Humble, hard-working Tim Duncan followed unorthodox path to Hall of Fame

SAN ANTONIO — The contents inside Lonnie Walker IV’s gut churned, retched up and splattered into a puddle on the floor.

There’s no embarrassment for a physically unfit rookie if he vomits after a workout session with the retired Tim Duncan.

Duncan rushed over immediately to clean up the mess.

R.C. Buford, the CEO of Spurs, recently shared a memory while sitting at an empty patio of a local Mexican restaurant. He recalled a time when Timmy told Lonnie to get back on the court after they had cleaned it up. Timmy said, ‘Lonnie, we have work to do.’ That day, Timmy was in the gym with Lonnie who was out of shape due to a torn meniscus that caused him to miss the first eight weeks of the season. Timmy wasn’t even a coach at that time. But the fact that he was there, cleaning up and pushing Lonnie, speaks volumes about his character.

Adding one more achievement to his two-decade, 19-season NBA career, which made invaluable contributions to the culture of the San Antonio Spurs, Duncan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday.

“Everyone is aware of the story, but it’s indeed true,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, referring to a remarkable tale. “We’re all genuinely pleased about it. Even at dinner, we still raise a glass to him, saying, ‘Thank you, Timmy.’ So, it’s unquestionably special.”

In reality, Duncan’s career cannot be encapsulated in words or extended analytical articles. We are already aware of his astonishing statistics, his five championships, his two MVPs, and his 15 All-Star appearances. Not to forget, Duncan retired in 2016, holding the second position in playoff victories, leading in playoff double-doubles, and third in postseason rebounds.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the 15-year span between Duncan’s first (1999) and last (2014) title is understood to rank as the second longest in league history. This is only surpassed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 17-year span, among players who participated in both NBA Finals series.

We understand that only Duncan and John Salley have won NBA titles in three different decades. Furthermore, Duncan is the first Hall of Fame inductee who played his entire career of at least 15 seasons under the same coach.

Who can overlook the historical achievement of Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili? This trio holds the record for the most playoff victories (126) by any team in NBA history. They also hold the record for the most regular-season victories (575). Furthermore, they are the first group of three or more teammates to secure four championships together since Magic Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper and Kurt Rambis, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Duncan stated, “My competitive nature, passion for the game, aversion to losing, coupled with an organization dedicated to providing the best resources to ensure consistent opportunities for victory for the city, the team, and players like me, is what it all boils down to.”

Though, the explanation of how Duncan managed to achieve everything is more complex.

Remember that even though Duncan had almost perfect fundamentals, he didn’t display breathtaking athleticism. His former teammate at Wake Forest and good friend Marc Blucas humorously remarks that both of them would admit that Duncan couldn’t jump over a phone book.

Exploring the personal journey of Tim Duncan offers some insight into how a skinny youngster from the U.S. Virgin Islands, who initially dreamed of becoming an Olympic swimmer until Hurricane Hugo destroyed all local swimming pools in 1989, managed to revolutionize the league. Not only did he uplift the then-unproven Popovich, but he also elevated an entire NBA franchise. This was all due to crucial character traits instilled by his parents, Delysia Ione and William Duncan, on the 82-square-mile island of St. Croix in the Caribbean.

Make no mistake. Before Duncan arrived in San Antonio as the top pick of the 1997 draft, the San Antonio Spurs were already functioning as somewhat of a militaristic, regimented franchise under Popovich and what Buford called “a really principled group of standard bearers” such as David Robinson, Mario Elie, Avery Johnson, Sean Elliott and Terry Porter.

Buford explained, “Timmy had a softening effect on them. It wasn’t as regimented and rigid anymore. The connection between Pop and Tim also fostered a very caring environment.”

SENSE OF HUMOR: Before joining the cast of the TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and later starring opposite Katie Holmes in “First Daughter” in an acting career spanning more than 30 movie credits, Marc Blucas was a senior guard at Wake Forest “playing above my gene pool” when a 17-year-old Duncan walked into the gym on the first day of school.

Duncan, the most under-recognized among Wake Forest’s three recruits from the 1993 class, anticipated redshirting during his freshman year.

Marc Blucas, a longtime friend of Tim Duncan, was seen sharing a laugh with him and Grant Hill in 2014.

After playing only one session of pick-up ball with Duncan, Blucas and fellow senior captain Randolph Childress rapidly came up with a new plan.

“Blucas stated, ‘You could easily discern. He was performing as if he was a natural fit. He was incredibly balanced and competitive simultaneously. I vividly remember addressing Randolph Childress, ‘Hey, we must inform (Coach Dave) Odom not to redshirt this young player.’ So we made our way there and let him know directly.”

Blucas was deeply impressed by the one season he spent fighting alongside power forward Duncan, who started 32 out of 33 games as a freshman at Wake Forest.

“I was eager to understand his origins, the teachings, and ethics he incorporated into the game,” he expressed. “After spending time with him, I promptly expressed my desire to visit the place that shaped him. I wanted to spend a week or so in St. Croix to see where it all began,” he added.

Thus, Blucas booked the trip to the island after graduation.

Blucas now finds amusement in the story about Lonnie Walker IV throwing up, as it brings to mind a similar incident during their visit to St. Croix. This incident showcased Duncan’s sharp wit and sense of humor, qualities that are beneficial in handling the rigorous NBA season.

“Typical Tim, doing just that,” said Blucas. “He’ll do one of the world’s most humbling things, then follow it up with an unexpected joke or a tough-love pep talk, telling you to get your act together and get back in the game. It’s as if he’s saying, ‘Alright, you vomited. I cleaned it up. Let’s move on.'”

While enjoying a sunny summer day snorkeling with Duncan in St. Croix, Blucas accidentally stepped on a sea urchin, unwittingly creating his own story reminiscent of Lonnie Walker’s.

“Blucas said, “It’s stinging like hell.”

Upon their return to the beach, Duncan explains in a composed manner, “Hey, you need to urinate on it.”

Blucas said, “I laughed off Island Boy’s advice, telling him he wouldn’t trick the landlocked white kid into believing the only cure for my pain was urinating on my foot.” He continued, “Tim insisted, saying ‘I’m dead serious. The pain is unbearable. I’ve tried it myself. The acidity and PH of the pee actually help alleviate the pain. Just pee on it.’ To that, I responded, ‘But I don’t have to pee.’ He then looked at me, a big smile spread across his face, and said, ‘Well, I do.'”

Telling the story, Blucas bursts into laughter.

He expressed, “I told them, ‘Back off. You’re not messing with me. I understand this is nonsense.'” He said, “Ironically, it wasn’t. I did end up urinating on my foot and it felt much better. But it’s akin to Lonnie’s story. It’s about not having too high an opinion of oneself. It’s about maintaining a sense of humor. It’s this perfect equilibrium of, ‘We’re going to work extremely hard, and that’s the expectation from everyone. So, let’s enjoy the process. Let’s genuinely be friends.'”

A large part of who Tim, Pop, and that entire group are, I believe, was intentionally designed. You build your team around your superstar and their leadership attributes. The Spurs select players who are inspired to see their so-called superstar being reprimanded by Pop or cleaning up another person’s mess on the floor. This motivates them to pull their weight because they see him doing much more than expected.

LEADERSHIP THROUGH SELFLESSNESS: In Duncan’s 19 seasons as a player and one as an assistant on the Spurs staff, Buford said nobody in the organization can remember a single instance he was late.

Duncan’s display of professionalism, one among several over the years, has set a standard for the rest of the franchise to follow.

Before even drafting him, the Spurs saw other examples.

Keep in mind, Duncan remained at Wake Forest for his full four-year tenure, contradicting Buford’s expectation that he would have been the first overall pick had he left in his sophomore year, or possibly even his freshman year. Duncan completed his education at Wake Forest as he had vowed to his mother that he would earn his degree. Additionally, Duncan had a desire to support his teammates and fully immerse himself in the college experience.

Blucas conveyed, “His main focus, I believe, was the experience, the journey, and the camaraderie in the locker room. If it didn’t involve those aspects, Tim was not interested. He played the game not just for the victory, but for the friendships cultivated and the shared time with his teammates. He was the type of person who savored the present moment, rather than constantly looking forward or daydreaming about the future.”

During the pre-Draft process, Popovich gained firsthand knowledge.

“Pop was so eccentric, he believed we should draft Scot Pollard,” said Buford. However, when the decision was made to pick Duncan as the No. 1 overall, Popovich immediately arranged a trip to the Virgin Islands to bond with Duncan.

“Buford revealed that he discovered crucial details about Tim’s family, particularly the pivotal role his mother played and the devastation he faced when he lost her at 14. He felt that Pop also shared personal stories about his own background, something he doesn’t often do now. Buford believes they truly got to know each other. Upon Pop’s return, he didn’t reveal any specific details, only expressing that Tim was an exceptional individual, someone they would definitely enjoy sharing their journey with,” he said.

Immediately, Popovich recognized the unique attributes in Duncan that made him stand out.

“Upon spending time with him, the qualities that immediately stood out were his obvious high intelligence and great sense of humor,” said Popovich. “He was serious about the game and was concerned with nothing else but winning. He was enjoyable company. These were probably the first characteristics I noted about him.”

What Popovich could not have anticipated is the extent of it all.

Lon Babby, Duncan’s former agent who later served as a front office executive with the Phoenix Suns, said he learned a valuable lesson from the power forward even before Duncan played his first NBA game.

Prior to the start of Duncan’s rookie season, he and Babby rode in the back of a car on the way to a Schick commercial shoot that would feature the No. 1 draft pick playing one-on-one in a backyard with Spurs’ veteran star David Robinson. The premise of the commercial centered on the veteran teaching the rookie a lesson. But on the way to the shoot, an issue arose with the script about one of Robinson’s lines.

Babby, who also had Tamika Catchings, a Hall of Fame inductee, as a client, recalled, “We were discussing the matter when I told Tim, ‘Look, my responsibility is to represent your interests. Hence, I can’t really concern myself with David’s perspective on this. He responded, ‘I might have to consider it though, since I’ll be his teammate. He’s been the star player of the team and I need to respect his feelings.'”

“I recall telling him, ‘Look, I’m 40 and you’re 22, yet you’re teaching me about teamwork and leadership.’ He was always ready to set his own ego aside for the sake of his teammates.”

Duncan has consistently been involved in the franchise’s transactions over the years. Buford and Popovich always ensured that they consulted the team’s star player about any potential trades. Buford even confessed that being good friends with Tim was often a prelude to a trade, stating, “I think we traded everyone that Timmy was good friends with. It started with Cory Alexander, then Monty Williams (now Phoenix Suns coach), followed by Malik Rose and Antonio Daniels.”

Duncan never attempted to persuade the management to retain his friends. Indeed, the situation got to a stage where both Popovich and Duncan concurred that if there were talks about possibly relocating close friends, the team wouldn’t even seek the power forward’s view.

“Buford stated, ‘In those decisions, he continually adopted what was ultimately beneficial for the team. It was never about him but always about the team’s best interest. Tim’s stoic approach to life is distinct from most. He perceives life and his world in a way that deviates from the norm. It was always fascinating to witness him assess and evaluate his teammates, new recruits and opponents from a completely unique perspective, unlike most conventional NBA players.'”

Tim Duncan was acutely conscious of the impact his words and actions could have on his teammates, regardless of whether they were superstars or role players.

Then, there’s the Duncan we see every day at the team’s training facility, leading through actions rather than words.

Duncan, even now, is a frequent presence in the Spurs’ practice gym located on the Northwest side of San Antonio. Despite being retired, he keeps in touch with the Spurs staff through texts, expressing his longing to be back in the gym with them.

On practice courts throughout the NBA, players daily use a shooting machine named The Gun. This device gathers and returns the ball to the shooter, eliminating the need for a rebounder to collect balls. Typically, an assistant or equipment manager prepares the machine for players.

Not in San Antonio.

“Timmy was the one who’d set up The Gun and take it down for himself,” stated Buford. “No other player ever did that. They’d always have the manager do it. Timmy set the tone without speaking, but with his personality.”

The team’s facility still strongly echoes with it.

As the Spurs began preparing for Duncan’s induction ceremony, a group of staff members walked by general manager Brian Wright’s office. Unexpectedly, they found Duncan’s two MVP trophies and one of his three Finals MVP awards in a dusty box.

Buford laughed as he said, “Who can tell where on earth they’ve been? They’re not exactly on display in the center of the house. But considering a successful guy like him leaves his trophies gathering dust in some closet, perhaps that’s where all of ours ought to be too.”

CARING: Popovich lost his top two assistants in the summer of 2019 when Ime Udoka (currently a Brooklyn Nets assistant) joined the staff of the Philadelphia 76ers, while lead assistant Ettore Messina returned to Italy with Olimpia Milano.

Duncan, at that time, was finally adjusting to retirement, regularly attending his children’s events and has told friends he is “being a real dad.”

Yet Duncan quickly gave up that life to join Popovich’s staff as an assistant.

Duncan’s father, William, passed away in 2002. Prior to his death, William had requested Popovich to keep his son humble so that Duncan would remain the same person after achieving superstardom. Duncan has always seen Popovich as a paternal figure. It is quite usual for the duo to get together for a beer and profound discussion on the anniversary of William’s demise.

During the 2019-20 season, Tim Duncan was an assistant coach for the Spurs.

Therefore, when Popovich’s main assistants left the team, Duncan, according to several staff members, didn’t want to leave his coach unsupported. Buford was moved to tears when questioned about Duncan joining the team and chose not to discuss the matter in depth.

Blucas understood.

Blucas explained that it was a deeply difficult decision for Tim to make, especially as he was already at home, able to attend volleyball games, his children’s events, and do car pickup all the time without having to travel. However, Blucas believes that Tim’s decision was driven by his loyalty to Pop and the organization, and not by guilt. He felt a sense of responsibility to not let them struggle without his involvement. Blucas thinks this sense of responsibility can be traced back to Tim Duncan’s personal qualities of loyalty, honor, and gratitude towards those who have done things for him.

Duncan led as a player on the sport’s most competitive stage with this level of caring.

“When I visualize Tim Duncan, I see him affectionately patting a teammate on the head as they walk off the court after a timeout,” said Babby. “You may have witnessed this scene countless times. For me, this embodies everything about him.”

It’s authentic, too.

Blucas was Duncan’s college teammate and experienced it all firsthand. He shared long conversations and sat next to Duncan on the bus ride back to campus after they both notably underperformed in Duncan’s ACC debut as a freshman power forward against Sharone Wright and the Clemson Tigers.

Blucas began by stating, “You can’t achieve that level of success without a killer instinct.” He continued, “However, he didn’t boast or yell at people. Different superstars have contrasting leadership styles. Tim is always the one who’ll lend a comforting hand before confronting you. That’s his nature. He approaches with affection before he charges with challenge, aggression, competitiveness, anger, and intensity.”

Maybe Duncan’s upbringing in the Virgin Islands, which we might get to see in a future Tim Duncan documentary, has something to do with it. Duncan’s older brother, Scott, and his childhood friend, Rashidi Clenance, are collaborating to document his early life.

Scott Duncan stated that the documentary would underscore the impact of the island on Tim Duncan’s rise to prominence. In a surprising move, Tim Duncan, who typically avoids interviews, has already completed 30-40 hours of interviews.

Many people close to Duncan view the circumstances of his enshrinement as nearly perfect in many aspects.

The portion of the ceremony where Michael Jordan presents the late Kobe Bryant should take center stage.

Blucas jests that Duncan could potentially go up there and make the Bubba Smith speech from “Police Academy”, where he simply says ‘thanks’ and exits. However, that would be quintessential Tim.

Buford, Blucas, and Babby are confirmed to attend. The Spurs are scheduled to play against Monty Williams’ Phoenix Suns in San Antonio on the ceremony day, marking the start of a back-to-back set. Buford expressed, “I believe Pop shouldn’t miss that.” He thinks Williams, who is Duncan’s former teammate, should also be present.

Expect to see representation from the Duncan family, Wake Forest, and a strong presence from the Spurs.

Blucas stated that Duncan perceives his enshrinement ceremony somewhat like a family reunion. He sees all these events, from his jersey retirements to MVP ceremonies, and even his Wooden Award in college, as opportunities for gathering people from various periods of his life. Duncan’s intention is to have a dinner with everyone in order to reconnect and catch up. That’s what holds the most significance for Tim, according to Blucas, and it’s incredibly genuine.

Clearly, he feels greatly honored and holds deep respect for the institution of the Hall of Fame. He is proud and appreciative of the recognition. However, he remains true to himself and his accomplishments. It’s not about the spotlight, the speeches, or the trophy room for him. It’s baffling how such success, wealth, fame, and influence have not changed him. But astonishingly, he is still the same person I met when he was just a 17-year-old kid, weighing merely 200 pounds.

“If he wasn’t 6-11, you wouldn’t be able to tell who he turned out to be.”

Of course, Duncan is standing one last time at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, but he remains in the background.

“Babby said, ‘He never took up too much of his own space. Given Kobe’s unfortunate demise and Michael introducing him, Tim won’t be the center of attention during the ceremony, and that doesn’t bother him at all. Even if Kobe was still with us, he would still attract most of the attention. That’s just perfect for Tim as it accurately represents his career and his nature.'”

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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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