George Gervin

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Gervin's journey to San Antonio began after a brief stint with the Pontiac Chaparrals in the Continental Basketball Association. In January 1973, he was signed by the Virginia Squires for $40,000 a year, but the franchise's unstable finances led to his trade just four months later. On January 30, 1974, he was dealt to the Spurs for $228,000 in a move the ABA tried to block as a 'fire sale.' With Gervin leading the way, often alongside star forward Larry Kenon acquired before the final ABA season, the Spurs became an offensive juggernaut. They pushed the Julius Erving-led New York Nets to a Game 7 in the 1976 ABA semifinals but fell short. Upon entering the NBA, Gervin dominated immediately, winning his first scoring title in 1977–78 by a razor-thin margin of seven-hundredths of a point over David Thompson. He went on to lead the league in scoring average three consecutive years from 1978 to 1980, peaking at 33.1 points per game in 1979–80, and added another title in 1982.

In Their Own Story

The most dramatic moment of Gervin's scoring dominance occurred on the final day of the 1977–78 regular season. David Thompson needed a massive performance to overtake Gervin for the scoring crown and erupted for 73 points. Gervin, needing only 63 points to retain the title, delivered exactly that in a loss, including a then-NBA record 33 points in the second quarter alone. With the title secured, he sat out much of the third and all of the fourth quarter. Years later, during the 1981–82 season, Gervin faced injury and watched his replacement, Ron Brewer, average over 30 ppg for three games. Upon returning, Gervin scored 40+ points. When asked if he was sending a message to Brewer, Gervin calmly replied, 'Just the way the Lord planned it,' adding with a smile, 'Ice be cool.' His Spurs tenure ended before his final NBA season in Chicago, though he remained committed to San Antonio through multiple Conference Finals appearances where they were often swept by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Reader's Guide

To understand George Gervin's value to the Spurs, one must look at his scoring consistency and signature technique. He averaged 26.2 points per game for his NBA career, a feat that earned him inclusion in the NBA's 50 Greatest Players list in 1996 and the 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. His most famous weapon was the finger roll, executed with unusual delicacy and range that extended all the way to the free-throw line, rather than just short layups. Gervin's tenure included four ABA seasons (1974–1976) and eight NBA seasons with San Antonio (1976–1985). He led the league in playoff scoring during the 1978–79 season with 28.6 points per game, guiding the Spurs to a 48–34 record and a second seed in the Eastern Conference before collapsing against the Washington Bullets in the Conference Finals. Even after leaving for the Chicago Bulls in 1985, his impact remained; he played all 82 games, averaged 16.2 points, and recorded a season-high 45 points against the Dallas Mavericks.

Did You Know?

• Gervin narrowly won the 1977–78 scoring title over David Thompson by just seven-hundredths of a point (27.22 to 27.15).
• He scored a then-NBA record 33 points in the second quarter during his final game of the 1977–78 regular season.
• Gervin led the league in scoring average three years in a row from 1978 to 1980, with a high of 33.1 points per game in 1979–80.
• He was suspended for an entire college season after punching a player during an NCAA College Division national semifinal game.
• Before Michael Jordan, Gervin held the record for the most scoring titles by any guard in NBA history.