I suck at dribbling a basketball. Don’t get me wrong, I can move pretty well while dribbling. But I’m pretty limited when it comes to creating space from the perimeter or midrange. So in order to decently play offense, I had to be either a spot-up shooter, or get some post moves. Because 6’4” is pretty tall for regular people, I ended up in the post. As such, the two NBA players I idolized and copied had an amazing post game. Those two players were Hakeem Olajuwon, and Tim Duncan. Because of them, I became incredibly comfortable with my back to the basket, so I thank both of these amazing players for that. However, while I only patterned Hakeem in terms of his game, I idolized Tim Duncan in most every facet of my life.

Tim Duncan, from the moment he entered the league, was by and far one of the greatest NBA players in history. However, what set him apart from many other players, especially today’s players, is that he never tried to take the world by storm outside of his basketball skill. From the relatively small market of San Antonio, The Big Fundamental never let the outside world consume him and potentially damage his consistency on the court. Furthermore, Duncan kept a relaxed and focused demeanor on the court. "If you show excitement, then you also may show disappointment or frustration. If your opponent picks up on this frustration, you are at a disadvantage.” Tim Duncan said these words and played with this as his creed. He was able to do this through his amazing discipline as a student.

Unlike many players (words that may define Duncan’s career), Timmy finished his four years at Wake Forest University with a degree in psychology, all the while maintaining his status as the hottest basketball prospect of the mid-1990’s. While many basketball players write books about their career and basketball, in general, Duncan co-authored a chapter of the social psychology book Aversive Interpersonal Behaviors (The chapter is titled “Blowhards, Snobs and Narcissists: Interpersonal Reactions to Excessive Egotism.” How ironic.). Because of his studies, Duncan never lets his opponents gain the upper hand on him from a psychological standpoint. Duncan often not only outplayed, but out-psyched his opponents.

Duncan was never one to play to the crowd in terms of media, but make no mistake about it, Duncan was a man of the people, as his life off the court is headlined by his philanthropy. The Tim Duncan Foundation funds nonprofit organizations in the areas of education, youth sports and recreation, and health awareness and research. To date, the Foundation has raised over $650,000 to support its mission by supporting non-profit organizations and programs in South Texas, US Virgin Islands, and in North Carolina. No words can overstate the greatness of this man on and off the court.

NBA Players today, they all want to be rock stars. Tim Duncan was simply the rock, upon which the San Antonio Spurs built the winningest basketball franchise this side of the 2000’s. That is the type of man I want to be. I’d be lying if I say I’ve never craved for the spotlight, but I would only want it if it was warranted, like Tim Duncan. I want to use everything I’ve learned in life to build upon what I choose to do in the future, like Tim Duncan. I want to help people in any way I can, like Tim Duncan. I want to be an amazing teammate, leader, and man, like Tim Duncan.

To the greatest player who ever lived, thank you for 19 years of unparalleled basketball wizardry and professionalism, but more importantly, thank you for showing me who I now strive to be.