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Web Posted: 11/12/2006 02:04 AM CST
San Antonio Express-News
Thirty years ago the Spurs played their first NBA season after being one of four teams from the American Basketball Association to join the older league. To commemorate this anniversary, on Sundays the Express-News will recognize our selections as the 30 greatest NBA Spurs. Here are Nos. 28 and 27:
28. Dave Corzine, 1980-82: A 6-foot-11 center from DePaul, Corzine led the Spurs in rebounding in the two seasons he played for the club before he was included in a trade that brought Artis Gilmore to San Antonio. On teams built around George Gervin's scoring, Corzine averaged 10.5 points and 7.8 rebounds in 1980-81 and 10.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in 1981-82, starting all 82 games both seasons. He elevated his performance in the postseason, too, especially in the 1982 playoffs, when he averaged 13.6 points and 9.4 rebounds as the Spurs advanced to the Western Conference semifinals.
27. Coby Dietrick, 1976-1983: Dietrick was one of the players who helped the Spurs make the transition from the ABA to the NBA. After playing the final three ABA seasons with the Spurs, he played all 82 games in the first NBA season. He also was a solid contributor on the 1977-78 team that came within one game of making it to the NBA Finals. A 6-foot-11 center, he averaged 4.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in the infamous "Fat Lady" series with Washington. Popular in the community, Dietrick was the color commentator on Spurs broadcasts for a number of years after his playing career ended.
