Since this is the first post and my first experiment with the heralded world of the "blogosphere," I felt it was fitting to incorporate an individual who draws an almost perfect correlation with the term "post" with regards to basketball lingo. As I watched the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns do battle on another regular TNT Thursday night special, it suddenly hit my 22 year old senses. Tim Duncan is one of the most taken for granted superstars in NBA history. Picture this: Duncan defended Shaquille O'Neal, who was getting the ball regularly in the second half. How many times has he had to take on the 300 pound load that is Shaq in his career and then trudge 94 feet to the other end to be the focal point of the Spurs' offense? Not only guarding guys like Shaq, but Duncan has been committed to defense and offense his entire career. He routinely is asked to guard the opponents' best post player and then faces double and triple teams every time he touches the ball on offense. Doesn't sound very sexy or captivating to watch, but this is what Duncan has done for 12 seasons. And it has helped produce 4 NBA Championships and 2 MVP awards for a quintessential Hall of Famer.
I knew Tim Duncan was deserving of being a first round pick. I knew many teams and personnel directors for a myriad of franchises thought he had a high potential in terms of being the cornerstone of a team's future. But how many times have basketball teams and fans alike have seen top draft picks never quite live up to the expectations on and/or off the court? It happens all too often with names like Sam Bowie, Kwame Brown, Pervis Ellison, and LaRue Martin coming to mind. Tim Duncan has done this and so much more for a small market type NBA team. Born in the Virgin Islands and having lost his mother to breast cancer in his teens, he is a man that keeps to himself off the court and is committed to his wife Amy, a former Wake Forest cheerleader. Despite his subdued nature, teammates see a lighter side of Duncan out of the public's eye. Running mate point guard Tony Parker has been noted as saying Duncan is one of the funnier guys in the locker room throughout the season. Former Spur Antonio Daniels has also said Duncan's personality off the court is laid back and humorous. He has never been caught at strip clubs or pulled over due to drugs or alcohol. But when people have the choice to talk about Tim Duncan or Kobe Bryant, Duncan's name always seems to take a back seat to the flashier prima donnas who are usually guards and not post players.
Honestly, I can see why NBA fans do not get a kick watching Duncan work with his basket for 30-40 minutes every game pouring in jump hooks, put backs, and soft backboard jumpers and finishing with his usual 20 point 14 rebound stat night. However, there is no doubt purists admire what this man has brought to the table in an era where streetball tendencies and individualism has come to dominate a team-oriented sport. Duncan has methodically put up some of the best numbers for NBA forwards in league history. He usually sits at above 20 points per game, 8 to 9 rebounds, and over 2 blocks per contest. These are numbers most forwards and centers could only dream of averaging for their careers Now at the age of 32, Duncan is still doing the things he did when he first entered the league and legendary coach Greg Popovich was in his first full season with the Spurs. Duncan is a perennial All Star and has been on the NBA's All-Defensive Teams in every season he has played. He is durable having played less than 70 regular season games only twice in his career. He has restructured his contract a few years ago to allow the Spurs spending flexibility (make no mistake he has earned over 130 million in playing contracts) and has hit clutch shots including last season's three-pointer in Game 1 of the playoff series against Phoenix to win it.
Duncan has several productive seasons left in his career and Popovich is known for monitoring his star's playing minutes in regular season games to save his legs for the playoffs. There is no reason Duncan and the Spurs could win additional titles to add to their collection. Really watch Duncan next time the Spurs are on television or in town to play your home team and witness just how much of a complete game he possesses. You may have to focus a bit more than usual, but it is worth it to examine how one the the league's greatest post players ever goes about his business.
