In school, Duncan was a bright pupil and dreamt of becoming an Olympic-level swimmer like Tricia.[12][13] His parents were very supportive, and Duncan excelled at swimming, becoming a teenage standout in the 50-, 100-, and 400-meterfreestyle and aiming to go to the1992 Olympic Games as a member of the United States Team.[12]
In 1989, afterHurricane Hugo destroyed the island's only Olympic-sized swimming pool, Duncan was forced to swim in the ocean instead, and his fear of sharks ruined his enthusiasm for the sport.[12] He was dealt another emotional blow when his mother died ofbreast cancer on April 24, 1990, the day before his 14th birthday.[12] On her deathbed, she made Duncan and his sisters promise that they would graduate from college, going a long way in explaining Duncan's later refusal to leave college early for the NBA.[14]
Duncan never swam competitively again, but his brother-in-law inspired him to turn to basketball.[14] Initially, Duncan had difficulties adapting to the game he thought would help relieve his pain and frustration. St. Croix Country Day School athletic director Nancy Pomroy has said, "[Duncan] was so huge. So big and tall, but he was awfully awkward at the time."[15] He overcame his awkwardness to become a standout for theSt. Dunstan's Episcopal High School, averaging 25 points per game as a senior. His play attracted the attention of several universities.[16]Wake Forest University basketball coachDave Odom, in particular, grew interested in Duncan after the 16-year-old allegedly played NBA starAlonzo Mourning to a draw in a 5-on-5 pick-up game.[12] Odom was searching for a tall, physical player to play near the basket.[12] Given the weak level of basketball in the Virgin Islands, Odom was wary about Duncan at first, especially after first meeting him and thinking him inattentive; Duncan stared blankly at Odom for most of the conversation.[17] But after the first talk, Odom understood that this was just Duncan's demeanor and discovered that he was not only a talented athlete but also a quick learner.[17] Eventually, despite scholarship offers by theUniversity of Hartford, theUniversity of Delaware, andProvidence College, Duncan joined Odom's Wake Forest Demon Deacons.[12]
College career
In the year before Duncan's arrival atWake Forest University, the Demon Deacons had reached theSweet 16, but then lost leading scorerRodney Rogers, who entered the1993 NBA draft.[12] In the1993–94 NCAA season, CoachDave Odom was consideringredshirting Duncan, but was forced to play him after fellow freshman big manMakhtar N'Diaye violatedNCAA rules and eventually transferred toMichigan.[18] Duncan wore No. 21 at Wake Forest in honor of his brother-in-law, Ricky Lowery, who had taught him to play basketball and had worn the same number when he was in college. He would continue to wear this number throughout his entire professional career.[19] Duncan struggled with early transition problems and was even held scoreless in his first college game, but as the year progressed, he and teammateRandolph Childress led the Deacons to a 20–11 win–loss record.[12] Duncan's style of play was simple yet effective, combining an array oflow-post moves, mid-rangebank shots, and tough defense. He was chosen to represent the U.S. in the 1994Goodwill Games.[12] Meanwhile, Duncan worked towards a degree in psychology and also took classes inanthropology and Chinese literature.[17] Despite his heavy focus on basketball, Wake Forest psychology department chairpersonDeborah Best said, "Tim ... was one of my more intellectual students. ... Other than his height, I couldn't tell him from any other student at Wake Forest."[17] Duncan also established his reputation as a stoic player, to the extent that opposing fans taunted him as "Mr. Spock", the prototype of a logical, detached character fromStar Trek.[17]
In the1994–95 NCAA season, the sophomore was soon called one of the best prospects among those eligible for the NBA, along with peersJoe Smith,Rasheed Wallace, andJerry Stackhouse.[12]Los Angeles Lakers general managerJerry West suggested that Duncan might become the top pick in the1995 NBA draft if he went early; however, Duncan said that he had no intention ofgoing pro before graduation, despite the NBA's plan to add a rookiesalary cap in 1996. Though it meant passing up a large amount of money, Duncan was loath to deviate from his determination to stay in school.[12] In that season, he led theDemon Deacons into theAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC)championship game against the Rasheed Wallace-ledNorth Carolina Tar Heels.[20] During that game, Duncan neutralized Wallace, while Childress sealed the win with ajump shot with four seconds left inovertime.[12] In theNCAA tournament, the Demon Deacons reached the Sweet 16. Playing againstOklahoma State, Duncan scored 12 points to go with 22 rebounds and eight blocks, outplayingBryant Reeves, but Wake Forest still lost, 71–66. Duncan ended the season averaging 16.8points and 12.5rebounds per game, was named Defensive Player of the Year, and became the third-bestshot-blocker in NCAA history with 3.98 blocks per game.[12] He was also voted All-ACC First Team, a feat he would repeat in his two remaining years at Wake Forest.[21]
During the1995–96 NCAA season, Wake Forest lost Childress, who had graduated the previous season and entered the NBA. In Childress's absence, Duncan led the team to a 12–4 ACC record, and a 26–6 record overall.[12] The Demon Deacons won the ACC Finals again,[22] but in the Sweet 16, Duncan came down with the flu, and his team missed theFinal Four. His season averages of 19.1 points and 12.3 rebounds per game led to another ACC Defensive Player of the Year award and his firstACC Player of the Year award.[21][23] Although the Wake Forest star was now rumored to be entering the1996 NBA draft, he stayed in college.[12]
In the1996–97 NCAA season, new 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) Demon Deacon and future NBA playerLoren Woods eased the pressure on Duncan close to the basket. The1996–97 team won their first 13 games, but then came a slump, and they failed to win a third ACC title.[12] On January 12, 1997, Duncan scored 26 points and 14 rebounds in an 81–69 win againstDuke.[24] On January 24, 1997, Duncan scored 16 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks in a 65–62 victory overClemson.[25] Later, during the NCAA tournament,Stanford University, led by future NBApoint guardBrevin Knight, eliminated Wake Forest with a 72–66 win.[26] Duncan finished his senior season with career high averages of 20.8 points, 14.7 rebounds and 3.2assists per game while shooting .606 from thefield and winning the Defensive Player of the Year for a third straight season. He earned first-teamAll-American honors for the second time and was a unanimous pick for both theOscar Robertson Trophy andNaismith College Player of the Year.[12] Duncan was first in the 1996–97 NCAA Division I in rebounding, tenth in blocked shots (3.3 bpg), and 28th in scoring (20.8ppg).[21] He was voted ACC Player of the Year again and, based on the votes of sportscasters and newswriters, won the 1997John Wooden Award as the NCAA's best overall male player.[27]
In contrast to contemporaryprep-to-pro players likeKevin Garnett,Jermaine O'Neal,Tracy McGrady, andKobe Bryant, Duncan stayed in college for a full four years. During that period, he was a two-time ACC Player of the Year and a three-timeNABC Defensive Player of the Year. The center also made the All-ACC Tournament between 1995 and 1997 and the All-ACC First Team between 1995 and 1997. In 1996, he led the ACC in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, and blocked shots, becoming the first player in conference history to lead all four of those categories.[21] That same year, he was also namedMost Valuable Player of the ACC Tournament. Overall, Duncan led his team to a 97–31 win–loss record and finished his college career as theall-time leading rebounder in NCAA history in the post-1973 era (a mark later surpassed byKenneth Faried). Duncan left college as the all-time leading shot-blocker in ACC history with 481 blocks—at the time second in NCAA annals behindColgate'sAdonal Foyle—and third on the ACC career rebounding list with 1,570 rebounds.[21] He is also tied withArmando Bacot for the second-mostdouble-doubles in NCAA history with 87.[28]
In college, Duncan co-authored a chapter in the social psychology bookAversive Interpersonal Behaviors withMark Leary.[29][30] After earning his college degree in psychology,[31] Duncan entered the1997 NBA draft.[32] In 2009, Duncan was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.[33]
In the 1997 NBA draft, theSan Antonio Spurs drafted Duncan with the first draft pick.[7] The Spurs were coming off an injury-riddled1996–97 season; their best player,David Robinson—himself a number one draft pickin 1987—was sidelined for most of the year, and they finished with a 20–62 win–loss record.[34] In the1997–98 season, Duncan and Robinson became known as the "Twin Towers". The duo earned a reputation for their exceptional defense close to the basket.[12] From the beginning, Duncan established himself as a quality player: In his second road game, he grabbed 22 rebounds againstChicago BullsHall-of-Fame power forwardDennis Rodman, a multiple rebounding champion andNBA Defensive Player of the Year.[35] Duncan was voted to the1998 NBA All-Star Game by coaches. Later, when Duncan played againstHouston Rockets Hall-of-Fame power forwardCharles Barkley, Barkley was so impressed he said, "I have seen the future and he wears number 21."[36] In his rookie season, Duncan lived up to expectations of being the first draft pick, starting in all 82 regular season games, averaging 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.5 blocks per game, and earning All-NBA First Team honors.[7] His defensive contributions ensured that he was chosen for theNBA All-Defensive Second Team and was also namedNBA Rookie of the Year, having won the NBA Rookie of the Month award every single month that season.[16][37] Spurs coachGregg Popovich lauded Duncan's mental toughness, stating his rookie's "demeanor was singularly remarkable", Duncan always "put things into perspective" and never got "too upbeat or too depressed."[38] Center Robinson was equally impressed with Duncan: "He's the real thing. I'm proud of his attitude and effort. He gives all the extra effort and work and wants to become a better player."[39]
The Spurs qualified for the1998 NBA playoffs as the fifthseed, but Duncan had a bad first half in his first playoff game against thePhoenix Suns, causing Suns coachDanny Ainge to play Duncan with less defensive pressure. The rookie capitalized on this by finishing Game 1 with 32 points and 10 rebounds[40] and replicating the performance in Game 2,[41] contributing to a 3–1 victory over the Suns.[12] However, the Spurs lost in the second round to the eventual Western Conference champions,Utah Jazz.[42]
During thelockout-shortened1998–99 season, the Spurs started with a lackluster 6–8 record and Popovich came under fire from the press.[43] However, Duncan and Robinson stood behind their coach and finished the season with a 31–5 run.[44] The sophomore averaged 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.5 blocks in the regular season, making both theAll-NBA and All-Defense First Teams.[7] In the1999 NBA playoffs, the Spurs defeated theMinnesota Timberwolves 3–1, swept theLos Angeles Lakers and thePortland Trail Blazers 4–0, and defeated theCinderellaNew York Knicks 4–1 in theFinals.[45] In this series, a large contingent of Virgin Islanders flew over to support their local hero,[46] and were not disappointed. In the first two games, the "Twin Towers" outscored their Knicks counterpartsChris Dudley/Larry Johnson with 41 points, 26 rebounds, and nine blocks versus five points, 12 rebounds, and zero blocks.[46] After a Game 3 loss in which Duncan was held scoreless in the third quarter and committed threeturnovers in the last quarter, Duncan bounced back with 28 points and 18 rebounds in a Game 4 win,[46] and in Game 5, the Spurs protected a 78–77 lead seconds from the end with the ball in the Knicks' possession.Double teamed by Duncan and Robinson, KnicksswingmanLatrell Sprewell missed a last-second desperation shot,[46] and after closing out the series with a strong 31-point, 9-rebound showing in Game 5, Duncan was namedFinals MVP, bringing San Antonio their first-ever NBA championship.[47]Sports Illustrated journalist and retired NBA playerAlex English added: "Duncan came up big each time they went to him with that sweet turnaround jumper off the glass. He was the man tonight [in Game 5]." And Popovich later said to losing coachJeff Van Gundy: "I've got Tim and you don't. That's the difference."[47]
In the1999–2000 season, Duncan further cemented his reputation. He averaged 23.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 blocks per game, earning another pair of All-NBA and All-Defense First Team nods.[7] However, the Spurs had a disappointing postseason. Duncan injured hismeniscus shortly before the end of the regular season and was unable to play in even one postseason game.[16] Consequently, the Spurs were eliminated in the first round of the2000 NBA playoffs, losing 3–1 to the Phoenix Suns.[48] The following offseason, Duncan nearly joined theOrlando Magic in free agency, but stayed with the Spurs after Magic coachDoc Rivers refused to allow Duncan to bring his family to fly on the team plane.[49]
In thenext season, Duncan averaged 22.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game. He was again named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams.[7] In the2001 NBA playoffs, the Spurs eliminated the Timberwolves 3–1, defeated theDallas Mavericks 4–1, but then bowed out against the Lakers (led by superstars Shaquille O'Neal andKobe Bryant) in four straight games.[50]Sports Illustrated described the series as a "[m]erciless mismatch", and Duncan was criticized as "silent when the Spurs need him most".[51]
On the back of two consecutive playoff disappointments, Duncan improved statistically in the2001–02 season. He averaged career highs in scoring (25.5 points per game, including a league-leading 764 field goals and 560 attempted free throws) and rebounding (12.7 boards per game, and his accumulated 1,042 boards again led the league), and also averaged 3.7 assists and 2.5 blocks per game, both career highs.[7] Coupled with another pair of All-NBA and All-Defensive First Team nods, he was named theleague's Most Valuable Player, joining teammate David Robinson as one of only two Spurs players in history to have earned the honor.[52] On the other hand, Duncan's team struggled with the fact that the aging Robinson was no longer able to sustain his level of performance, and backup center-forwardMalik Rose had to step in more often.[12] In the2002 NBA playoffs, the Spurs were again outmatched by the Lakers. Up against star center O'Neal once more, the Spurs were defeated 4–1 by the eventual champions.[53] Duncan, who managed 34 points and a franchise-high 25 rebounds in Game 5, stated his frustration: "I thought we really had a chance at this series. The Lakers proved to be more than we could handle. Again, we had a (heck) of a run at it. We had opportunities to win games and make it a different series, but that's just the way the ball rolls sometimes."[54] Nevertheless, NBA.com praised Duncan as "phenomenal" and criticized his supporting cast.[54]
In the2002–03 season, the Spurs began play at theSBC Center on November 1 by defeating theToronto Raptors 91–72. In that game, Duncan recorded 22 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks for the Spurs.[55] He averaged 23.3 points, a career-high 12.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.9 blocks per game, and earned All-NBA and All-Defensive First Team recognition, resulting in his second NBA Most Valuable Player Award.[7][12] At age 37, Robinson had announced that the season would be his last; his playing time was cut by coach Popovich to save his energy for the playoffs.[12] The Spurs qualified easily forthe playoffs, concluding the regular season as the Western Conference's number one seed with a 60–22 record.[56] In the Western Conference Semifinals against the Lakers, Duncan dominated forwardRobert Horry[57] and closed out the series in style; Duncan finished Game 6 with 37 points and 16 rebounds.[57] The Spurs made it to thefinals, and defeated theNew Jersey Nets 88–77 in Game 6 to win another NBA championship.[58] Helped by an inspired Robinson, Duncan almost recorded aquadruple double in the final game,[59] and was named the NBA Finals MVP.[16] Following this successful Spurs campaign, Robinson and Duncan were namedSports Illustrated's 2003 "Sportsmen of the Year".[60]
On July 16, 2003, Duncan signed a seven-year, $122 million contract with the Spurs.[61] Before the2003–04 season began, the Spurs lost their perennial captain David Robinson to retirement. Embracing the lone team leader role, Duncan led a reformed Spurs team which includedSlovenian centerRasho Nesterović, defensive stalwartBruce Bowen, Argentinian shooting guardManu Ginóbili and young French point guardTony Parker. Coming off the bench were clutch shooting power forwardRobert Horry, versatileHedo Türkoğlu and veterans Malik Rose andKevin Willis.[62] In retrospect, Robinson commented that at first, Duncan was reluctant to step into the void, still needing some time to truly develop his leadership skills.[63] Statistically though, Duncan remained strong; after another convincing season with averages of 22.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.7 blocks,[7] he led the Spurs into theWestern Conference Semifinals. There, they met the Los Angeles Lakers again, split the series 2–2, and in Game 5, Duncan made a toughly defended jump shot which put the Spurs ahead by one point with 0.4 seconds left to play. Despite the little time remaining, Lakers point guardDerek Fisher hit abuzzer beater, giving his team the win.[64][65] In the end, the Spurs lost the series 4–2, and Duncan attributed the strong Lakers defense as one of the reasons for the loss.[66]
Duncan and his Spurs looked to re-assert themselves in the next2004–05 season. Despite their new captain's slight statistical slump (20.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.6 blocks per game),[7] the Spurs won the second seed for the2005 NBA playoffs by winning 59 games.[67] In the first round, the Spurs eliminated theDenver Nuggets four games to one, and met theSeattle SuperSonics in the semi-finals. After splitting the first four games, Duncan led his team to two decisive victories,[12] setting up a meeting with thePhoenix Suns, known for their up-tempo basketball. The Spurs managed to beat the Suns at their own game, defeating them 4–1[12] and earning a spot in the2005 NBA Finals against theDetroit Pistons. In the Finals, Duncan was pitted against Detroit's defensively strong frontcourt anchored by multipleNBA Defensive Player of the YearBen Wallace. After two convincing Game 1 and 2 wins for the Spurs, the Pistonsdouble teamed Duncan and forced him to play further from the basket.[12] Detroit won the next two games and the series was eventually tied at 3–3, but Duncan was instrumental in Game 7, recording 25 points and 11 rebounds as the Spurs defeated the Pistons.[68] NBA.com reported that "with his unique multidimensional talent, Duncan depleted and dissected the Pistons... He was the fulcrum of virtually every key play down the stretch", and coach Popovich added: "[Duncan's] complete game is so sound, so fundamental, so unnoticed at times, because if he didn't score, people think, 'Well, he didn't do anything'. But he was incredible and he was the force that got it done for us."[68] Pistons center Ben Wallace remarked: "He put his team on his shoulders and carried them to a championship. That's what the great players do."[68] Duncan won his third NBA Finals MVP Award, joiningMichael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, andMagic Johnson as the only players in NBA history to win it three times.[16]
During the2005–06 season, Duncan suffered fromplantar fasciitis for most of the season,[69] which was at least partly responsible for his sinking output (18.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 blocks per game), and also for his failure to make the All-NBA First Team after eight consecutive appearances.[7] The big man came back strong in the2006 NBA playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks, where he outscored rival power forwardDirk Nowitzki 32.2 to 27.1 points, with neither Nowitzki nor Mavericks centerErick Dampier able to stop Duncan with their man-to-man defense.[70] But after splitting the first six games, Duncan became the tragic hero of his team in Game 7. Despite scoring 39 points in regulation time and fouling out both Dampier andKeith Van Horn, Duncan only made one of seven field goal attempts in overtime against Mavericks reserve centerDeSagana Diop, and the Spurs lost Game 7.[70]
Thefollowing season, however, was another championship year for Duncan and the Spurs. Duncan averaged 20.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.4 blocks per game in the regular season,[7] and was selected as a Western Conference starter for the2007 NBA All-Star Game, his ninth appearance in the event. In the2007 NBA Playoffs, he led the Spurs to a 4–1 series win over the Denver Nuggets in the opening round, a 4–2 win over the Phoenix Suns in the second round, and a 4–1 win against theUtah Jazz in the Western Conference Finals, setting up a meeting with theCleveland Cavaliers inthe Finals.[71] There, the Spurs swept the Cavaliers 4–0, earning Duncan his and San Antonio's fourth ever championship.[72] Duncan proclaimed that that championship was "the best" of his four championships; however, he also acknowledged he played "sub-par" and thus received only one vote for NBA Finals MVP from a panel of ten.[63] His colleagues were more appreciative of Duncan; among others, ex-teammate David Robinson referred to the Spurs titles as the "Tim Duncan era", and lauded his leadership. Coach Popovich also praised Duncan: "Tim is the common denominator. He's [had] a different cast around him [in] '99, '03 and '05. He's welcomed them all. ... But he is that easy to play with, and his skills are so fundamentally sound that other people can fit in."[63] Then-NBA commissionerDavid Stern added: "[Duncan] is a player for the ages. I'm a tennis fan, andPete Sampras is one of the greats. OK, he wasn'tAndre Agassi orJohn McEnroe. He just happens to be one of the greatest players of all time. You take great players as you find them."[63]
Playoff disappointments (2007–2013)
During the2008 NBA All-Star Weekend, Duncan was a member of the San Antonio team that won theShooting Stars Competition.[73] For the season, he played 78 games and posted his typical 20/10 numbers,[74] San Antonio concluded the2007–08 regular season with a 56–26 record, finishing behind the Lakers andNew Orleans Hornets in the Western Conference and setting up themselves for a first-round contest against the Suns. The Suns—defeated by the Spurs in three of the past four seasons of playoffs—were out for revenge and featured a new player in four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal. In Game 1, Duncan set the tone with a 40-point game and a rarethree-pointer that sent the game into double overtime.[75] The trio of Duncan, Ginóbili and Parker continued playing to form for the remainder of the series, and the Spurs eliminated the Suns in five games.[76] In the first game of the next round against theChris Paul-led Hornets, San Antonio was badly defeated 101–82 as Duncan played one of the worst playoff games in his career, recording only 5 points and 3 rebounds.[77] The Spurs dropped the next game as well, but recovered in Games 3 and 4, with Duncan putting up a team-high 22 point/15 rebound/4 block performance in the game that tied the series.[78] Duncan then recorded 20 points and 15 rebounds in Game 6,[79] and the Spurs relied on their experience to seal the series in Game 7.[80] However, arch-rivalsLos Angeles Lakers defeated San Antonio in five games in the Conference Finals, and the Spurs once again failed to capture back-to-back NBA championships.[81]
Duncan with the ball in 2009
Duncan started the2008–09 season with strong showings in points and rebounds per game. However, by mid-season, his performance declined and he was subsequently diagnosed with chronic kneetendinosis.[82] Despite Duncan having problems with his knee and the team losing the services of shooting guard Ginóbili for most of the season, San Antonio qualified forthe playoffs as the third seed with a 54–28 record.[83][84] Coupled with an aging supporting cast (Bowen,Michael Finley andKurt Thomas were all in their late 30s), however, the Spurs were only considered fringe contenders for the championship.[84] As it turned out, Duncan and Parker were not enough to help the Spurs avoid a 4–1 defeat by Dallas, and the Spurs were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2000.[85]
With the Spurs looking to provide a more solid supporting cast in the2009–10 season, they acquiredRichard Jefferson,Theo Ratliff,Antonio McDyess,DeJuan Blair, andKeith Bogans.[86] The team got off to a 5–6 start, but a series of double-double performances by Duncan gave them a 9–6 record by the end of November. Duncan was subsequently named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the last week of November.[87] Even at 34 years of age, he remained a constant 20–10 threat, being only one of three players in the league at the mid-season to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. On January 21, 2010, Duncan was named as the starting forward for the West for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game.[88] After securing yet another 50-win season,[89] the Spurs qualified for theplayoffs as the seventh seed, and defeated Dallas 4–2 in the first round, only to lose 4–0 to Phoenix in the next round.[90]
Duncan in February 2011
Eleven games into the2010–11 season, Duncan became the Spurs' all-time leader in points scored and games played.[91] Along the way, the Spurs compiled a 12-game winning streak to go 13–2 after 15 games. On November 30, 2010, Duncan recorded his third careertriple-double against theGolden State Warriors.[92] 12 days later, in a game against thePortland Trail Blazers, Duncan became the94th player in NBA history to play 1,000 games. Through his 1,000th game, the Spurs have been 707–293; onlyScottie Pippen (715–285) had a better record with his team through his first 1,000 games.[93] The Spurs were 29–4 after 33 games—one of the ten best starts in NBA history[94]–and led the league at 35–6 halfway through the season.[95] Although Duncan produced career lows in points and rebounds per game, the Spurs ended the regular season as the first seed in the West for the2011 NBA playoffs, and were second in the league (to Chicago). Despite finishing with a 61–21 record, however, the Spurs could not avoid being upset in the first round, 4–2, by the eighth-seededMemphis Grizzlies.[96]
Duncan as an All-Star for the West in 2011
The Spurs again finished the2011–12 season as the number one seed in the West—it was a lockout-shortened 66-game season—tying with the Chicago Bulls for a league-best 50–16 record.[97] Prior to a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 24, 2012, head coach Gregg Popovich decided to give Duncan a night off by listing him on the official scorecard as "DNP-OLD", poking fun at his 36-year-old body.[98] Overall, Duncan's numbers remained at par with the previous season. The triumvirate of Duncan-Parker-Ginóbili entered the2012 NBA playoffs well-rested and healthy, and the Spurs swept the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers 4–0 in the first two rounds. On May 31, 2012, in the third game of the Western Conference Finals against theOklahoma City Thunder, Duncan set the record for most career blocks in playoffs history, surpassingKareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Spurs' playoff run came to an end when the Thunder defeated them 4–2.[99]
On July 11, 2012, Duncan agreed to re-sign with the Spurs. Helped by a supporting cast comprisingDanny Green,Tiago Splitter,Gary Neal andKawhi Leonard that had been maturing steadily over the last two seasons, Duncan and the Spurs would again make theplayoffs with a 58–24 regular season record. Duncan also returned to the All-Star line-up and was named to the All-NBA First Team. He finished the regular season with 23,785 career points, which brokeGeorge Gervin's record for most points in a Spurs uniform (23,602). In the playoffs, the Spurs swept the Los Angeles Lakers, beat Golden State in six games and defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Finals in a 4–0 sweep to reach the NBA Finals. In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, Duncan recorded his 500th playoff block, becoming the first player in NBA history to reach that milestone, although the NBA did not track blocks prior to the 1973–74 season.[100][101] The Spurs met defending NBA championsMiami Heat in theNBA Finals in a tightly contested series. Miami had home court advantage, but San Antonio took the first game and headed into game 6 with a 3–2 lead. In that game, Duncan scored 25 points in the first half,[102] his biggest haul in a half of an NBA Finals game.[citation needed] However, the Spurs lost the game in overtime, and then lost the deciding seventh game.[103]
Fifth championship (2013–2014)
On December 2, 2013, Duncan became the oldest player to record a 20–20 game in NBA history, finishing with 23 points, 21 rebounds, and the game-winning jump shot against theAtlanta Hawks.[104] The Spurs went on to conclude the2013–14 regular season with a league-best 62 wins.[105] The Spurs defeated Dallas in seven games in the first round of theplayoffs, Portland in five games in the conference semifinals, and Oklahoma City in six games, where game 6 went into overtime, as the Spurs won, 112–107.[106][107][108] They set up a Finals rematch against the Miami Heat, which they won, 4–1, setting a record margin for a win in the NBA Finals, for games 3 and 4.[109] Along the way, the Duncan-Ginóbili-Parker trio broke the record for most wins in NBA playoffs history.[110] After winning the Finals in five games, Duncan joinedJohn Salley as the only players to win a championship in three different decades.[111]
Late career (2014–2016)
On June 23, 2014, Duncan exercised his $10.3 million player option for the 2014–15 season.[112][113] On November 14, 2014, Duncan scored his 25,000th point in the first half of the Spurs' 93–80 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the 19th player in NBA history to reach the milestone.[114] On February 19, 2015, he passedAlex English to move into 16th place on theNBA's all-time scoring list with 30 points against the Los Angeles Clippers.[115] On March 4, he recorded six rebounds against the Sacramento Kings, breaking his tie withNate Thurmond for ninth in career rebounding.[116] Two days later, he recorded three blocks against the Denver Nuggets to surpassPatrick Ewing for sixth overall in career blocks.[117] On April 12, he played his 1,330th career game against the Phoenix Suns, which passedMoses Malone for 11th all-time. He also scored 22 points and passedKevin Garnett to move into 14th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list.[118] The Spurs finished sixth in the Western Conference after 82 games and faced the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. Their quest for back-to-back championships was ended May 2 as they lost to the Clippers in seven games.[119] Duncan was later named to the All-Defensive second team on May 20 for the seventh time in his career.[120]
On July 9, 2015, Duncan re-signed with the Spurs to a two-year deal.[121] On November 2, 2015, in a win over the New York Knicks, Duncan recorded 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in his NBA-record 954th victory with one team, surpassing John Stockton's 953 wins with the Utah Jazz.[122] On November 11, he pulled down the 14,716th rebound of his career against the Portland Trail Blazers to passRobert Parish for seventh place on theNBA's all-time rebounding list.[123] On November 14, in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Duncan had five blocked shots to become the Spurs' franchise leader with 2,955 blocks, surpassing former teammate David Robinson's career total of 2,954. Duncan also moved intofifth all-time on the NBA's blocks list.[124] After missing the Spurs' last three games of December due to rest and right knee soreness, Duncan returned to action on January 2, 2016, against the Houston Rockets. In his return game, Duncan was held scoreless for the first time in his 19-year career;[125] giving him the most consecutive games with at least one point, at 1,359.[126] Four days later, Duncan scored a then-season high 18 points in a 123–98 win over the Utah Jazz, helping the Spurs extend its franchise-record home winning streak to 30 straight regular season games dating to 2014–15.[127] On February 10, he returned to the starting lineup after missing eight games with a sore knee.[128] On February 27, in a win over the Houston Rockets, he became the fifth player in NBA history to reach 3,000 blocks. In addition, with six rebounds in the game, Duncan reached 14,971 for his career, surpassing Karl Malone (14,968) for sixth place in league history.[129] On March 10, Duncan became the sixth player in league history with 15,000 rebounds, completing the feat midway through the first quarter of the Spurs' 109–101 win over the Chicago Bulls.[130] On March 19, he came off the bench for only the third time in his career to counter the smaller lineup of the Golden State Warriors. With a win over the Warriors, the Spurs recorded their 35th straight home win of the season and their 44th straight at home dating to 2014–15, tied for the second-longest streak in NBA history with the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls.[131] On April 5, in a win over the Utah Jazz, he became the third player with 1,000 victories in the regular season, followingKareem Abdul-Jabbar andRobert Parish. Duncan extended his mark as the NBA's career leader in victories with one team.[132] On April 8, he scored a season-high 21 points in a losing effort to the Denver Nuggets. Having already locked up second seed in the West with a franchise-best record (65–13 prior to Nuggets game), all four of Duncan's starting teammates were rested.[133] The Spurs went on to lose to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs.[134]
Duncan's 21 jersey was retired months after he stopped playing.
On June 28, 2016, Duncan opted into his $5.6 million contract for the 2016–17 season.[135] However, on July 11, 2016, he announced his retirement from the NBA after 19 seasons with San Antonio.[136] In September 2016, coachGregg Popovich indicated that Duncan would have a coaching role with the team in the 2016–17 season.[137]
On December 18, 2016, the Spurs retired Duncan's No. 21 jersey in a postgame ceremony, making him the eighth Spur in franchise history to have his jersey retired.[138]
In 2003, Duncan was also a member of the USA team that recorded ten wins and qualified for the2004 Summer Olympics.[21] He started all the games he played in and averaged team bests of 15.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.56 bpg, while shooting 60.7 percent from the field.[21] At the Olympics itself, the team lost three games on its way to a bronze medal.[140] The record represented more losses in a single year than in the 68 previous years combined. It was also the first time since NBA players became eligible that the U.S. men's basketball team lost a game in international competition and returned home without gold medals.[140] After the tournament, Duncan was disappointed with team's unpreparedness for the tournament and commented, "I am about 95 percent sure myFIBA career is over. I'll try not to share my experiences with anyone."[141] In total, Duncan was a member of five USA Basketball teams and played in 40 games.[21]
Standing at 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 m) and weighing 250 pounds (113 kg), Duncan was apower forward who could also playcenter. With adouble-double career average in points and rebounds, he was considered one of the most consistent players in the NBA throughout his career.[68] Regarded as one of the league's best interior defenders, Duncan also ranked consistently as one of the topscorers,rebounders andshot-blockers in the league.[7] At the end of his final season in 2015–16, he was ranked first in regular season point-rebound double-doubles among active players,[142] while he led the charts in postseason point-rebound double-doubles (158 as of 2013–14). His main weakness for much of his career was hisfree throw shooting, with a career average of less than 70%.[7]
Apart from these statistics, Duncan has gained a reputation as a clutch player, as evidenced by his three NBA Finals MVP awards and his playoff career averages being higher than his regular season statistics.[7] Eleven-time NBA championBill Russell further complimented Duncan on his passing ability, and rated him as one of the most efficient players of his generation,[143] a view shared by 19-time NBA All-StarKareem Abdul-Jabbar.[144] Because of his versatility and success, basketball experts widely consider Duncan to be the greatest power forward in NBA history,[2][3] while coach Popovich and teammates Parker and Ginóbili have also credited much of San Antonio's success to him.[145][146] Duncan's detractors, however, label him as "boring" because of his simple but effective style of play (thus earning him the nickname "The Big Fundamental"). Following his first championship ring in 1999,Sports Illustrated described him as a "quiet, boring MVP",[147] a characterization which persists today.[143]
Duncan himself commented on his "boring" image, stating, "If you show excitement, then you also may show disappointment or frustration. If your opponent picks up on this frustration, you are at a disadvantage."[148] Sports journalist Kevin Kernan commented on his ability to relax and stay focused, stating that having a degree in psychology, Duncan often not only outplays, but out-psychs his opponents.[149]Shaquille O'Neal had high praise for Duncan's on-court demeanor. "The Spurs won because of Tim Duncan, a guy I could never break," O'Neal wrote in his autobiography. "I could talk trash to Patrick Ewing, get in David Robinson's face, get a rise out of Alonzo Mourning, but when I went at Tim he'd look at me like he was bored."[150]
Duncan has stated that he especially likes hisbank shot, saying: "It is just easy for me. It just feels good."[151] Additionally, Duncan's close and longstanding relationship with Spurs coachGregg Popovich has been described as "the greatest love story in sports".[152]
Honors
During his basketball career, Duncan received a number of individual and team honors, including being a two-time MVP (2002, 2003), five-time NBA champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014), and three-time NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005). As a college player, he was honored by theHouse of Representatives,[153] named the ACC Male Athlete of the Year, won theJohn R. Wooden Award andAdolph Rupp Trophy, and was selected as theNaismith College Player of the Year in addition to player of the year honors from theUnited States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA),National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) andSporting News (all 1997).[21] In 2002, Duncan was named to theACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team honoring the 50 greatest players in ACC history.[154] In his debut year in the NBA (1998), he was voted Rookie of the Year and elected into theAll-Rookie Team. He has been named to 15 NBA All-Star teams (1997–98; 1999–2000 to 2010–11; 2012–13 and 2014–15), 15 All-NBA Teams (1997–98 to 2009–10, 2012–13, 2014–15; ten First Team nominations), and 15 All-Defensive Teams (1997–98 to 2009–10; 2012–13, 2014–15; eight First Team nominations).[7] With these impressive performances, Duncan is one of only four players to receive All-NBA First Team honors in each of his first eight seasons (1998–2005), along with Hall-of-FamersBob Pettit (ten seasons),Larry Bird (nine seasons), andOscar Robertson (nine seasons), and is the only player in NBA history to receive All-NBA and All-Defensive honors in his first 13 seasons (1997–98 to 2009–10).[155]
Duncan was also named by the Association for Professional Basketball Research as one of the "100 Greatest Professional Basketball Players of the 20th Century", and is the youngest player on that list.[156] In the 2001–02 season, he won theIBM Player Award[157] and theSporting News (TSN) MVP Award,[158] becoming the third player to ever win the NBA MVP, IBM Player and TSN Player Awards in the same season. On February 18, 2006, he was named one of theNext 10 Greatest Players on the tenth anniversary of the release of theNBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team by theTNT broadcasting crew.[159] In 2009, Duncan was ranked 8th bySlam magazine in their list of the top 50 NBA players of all time,[160] whileSports Illustrated named him itsNBA Player of the Decade.[161] In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th AnniversaryThe Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Duncan as the ninth greatest player in NBA history, the highest ranked power forward on the list.[162]
On July 22, 2019, theSan Antonio Spurs announced that Duncan was named an assistant coach.[166][167][168] He made his debut as acting head coach on March 3, 2020, leading the Spurs to a 104–103 comeback win over theCharlotte Hornets, which Popovich missed for personal reasons.[169]
On November 12, 2020, Duncan stepped down as assistant coach of the Spurs.[170]
Duncan married Amy Sherrill in July 2001,[16] and had two children before their divorce in August 2013.[183] In 2017, Duncan and his girlfriend welcomed their first child.[184]
In 2001,[185] Duncan established the Tim Duncan Foundation to fund programs involving health awareness and research, education, and youth sports and recreation in San Antonio,Winston-Salem, and the United States Virgin Islands.[16] The foundation's major events have included the Tim Duncan Bowling for Dollar$ Charity Bowl-A-Thon and the Slam Duncan Charity Golf Classic.[16] Between 2001 and 2002, the foundation raised more than $350,000 forbreast andprostate cancer research.[27] In those two years, Duncan was named bySporting News as one of the "Good Guys" in sports.[27] Duncan has also supported the Children's Bereavement Center, the Children's Center of San Antonio and the Cancer Therapy and Research Center.[16] In August 2017, BlackJack Speed Shop, in partnership with The Tim Duncan Foundation, organized urgently needed supplies for victims ofHurricane Harvey.[186]
Duncan cites his late mother as his main inspiration. Among other things, she taught him and his sisters the nursery rhyme "Good, Better, Best. Never let it rest/Until your Good is Better, and your Better is your Best", which he adopted as his personal motto.[14] On and off the court, he believes that the three most important values are dedication, teamwork and camaraderie.[14] He chose No. 21 for his jersey because that was his brother-in-law's college number, since he was Duncan's main basketball inspiration. Duncan also cites Hall-of-FameLos Angeles Lakers point guardMagic Johnson as his childhood idol.[14]
Duncan was honored with the Virgin Islands Medal of Honor, the highest award bestowed by the Virgin Islands territorial government, and has been celebrated in several "Tim Duncan Day" ceremonies.[187] In 2000,Legislature of the Virgin Islands PresidentVargrave Richards said, "He is a quiet giant. His laid-back attitude is the embodiment of the people of St. Croix, doing things without fanfare and hoopla."[187]
In 2015, Duncan sued his former investment adviser Charles Banks, claiming over $20 million in losses.[189] In September 2016, a federal grand jury indicted Banks on two counts ofwire fraud related to the case.[189] In April 2017, Banks pled guilty to wire fraud in the case;[190] in June 2018, Duncan reached a settlement with Banks and received $7.5 million.[191]
In March 2020, Duncan offered to pay for airline tickets for college students in the U.S. Virgin Islands to travel home during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[192]
^abGaither, Steven J. (July 11, 2016)."Why the basketball world never embraced Tim Duncan".Sporting News.Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. RetrievedApril 11, 2018.Ironically, that lack of a defining skill helped him become widely regarded as the greatest power forward to play the game.
^abHollinger, John (April 17, 2009)."PER Diem: April 17, 2009".ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures.Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. RetrievedJune 20, 2020.
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