SAN ANTONIO, TX (Aug. 2, 2006) -- The San Antonio Spurs have announced that they have signed Francisco Elson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Elson, a 7-0 center, has spent the past three seasons with the Denver Nuggets. Last year he appeared in 72 games, averaging career-bests in points, 4.9 ppg, rebounds, 4.7 rpg, minutes, 21.9 mpg, and shooting percentage, .532 (151-284). He started in 54 games, averaging 5.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in 24.7 minutes while the Nuggets posted a 32-22 record (12-16 when he didn’t start). Elson posted a career-high 21 points vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on April 6 and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds vs. Atlanta on December 18. For his career, he has appeared in 201 games, including 79 starts, averaging 4.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game.
Originally selected by Denver with the 41st overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, Elson played four seasons in Spain before joining the Nuggets in 2003. During the 2002-03 season he played for CSF Sevilla, averaging 9.7 points and 8.2 rebounds. From 1999-2001 Elson played for FC Barcelona before joining Valencia Basket for the 2001-02 season.
A native of the Netherlands, Elson played two seasons of college basketball at Kilgore (TX) Junior College before completing his collegiate career at California. In two seasons with the Bears he averaged 5.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 59 games. As a senior he helped lead Cal to the NIT Championship.