The next season, the Spurs reached the NBA playoffs. With 25 points and 11 rebounds, Duncan played a vital role in the defeat against the Detroit Pistons in Game 7. Duncan also joins John Salley as just the second player in the league annals to win an NBA title in three different decades.

Duncan started in all 82 regular-season games in his first season. Everyone was lauding his performances and toughness, including his coach and peers.

Honors & Achievements

Duncan would start 32 of 33 games as a freshman at Wake Forest. That one season fighting alongside the power forward made a powerful impression on Blucas. But he improved the next season and started the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. Also, he led the team to their fourth NBA Championships with a comfortable 4-0 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. In contrast, Duncan didn’t win the Finals MVP. Substandard Performances Duncan remains embedded with the Spurs and has appeared frequently at practice this season, working out with former teammates while spending time playing one-on-one with Gasol and counseling younger players, such as Jonathon Simmons and rookie point guard Dejounte Murray. As the Spurs started preparations for Duncan’s induction ceremony, a contingent of staffers strolled past general manager Brian Wright’s office. Surprisingly, they discovered both of Duncan’s MVP trophies and one of his three Finals MVP awards sitting in a box, caked in dust.

Duncan rejoined the Spurs as an assistant coach in July 2019. He had a 104-103 win against the Charlotte Hornets on his debut as an acting head coach on March 3, 2020. Popovich has said that whenever Duncan is ready, he can be "coach of anything he wants," but it's an offer the team doesn't expect Duncan to take. Popovich has said Duncan "is too smart for that." To R.C. and Pop, we're all part of a puzzle. You guys put it together, and we're out here every year, winning and winning championships and creating an atmosphere that we like to take some credit for, but you guys put [it] together. Thank you," Duncan said. "Thank you, Coach Pop, for being more than a coach -- for being more like a father to me. Thank you."

Quick Facts 

Duncan conducted himself similarly with the franchise over the years when it came to transactions. Buford and Popovich always made it a point to involve the club’s star player in any discussions about potential moves that needed to be made. Buford even admitted that “the kiss of death was to become good friends with Tim because I think we traded everyone that Timmy was good friends with. It started with Cory Alexander, then (Phoenix Suns coach) Monty (Williams), then Malik (Rose), Antonio Daniels.” But a look inside Tim Duncan, the man, provides some clues explaining how a rail-thin kid from the U.S. Virgin Islands — one with aspirations to become an Olympic swimmer before Hurricane Hugo destroyed all the local pools in 1989 — took the league by storm and elevated not only the unproven Popovich but an entire NBA franchise with simple, yet crucial character attributes instilled by his parents, Delysia Ione and William Duncan, on the 82-square-mile island of St. Croix in the Caribbean. You knew that day was going to come,” Spurs guard Tony Parker told The Undefeated. “It’s already unbelievable that he played 19 years, especially with his knees. It’s a great honor. Well-deserved. He’s the best power forward of all time. I can’t wait for that day. It’s going to be a great night.” Duncan joined Wake Forest University, where he led the Demon Deacons to a 20-11 win-loss record in his first year.

Pop being crazy, he thought Scot Pollard was who we should Draft,” Buford said. But once it became clear the plan was to select Duncan No. 1 overall, Popovich booked a flight to the Virgin Islands to spend time with Duncan.You could just tell,” Blucas said. “He was already playing like he belonged. He was so even-keeled and so competitive at the same time. I’ll never forget looking at Randolph Childress and saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got to go tell (coach Dave) Odom not to redshirt this kid.’ We went down there and just told him.” Consequently, Tim began his basketball journey from high school and today reached the summit as one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. Tim Duncan With Spurs (Source: N.B.C. Sports) Duncan never tried to convince the brass to keep his friends. In fact, it reached the point where Popovich and Duncan agreed that when it came to discussions about potentially moving close friends, the team wouldn’t even approach the power forward for his opinion. Tim Duncan is a famous basketball player who played with Spurs for 19 years. He was the Sports Illustrated ‘s 2003 “Sportsmen of the Year.” Tim Duncan, The Search Graph (Source: Google Trend) Popovich has been known for his fiery, straight-no-chaser coaching style through which he treats every player the same. But it’s no secret that no player has meant more to him than Duncan. If there was ever a moment where the former Spurs star and his beloved coach were to show a teary side, Duncan’s jersey retirement ceremony could be the night.