Tim Duncan's No. 21 to Be Retired by Spurs: Latest Details, Reaction

The San Antonio Spurs will honor the greatest player in team history Dec. 18 when they retire Tim Duncan's No. 21 following their game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The organization announced the occasion Wednesday:

The 40-year-old Duncan retired following the 2015-16 season as a 15-time All-Star, five-time NBA champion and arguably the best power forward to ever play the game.

The Spurs selected the U.S. Virgin Islands native with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft out of Wake Forest, and he went on to enjoy a remarkable career that will soon land him in the Hall of Fame.

Duncan spent all 19 of his NBA seasons with the Spurs and retired as one of the most decorated players in the history of basketball. Along with his two regular-season MVP awards and three NBA Finals MVP awards, the Big Fundamental's career statistics jump off the page.

He ranks seventh in NBA history in games played (1,392), sixth in rebounds (15,091), fifth in blocks (3,020) and 14th in points scored (26,496). Duncan is also tops in most major categories in Spurs history.

He will join Bruce Bowen, Johnny Moore, Avery Johnson, James Silas, Sean Elliott, George Gervin and David Robinson as players to have their numbers retired by the Spurs organization.

Along with head coach Gregg Popovich, Duncan is the primary reason why the Spurs became and remained perennial contenders from the late 1990s until his retirement.

Duncan will always be synonymous with Spurs basketball, and his jersey retirement promises to be a celebrated and memorable moment in team history.

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