The biggest "what if" scenarios in San Antonio Spurs history

With every successful franchise, there are always "what if" scenarios that could have changed the landscape of their team. As long as you're winning, though, nobody thinks about hypotheticals too much, as winning outweighs anything else.

But sports fans still tend to play the "what if" game occasionally, and there are moments within the Spurs organization that make you think that things could be different today if alternate decisions were made.

3. If Tony Parker had not gotten a second workout ahead of the 2001 NBA Draft

Tony Parker was a superstar in Europe before getting an invitation to the 2000 Nike Hoop Summit to play against some of the nation's best prospects. Here, Parker outshined the rest and attracted the interest of some of the top colleges in the country. Parker declined many requests to play at a big NCAA school to stay in Europe for one extra season.

As the 2001 NBA Draft came around, Parker caught the eyes of many teams, including the Spurs. A team with an aging backcourt at the time, the Spurs needed youth at the point guard position, and Parker seemed like an ideal fit for both parties.

The two did not get off to the best start, though. During pre-draft workouts, Parker botched his first run with the Spurs. Parker was thought to be overwhelmed by everything coach Gregg Popovich threw at him during workouts. Seemingly, the young guard was less than advertised to many Spurs scouts, and the door was considered closed on Parker coming to San Antonio.

Popovich had second thoughts and decided to give Parker another shot, much to the dismay of other staff members. Parker rewarded Popovich's instincts as he crushed his second trial, convincing everyone that he could be an NBA-worthy point guard. At the No. 28 pick, Parker was selected by San Antonio and the rest of history.

Quickly, Parker became a great No. 2 option on this team, developing chemistry with Tim Duncan, controlling the pace of the offense, and showing toughness on both ends. His contributions propelled the Spurs into championship contention year after year while wreaking havoc for other big teams for the long haul.

Fans wonder, however, what it would have been like had the Spurs not brought Parker back for a second workout, dismissing him on draft day. The Silver and Black would have likely settled for another rookie point guard (no other guards in this class became All-Stars), and there's no telling how that could have gone. Parker was the perfect guy for the Spurs and is a major reason for the success that the team had.

Now a regular in San Antonio, Parker still tip-toes around the city to advise on young players on the team. Victor Wembanyama in particular has learned a lot from the Hall of Fame guard in terms of making a successful jump from France to the NBA with ease. Parker's No.9 jersey now hangs atop the AT&T Center and rightfully so. He's an all-time great.