George Gervin: The Iceman of the San Antonio Spurs

High School

George Gervin, who was born on April 27, 1952, in Detroit, Michigan, attended Martin Luther King High School, where he was a two-time all-state selection. He led the team to the state championship game in 1970, but they lost to Detroit Pershing High School.

College

Gervin attended Eastern Michigan University, where he played basketball for the Hurons. He was a two-time All-Mid-American Conference selection and led the Hurons to the NIT semifinals in 1972. He finished his college career with 1,828 points and 1,217 rebounds.

NBA

The Phoenix Suns selected Gervin with the 40th overall pick in the 1972 NBA draft. However, he chose to play in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for the Virginia Squires. Gervin quickly became an ABA star, averaging 29.4 points and 11.7 rebounds per game in his rookie season. He was named to the ABA All-Rookie First Team and won the ABA Scoring Championship.

In 1976, the ABA merged with the NBA, and Gervin joined the San Antonio Spurs. He remained one of the NBA’s most prolific scorers, winning four Scoring Championships (1978, 1979, 1980, and 1982). Gervin was also named to the NBA All-Star Game nine times and the NBA All-NBA First Team five times.

Gervin led the Spurs to the playoffs five times, but they were unable to advance past the second round. He retired from the NBA in 1985 after 14 seasons. He finished his career with 26,595 points and 10,710 rebounds.

Legacy

George Gervin is considered one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. He was known for his smooth shooting stroke and his ability to score from anywhere on the court. Gervin was also a very good rebounder for his size.

Gervin was also known for his competitive spirit and his toughness. He was not afraid to play physical defense, and he was always willing to take big shots. Gervin was a beloved figure in San Antonio, and he is still considered one of the greatest Spurs players of all time.

In 1996, Gervin was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the ABA All-Time Team.