Tim Duncan
San Antonio Spurs (1997-2016)
2-time NBA MVP (’02, ’03)
5-time NBA Champion (’99, ’03, ’05, ’07, ’14)
3-time Finals MVP (’99, ’03, ’05)
10-time All-NBA 1st Team (’98, ’99, ’00, ’01, ’02, ’03, ’04, ’05, ’07, ’13)
3-time All-NBA 2nd Team (‘06, ’08, ’09)
2-time All-NBA 3rd Team (‘10, ’15)
8-time All-Defensive 1st Team (’99, ’00, ’01, ’02, ’03, ’05, ’07, ’08)
7-time All-Defensive 2nd Team (’98, ’04, ’06, ’09, ’10, ’13, ’15)
1998 NBA Rookie of the Year
15-time NBA All-Star
2000 NBA All-Star Game Co-MVP
San Antonio Spurs all-time leader in games, minutes, points, rebounds and blocks
The story of Tim Duncan and how he became one of the ten greatest players of all-time has been well documented. He grew up a swimmer in St. Croix, Virgin Islands and came to basketball late. Swimming’s loss was definitely basketball’s gain.
Drafted 1st overall in the 1997 draft by the San Antonio Spurs, after a stellar career at Wake Forest, Duncan immediately made a huge impact on his new team. He took home Rookie of the Year honors in his first season, as well as being named to the All-NBA 1st team. In just his second season, the 50-game, lockout shortened season, the Spurs would win their first NBA championship on the back of Duncan and fellow twin tower, David Robinson. Duncan was magnificent in the Finals, taking home the Finals MVP award and cementing his place among the game’s very elite.
The following year was a slight disappointment as a knee injury to Duncan limited him late in the season and forced him to miss the playoffs. In ’01 he led the Spurs to the best record in the league and the conference finals. However, the dominant Los Angeles Lakers, who were on their way to their second title of a three peat, swept the Spurs. It was obvious that the Spurs roster needed an injection of youth.
The 2001-02 season saw Duncan win his first MVP award, but the eventual champion, Lakers, again bounced the Spurs from the playoffs. That season did mark the debut of a young French point guard by the name of Tony Parker and the following season would see the debut of one Manu Ginobili. If 2002 were a high point for TD, the 2002-03 season would be his masterpiece. Duncan again won MVP, leading the league in win shares and putting up 23.3 point, 12.9 rebound, 3.9 assist and 2.9 block per game averages. This time in the playoffs the Spurs would defeat the Lakers in the second round and go on to win the title in a better-than-remembered Finals against Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets. Oh, Duncan won Finals MVP, capping off the series with a Game 6 line of 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and 8 blocks.
The next season Duncan again put together terrific numbers in the first year sans Robinson, but the Spurs would fall short to the Lakers in the second round. In ‘05 the Spurs won the title over the Detroit Pistons. In ’06 S.A. lost an absolutely epic series to the Dallas Mavericks in 7 games. In ’07 he won his fourth title by sweeping LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals.
This is the thing about Tim Duncan, you can keep going year after year and the trend is the same. He and his team played at an incredibly high level and competed for championships. The last third of his career only did more to increase his standing as the greatest player of his generation. Where others started to crumble, he changed his body and his game to remain the anchor of some great teams. In 2013 he was named All-NBA 1st Team for the 10th time in his career, he put together a great playoff run and Finals and came agonizingly close to his 5th ring. The following season he put the pain of 2013 behind him and helped lead the Spurs to a 4-1 Finals win over the team that had beaten them in the championship round the season before, the Miami Heat.
As his career wound down it was obvious that TD couldn’t carry the same load he once did for San Antonio. But Duncan knew that, which is another strength of his. His ability (probably learned from David Robinson) to let other, younger players take the reigns of the team is a huge reason why he was still competing for titles as he approached 40 years old. Make no mistake that is a skill. Even in his last (statistically his worst) season he was able to be the backbone of one of the greatest defensive teams of all-time.
The best way to describe Tim Duncan’s career is subtle, consistent greatness. Other greats of the game may have been better marketed or had a game more tailor made to fit the wants of the masses, but Duncan quietly passed them by. His place in history is unquestioned and both his franchise and the game will greatly miss him.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
2015 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award
2-time ACC Player of the Year (Wake Forest, ’96, ’97)
2-time Consensus 1st Team All-American (Wake Forest, ’96, ’97)
His #21 is retired by Wake Forest University
2004 Olympic Bronze Medal (USA)
