Open Thread: Gregg Popovich says Sean Elliott’s Memorial Day Miracle was the “most impactful play of the whole series”

Every Spurs fan knows The Memorial Day Miracle. Watch any regular season Spurs game and Sean Elliott and Bill Land reference the moment and play the video ad nauseum. But Elliott’s career has more highlights than that one key moment.

“It was the most amazing basketball experience of my life,” opined Sean Elliott as he reflected on becoming the first Consensus All-American Basketball Player to come out of the Arizona Wildcats program.

Sean Elliott was drafted third overall in 1989 and immediately made an impact on the team that had waited patiently for David Robinson to become the centerpiece of the franchise.

His bond with the city also elevated as he and members of the Spurs went on a tour of Texas, hosting a bevy of basketball camps in H-E-B parking lots. The time bonding with Pop and the team left an indelible imprint that lasts to this day, so much so that being traded to the Detroit Pistons in 1993 left the Tucson native contemplating an early retirement.

“I knew Pop wanted me there and he had my back,” Elliott shares in this episode of The Ring of The Rowel. The Spurs brought him back one season later.

The team’s chemistry built upon his return and over time, Elliott made the 1996 All-Star roster, showcasing his talent among the elite on his own home court.

After the 1999 NBA Finals, Sean’s health came to light as his need for a kidney transplant was imminent. His brother, Noel, stepped up with zero hesitation and gave him a kidney.

During his recovery, Elliott got his first taste in broadcasting, but the hardwood was calling.

His personality, both on and off the court has endeared him to fans, teammates, opponents, and broadcasters alike.

“The Miracle Man,” episode 32 (the only number Elliott ever wore) of the Spurs 50th anniversary docuseries highlights his rise from outstanding collegiate player, through his being drafted by the Spurs, to his “Memorial Day Miracle” that propelled the San Antonio Spurs to the 1999 NBA Championship.

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