It seems like every time I go on a romantic vacation, something big happens in the world of sports. So imagine me waking up this morning in the Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman) to the news of San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan retiring after 19 NBA seasons.
As far as Duncan’s legacy goes, damn, where do I begin?
- 5× NBA champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)
- 3× NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005)
- 2× NBA Most Valuable Player (2002–2003)
- 15× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2011, 2013, 2015)
- 10× All-NBA First Team (1998–2005, 2007, 2013)
- 3× All-NBA Second Team (2006, 2008–2009)
- 2× All-NBA Third Team (2010, 2015)
- 8× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1999–2003, 2005,2007–2008)
- 7× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1998, 2004,2006, 2009–2010, 2013, 2015)
- NBA Rookie of the Year (1998)San Antonio Spurs all-time leading scorer
- San Antonio Spurs all-time leading scorer
Duncan is definitely the best power forward to ever play in the NBA. In fact, my top five all-time power forwards are the following:
- Duncan
- Karl Malone
- Dave Cowens
- Charles Barkley
- Dennis Rodman
There are two more things I loved about Duncan.
One, he played his college ball at my hometown Atlantic Coast Conference school Wake Forest, where he and Randolph Childress took the program to unprecedented heights. And two, he never saw the need to be a showman in a league dripping full of them.
Duncan always presented himself with class and sportsmanship, win or lose. The league is going to miss that. I, as a fan, already miss that.
Here’s to you, Timothy Theodore Duncan – the greatest power forward who ever lived…
Categories: NBA, sports story
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