Tim Duncan - The Big Fundamental
The 10 Greatest Players In NBA History: Tim Duncan
Opening Tip
Having a long, successful career in the NBA is the common goal of most players once they enter the league. Winning multiple championships, naturally leads to endorsement deals, larger contracts, and more fanfare. Some of the greatest players in history have made almost as big of a name for themselves off of the court as they have on it.
Whether it be fancy commercial ads on television, or flashy plays in games that make every highlight reel on a nightly basis, being one of the greats definitely has benefits.
On occasion, however, there comes a player that flies under the radar, who wins, puts up the necessary statistics, retires and is inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame without a whimper.
A quiet addition to the series chronicling The Greatest Players In NBA History, this is the story of Tim Duncan.
Tim Duncan - The Early Years
Born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Timothy Theodore Duncan did not have future aspirations of playing on the hardwood. Tim Duncan’s first love was swimming. If it were not for the strong and swift hand of Mother Nature (Hurricane Hugo), we might have been referring to Duncan as a once-great legend of the pool, instead of the court.
Thankfully for all basketball fans, Tim Duncan began playing basketball in grade 9 and never looked back. Tall for his age, Duncan struggled to find his way at first in the foreign sport called basketball. Eventually, he would gain confidence, and lead his St. Dunstan’s Episcopal High School in scoring, averaging 25 points per game (PPG) in his senior year.
A-Wake-ining - Duncan’s Career at Wake Forest
To nobody’s surprise, Duncan had several universities, some of the best basketball programs in the country, tripping over themselves trying to recruit the phenom to their school.
Wake Forest University was where Duncan would end up attending, and graduating with his degree was the priority. Duncan’s mother died when he was 14, and she made her children promise that they would all graduate university.
The ‘Big Fundamental’ - At Wake Forest
Duncan struggled at first in his rookie year at Wake. If it were not for key players being lost to NCAA violations, and the NBA Draft, Duncan might still be riding the pine. Duncan went scoreless in his college debut and really did not display any razzle-dazzle with any of his moves. His play was simple, methodical, but eventually, his fundamental style would dominate over defenses. Standing at 6ft, 11in, Duncan overwhelmed (or put to sleep) his defenders with a series of low-post moves, and bank-shots from mid-range.
Fulfilling his promise to his mother on her deathbed, Duncan graduated from Wake Forest with a degree, and declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft. Duncan was the all-time shot-blocking leader (481) in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference), and third in rebounding (1.570) in the conference all-time. The only stain on his storied collegiate career is his failure to bring an NCAA Division 1 Basketball Championship during his time as a Demon Deacon.
The 1st OVERALL Pick
In 1997 the San Antonio Spurs selected Duncan first overall in the NBA Draft. Later dubbed the “Big Fundamental” by Shaquille O’Neal, Duncan would finish his rookie campaign playing in all 82 regular season games, averaging 21.1 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 2.5 Blocks per game (BPG).
He also would win the Rookie Of The Month Award every month of the 1997 season, and to the surprise of absolutely nobody, easily won the 1997 NBA Rookie Of The Year Award.
Spurs Legacy
San Antonio began Duncan’s sophomore season very slowly but finished strong with a 31-5 record.
Led by Duncans’s steady play throughout the playoffs, the Spurs rolled over the Minnesota Timberwolves, swept the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers in back-to-back series, before winning the championship in 5 games over the New York Knicks. Duncan was named Finals MVP for what would be the first of three such awards that he would end his career having won.
Duncan injured his meniscus slightly before the end of the 2000 NBA regular season, and San Antonio was unable to muster up much opposition once they began their postseason. Instead of defending their title, Duncan could only watch as his Spurs were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
Teaming up with David Robinson to win his first NBA championship, Duncan would gain 2 more teammates in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. The pair alongside Duncan would go on to win 4 more championships. All of the rings, accolades, and success that Duncan earned during his career with San Antonio, he credits to his only coach during his 19-year career, Gregg Popovich.
Mr Success - Tim Duncan’s Incredible Career statistics
● 5x NBA Champion
● 3x NBA Finals MVP
● 2x NBA MVP
● 15x NBA All-Star
● 2000 NBA All-Star Game MVP
● 10x All-NBA First Team
● 3x All-NBA Second Team
● 2x All-NBA Third Team
● 8x All-NBA Defensive First Team
● 7x All-NBA Defensive Second Team
● 1999 NBA Rookie Of The Year
● 2015 NBA Teammate Of The Year
At The Buzzer
Tim Duncan played for 19 seasons in the NBA, all for the same coach.
He was considered then, and even now, to be a rare breed of player personality. Although he remained humble with his nature, Duncan played with a competitive fire that burned from within. He was not one to show much style or emotion, yet everyone who encountered him knew that he was a silent killer and a winner.
To think that all of the basketball fans worldwide were almost deprived of seeing such excellence on the court and a shining example of humanity, had there not been a natural disaster in his native land.
Duncan is now an Assistant Coach with the San Antonio Spurs, a position he has held since 2019. Finally, on August 29th, 2020, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame. This was a fitting end to his playing career and an appropriate start of his newest endeavour. Let us raise a glass and toast one of The 10 Greatest Players In NBA History, Tim Duncan.
