The 1997–98 NBA season was the Spurs' 22nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 31st season as a franchise. This season is most memorable when the Spurs selected Tim Duncan out of Wake Forest University with the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft. After finishing with the third-worst record in 1996–97, the Spurs won the 1997 NBA Draft Lottery, dubbed as the "Tim Duncan sweepstakes". During the off-season, the team signed free agents, three-point specialist Jaren Jackson and second-year forward Malik Rose. The Spurs got off to a mediocre 10–10 start, but then won 17 of their next 19 games, and held a 34–14 record at the All-Star break. Despite losing Sean Elliott for the remainder of the season to a knee injury after 36 games, the Spurs finished second in the Midwest Div