetrated Kobe Bryant's laser focus and disdain for his opponents, gifting the red-haired shooter the 'Red Mamba.'

The Spurs' resurgence

Danny Green (2010-2018)

Danny Green is still on the all-time fastbreak defense list. His repeated stops in the open court against LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in the 2013 and 2014 NBA Finals were something to behold. It still baffles the mind. His defense was elite and his shooting matched it. It's hard to forget his ridiculous shooting displays in the playoffs those years—so we won't.

Aron Baynes (2012-2015)

Baynes doesn't get a lot of love for his contributions, but he provided a strong body to bang with centers throughout the season, providing relief for an older Tim Duncan. Baynes only averaged five points and four rebounds with the Spurs, but he was a smart player. He was undersized in regard to his height, but he wasn't little. He was tough, and San Antonio relied on him often for crucial minutes.

Boris Diaw (2011-2016)

Boris Diaw is one of the most beloved Spurs role players in the history of the franchise. He was so even-keeled at all times and never sweated the small stuff. His relationship with Tony Parker was a huge factor in getting him to San Antonio and fans will forever be grateful. His versatility was just as important to the 2014 championship as anything else on the roster, and his nimble style of play was fun to watch.

Tiago Splitter (2010-2015)

When San Antonio acquired Tiago Splitter, it was the first time they had two legitimate big men in years. Splitter could help facilitate the offense as he was a good passer, knew how to move in space and knew how to finish around the basket. He could also defend the rim and move his feet well against the pick-and-roll. Splitter was a huge part of the Spurs run back to the top and made sure to get himself a highlight play in the NBA Finals with a big block on LeBron James in 2014.

Patty Mills (2011-2021)

Mills was the firecracker the Spurs needed to elevate the culture to one of relentless support. The towel-waving Australian hooper never let his teammates believe he didn't have their back for one second. He was always standing up on the bench and cheering on his teammates until his number was called to come in and drop threes-galore on the opposition. His explosion for 17 points against Miami in 2014 will never be forgotten.