Dutch · Rotterdam, Netherlands · Born 28 February 1976Francisco Elson is a Dutch former basketball player who became the first Dutch player to win an NBA championship, doing so with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007.
Francisco Elson became the first Dutch player in NBA history to win a championship when the San Antonio Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2007 Finals — a distinction he earned after spending four seasons in Spain first, including a Liga ACB title with FC Barcelona, before most players his age had set foot in the NBA.. He began his basketball career with AMVJ Rotterdam before moving to the United States, playing two seasons at Kilgore Junior College in Texas before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley, where he helped lead the Golden Bears to the 1999 NIT championship. Elson was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 1999 NBA Draft, but spent four seasons playing in Spain first, winning the Liga ACB title with FC Barcelona in 2001, before finally joining the Nuggets for the 2003-04 NBA season. He went on to play for the San Antonio Spurs, where in 2007 he became the first Dutch player ever to win an NBA championship, as the Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. Elson went on to play for the Seattle SuperSonics, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Utah Jazz over a 12-year NBA career, becoming the seventh Dutch player in league history. He captained the Netherlands national basketball team through multiple EuroBasket qualifying campaigns, and finished his professional career in 2013 with a season in Iran, fluent across five languages including Dutch, Spanish, German, and Sranan Tongo.
Becoming the first Dutch player ever to win an NBA championship
How They Played
Mobile, disciplined center valued for defensive versatility and team-oriented play
Lasting Impact
A trailblazing figure for Dutch basketball, having reached the highest level of the sport across both European and American competition
Career Honours
- NBA champion (2007, San Antonio Spurs), first Dutch NBA champion
- Liga ACB champion (2001, FC Barcelona)
- NIT champion (1999, UC Berkeley)
- Netherlands national team captain
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| FC Barcelona | 1999–2001 | — |
| Pamesa Valencia | 2001–2002 | — |
| Caja San Fernando | 2002–2003 | — |
| Denver Nuggets | 2003–2006 | — |
| San Antonio Spurs | 2006–2008 | — |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 2008–2008 | — |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 2008–2010 | — |
| Utah Jazz | 2010–2011 | — |
Dutch Athletes