Tim Duncan

Position	Power forward, Center
Height	6 ft 11 in (2. Power forward is a position in the sport of Basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF" The center, colloquially the five, is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. 11 m)
Weight	260 lb (120 kg)
League	NBA
Team	San Antonio Spurs
Jersey	#21
Born	April 25, 1976 (1976-04-25) (age 32) Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands
Nationality	American
College	Wake Forest
Draft	1st overall, 1997 San Antonio Spurs
Pro career	1997–present
Awards	USBWA College Player of the Year (1997) Naismith College Player of the Year (1997) John Wooden Award (1997) ACC Player of the Year (1996, 1997) NBA Rookie of the Year (1998) NBA MVP (2002, 2003) NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005) NBA Champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007) NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000)
Official profile	Info Page

Timothy "Tim" Theodore Duncan (born April 25, 1976 in Christiansted, St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands)^[1] is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional Basketball team based in San Antonio Texas. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Christiansted is a town on Saint Croix, one of the main islands composing the United States Virgin Islands, an unincorporated territory of the United States The United States Virgin Islands is a group of Islands in the Caribbean that are an Insular area of the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational University in North Carolina, founded in 1834 The 1997 NBA Draft took place on 25 June 1997 in Charlotte North Carolina. The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional Basketball team based in San Antonio Texas. The Oscar Robertson Trophy is given out annually to outstanding men's College basketball players by the United States Basketball Writers Association. The Naismith College Player of the Year award named for Basketball inventor James Naismith, is given annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to College The John R Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college Basketball players The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the The National Basketball Association Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1969 NBA Finals. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Christiansted is a town on Saint Croix, one of the main islands composing the United States Virgin Islands, an unincorporated territory of the United States The United States Virgin Islands is a group of Islands in the Caribbean that are an Insular area of the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional Basketball team based in San Antonio Texas. The 6'11" (2. 11 m), 260-pound (118 kg)^[2] power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, a three-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, and the current captain of the Spurs. Power forward is a position in the sport of Basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF" The center, colloquially the five, is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game The National Basketball Association Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1969 NBA Finals. He has also won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award twice, and has been voted into ten All-Star games, 11 All-NBA teams, and 11 All-Defensive teams. All-star (also allstar or all star) is a term with meanings in both the worlds of Sports and The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular ^[3]

Duncan started out as a swimmer and only began playing basketball in ninth grade, and had difficulties adapting. However, he soon became a standout for St. Dunstan’s Episcopal High School, and had an illustrious college career with the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons, winning the Naismith College Player of the Year, USBWA College Player of the Year and John Wooden awards in his final year. St Dunstan’s Episcopal High School was a High school on St Croix, United States Virgin Islands. Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational University in North Carolina, founded in 1834 The Wake Forest Demon Deacons Men's basketball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference and their homecourt is the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial The Naismith College Player of the Year award named for Basketball inventor James Naismith, is given annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to College The Oscar Robertson Trophy is given out annually to outstanding men's College basketball players by the United States Basketball Writers Association. The John R Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college Basketball players Duncan graduated from college before entering the 1997 NBA Draft as the number one pick, and his list of accomplishments and leadership in the Spurs' NBA title runs in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007 have led basketball experts to consider him to be one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history. The 1997 NBA Draft took place on 25 June 1997 in Charlotte North Carolina. The 1999 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1998-99 NBA season. The 2003 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2002-03 NBA season. The 2005 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2004-05 National Basketball Association season. The 2007 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2006-07 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 2007 NBA Playoffs.

Off the court, Duncan is known for his quiet and unassuming ways, as well as his active philanthropy. Philanthropy is the act of donating money goods services time and/or effort to support a socially beneficial cause with a defined objective and with no financial or material He holds an honors degree in psychology and created the Tim Duncan Foundation to raise general health awareness and fund education and youth sports in various parts of the United States. Psychology (from Greek grc ψῡχή psȳkhē, "breath life soul" and grc -λογία -logia) is an Academic and A foundation is a legal categorization of Nonprofit organizations. ^[4]

Biography

Early life

Duncan is the only son of Ione and William Duncan, a midwife and a mason respectively, joining his two older sisters Cheryl and Tricia in a middle-class family in Christiansted. Midwifery is a Health care profession where providers give Prenatal care to expecting Mothers attend the birth of the Infant In school, Duncan was a bright pupil and dreamt of becoming an Olympic-level swimmer like his sister Tricia. ^[5][6] His parents were very supportive and Duncan excelled at swimming, becoming a teenage standout in the 50, 100 and 400 meters freestyle and aiming to make the 1992 Olympic Games as a member of the United States Team. Freestyle is an unregulated Swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. ^[5]

When Hurricane Hugo destroyed the island's only Olympic size swimming pool in 1989, forcing Duncan to swim in the ocean, he soon lost enthusiasm due to his fear of sharks. Hurricane Hugo was a destructive Category 5 Hurricane that struck Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St An Olympic-size swimming pool is the type of Swimming pool used in the Olympic Games and other "long course" events ^[4] Duncan was dealt another emotional blow when his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and died one day before his 14th birthday. Breast cancer is a Cancer that starts in the cells of the Breast in women and men ^[5] In her last days, she made Duncan and his sisters promise to finish college with a degree, which would later explain Duncan's reluctance to leave college early. ^[7] Duncan never swam competitively again, but was inspired by his brother-in-law to turn to basketball. ^[7]

Duncan initially had difficulties adapting to the game he thought would help relieve his pain and frustration. Nancy Pomroy, the athletic director of the St. Croix Country Day School was quoted: "[Duncan] was so huge. So big and tall, but he was awfully awkward at the time. "^[8] He overcame this to become a standout for the St. Dunstan’s Episcopal High School, averaging 25 points per game as a senior. St Dunstan’s Episcopal High School was a High school on St Croix, United States Virgin Islands. His play attracted the attention of several universities, despite having only picked up the game in ninth grade. ^[4] Wake Forest University basketball coach Dave Odom in particular grew interested in Duncan after the 16-year-old allegedly played NBA star Alonzo Mourning to a draw in a 5-on-5 pick-up game. Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational University in North Carolina, founded in 1834 Dave Odom (born October 9, 1942) is a retired men's basketball coach who most recently coached at the University of South Carolina. Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr (born February 8, 1970, in Chesapeake Virginia) is an American professional Basketball player who ^[5] Odom was searching for a tall, physical player to play near the basket. ^[5] 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 to be inattentive; Duncan stared blankly at Odom for most of the conversation. ^[9] However, after the first talk, Odom understood that this was just Duncan's way of paying attention, and discovered that Duncan was not only athletically talented, but also a quick learner. ^[9] Eventually, despite offers by the University of Hartford, the University of Delaware and Providence College, Duncan joined Odom's Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The University of Hartford, often called UHA or UHart, was founded in 1877 and is a private independent and nonsectarian The University of Delaware ( UD) is the largest University in the U This page refers to a college in Rhode Island. For the college in Manitoba, see Providence College and Theological Seminary. ^[5]

Wake Forest University

See also: List of college men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons had previously reached the Sweet 16, but lost main scorer Rodney Rogers, who had entered the 1993 NBA Draft. The men's Division I collegiate basketball players who have reached both 2000 points and 1000 rebounds in their respective careers Numbers in italicized bold The Demon Deacon is the mascot of Wake Forest University, a school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Rodney Ray Rogers (born June 20, 1971, in Durham North Carolina) is a retired American Basketball player who last played power forward The 1993 NBA Draft took place on 30 June 1993 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. ^[5] Duncan struggled with early transition problems and was even held scoreless in his first college game, but as the year progressed, he and team mate Randolph Childress led the Deacons to a 20–11 win-loss record. Randolph Childress (born September 21 1972, in Washington DC) is an American professional Basketball player who currently plays ^[5] Duncan's style of play was simple but effective, combining an array of low-post moves, mid-range bank shots and tough defense. In Basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface consisting of a rectangular floor with baskets at either end Basketball moves are generally individual actions used by players to pass by defenders to gain access to the basket or to get a clean pass to a teammate He was chosen to represent the U. S. in the 1994 Goodwill Games. The Goodwill Games were an international sports competition created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s ^[5] Meanwhile, Duncan worked towards a degree in psychology and also took classes in anthropology and Chinese literature. Anthropology (/ˌænθɹəˈpɒlədʒi/ from Greek grc ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos, "human" -λογία -logia) is the study of Chinese literature extends back thousands of years from the earliest recorded dynastic court Archives to the mature fictional Novel that arose during the Ming Dynasty ^[9] Despite focusing heavily on basketball, Wake Forest psychology department chairperson Deborah Best was quoted: "Tim [. . . ] was one of my more intellectual students. [. . . ] Other than his height, I couldn't tell him from any other student at Wake Forest. "^[9] Duncan also established his reputation as a stoic player, to the extent that opposing fans taunted him as "Mr. Spock", the prototypical logical, detached character from Star Trek. Spock (sometimes referred to as Mr Spock) is a main character in the original Star Trek TV series ^[9]

In the 1994–95 NCAA season, the sophomore was soon called one of the most eligible NBA prospects, along with his peers Joe Smith, Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse. This article is under construction Championships World Championship Men United States 137 Russia Joseph Leynard Smith aka "Silk" and "Smooth Joe" (born July 26, 1975, in Norfolk, Virginia) is an American Rasheed Abdul Wallace (born September 17 1974 is an American professional Basketball player Jerry Darnell Stackhouse (born November 5 1974 in Kinston, North Carolina) is an American professional Basketball player ^[5] Los Angeles Lakers general manager Jerry West suggested that Duncan might become the top pick in the 1995 NBA Draft if he went early, but Duncan assured everyone he had no intention of going pro until he graduated, even though the NBA was planning to add a rookie salary cap in 1996. The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. Jerry Alan West (born May 28 1938 is a retired American Basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National The 1995 NBA Draft took place on 28 June 1995 at SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Professional sports, as opposed to amateur Sports are those in which athletes receive payment for their performance In Professional Sports, a salary cap (often called a wage cap in the United Kingdom) is a limit on the amount of money a team can spend on player He was giving up a lot of money, but was determined to stay in school. ^[5] In that season, he led the Demon Deacons into the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship game against a Rasheed Wallace-led North Carolina Tar Heels. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. The North Carolina Tar Heels are the athletic teams for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During that game, Duncan neutralized the threat of Wallace, while Childress sealed the win with a jump shot with four seconds left in overtime. See also Basketball moves In Basketball (and derivatives like Netball) a jump shot is an attempt to score a basket by jumping usually straight Overtime is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a Sport in order to bring the game to a decision and avoid declaring the contest a tie or draw ^[5] In the NCAA Tournament, the Demon Deacons reached the Sweet 16, and playing against Oklahoma State, Duncan scored 12 points to go with 22 rebounds and eight blocks, outplaying Bryant Reeves, but his team lost 66–71. The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations Bryant Reeves (born June 8, 1973, in Fort Smith, Arkansas) is a former professional Basketball player for the NBA 's Still, Duncan ended the year averaging 16. 8 points and 12. Points in Basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game 5 rebounds per game, was named Defensive Player of the Year and became the third-best shot-blocker in NCAA history with 3. A rebound in Basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or Free throw. In Basketball, a block (short for blocked shot) occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a shot from an offensive player 98 denials per game. ^[5] He was also voted All-ACC First Team, a feat he would repeat in each of his two remaining years at Wake Forest. ^[10]

In the following 1995–96 NCAA season, Wake Forest had to deal with the loss of Childress, who entered the NBA. This article is under construction Championships Professional Men 1995 NBA Finals: Houston Rockets This provided an opportunity for Duncan to show his leadership qualities, and his inexperienced team lost only four games in the entire ACC season. ^[5] The Demon Deacons won the ACC Finals again, but in the Sweet 16, Duncan came down with flu, and his team missed the Final Four by one win. The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single elimination Tournament held each spring featuring 65 College basketball teams in the He completed another remarkable season with averages of 19. 1 points and 12. 3 rebounds per game, and was again voted Defensive and ACC Player of the Year. ^[10] At the season's end the Wake Forest star was rumored to enter the NBA Draft early, but in the end, he stayed in college. ^[5]

In the 1996–97 NCAA season, Duncan was helped by the addition of future NBA player Loren Woods, a 7'1" player who eased the pressure on Duncan close to the basket. This article is under construction Championships 1996 Olympics Men United States of America 96 Yugoslavia Loren Gerard Woods (born 21 June 1978, in St Louis Missouri) is an American professional Basketball player The Demon Deacons won their first 13 games, but then got into a slump and failed to win a third ACC title. ^[5] The NCAA campaign was just as frustrating, as Stanford University led by future NBA point guard Brevin Knight eliminated Duncan's team with a 72–66 win. Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University or simply Stanford, is a private Research university located in Point guard ( PG) also called the one or " the ball-handler " is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game Brevin Knight (born November 8 1975 in Livingston New Jersey) is an American professional Basketball player at the Point guard Duncan finished with an individually impressive season though, averaging 20. 8 points, 14. 7 rebounds and 3. 2 assists per game while shooting . In Basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" 606 from the field and winning the Defensive Player of the Year for an unprecedented third straight season. Field goal percentage in Basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. He earned first-team All-America honors for the second time, and was a unanimous pick for both USWBA and Naismith College Player of the Year. An All-American "team" is an honorary Sports team composed of outstanding Amateur players those considered the best players of a specific season for The Oscar Robertson Trophy is given out annually to outstanding men's College basketball players by the United States Basketball Writers Association. The Naismith College Player of the Year award named for Basketball inventor James Naismith, is given annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to College ^[5] Duncan led the 1996–97 NCAA Division I in rebounding, was 10th in blocked shots (3. 3 bpg) and 28th in scoring (20. 8 ppg). ^[10] He was voted ACC Player of the Year again and won the 1997 John Wooden Award as the NCAA's best overall male player based on the votes of sportscasters and newswriters. The John R Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college Basketball players ^[11]

In contrast to contemporary prep-to-pro players like Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, Duncan stayed at college for a full four years. The National Basketball Association high school draftees are players who have been drafted into the NBA straight out of high school without playing basketball at the collegiate Kevin Maurice Garnett (born May 19, 1976 in Mauldin, South Carolina) is an American professional Basketball player Kobe Bean Bryant (born) is an American All-Star Shooting guard LeBron Raymone James (born December 30 1984 in Akron Ohio) is an American professional Basketball player who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers of During that period, he was a two-time ACC Player of the Year, and an unprecedented three-time NABC Defensive Player of the Year. The NABC Defensive Player of the Year is an award given annually by the National Association of Basketball Coaches to recognize the top defensive player in College basketball The center also made the All-ACC Tournament between 1995 and 1997, the All-ACC First Team between 1995 and 1997, and was named Most Valuable Player of the 1996 ACC Tournament. Further, 1996 was the year where he led the conference in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and blocked shots, becoming the first player in conference history to lead all four of those categories. ^[10] Overall, Duncan led his team to a 97–31 win-loss record and finished his college career as the second-leading shot blocker in NCAA history, and remains one of only ten players with more than 2,000 career points and 1,500 career rebounds. He was also the first player in NCAA history to reach 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 400 blocked shots and 200 assists. He left college as the all-time leading shot-blocker in ACC history with 481 blocks – second in NCAA annals behind Colgate's Adonal Foyle and third on the ACC career rebounding list with 1,570 rebounds. Colgate University is a private liberal arts college located in the Village of Hamilton in Madison County New York, USA Adonal David Foyle (born March 9, 1975 in Canouan, St Vincent and the Grenadines) is a Vincentian - American professional ^[10] With his college degree in his hands, Duncan finally made himself eligible for the 1997 NBA Draft. The 1997 NBA Draft took place on 25 June 1997 in Charlotte North Carolina.

"Twin Towers" (1997–2003)

In the 1997 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs drafted Duncan with the first draft pick. The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional Basketball team based in San Antonio Texas. ^[3] The Spurs were coming off a poor 1996–97 season; their best player, David Robinson—himself a number one draft pick in 1987—was sidelined for most of the year with an injury, and they had finished with a 20–62 win-loss record. The 1996–97 NBA season was the 51st season of the National Basketball Association. David Maurice Robinson (born) is a retired American NBA Basketball player who is often considered one of the greatest centers to ever The 1987 NBA Draft took place on 22 June 1987 in New York City, New York. ^[12] However, as the 1997–98 season approached, the Spurs were considered a notable threat in the NBA. The 1997–98 NBA season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball Association. With an experienced center in Robinson and the number one pick in Duncan, the Spurs featured one of the best frontcourts in the league. The center, colloquially the five, is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game Frontcourt is a term used in basketball referring to the Small forward, power forward, and center positions as a cohesive unit Duncan and Robinson became known as the "Twin Towers", having earned a reputation for their exceptional defense close to the basket, forcing opponents to take lower percentage shots from outside. ^[5] From the beginning, Duncan established himself as a quality player: in his second-ever road game, he grabbed 22 rebounds against opposing Chicago Bulls power forward Dennis Rodman, a multiple rebounding champion and NBA Defensive Player of the Year. The Chicago Bulls are an American professional Basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13 1961 is a retired American professional Basketball National Basketball Association (NBA player of the Detroit Pistons The National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1982–83 NBA season ^[13] Later, when Duncan played against opposing Houston Rockets Hall-of-Fame power forward Charles Barkley, Barkley was so impressed he said: "I have seen the future and he wears number 21 [Duncan's jersey number]. The Houston Rockets are an American professional Basketball team based in Houston Texas. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in downtown Springfield Massachusetts, honors players who have shown exceptional skill at Basketball Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20 1963 is an American retired professional Basketball player "^[14] In his rookie season, Duncan lived up the expectations of being the number one draft pick, starting in all 82 regular-season games, and averaging 21. 1 points, 11. 9 rebounds, 2. 7 assists and 2. 5 blocks per game. ^[3] His defensive contributions ensured that he was elected to the All-Defensive Second Team and was also named NBA Rookie of the Year, having won the NBA Rookie of the Month award every single month that season. The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the ^[4][15] Spurs coach Gregg 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. Gregg Popovich (born January 28 1949 in East Chicago, Indiana) is the head coach of the National Basketball Association 's San Antonio Spurs. "^[16] 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. "^[17]

The Spurs qualified for the 1998 NBA Playoffs as the fifth seed, but Duncan had a bad first half in his first playoff game against the Phoenix Suns, causing Suns coach Danny Ainge to play Duncan with less defensive pressure. The 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1997-1998 season. A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of Tournament where the loser of each The Phoenix Suns are a professional Basketball team based in Phoenix Arizona. Daniel (Danny Ray Ainge (born March 17, 1959 in Eugene Oregon, U The rookie capitalised on this by finishing Game 1 with 32 points and 10 rebounds^[18] and recording 32 points and 10 rebounds in Game 2,^[19] contributing to a 4–0 sweep of the Suns. ^[5] However, the Spurs lost in the second round to the eventual Western Conference Champions Utah Jazz. The Utah Jazz is a professional Basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. ^[20] In this series, Duncan was pitted against Hall-of-Fame power forward Karl Malone. Karl Anthony Malone (born July 24 1963 is a retired American professional Basketball player Duncan outscored Malone in the first two games which the Spurs lost,^[21][22] but as the series progressed, the more experienced Malone shut Duncan down on defense and dominated on offense, outscoring the young power forward in Games 3 to 5 with 10–18,^[23] 22–34^[24] and 14–24. ^[25]

Duncan at the free throw line

During the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season, the Spurs started with a lackluster 6–8 record and Popovich came under fire from the press. Main article Basketball moves In Basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted A lockout is a Work stoppage in which an Employer prevents employees from working The 1998–99 NBA season was the 53rd season of the National Basketball Association. However, Duncan and Robinson stood behind their coach, and finished the season with a 31–5 run. ^[26] The sophomore averaged 21. 7 points, 11. 4 rebounds, 2. 4 assists and 2. 5 blocks in the regular season, making both the All-NBA and All-Defense First Teams. The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season ^[3] In the 1999 NBA Playoffs, the Spurs defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 3–1, swept the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers 4–0, and defeated the New York Knicks 4–1 in the Finals. The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1998-99 season. The Minnesota Timberwolves are a professional Basketball team based in Minneapolis Minnesota, United States. The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, is an American professional Basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The 1999 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1998-99 NBA season. ^[27] In this series, a large contingent of Virgin Islanders flew over to support their local hero,^[28] and were not disappointed. In the first two games, the "Twin Towers" outscored their Knicks counterparts Chris Dudley/Larry Johnson with 41 points, 26 rebounds and nine blocks versus five points, 12 rebounds and zero blocks. For the keyboardist for Underoath see Christopher Dudley. Christen Guilford Dudley (born February 22, 1965) is Larry Demetric Johnson (born March 14, 1969 in Tyler Texas) is a retired American Basketball player who spent his professional ^[28] After a Game 3 loss in which Duncan was held scoreless in the third quarter and committed three turnovers in the last quarter, Duncan rebounded with 28 points and 18 rebounds in a Game 4 win,^[28] and in Game 5, the Spurs protected a 78–77 lead seconds from the end with the ball in the Knicks' possession. In Basketball, a turnover occurs when a player from one team gives possession to a member of another team by losing the ball Double teamed by Duncan and Robinson, Knicks swingman Latrell Sprewell missed a last-second desperation shot,^[28] and after closing out the series with a strong 31-point and 9-rebound showing in Game 5, Duncan was named Finals MVP, bringing the first-ever NBA championship to San Antonio. A double team in Basketball is defending one offensive player with two defensive players Swingman is a basketball term denoting a player who can play both the Small forward and Shooting guard positions and in essence swing between the shooting Latrell Fontaine Sprewell (born September 8 1970 in Milwaukee Wisconsin) is a former American professional Basketball player The National Basketball Association Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1969 NBA Finals. ^[29]

The accolades for the Spurs soon arrived, with Sports Illustrated reporting that the San Antonio "monkey has been shed", and that the Spurs were no longer known as the "San Antonio softies". Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. The magazine praised Finals MVP Duncan, who was later quoted: "This is incredible. We kept our focus and we pulled it out. "^[29] Sports Illustrated journalist and retired NBA player Alex English added: "Duncan came up big each time they went to him with that sweet turnaround jumper off the glass. Alex English (born January 5 1954 in Columbia South Carolina) is a retired American Basketball player and current assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors He was the man tonight [in Game 5]. " And Popovich later said to losing coach Jeff Van Gundy: "I've got Tim [Duncan] and you don't. Jeff Van Gundy (born January 19 1962 in Hemet California) is an American Basketball Head coach, most recently with the That's the difference. "^[29]

In the 1999–2000 season, Duncan further cemented his reputation. The 1999–2000 NBA season was the 54th season of the National Basketball Association. He averaged 23. 2 points, 12. 4 rebounds, 3. 2 assists and 2. 2 blocks per game, earned another pair of All-NBA and All-Defense First Team call-ups, and was co-MVP with Shaquille O'Neal of the NBA All-Star Game. Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (born March 6 1972 frequently referred to simply as " Shaq " is an African American Professional basketball ^[3] However, the Spurs had a disappointing post-season. Duncan injured his meniscus shortly before the end of the regular season and was unable to play in even one post-season game. For other uses see Meniscus (anatomy and lens (optics. Meniscus, plural menisci, from the Greek for "crescent" ^[4] Consequently, the Spurs were eliminated in the first round of the 2000 NBA Playoffs, losing 3–1 to the Phoenix Suns. The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1999-2000 season. ^[30] Nonetheless, Duncan rebounded in the next season, and with strong regular-season averages of 22. The 2000–01 NBA season was the 55th season of the National Basketball Association. 2 points, 12. 2 rebounds, 3. 0 assists and 2. 3 blocks, earned himself yet another pair of All-NBA and All-Defensive First Team call-ups. ^[3] In the 2001 NBA Playoffs, the Spurs eliminated the Timberwolves 3–1, defeated the Dallas Mavericks 4–1, but then bowed out against the Lakers led by superstars Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, losing in four straight games. The 2001 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 2000-01 season. The Dallas Mavericks (also known as the Mavs) are the professional Basketball team of the National Basketball Association based in Dallas Texas Kobe Bean Bryant (born) is an American All-Star Shooting guard ^[31] Sports Illustrated described the series as a "[m]erciless mismatch", and Duncan was criticized as "silent when the Spurs need him most". ^[32]

On the back of two consecutive playoff disappointments, Duncan improved statistically in the 2001–02 season. The 2001–02 NBA season was the 56th season of the National Basketball Association. 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 cumulated 1042 boards again led the league), and also averaged 3. 7 assists and 2. 5 blocks per game, both personal NBA high scores. Coupled with another pair of All-NBA and All-Defensive First Team call-ups, he was named the league's Most Valuable Player, joining teammate David Robinson as the only Spurs members to earn the honor. ^[33] 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-forward Malik Rose had to step in more often. Malik Jabari Rose (born November 23, 1974 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American National Basketball Association player ^[5] In the 2002 NBA Playoffs, the Spurs were outmatched by the Lakers. The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 2001–02 season. Up against star center O'Neal once more, the Spurs were defeated 4–1 by the eventual champions. ^[34] 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. "^[35] Nevertheless, NBA. com praised Duncan as "phenomenal" and criticised his supporting cast, stating Duncan "made 11-of-23 shots and 12-of-14 free throws, adding four assists and two blocks [a]nd once again, he did not have enough help. "^[35] Also, Robinson said "Tim [Duncan] was like Superman out there", and conceded that the Lakers were simply better, just like in the last playoffs campaign. ^[35]

Duncan (middle) and the Spurs at the White House after winning the 2003 NBA Finals

The 2002–03 season saw Duncan enjoy another standout season in which he averaged 23. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence The 2003 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2002-03 NBA season. The 2002–03 NBA season was the 57th season of the National Basketball Association. 3 points, a career-high 12. 9 rebounds, 3. 9 assists and 2. 9 blocks per game, and yet another dual All-NBA and All-Defense First Team call-up, resulting in his second NBA Most Valuable Player Award. ^[3][5] At age 38, Robinson announced that year as his last season, and his playing time was cut by coach Popovich to save his energy for the playoffs. ^[5] The Spurs qualified easily for the playoffs, concluding the regular season as the Conference number one seed with a 60–22 record. The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association 's 2002-03 NBA season. ^[36] Although San Antonio now had new offensive threats in Tony Parker and Manu Ginóbili, during the playoffs, it was Duncan's performance in the semi-finals against the Los Angeles Lakers which was singled out for praise by Popovich, who stated: "I thought in Game 5 and Game 6, he [Duncan] was astounding in his focus. William Anthony "Tony" Parker (born) is a French professional Basketball player for the NBA 's San Antonio Spurs and member of Emanuel David Ginóbili or Manu Ginóbili (born 28 July 1977 in Bahía Blanca, Argentina) is an Argentine basketball player He pulled everyone along these last two games. "^[37] In the series, Duncan was matched up against forward Robert Horry, dominated him the entire series^[37] and closed out the series in style; Duncan finished Game 6 with 37 points and 16 rebounds, allowing Spurs coach Popovich to call timeout with 2:26 left to instruct his team not to celebrate excessively. Robert Keith Horry (born August 25 1970 in Harford County Maryland) is an American professional Basketball player In sports, a time-out refers to a stoppage in the match for a short amount of time ^[37] The Spurs made it to the finals, and defeated the New Jersey Nets 88–77 in Game Six to win their second ever NBA championship. The 2003 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2002-03 NBA season. The New Jersey Nets are a professional Basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic ^[38] Helped by an inspired Robinson, Duncan almost recorded a quadruple double in the final game,^[39] and was named the NBA Finals MVP. A quadruple-double is a Basketball term defined as an individual performance in a game in which a player accumulates a double digit number total in four of these five categories ^[4] Duncan said of the victory: "We were all confident that something would happen, that we would turn the game to our favor, and it did", but felt sad that Robinson retired after winning his second championship ring. ^[39] Following this successful Spurs campaign, Robinson and Duncan were named Sports Illustrated's 2003 "Sportsmen of the Year". Since its inception in 1954, Sports Illustrated magazine has annually presented the " ^[40]

Leader of the Spurs (2003–present)

Duncan backs down Ben Wallace (then of the Pistons) in a 2005 game. Ben Camey Wallace (born September 10 1974 in White Hall Alabama) is an American professional Basketball player in the National The Detroit Pistons are a team in the National Basketball Association based in the Detroit metropolitan area

Before the 2003–04 season began, the Spurs lost their perennial captain David Robinson to retirement. The 2003–04 NBA season was the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. Embracing the lone team leader role, Duncan led a reformed Spurs team which included Slovenian center Rasho Nesterovic, defensive stalwart Bruce Bowen, Argentinian shooting guard Ginóbili and young French point guard Parker. Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Radoslav “Rašo” Nesterovič ( Serbian Cyrillic: Радослав Нестеровић - Рашо usually referred to in English as Rasho Nesterovic Bruce Bowen Jr (born June 14 1971 is an American professional Basketball player The Shooting guard ( SG) also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a Basketball team Coming off the bench were clutch shooting power forward Robert Horry, versatile Hedo Turkoglu and veterans Malik Rose and Kevin Willis. In US- Sports terminology " clutch " means performing well under extreme pressure Robert Keith Horry (born August 25 1970 in Harford County Maryland) is an American professional Basketball player Hidayet Türkoğlu, commonly referred to as Hedo Turkoglu (born March 19 1979 in Gaziosmanpaşa, Istanbul, Turkey. Kevin Alvin Willis (born September 6 1962 in Los Angeles California) is an American professional Basketball player who last played ^[41] 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. ^[42] 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,^[3] he led the Spurs into the Western Conference Semifinals. The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association 's 2003-04 season. There, they met the Los Angeles Lakers again, split the series 2–2, and in Game 5, Duncan made a last-second basket which put the Spurs ahead by one point with 0. 4 seconds left to play. Despite the little time remaining, Lakers point guard Derek Fisher hit a buzzer beater for an upset Lakers win. Derek Lamar Fisher (born August 9 1974 is an American professional Basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. is a Manga series by Takehiko Inoue. The series debuted on the web and was later published in print format by Shueisha, being serialized in its ^[43][44] 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. ^[45]

Duncan and his Spurs looked to re-assert themselves in the next 2004–05 season. The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA Despite their new captain's slight statistical slump (20. 3 points, 11. 1 rebounds, 2. 7 assists, 2. 6 blocks per game),^[3] the Spurs won the second seed for the 2005 NBA Playoffs by winning 59 games. The 2005 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association 's 2004-05 season. ^[46] In the first round, the Spurs eliminated the Denver Nuggets four games to one, and met the Seattle Supersonics in the semi-finals. The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. The Seattle SuperSonics (also called the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional Basketball team based in Seattle Washington that played After splitting the first four games, Duncan led his team to two decisive victories,^[5] setting up a meeting with the Phoenix Suns, known for their up-tempo basketball. The Phoenix Suns are a professional Basketball team based in Phoenix Arizona. The Spurs managed to beat the Suns at their own game, defeating them 4–1^[5] and earning a spot in the 2005 NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons. The 2005 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2004-05 National Basketball Association season. The Detroit Pistons are a team in the National Basketball Association based in the Detroit metropolitan area In the Finals, Duncan was pitted against Detroit's defensively strong frontcourt anchored by multiple NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace. The National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1982–83 NBA season Ben Camey Wallace (born September 10 1974 in White Hall Alabama) is an American professional Basketball player in the National After two convincing Game 1 and 2 wins for the Spurs, the Pistons double teamed Duncan and forced him to play further from the basket. A double team in Basketball is defending one offensive player with two defensive players ^[5] 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. ^[47] NBA. com reported that "[w]ith 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. "^[47] Detroit's center Ben Wallace remarked: "He put his team on his shoulders and carried them to a championship [. . . t]hat's what the great players do. "^[47] Duncan won his third NBA Finals MVP Award, joining Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Magic Johnson as the only players in NBA history to win it three times. Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17 1963 is a retired American professional Basketball player and active businessman ^[4]

Duncan going up for a shot over the Lakers' Andrew Bynum. The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. Andrew Bynum (born October 27 1987 in Plainsboro, New Jersey) is an American professional Basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles

During the 2005–06 season, Duncan suffered from plantar fasciitis for most of the season,^[48] which was at least partly responsible for his sinking output (18. The 2005–06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory condition of the Foot caused by excessive wear to the Plantar fascia that supports the Arch 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 years. ^[3] The big man came back strong in the 2006 NBA Playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks, where he outscored rival power forward Dirk Nowitzki 32. The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association 's 2005-06 season. Dirk Werner Nowitzki (ɖɪʁk weʁneʁ no'v?tski (born June 19 1978 is a German professional Basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of 2 to 27. 1 points, with neither Nowitzki nor Mavericks center Erick Dampier able to stop Duncan with their man-to-man defense. Erick Travez Dampier (born July 14, 1975, in New Hebron Mississippi) is an American professional Basketball player ^[49] 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 and Keith Van Horn, Duncan only made one of seven field goal attempts in overtime against Mavericks reserve center DeSagana Diop, and the Spurs lost Game 7. Keith Adam Van Horn (born October 23 1975 in Fullerton California) is an American Basketball player who is under contract with the New DeSagana N'gagne Diop (səˈɡɑːnə ˈdʒɒp Suh-GAH-nah JOP) (born January 30 1982 in Dakar, Senegal) is a Senegalese ^[49]

The following season however was another championship year for Duncan and the Spurs. The 2006–07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. Duncan averaged 20. 0 points, 10. 6 rebounds, 3. 4 assists and 2. 4 blocks per game in the regular season,^[3] and was selected as a Western Conference starter for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, his ninth appearance in the event. The 2007 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday February 18, 2007 at the University of Nevada Las Vegas ' Thomas In the playoffs, he led the Spurs to a 4–1 series win over the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, a 4–2 win over the Phoenix Suns in the second round, and a 4–1 win against the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Finals, setting up a meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the the Finals. The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association 's 2006-2007 season. The Utah Jazz is a professional Basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Cleveland Cavaliers (also known as the Cavs) are a professional Basketball team based in Cleveland Ohio. The 2007 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2006-07 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. ^[50] There, the Spurs swept the Cavaliers 4–0, earning Duncan his and San Antonio's fourth ever championship. ^[51] Duncan proclaimed that that championship was "the best" of his four championships, and acknowledged he played "sub-par" and thus received only one vote for NBA Finals MVP from a panel of ten. ^[42] 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. "^[42] NBA commissioner David Stern added: "[Duncan] is a player for the ages. David Joel Stern (born on September 22, 1942 in New York City, New York) is the current commissioner of the National Basketball Association I'm a tennis fan, and Pete Sampras is one of the greats. Petros “Pete” Sampras (born August 12, 1971) is a former World No OK, he wasn't Andre Agassi or John McEnroe. Andre Kirk Agassi (born April 29 1970 is a former World No 1 professional American Tennis player who won eight Grand Slam singles tournaments John Patrick McEnroe Jr (born February 16 1959 is an American former World No He just happens to be one of the greatest players of all time. You take great players as you find them. "^[42]

With Duncan being healthy for 78 games and posting typical 20/10 numbers,^[52] San Antonio concluded the 2007–08 regular season with a 56–26 record, finishing behind the Lakers and New Orleans Hornets in the Western Conference and setting up themselves for a first-round contest against the Suns. The 2007–08 NBA season was the 62nd season of the National Basketball Association. The New Orleans Hornets are a professional Basketball team based in New Orleans Louisiana, United States. 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 rare three-pointer that sent the game into double overtime. A three-point field goal (also known as three-pointer, three-point shot, trey, or simply three) is a field goal in a Basketball ^[53] 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. ^[54] In the first game of the next around against the Chris Paul-led Hornets, San Antonio were badly defeated 101–82 as Duncan played one of the worst playoff games in his career, recording only 5 points and 3 rebounds. Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6 1985 in Winston-Salem North Carolina) is an American professional Basketball player who currently plays Point ^[55] 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. ^[56] Duncan then recorded 20 points and 15 rebounds in Game 6,^[57] and the Spurs relied on their experience to seal the series in Game 7. ^[58] However, arch-rivals Los 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. ^[59]

International career

Duncan's senior international career with the United States national team began in 1999. The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the indoor arena in the Helliniko Olympic Complex in Athens, Greece for the preliminary The United States men's national basketball team is the representative for the United States of America in international men's Basketball. As a member of the 1999 USA Olympic Qualifying Team, he averaged 12. 7 ppg, 9. 1 rpg and 2. 4 bpg and assisted the team to a 10–0 finish en route to a qualifying berth for the 2000 Sydney Olympics; however, a knee injury forced him to stay out of the Olympic Games themselves. "I am proud and happy to proclaim that you have presented to the world the best Olympic Games ever The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games ^[10] In 2003, Duncan was a member of the USA team that recorded ten wins and qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics. The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated ^[10] 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. ^[10] At the Olympics itself, the team lost three games on its way to a bronze medal. For the New York City civilian award go to Bronze Medallion - New York City Award A Bronze medal is a Medal awarded ^[60] The record represented more losses in a single year than in the 68 previous years combined. It was also the first time since NBA professionals became eligible that the U. S. men's basketball team returned home without gold medals. ^[60] After the tournament, Duncan commented, "I am about 95 percent sure my FIBA career is over. The International Basketball Federation ( French: Fédération Internationale de Basketball) more commonly known by the French acronym FIBA I'll try not to share my experiences with anyone. "^[61] To date, Duncan has been a member of five previous USA Basketball teams and has played in 40 international games. ^[10]

Player profile

Duncan (#21) attempts to block a shot in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. In Basketball, a block (short for blocked shot) occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a shot from an offensive player The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California.

Duncan starts at power forward position, but can also play center. Power forward is a position in the sport of Basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF" The center, colloquially the five, is one of the standard positions in a regulation Basketball game With a double-double career average in points and rebounds, he is considered one of the most consistent players in the NBA. "Double-Double" is also In-N-Out Burger 's name for its double Cheeseburgers "Double-Double" is also a colloquial term in He has earned All-NBA and All-Defensive honors every season since 1998 while being a perennial candidate for the Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards. The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular The National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA award given since the 1982–83 NBA season ^[3][62] Regarded as one of the league's best interior defenders, Duncan also ranks consistently as one of the top scorers, rebounders and shotblockers in the league. Points in Basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game A rebound in Basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or Free throw. In Basketball, a block (short for blocked shot) occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a shot from an offensive player ^[3] His main weakness remains his free throw shooting, with a career average of less than 70%. Main article Basketball moves In Basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted ^[3]

Apart from his impressive statistics, Duncan has gained a reputation as a good clutch player, as evidenced by his three NBA Finals MVP awards and his playoff career averages being higher than his regular-season statistics. ^[3] Eleven-time NBA champion Bill Russell further compliments Duncan on his passing ability, and rates him as one of the most efficient players of his generation. William Felton "Bill" Russell (born February 12 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana) is a retired American professional Basketball ^[63] Because of his versatility and success, basketball experts have spoken of Duncan as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history,^{[47][64][65][66][67]} while coach Popovich and team-mates Parker and Ginóbili have also credited much of San Antonio's success to him. ^[68][69] Duncan's detractors however, label him as "boring" due to his simple but effective style of play. Following his first championship ring in 1999, Sports Illustrated described him as a "quiet, boring MVP",^[70] a characterization which persists today. Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. ^[63]

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. "^[71] 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 outpsychs his opponents. ^[72] Duncan has also stated that he especially likes his bank shot, saying: "It is just easy for me. It just feels good. "^[73]

Honors

In his basketball career, Duncan has collected a number of individual and team honors, including being a two-time MVP (2002, 2003), four-time NBA champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007) and three-time NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005). As a college player, he was named ACC Male Athlete of the Year, won the John R. Wooden Award and was named Naismith College Player of the Year (all 1997). The John R Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college Basketball players The Naismith College Player of the Year award named for Basketball inventor James Naismith, is given annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to College ^[10] In his debut year in the NBA (1998), he was voted Rookie of the Year and elected into the All-NBA Rookie Team, made the first of ten NBA All-Star Teams (nine First Team nominations), 11 All-NBA Teams (nine First Team nominations), and 11 All-Defensive Teams (eight First Team nominations). ^[3] 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 Famers Bob Pettit (ten seasons), Larry Bird (nine seasons), and Oscar Robertson (nine seasons), and is notably the only player in NBA history to receive All-NBA and All-Defensive honors in his first nine seasons (1998-2006). Robert E Lee "Bob" Pettit (born December 12 1932 in Baton Rouge Louisiana, U Larry Joe Bird (born December 7 1956 is a retired American NBA Basketball player widely considered as one of the best players of all time and one of the top Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24 1938 in Charlotte Tennessee) nicknamed " The Big O " is a former American NBA player with ^[74]

Duncan was also named by the Association for Professional Basketball Research as one of "100 Greatest Professional Basketball Players of The 20th Century", the youngest player on that list. ^[75] In the 2001–02 season, he won the IBM Player Award^[76] and The Sporting News (TSN) MVP Award,^[77] becoming the third player to ever win the NBA MVP, IBM Player and TSN Player Awards in the same season. International Business Machines Corporation abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue", is a multinational Computer Technology Sporting News (previously The Sporting News, and known colloquially as TSN) is an American -based Sports In 2003, Duncan was ranked 55th by Slam Magazine in their list of the "Top 75 NBA players of All Time". SLAM Magazine is an American Basketball magazine that has been in circulation since 1994, and is published by PRIMEDIA. On February 18, 2006, he was named one of the Next 10 Greatest Players on the tenth anniversary of the release of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team by the TNT broadcasting crew. Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History (also referred to as the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team or NBA's Top 50) were chosen Turner Network Television, usually referred to as TNT, is an American cable TV network created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned ^[78]

Off the court

Tim Duncan has two older sisters, Cheryl and Tricia. Tricia Duncan is a retired swimmer for the U S Virgin Islands who participated in the 1988 Summer Olympics. ^[5] Like their younger brother, they were gifted athletes: Cheryl was a championship swimmer before she became a nurse, and Tricia competed for the U. S. Virgin Islands at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event staged in 1988 in Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. ^[79] He married Amy, an ex-cheerleader at Wake Forest University,^[4] and the couple had their first child, daughter Sydney, in the summer of 2005,^[4] and a second child, a son, during the summer of 2007. Cheerleading is a Sport that uses organized routines made from elements of Tumbling, Dance, jumps and stunting to direct spectators of events Amy oversees the Tim Duncan Foundation, which has been established to serve the areas of health awareness/research, education, and youth sports/recreation in San Antonio, Winston-Salem, and the United States Virgin Islands. Winston-Salem is a city in the US state of North Carolina. As of the 2000 census the city population was 185776 in 2004 the city annexed an additional 17483 ^[4] The Foundation holds two major fundraisers each year: the annual Tim Duncan Bowling for Dollar$ Charity Bowl-A-Thon and the annual Slam Duncan Charity Golf Classic. A fundraiser is an Event or campaign whose primary purpose is to raise money for a cause ^[4] Between 2001 and 2002, the Foundation raised more than $350,000 to help fight breast and prostate cancer. ^[11] In those two years, Duncan was named by Sporting News as one of the "Good Guys" in sports. Sporting News (previously The Sporting News, and known colloquially as TSN) is an American -based Sports ^[11] The Spurs captain also supports the Children's Bereavement Center, the Children's Center of San Antonio and the Cancer Therapy and Research Center. ^[4]

Duncan cites his late mother Ione 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. ^[7] On and off the court, he believes that the three most important values are dedication, teamwork and camaraderie. ^[7] The Spurs captain has also stated that he chose #21 for his jersey because that was his brother-in-law's college number, since he was Duncan's main basketball inspiration, and cites Hall-of-Fame Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson as his childhood idol. The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. ^[7]

For his mixture of success and low-key personality, Duncan has been honored with the St. Croix Medal of Honor, the highest award that the territorial government can bestow on a citizen, and has been celebrated in several "Tim Duncan Day" ceremonies. ^[80] In 2000, St. Croix Senate president Vargrave Richards said: "He is a quiet giant. His laid-back attitude is the embodiment of people of St. Croix, doing things without fanfare and hoopla. "^[80]

Regarding his own personality, Duncan compares himself to Will Hunting of the movie Good Will Hunting, which centers around the genial, but sociopathic character of Will Hunting, portrayed by Matt Damon. Good Will Hunting is a 1997 film directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, both of whom star in the Sociopathy is a loosely-defined term that may be used to refer to Psychopathy Antisocial personality disorder Dissocial Matthew Paige Damon (born October 8 1970 is an American Actor and Philanthropist. He stated: "I'm just a taller, slightly less hyperactive version of the Damon character in the movie. I really enjoyed how he probed people and found out their weaknesses just by asking questions and stating outlandish remarks. "^[81] He also admitted shunning the limelight because "[fame] is not me". ^[81] Off the court, he has cited that his best friend is former Spurs colleague Antonio Daniels, who himself describes Duncan as a cheerful, funny person off the hardwood. Antonio Robert Daniels (born March 19 1975 in Columbus Ohio) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Washington ^[6]

Duncan also loves renaissance fairs and the fantasy role playing game Dungeons & Dragons. A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire, or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering usually held in the United States, open to the public and A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a Fantasy Role-playing game (RPG originally designed by ^[82] An avid video game player, he acknowledges a certain joy of playing "himself" on basketball video games. A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Duncan states if he had the chance, he would challenge NBA legends Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to a one-on-one game. Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain (August 21 1936&ndashOctober 12 1999 nicknamed Wilt the Stilt, The Big Dipper, and Chairman of the Boards Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr; April 16 1947 is an American athlete and retired professional Basketball player widely considered ^[7]

NBA career statistics

Correct as of 14 June 2008^[52]

Books

• Kernan, Kevin (2000). Slam Duncan. ISBN 978-1582611792.  
• Byman, Jeremy (2000). Tim Duncan (Great Athletes Series). ISBN 978-1883846435.  
• Torres, John Albert (2002). Sports Great Tim Duncan. ISBN 978-0766017665.  
• Roselius, J Chris (2006). Tim Duncan: Champion on And Off the Court. ISBN 978-0766028210.  

References

External links

• Video interview with Tim Duncan @ fiba. com
• Official Website
• Sports Illustrated Summary
• NBA.com Profile - Tim Duncan
• U.S. Olympic Team bio
• Career Statistics at Basketball-Reference.com
• Career Statistics at databaseBasketball.com