Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore Duncan was born on the 25th of April 1976, and raised in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. He grew up as the son of Ione, a professional midwife, and William Duncan, a mason. His older sister Tricia swam for the U.S. Virgin Islands at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Young Tim dreamed of becoming an Olympic-level swimmer like his sister. He excelled in the 50-, 100-, and 400-meter freestyle events. He aimed to join the United States Team at the 1992 Olympic Games.
In 1989, Hurricane Hugo destroyed the island's only Olympic-sized swimming pool. The storm forced Duncan to swim in the ocean instead. His fear of sharks ruined his enthusiasm for the sport completely. He dealt another emotional blow when his mother died of breast cancer on the 24th of April 1990. This tragedy occurred just one day before his 14th birthday. On her deathbed, she made him promise that he would graduate from college. That promise explained his later refusal to leave school early for the NBA.
Duncan never swam competitively again after these events. His brother-in-law inspired him to turn to basketball instead. Initially, he struggled with the game. St. Croix Country Day School athletic director Nancy Pomroy recalled that he was huge but awfully awkward at the time. He overcame this awkwardness to become a standout player for St. Dunstan's Episcopal High School. As a senior, he averaged 25 points per game.
Wake Forest University basketball coach Dave Odom 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. Odom searched for a tall, physical player to play near the basket. He was wary about Duncan at first because of the weak level of basketball in the Virgin Islands. Duncan stared blankly at Odom for most of their first conversation. The coach eventually understood that this was just Duncan's demeanor and discovered he was not only talented but also a quick learner.
Duncan wore No. 21 at Wake Forest in honor of his brother-in-law, Ricky Lowery. He would continue wearing this number throughout his entire professional career. In the 1993, 94 NCAA season, he led the Deacons to a 20, 11 win-loss record despite struggling with early transition problems. He even held scoreless in his first college game. His style combined low-post moves, mid-range bank shots, and tough defense.
He worked towards a degree in psychology while taking classes in anthropology and Chinese literature. Wake Forest psychology department chairperson Deborah Best said Tim was one of her more intellectual students. Opposing fans taunted him as Mr. Spock due to his stoic nature. In the 1996, 97 NCAA season, he finished with career high averages of 20.8 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. He won the John Wooden Award and was named the Naismith College Player of the Year.
In the 1997 NBA draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected Duncan with the first overall pick. The team had finished with a 20, 62 win-loss record during an injury-riddled previous season. Their best player, David Robinson, was sidelined for most of that year. In the following 1997, 98 season, Duncan and Robinson became known as the Twin Towers. They earned a reputation for exceptional defense close to the basket.
Duncan established himself immediately as a quality player. In his second road game, he grabbed 22 rebounds against Chicago Bulls Hall-of-Fame power forward Dennis Rodman. He was voted to the 1998 NBA All-Star Game by coaches. Houston Rockets Hall-of-Fame power forward Charles Barkley said after playing against him, I have seen the future and he wears number 21. During his rookie season, Duncan started in all 82 regular season games. He averaged 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game.
He earned All-NBA First Team honors and won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Duncan also won the NBA Rookie of the Month award every single month that season. His defensive contributions ensured he was chosen for the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich lauded Duncan's mental toughness. Center Robinson stated he was proud of Duncan's attitude and effort.
During the lockout-shortened 1998, 99 season, the Spurs finished with a 31, 5 run after starting with a lackluster 6, 8 record. They defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 3, 1 and swept the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers 4, 0. In the Finals, they defeated the New York Knicks 4, 1. A large contingent of Virgin Islanders flew over to support their local hero. In Game 5, Duncan scored 31 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to close out the series. He became the first player in franchise history to win an NBA championship.
Duncan was named Finals MVP for his performance. Sports Illustrated journalist Alex English noted that Duncan came up big each time they went to him with that sweet turnaround jumper off the glass. Popovich later told losing coach Jeff Van Gundy, I have got Tim and you don't. That is the difference. In the 2001, 02 season, Duncan averaged career highs in scoring at 25.5 points per game. He also led the league in rebounding with 12.7 boards per game.
He earned his second NBA Most Valuable Player Award that same year. The following season, he won his third NBA Finals MVP trophy after leading the team to another championship against the New Jersey Nets. At age 37, Robinson announced this would be his last season. Duncan almost recorded a quadruple double in the final game.
In the 2006 NBA playoffs, Duncan became the tragic hero of his team during Game 7 against the Dallas Mavericks. Despite scoring 39 points in regulation time, he only made one of seven field goal attempts in overtime. The Spurs lost the game 4, 1 to the eventual champions. This marked a painful end to their run despite strong regular season performance.
The 2008, 09 season saw Duncan diagnosed with chronic knee tendinosis by mid-season. The team qualified for the playoffs as the third seed but was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2000. They lost 4, 1 to Dallas. In the 2011, 12 season, the Spurs swept the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers 4, 0 in the first two rounds. On the 31st of May 2012, Duncan set the record for most career blocks in playoff history, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
However, the Thunder defeated them 4, 2 in the Western Conference Finals. The following year, they reached the NBA Finals again but lost to the Miami Heat in seven games. These failures punctuated an otherwise dominant career filled with championships.
On the 2nd of December 2013, Duncan became the oldest player to record a 20, 20 game in NBA history. He finished with 23 points, 21 rebounds, and the game-winning jump shot against the Atlanta Hawks. The Spurs concluded the 2013, 14 regular season with a league-best 62 wins. They won the Finals in five games against the Miami Heat. This victory made him one of only three players to win a championship in three different decades.
In his final seasons, he continued breaking records. On the 2nd of November 2015, he recorded 16 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in his NBA-record 954th victory with one team. He surpassed John Stockton's 953 wins with the Utah Jazz. On the 27th of February 2016, he became the fifth player in NBA history to reach 3,000 blocks. He also passed Karl Malone for sixth place in league history rebounding.
On the 11th of July 2016, Duncan announced his retirement from the NBA after 19 seasons with San Antonio. Coach Gregg Popovich indicated that Duncan would have a coaching role with the team in the following season.
On the 18th of December 2016, the Spurs retired Duncan's No. 21 jersey in a postgame ceremony. He became the eighth Spur in franchise history to have his jersey retired. In April 2020, it was announced that Duncan would be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on August 29. He was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
In 2001, Duncan established the Tim Duncan Foundation to fund programs involving health awareness and research. Between 2001 and 2002, the foundation raised more than $350,000 for breast and prostate cancer research. He supported the Children's Bereavement Center and the Cancer Therapy and Research Center. In August 2017, BlackJack Speed Shop organized urgently needed supplies for victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Duncan married Amy Sherrill in July 2001 before their divorce in August 2013. He enjoys Renaissance fairs and the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. In 2015, he sued his former investment adviser Charles Banks over losses exceeding $20 million. A federal grand jury indicted Banks on two counts of wire fraud related to the case.
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Common questions
When was Tim Duncan born and where did he grow up?
Timothy Theodore Duncan was born on the 25th of April 1976, and raised in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Why did Tim Duncan stop swimming competitively after high school?
Tim Duncan stopped swimming competitively because Hurricane Hugo destroyed his island's only Olympic-sized pool in 1989 and a fear of sharks ruined his enthusiasm for the sport completely following that event.
What number did Tim Duncan wear during his entire professional basketball career?
Duncan wore No. 21 at Wake Forest University and continued wearing this number throughout his entire professional career with the San Antonio Spurs to honor his brother-in-law Ricky Lowery.
How many NBA championships did Tim Duncan win with the San Antonio Spurs?
Tim Duncan won five NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs in the 1998-99, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, and 2013-14 seasons.
When did Tim Duncan retire from playing professional basketball?
On the 11th of July 2016, Duncan announced his retirement from the NBA after 19 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.