Tim Duncan: The Forgotten Future Hall of Famer
Just last night, Tim Duncan passed one of the NBA greats, David Robinson, as the all-time Spurs scoring leader. For modern day fans like myself, the accomplishment came as an expected surprise, if you're "old school," George "The Iceman" Gervin is still the all-time Spurs scoring leader—Gervin played many years in the ABA and if you count those points, Duncan is still behind "The Iceman" by 2,792 points.
Looking back on Duncan's career, one really has to appreciate his greatness. He is arguably the best power forward in NBA history but happens to be one of the most boring players to watch, and let me tell you, those two comparisons don't mesh well together.
When you think of the best players in the league today, the first five players who pop into your head are: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant. These players have one thing in common—they are very fun to watch.
That is why Duncan is so great; his fundamentals are so sound, they make up for the lack of flash and thrill. Now, I, for one, am not a fan of a boring player, but even I cannot argue with Duncan's basketball knowledge or fundamentals.
His bank shot is as sound as Ray Allen's jumper, Michael Jordan's fade away jumper and Shaquille's footwork, and of course I have to compare it to George Gervin's finger roll.
Obviously, when it comes to style points, Duncan's bank shot doesn't compare to any of those signature shots, but the mere fact is it is as reliable as it is unstoppable. If you wanted to go deeper into comparison, Duncan's bank shot is like a bike, and George Gervin's finger roll is the Cadillac rolling right past you on the street. Both will get you where you're going, but the latter looks a heck of a lot better.
Duncan currently holds the Spurs scoring title with 20,810 points, and I'd like to bet that it won't be broken for a while, considering that those remotely close are either retired or are way behind. Tony Parker is the closest player who is still playing with 11,323 points.
No one has explained Duncan's style better than coach Gregg Popovich:
“There’s no flash, no beating the chest. Just go up and down the court, go home and get a sandwich.”
Duncan plays to win, and in his mind, 360 dunks and fade away jumpers are unnecessary for getting a W; that is why Duncan is so great, he finds a way to win without being exciting.
It's almost sad to believe that most NBA fans have forgotten about Duncan, and the only way he could get back some of that renown was to become the all-time Spurs scoring leader.
Let's tip our hats to Duncan and pay our respects to one of the greatest players of all-time, because sooner or later, Duncan won't be here to remind us, once more, that he is among the best in history.
