Eric Dawson was thrust into the lineup quickly in his first game with the Spurs last week.
With Tiago Splitter and Tim Duncan out, the former Sam Houston standout notched nine points and grabbed six rebounds in 31:41 of playing time in the Spurs’ 137-97 loss Tuesday night at Portland.
He became only the third San Antonio-area high school player to see action for the Spurs, joining West Campus’ Devin Brown (132 games, 2002-05) and MacArthur’s Keith Edmonson (40 games, 1983-84).
Dawson became the 13th player from a San Antonio-area high school to log time in the NBA and the third in the past two seasons, according to .
Express-News staff writer Tim Griffin takes a look at how Dawson’s debut compares with those of other San Antonio-area players from the past:
Bo Outlaw, Jay: Scored 13 points in 22 minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers at the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 15, 1994. Outlaw averaged 5.4 points in 914 career games.
Shaquille O’Neal, Cole: Scored 12 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for Orlando against Miami on Nov. 6, 1992. O’Neal averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds in 1,207 career games.
Eduardo Najera, Cornerstone Christian Academy: Scored 10 points in 23 minutes for Dallas against Milwaukee on Oct. 31, 2000. Najera is averaging 5.0 points in 604 career games.
Eric Dawson, Sam Houston: Scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in 31:41 for the Spurs against Portland on Feb. 28, 2012. Dawson is averaging 4.5 points after two games.
Askia Jones, Marshall: Scored eight points in 16 minutes for Minnesota at Denver on Nov. 4, 1994. Jones averaged 4.1 points in 11 career games.
Bob Kinney, Jefferson: Scored six points for Fort Wayne against the New York Knicks on Nov. 3, 1948. Kinney averaged 9.5 points in 118 career games in the Basketball Association of America and the NBA.
Fennis Dembo, Fox Tech: Scored four points in one minute for Detroit at Phoenix on Nov. 18, 1988. Dembo averaged 1.2 points in 31 career games.
Jeff Foster, Madison: Scored two points in three minutes for Indiana at Charlotte on Nov. 4, 1999. Foster is averaging 4.9 points in 763 career games.
Devin Brown, West Campus: Scored two points in four minutes for the Spurs at Memphis on Nov. 4, 2002. Brown averaged 7.2 points in 465 career games.
Keith Edmonson, MacArthur: Scored two points for Atlanta against Washington on Nov. 2, 1982. Edmonson averaged 6.0 points in 87 career games.
Ivan Johnson, Fox Tech: Scored two points in six minutes for Atlanta against New Jersey on Dec. 27, 2011. Johnson is averaging 4.8 points in 29 career games.
Robert Reid, Clemens: Failed to score for Houston at Kansas City on Oct. 21, 1977. Reid averaged 11.4 points in 919 career games.
Ben Uzoh, Warren: Failed to score in six minutes for New Jersey at the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 15, 2010. Uzoh is averaging 3.7 points in 44 career games.
tgriffin@express-news.net
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NBA players from San Antonio
Askia Jones, who played for Marshall, is not pictured. Jones scored eight points in 16 minutes for Minnesota at Denver on Nov. 4, 1994. Jones averaged 4.1 points in 11 career games.
Eric Dawson (right), Sam Houston: Scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in 31:41 for the Spurs against Portland on Feb. 28, 2012. Dawson is averaging 4.5 points after two games. (Rick Bowmer / Associated Press)
Devin Brown, West Campus: Scored two points in four minutes for the Spurs at Memphis on Nov. 4, 2002. Brown averaged 7.2 points in 465 career games. (Tom Reel / San Antonio Express-News)
Fennis Dembo, Fox Tech: Scored four points in one minute for Detroit at Phoenix on Nov. 18, 1988. Dembo averaged 1.2 points in 31 career games. (Associated Press file photo)
Keith Edmonson, MacArthur: After his Purdue days, scored two points for Atlanta against Washington on Nov. 2, 1982. Edmonson averaged 6.0 points in 87 career games. (Express-News file photo)
Jeff Foster, Madison: Scored two points in three minutes for Indiana at Charlotte on Nov. 4, 1999. Foster is averaging 4.9 points in 763 career games. (Douglas C. Pizac / Associated Press)
Ivan Johnson, Fox Tech: Scored two points in six minutes for Atlanta against New Jersey on Dec. 27, 2011. Johnson is averaging 4.8 points in 29 career games. (John Bazemore / Associated Press)
Bob Kinney, Jefferson: Scored six points for Fort Wayne against the New York Knicks on Nov. 3, 1948. Kinney averaged 9.5 points in 118 career games in the Basketball Association of America and the NBA. (Express-News file photo)
Eduardo Najera (center), Cornerstone Christian Academy: Scored 10 points in 23 minutes for Dallas against Milwaukee on Oct. 31, 2000. Najera is averaging 5.0 points in 604 career games. (Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
Shaquille O’Neal (top), Cole: Scored 12 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for Orlando against Miami on Nov. 6, 1992. O’Neal averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds in 1,207 career games. (Steve Simoneau / Associated Press)
Bo Outlaw, Jay (right): Scored 13 points in 22 minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers at the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 15, 1994. Outlaw averaged 5.4 points in 914 career games. (William Luther / San Antonio Express-News)
Robert Reid, Clemens: Failed to score for Houston at Kansas City on Oct. 21, 1977. Reid averaged 11.4 points in 919 career games. (Express-News file photo)
Ben Uzoh, Warren (left): Failed to score in six minutes for New Jersey at the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 15, 2010. Uzoh is averaging 3.7 points in 44 career games. (Pat Sullivan / Associated Press)
