Who's Who in Sports: Tim Duncan

Even though the point of Who's Who in Sports is to conduct semi-formal interviews with notable names, I felt the need to highlight the accomplishments of a great, yet overlooked athlete. If I could have sat down and interviewed Duncan, believe me, I would have! Regardless of whether you like the NBA or not, I think you can at least respect this NBA player's commitment to his franchise.  

Originally a swimmer who didn't pick up basketball until the 9th grade, Tim Duncan may not be the best player in the NBA currently, but at 37, Duncan is still impressing, making the All-NBA first team, and still almost averaging a double-double during the 2013-14 season with 14.8 PPG and 9.8 RPG.

Most do not know that the 2x MVP, 14x All-Star, and 4x NBA Champion, took a sizable paycut in recent seasons. Why? Duncan's previous salary of $21 million unofficially classified him as a superstar, but in order to keep the Spurs' roster in tact, Duncan cut his salary in half to around $10 million.  

Sure, $10 million is still a lot of money to an outsider, but Jordan made over $30 million in his final season and Kobe Bryant makes around the same currently.  It is all relative.  But, think about this for a moment. If you were widely considered the best power forward to ever play the game (along with perhaps Malone, Barkley, Garnett, etc), would you cut your salary in half? I would like to think I would be humble enough to do so, but if I am being honest, it would certainly challenge my pride.  

I am not arguing Duncan is worth $30 million or as good as Jordan/Bryant, but for a star PF to take a paycut to keep his team competiting for an NBA title, it should be noted. And, he is still an unbelievably effective and efficient player. This past Friday, I watched him play against the Hawks. Playing only 27 minutes, Duncan had 17 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists, and shot 50% from the field. 

Duncan pregame at Philips Arena

Further, how many athletes stick with their original franchises anymore? I can think of a few recent ones who did: Kobe Bryant, Chipper Jones, Tom Brady, Ray Lewis, etc.   Such a commitment indicates at least a commitment to something bigger than yourself.  Tim Duncan is commited to San Antonio, to his teammates, and to winning.  Tim Duncan is simply a rareity these days.  And, while some of you think "The Big Fundamental" is boring, Duncan has plenty of highlights. See: http://youtu.be/NOAgFnjX91I, http://youtu.be/VZ-_p6qnCnI., http://youtu.be/KSn8XC7U6CQ.  

Off the court, Tim Duncan keeps a low profile and does not need the spotlight. He has been active in giving back with the Tim Duncan Foundation and the American Cancer Society.  

The point of my post is certainly not to complain about the media's lack of focus on Tim Duncan or  to suggest Duncan should receive more attention.  Most of the media's focus has been on LeBron James, and it should be on LeBron James.  He is simply the best player in the league right now and deserves it.  I merely wanted pay respect to Tim Duncan, who I have admired since he entered the league in 1997.  He is a true role model that is hard to find in the world of professional sports today.