Tim Duncan

At 48 years old, Tim Duncan has this physical status:

Timothy Theodore Duncan (born April 25, 1976) is an American basketball coach and former assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Duncan began training as an aspiring swimmer and did not begin playing basketball until ninth grade when Hurricane Hugo wreaked havoc on his homeland of Saint Croix, the United States Virgin Islands.

He played basketball for St. Dunstan's Episcopal in high school.

Duncan earned the John Wooden Award in his senior year as well as Naismith College Player of the Year and USBWA College Player of the Year in college. Duncan went on to win NBA Rookie of the Year after being selected by San Antonio with the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft.

Duncan, the NBA All-Star, a two-time NBA MVP, a 15-time NBA All-Star, and the only NBA player to be selected to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams for 13 seasons, he is widely known as the best power forward of all time.

Early life

Duncan was born and raised in Saint Croix, the United States Virgin Islands. He is the son of immigrants from Anguilla: Ione, a licensed midwife, and William Duncan, a mason. Cheryl and Tricia, his older brother, Scott, and an older brother, Scott, who became a film producer and cinematographer, are among his two older sisters. Cheryl was a champion swimmer before she became a doctor, and Tricia swam for the United States Virgin Islands at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Duncan, a bright student, aspired to be a national swimmer like Tricia, aspired to be an Olympic-level swimmer. Duncan's parents were extremely supportive, and he excelled at swimming, winning the 50-, 100-, and 400-meter freestyle as a member of the United States Team in 1992.

Duncan was forced to swim in the ocean instead of in 1989 after Hurricane Hugo destroyed the island's sole Olympic-sized swimming pool, and his fear of sharks sparked his enthusiasm for the sport. When his mother died of breast cancer one day before his 14th birthday, he was dealt another emotional blow. Duncan and his sisters' promise that they would graduate from college on their deathbed, which went a long way in explaining Duncan's later decision not to attend college early for the NBA.

Duncan never swam competitively again, but his brother-in-law inspired him to play basketball. Duncan had trouble getting to the game he felt would help relieve his pain and annoyance. "Duncan] was so huge," St. Croix Country Day School athletic director Nancy Pomroy said. He was both tall and slender, but at the time, he was horribly ill. He surpassed his awkwardness to become a star at St. Dunstan's Episcopal High School, averaged 25 points per game as a senior. Several universities were taken seriously by his performance. In particular, Wake Forest University basketball coach Dave Odom became involved in Duncan after the 16-year-old allegedly played NBA star Alonzo Mourning to a draw in a 5-on-five pick-up game. Odom was looking for a tall, physical player to play near the basket. Given the poor state of basketball in the Virgin Islands, Odom was skeptical about Duncan at first, particularly after seeing him as inattentive; Duncan stared blankly at Odom for the majority of the discussion. But after the first talk, Odom learned that this was just Duncan's demeanor, and that he wasn't just a natural performer but also a quick learner. Duncan later joined Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Odom, despite scholarship offers from the University of Hartford, the University of Delaware, and Providence College.

Personal life

Duncan married Amy Sherrill in July 2001 and had two children before she divorced in August 2013. Duncan and his partner welcomed their first child in 2017.

Duncan established the Tim Duncan Foundation in 2001 to fund programs involving health promotion, education, and youth sports and recreation in San Antonio, Winston-Salem, and the United States Virgin Islands. The Tim Duncan Bowling for Dollar$ Charity Bowl-A-Thon and the Slam Duncan Charity Golf Classic were among the foundation's major events. The foundation raised more than $350,000 for breast and prostate cancer research between 2001 and 2002. Duncan was dubbed one of the "Good Guys" in sports by Sporting News in those two years. Duncan has also invested in the Children's Bereavement Center, the Children's Center of San Antonio, and the Cancer Therapy and Research Center.

Duncan cites his late mother as his main inspiration. "Good, Better, Best" was taught to him and his siblings by a mother. Never restrain it/Better is the best, and your Good is Your Best" is what he adopted as his personal motto. He believes that the three most important values are dedication, teamwork, and camaraderie, both on and off the court. The Spurs captain has also stated that he chose No. 2 over No. 193. Magic Johnson, the Duncan's highest basketball inspiration, was 21 for his jersey, and he cites Hall-of-Fame Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson as his childhood hero.

Duncan was given the Virgin Islands Medal of Honor, the highest award bestowed by the Virgin Islands territorial government, and the event has been commemorated in numerous "Tim Duncan Day" ceremonies. "He is a quiet giant," Virgin Islands President Vargrave Richards said in 2000 in the Legisl. His laid-back attitude is the embodiment of the people of St. Croix, who are doing things without fanfare and hoopla."

Duncan is a fan of Renaissance fairs and the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.

Duncan's ex investment advisor filed a lawsuit in 2015, claiming over $20 million in damages. A federal grand jury convicted the advisor on two counts of wire fraud connected to the investigation in September 2016. In April 2017, the adviser pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the lawsuit; in June 2018, the advisor signed a deal and received $7.5 million.

Duncan began to pay for airline tickets for college students in the United States Virgin Islands in March 2020, allowing them to fly home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source

College career

The Demon Deacons had reached the Sweet 16, but then lost leading scorer Rodney Rogers, who appeared in the 1993 NBA draft, in the year before Duncan's arrival at Wake Forest University. Coach Dave Odom was considering redshirting Duncan, but was forced to play him after fellow freshman big man Makhtar N'Diaye broke NCAA legislation and then moved to Michigan. Duncan struggled with early transition issues and was even held scoreless in his first college game, but the Deacons went 20-11, defeating the United States for the first time. Duncan's style of play was simple yet effective, combining a variety of low-post moves, mid-range bank shots, and hard defense. In the 1994 Goodwill Games, he was selected to represent the United States. Duncan, on the other hand, earned a degree in psychology and took anthropology and Chinese literature courses. Despite the heavy attention on basketball, Wake Forest psychology department chairperson Deborah Best said, "Tim... was one of my most academic students." ...I couldn't tell him from any other student at Wake Forest other than his height." Duncan's reputation as a stoic actor grew to the point that protesters taunted him as "Mr. Spock," the creator of a logical, detached character from Star Trek.

The sophomore was soon dubbed one of the top prospects in the NBA, alongside teammates Joe Smith, Rasheed Wallace, and Jerry Stackhouse. Jerry West, the Los Angeles Lakers' general manager, said Duncan could have been the top pick in the 1995 NBA draft if he came early; however, Duncan said he had no intention of going pro before graduation; nonetheless, the NBA has agreed to keep a rookie salary cap in 1996. Despite the fact that it meant giving up a substantial sum of money, Duncan was unable to deviate from his pledge to attend college. He led the Demon Deacons to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship game against the North Carolina Tar Heels, who were led by Rasheed Wallace. Duncan neutralized Wallace during the game, while Childress won with a jump shot with four seconds remaining in overtime. The Demon Deacons made it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament. Duncan had 22 points to go with eight blocks against Oklahoma State, outplaying Bryant Reeves, but Wake Forest lost 71-66. Duncan finished the season with 16.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, and he was named Defensive Player of the Year and became the third-best shot-blocker in NCAA history with 3.98 blocks per game. In his two remaining years at Wake Forest, he was also voted All-ACC First Team, a feat he would repeat in his two remaining years.

Wake Forest lost Childress, who had completed the previous season and joined the NBA, during the 1996–96 NCAA season. Duncan led the team to a 12–4 ACC record and a 26–6 record overall, despite Childress' absence. In the ACC Finals, the Demon Deacons won the ACC Finals again, but Duncan failed with the flu, and his team missed the Final Four. His season of 19.1 points and 12.3 rebounds per game earned another ACC Defensive Player of the Year award and his first ACC Player of the Year award. Despite being expected to be in the 1996 NBA draft, Wake Forest's star was still enrolled in college.

New 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) Demon Deacon and prospective NBA player Loren Woods eased the pressure on Duncan close to the basket in the 1996-97 NCAA season. The 1996–97 team won their first 13 games, but then came to a halt, losing their third ACC championship. Duncan had 26 points and 14 rebounds in an 81-69 victory over Duke on January 12, 1997. Duncan won a 65-62 victory over Clemson on January 24, 1997, scoring 16 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Stanford University, led by future NBA point guard Brevin Knight, defeated Wake Forest 72-66. Duncan finished his senior season with career highs of 20.8 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, while shooting.606 from the field and winning the Defensive Player of the Year for the third straight season. For the second time, he was a unanimous pick for both the Oscar Robertson Trophy and Naismith College Player of the Year. Duncan was first in the NCAA Division I of 1996–97, tenth in blocked shots (3.3 bpg), and 28th in scoring (20.8 ppg). He was named ACC Player of the Year again, and he was voted Best Overall Male Player by sportscasters and journalists in 1997.

Duncan stayed in college for a full four years in comparison to current prep-to-pro players like Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, and Kobe Bryant. He was a two-time ACC Player of the Year and a three-time NABC Defensive Player of the Year during that time. Between 1995 and 1997, the center appeared in the All-ACC Tournament, as well as the All-ACC First Team between 1995 and 1997. In 1996, he led the ACC in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, and blocked shots, becoming the first player to lead all four of those categories. He was also named Most Valuable Player of the ACC Tournament that year. Duncan led his team to a 97–31 victory-loss record and ended his college career as the all-time top rebounder in NCAA history in the post-1973 period (a record that was later surpassed by Kenneth Faried). Duncan finished college as the best shot blocker in ACC history, with 481 blocks, second in NCAA annals behind Colgate's Adonal Foyle and third on the ACC career rebounding list with 1,570 rebounds.

Duncan co-authored a chapter in Mark Leary's social psychology book Aversive Interpersonal Behaviors in college. Duncan made the NBA draft in 1997 after receiving his college degree. Duncan was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

Professional career

Duncan was the first draft pick of the San Antonio Spurs in 1997. The Spurs were coming off an injury-riddled 1996-1997 season; their best player, David Robinson, was suspended for the remainder of the year, and they finished with a 20-62 record. Duncan and Robinson were nicknamed "the "Twin Towers" in the 1997-98 season. The pair is known for their exceptional defense close to the basket. Duncan developed himself as a good player from the start: In his second road game against Chicago Bulls Hall-of-Fame power forward Dennis Rodman, a multiple rebounding champion and NBA Defensive Player of the Year, he grabbed 22 rebounds against Chicago Bulls Hall-of Fame power forward Dennis Rodman, a multi rebounding champion and NBA Defensive Player of the Year, he earned 22 rebounds against Chicago Bulls Hall-of a Player of the Year. Duncan was selected by analysts to the 1998 NBA All-Star Game. Later, when Duncan played against Houston Rockets Hall-of-Fame power forward Charles Barkley, he was so proud, "I've seen the future and he wears number 21." Duncan lived up to his aspirations of being the first draft pick in all 82 regular season games, scoring 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game, winning All-NBA First Team honors in his rookie season. His defensive contributions ensured he was selected for the NBA All-Defensive Second Team and was also named NBA Rookie of the Year, winning the NBA Rookie of the Month award every single month of the year. Duncan's mental toughness was lauded by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who said his rookie's "demeanor was singularly impressive," and Duncan never got "too upbeat or too depressed." "He's the real thing," center Robinson was enthralled with Duncan's words: "He's the real thing." I'm proud of his attitude and work. He puts in the extra effort and effort to become a better player."

Duncan was ranked fifth in the 1998 NBA playoffs, but the Spurs' first playoff game against the Phoenix Suns was a disaster in his first playoff game against the Suns, causing Suns coach Danny Ainge to play Duncan with less defensive pressure. The rookie capitalized on this by winning Game 1 with 32 points and ten rebounds and reenacting the experience in Game 2, leading to a 3–1 victory over the Suns. However, the Spurs lost in the second round to the eventual Western Conference champions, Utah Jazz.

The Spurs began with a lackluster 6-8 record in 1998–99, and Popovich came under fire from the public during this time. Duncan and Robinson, on the other hand, hung behind their coach and finished the season with a 31–5 record. In the regular season, the sophomore averaged 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.5 blocks, making them both the All-NBA and All-Defense First Team. The Spurs defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 3–1, swept the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers 4–0, and defeated the Cinderella New York Knicks 4–1 in the Finals in the 1999 NBA playoffs. A large number of Virgin Islanders rushed over to assist their local hero, and they weren't dissatisfied. The "Twin Towers" defeated their Knicks teammates Chris Dudley/Larry Johnson with 41 points, 26 rebounds, and nine blocks versus five points, 12 rebounds, and zero blocks in the first two games. Duncan returned from a Game 3 defeat in which Duncan was held scoreless in the third quarter and three turnovers in the last quarter, and the Spurs won Game 5 with 28 points and 18 rebounds, while the Spurs held a 78-77 lead seconds from the end with the ball in the Knicks' possession. Duncan and Robinson, Knicks swingman Latrell Sprewell, missed a last-second desperation shot, and after closing out the series with a solid 31-point, 9-rebound performance in Game 5, San Antonio was named a finals MVP for the first time. "Duncan came up big every time they approached him with that sweet turnaround jumper off the glass," Sports Illustrated journalist and former NBA player Alex English said. "In Game 5," he was the man. "I've got Tim and you don't have Tim and you don't have him" says Popovich later to losing coach Jeff Van Gundy. That's the difference."

Duncan's fame grew in the 1999–2000 season. He averaged 23.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game, winning another pair of All-NBA and All-Defense First Team nods. However, the Spurs had a disappointing postseason. Duncan suffered his meniscus shortly before the regular season ended, and he was unable to participate in even one postseason game. In the first round of the 2000 NBA playoffs, the Spurs were eliminated, losing 3–1 to the Phoenix Suns.

Duncan had 22.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game in the 2014 season. He was also selected to the All-NBA and All-Defensive First Teams. The Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 4–1, but then lost in four straight games against the Lakers, led by superstar Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. The series was described as a "cerciless mismatch," by Sports Illustrated, and Duncan was sluggish when the Spurs need him most.

Duncan's stats improved in the 2001–02 season after two straight playoff losses. He hit career highs in scoring (25.5 points per game, including a league-leading 764 field goals and 560 attempted free throws) and rebounding (12.7 boards per game), his highest-scoring career (192.5 boards per game), and his accumulated 1,042 boards per game (record highs), as well as his career-highs (3.2 assists and 2.5 blocks per game), while others averaged 3.7 assists and 2.5 blocks per game, both career highs. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player alongside fellow David Robinson, one of only two Spurs players to have been recognized by the league. Duncan's staff, on the other hand, had trouble with the fact that the aging Robinson was no longer able to maintain his level of fitness, and backup center Malik Rose was forced to step in more often. The Spurs were outmatched by the Lakers again in the 2002 NBA playoffs. The Spurs were defeated 4–1 by the eventual champions after taking on star center O'Neal once more. Duncan, who shot 34 points and a franchise-high 25 rebounds in Game 5, expressed his dissatisfaction with the game's ability: "I felt we had a chance at this series." The Lakers were much more than we could cope with. We had a (heck) chance of winning it once more. We had chances to win games and made it a different series, but this was just the way the ball rolls sometimes. Despite this, NBA.com praised Duncan as "phenomenal" and slammed his supporting cast members.

The Spurs opened playing at the SBC Center on November 1 after defeating the Toronto Raptors 91–72. Duncan had 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks against the Spurs in the game. He averaged 23.3 points, a career-best 12.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 blocks per game, and received All-NBA and All-Defensive First Team honor, earning him his second NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Robinson had already decided that the season would be his last; his playing time was cut by coach Popovich to save his energy for the playoffs. The Spurs qualified for the playoffs without losing, with a 60-22 record in the Western Conference. Duncan defeated forward Robert Horry and closed the game in style in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Lakers; Duncan was solid on structure and finished the series in style; Duncan finished Game 6 with 37 points and 16 rebounds. The Spurs advanced to the finals and beat the New Jersey Nets 88–77 in Game 6 to win their second NBA championship. Duncan almost scored a quadruple double in the final game, and he was named NBA Finals MVP. Robinson and Duncan were named Sports Illustrated's 2003 "Sportsmen of the Year" after this fruitful Spurs campaign.

Duncan signed with the Spurs on July 16, 2003, a seven-year, $122 million deal. The Spurs' perennial captain David Robinson retired before the 2003–04 season began. Duncan, despite the lone team leader's position, led a reformed Spurs squad that included Slovenian center Rasho Nesterovi, defensive stalwart Bruce Bowen, Argentinian shooting guard Manu Ginóbili, and young French point guard Tony Parker, all respecting the role of a lone team leader. Robert Horry, versatile Hedo Türkolu, and veterans Malik Rose and Kevin Willis were among those coming off the bench. In retrospect, Robinson said that Duncan was reluctant to step into the void at first, but that his leadership skills would take time. Duncan, on the other hand, remained strong; he led the Spurs to the Western Conference Semifinals after another fruitful season with averages of 22.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.7 blocks. While there, they met the Los Angeles Lakers for the second time, splitting the series 2–2, and in Game 5, Duncan made a brave defense jump shot that put the Spurs up by one point with 0.4 seconds remaining to play. Despite the brief remaining time, Lakers point guard Derek Fisher made his team win thanks to a buzzer beater. The Spurs lost the series 4-2, with Duncan blaming the Lakers' solid defense as one of the reasons for the loss.

Duncan and his Spurs were attempting to re-assert themselves in the upcoming 2005–05 season. Despite the Spurs' modest statistical decline (20.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.7 blocks per game), the Spurs won the second seed for the 2005 NBA playoffs by winning 59 games. The Spurs beat the Denver Nuggets four games to one in the first round and the Seattle SuperSonics met the Seattle SuperSonics in the semi-finals. Duncan led his team to two decisive victories in the first four games, setting up a match with the Phoenix Suns, who are known for their upbeat basketball. The Spurs beat the Suns at their own game, beating them 4–1 and earning a spot in the 2005 NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons. Duncan was knocked out of the Finals by Detroit's defensively solid frontcourt anchored by multiple NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace. Duncan was double teamed by the Spurs after two straight victories in Game 1 and 2. Detroit won the next two games and the series was eventually tied at 3-3, but the Spurs defeated the Pistons in Game 7, with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Duncan depleted and dissected the Pistons, according to NBA.com. Coach Popovich said, 'The complete game is so solid, so basic, and unnoticed at times, because if he didn't score, people will think, he didn't do anything.' But he was amazing, and he was the one who made it happen for us." Ben Wallace, the Pistons' center, remarked: "He took his team on his shoulders and carried them to a championship." That's what the best players do." Duncan claimed his third NBA Finals MVP award, joining Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and Magic Johnson as the only NBA players to win three times.

Duncan suffered with plantar fasciitis for the majority of the season (19.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game), as well as his inability to qualify for the All-NBA First Team after eight consecutive appearances. In the 2006 NBA playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks, where he defeated rival power forward Dirk Nowitzki 32.2 to 27.1 points, with neither Nowitzki nor Mavericks center Erick Dampier able to stop Duncan with their man-to-man defense. Duncan was the tragic hero of his team in Game 7 after splitting the first six games. Despite scoring 39 points in regulation time and fouling out both Dampier and Keith Van Horn, Duncan only made one of seven field goal attempts against Mavericks reserve center DeSagana Diop, and the Spurs lost Game 7.

Duncan and the Spurs' next season was also another championship season. Duncan had 20.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.4 blocks per game during the regular season, and he was selected as a Western Conference starter for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, his ninth appearance in the tournament. He aided the Spurs to a 4–1 victory over the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs, and a 4–1 win over the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Finals, setting up a match against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the finals. Duncan's and San Antonio's fourth championship was won by the Spurs after they defeated the Cavaliers 4–0. Duncan said that the championship was "the best" of his four championships, but he later admitted he was "subpar" and received only one vote for NBA Finals MVP from a panel of ten; Duncan's coworkers were more appreciative of his work; among others, ex-teammate David Robinson referred to the Spurs titles as the "Tim Duncan period" and lauded his leadership. Duncan was also lauded by coach Popovich: "Tim is the common denominator." He's [had] a different cast around him [in] '99, '03, and '05. They've all been welcomed to the family. ... Those are not allowed to eat. But he's so easy to play with, and his abilities are so strong that other people will fit in." "[Duncan] is a player for the ages," then-NBA commissioner David Stern said. Pete Sampras is one of the best players in tennis, and I'm a tennis fan. Okay, so he wasn't Andre Agassi or John McEnroe. He just happens to be one of the greatest players of all time. As you discover them, you will find great players."

Duncan played for the San Antonio team that lifted the Shooting Stars Competition in 2008. San Antonio finished the 2007-08 regular season with a 56-26 record, trailing the Lakers and New Orleans Hornets in the Western Conference and setting up their first-round match against the Suns, with 78 games and posting their usual 20/10 figures. The Suns, who were defeated by the Spurs in three of the last four seasons, were out for revenge and featured a new player in four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal. Duncan set the tone in Game 1 with a 40-point game and a rare three-pointer that sent the game to double overtime. Duncan, Ginóbili, and Parker all returned to form for the remainder of the series, and the Spurs defeated the Suns in five games. San Antonio was humiliated 101–82 in the first game of the next round against the Chris Paul-led Hornets, with Duncan playing one of his worst playoff games in his career, with only 5 points and 3 rebounds. Duncan's team also dropped out in Games 3 and 4, but the Spurs made a team-high 22 point/15 block effort in a game that tied the series. Duncan finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds in Game 6, and the Spurs relied on their experience to tie the series together in Game 7. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated San Antonio in five games in the Conference Finals, and the Spurs lost back-to-back NBA championships.

Duncan's 2009–09 season saw solid numbers and rebounds per game. However, by mid-season, his results had diminished, and he was later diagnosed with chronic knee pains. Despite Duncan's knee injury and the team losing shooting guard Ginóbili for the majority of the season, San Antonio qualified for the playoffs as the third seed with a 54–28 record. The Spurs were only considered fringe candidates for the championship by a veteran support cast (Bowen, Michael Finley, and Kurt Thomas were all in their late 30s). Duncan and Parker were not enough to help the Spurs prevent a 4–1 loss to Dallas, and the Spurs were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2000.

Richard Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Antonio McDyess, DeJuan Blair, and Keith Bogans are among the Spurs' supporters looking for a more solid backbone in the 2009-2010 season. The team got off to a 5–6 start, but Duncan's double-doubles earned them a 9–6 record by the end of November. Duncan was also named Western Conference Player of the Week for the second week in November. Even at 34 years of age, he remained a constant 20-10 threat, being the only one of three players in the league at the time to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. Duncan was named as the starting forward for the West in 2010 NBA All-Star Game on January 21, 2010. The Spurs qualified for the playoffs as the seventh seed after winning yet another 50-win season, beating Dallas 4–2 in the first round but then losing 4–0 to Phoenix in the next round.

Duncan became the Spurs' all-time leader in points scored and games played eleven games into the 2010–2011 season. Along the way, the Spurs won for the first time in a 12-game streak, finishing 13-2-after 15 games. Duncan recorded his third triple-double against the Golden State Warriors on November 30, 2010. Duncan made his 94th appearance in NBA history against the Portland Trail Blazers in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Spurs have been 707–293 in their 1,000th game; only Scottie Pippen (715–285) had a better record with his team in his first 1,000 games. The Spurs were 29-4 after 33 games, one of the best starts in NBA history—and they led the league at 35–6 halfway through the season. Despite Duncan's career lows in points and rebounds per game, the Spurs finished the regular season as the first seed in the West for the 2011 NBA playoffs and were second in the West (to Chicago). Despite finishing with a 61-21 record, the Spurs were unable to prevent being disqualified in the first round, 4–2, by the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies.

The Spurs were ranked No. 1 seed in the West during the 2011–12 season, tied for the most games played with the Chicago Bulls in a season-best 50–16 record. Until a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 24, 2012, head coach Gregg Popovich decided to give Duncan a night off by listing him on the official scorecard as "DNP-OLD" — implying he was having fun at his 36-year-old body. Duncan's figures remained stable throughout the year, as the previous season was similar. Duncan-Parker-Ginóbili's triumvirate was well-rested and healthy in the 2012 NBA playoffs, and the Spurs thrashed the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers 4–0 in the first two rounds. Duncan set the record for most career blocks in playoffs history over the Oklahoma City Thunder's third game on May 31, 2012. When the Thunder defeated the Spurs 4–2, the Spurs' playoff campaign came to an end.

Duncan re-signed with the Spurs on July 11, 2012. Duncan and the Spurs will make the playoffs for the fourth season in a row, with Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, Gary Neal, and Kawhi Leonard, who had been growing steadily over the past two seasons. Duncan has since returned to the All-Star team and was named to the All-NBA First Team. He had 23,785 career points in the regular season, which tied George Gervin's record for most points in a Spurs uniform (23,602). The Spurs swept the Los Angeles Lakers, defeated Golden State in six games, and defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Finals, a 4–0 sweep that advanced to the NBA Finals. Duncan made his 500th playoff block in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, becoming the first NBA player to reach that milestone, although the NBA did not track blocks prior to the 1973-1974 season. In the NBA Finals, the Spurs faced the defending NBA champions Miami Heat in a close competition. Miami had home court advantage, but San Antonio won the first game and moved to a 3–2 lead going into game 6. Duncan's best haul in a half of an NBA Finals game was 25 points in the first half of a game. However, the Spurs lost the game in overtime and then lost the final game.

Duncan made history by winning 23 points, 21 rebounds, and the game-winning jump shot against the Atlanta Hawks on December 2, 2013. The Spurs won their first four games of the 2013-14 regular season, defeating the Stings in a league-best 62 victories. In the first round of the playoffs, the Spurs defeated Dallas, Portland in five games, and Oklahoma City in six games, where game 6 went into overtime as the Spurs defeated the Spurs 112–107. They're rematching the Miami Heat, who they beat 4–1, a new record for a win in the NBA Finals for games 3 and 4. The Duncan-Ginóbili-Parker trio also tied for the most games in NBA playoffs history. Duncan, who had won the Finals in five games, joined John Salley as the only players to win a championship in three different decades. Chasing his fourth Finals MVP award in 2014, he lost to then-22-year-old Kawhi Leonard.

Duncan used his $10.3 million player option for the 2014–15 season on June 23, 2014. Duncan had his 25,000th point in the Spurs' 93-80 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on November 14, 2014, his 19th player in NBA history to reach the milestone. With 30 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on February 19, 2015, he defeated Alex English to climb to 16th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. He had six rebounds against the Sacramento Kings on March 4, snaping his match with Nate Thurmond for his ninth in career rebounding. He had three blocks against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, taking sixth overall in career blocks. He played his 1,330th game against the Phoenix Suns on April 12, his eighth all-time victory over him. He also scored 22 points and passed Kevin Garnett to jump to 14th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list, putting him in 14th position. After 82 games and meeting the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs, the Spurs finished fifth in the Western Conference. They lost in seven games to the Clippers on May 2 in their back-to-back championships. Duncan was later named to the All-Defensive second team on May 20 for the seventh time in his career.

Duncan re-signed with the Spurs on July 9, 2015, extending his contract to two years. Duncan scored 16 points, ten rebounds, and six assists in his NBA-record 954th victory with one team over the New York Knicks on November 2, 2015, defeating John Stockton's 953 wins with the Utah Jazz. On November 11, he posted his best rebound of his career against the Portland Trail Blazers to claim seventh place on the NBA's all-time rebounding list. Duncan had five blocked shots over the Philadelphia 76ers on November 14 to become the Spurs' franchise leader with 2,955 blocks, surpassing former teammate David Robinson's career total of 2,954. Duncan also jumped to fifth on the NBA's blocks list, his fifth all-time record. Duncan returned to action against the Houston Rockets on January 2, 2016 after missing the Spurs' last three games of December due to injury and right knee soreness. Duncan was held scoreless in his return game for the first time in his 19-year career, giving him the most consecutive games with at least one point at 1,359. Duncan scored a then-season high 18 points in a 123-98 victory over the Utah Jazz, extending the Spurs' franchise-record home winning streak to 30 straight regular season games dating back to 2014-2015. After missing eight games due to a sore knee injury, he returned to the starting lineup on February 10. He became the fifth player in NBA history to reach 3,000 blocks on February 27, beating the Houston Rockets. In addition, Duncan's career saw him score 14,971 for his career, beating Karl Malone (14,968) for his sixth spot in league history. Duncan was the sixth player in league history with 15,000 rebounds, leading off the Spurs' 109–101 victory over the Chicago Bulls on March 10. For the third time in his career, he came off the bench on March 19 to face the Golden State Warriors' smaller roster. The Spurs won their 35th straight home win of the season and their 44th straight at home dating back to 2014–15, tied for the second longest streak in NBA history with the 1995–96 Bulls. Following Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parish, he became the third player with 1,000 victories in the regular season on April 5, defeating the Utah Jazz. Duncan's career began with his success with just one team. In a losing bid to the Denver Nuggets on April 8, he scored a season-high 21 points. All four of Duncan's starting lineups were rested after locking up their second seed in the West with a franchise-best record (65–13) prior to the Nuggets game. In the second round of the playoffs, the Spurs lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Duncan opted into his $5.6 million contract for the 2016–17 season on June 28, 2016. However, after 19 seasons with San Antonio, he announced his retirement from the NBA on July 11, 2016. Duncan will play a coaching role with the team in the 2016–17 season, according to coach Gregg Popovich in September.

Duncan's No. 1 was retired by the Spurs on December 18, 2016. In a postgame parade, 21 jerseys were retired, making him the eighth Spur in franchise history to have his jersey retired.

National team career

Duncan was selected as one of the last two players for the USA national team for the World Basketball Championship in 1998. Nonetheless, this squad was later recalled with CBA and college players due to the NBA lockout. Duncan was drafted up to the Olympic Qualifying Team in 1999 for his first attempt at playing for the national team. He had a 12.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, and 2.4 bpg, leading the team to a 10–0 finish en route to a qualifying berth for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, but a knee injury kept him out of the Olympic Games themselves.

Duncan was also a member of the USA team that won ten awards and qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics. He started all of the games he played in and averaged team bests of 15.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.56 bpg, while shooting 60.7 percent from the field. The team lost three games on its way to a bronze medal at the Olympics. More losses in a single year than in the 68 previous years combined. It was also the first time since NBA players became eligible that the US men's basketball team lost a game in international competition and returned home without gold medals. Duncan was dissatisfied with the team's inability for the tournament, and he said, "I am about 95% positive that my FIBA career is over." I'll try not to reveal my experiences with anyone." Duncan was a member of five USA Basketball teams and played in 40 games.

Coaching career

Duncan was named as an assistant coach by the San Antonio Spurs on July 22, 2019. On March 3, 2020, he made his acting head coach for the Spurs, who beat the Charlotte Hornets 104-103, which Popovich missed due to personal reasons.

Duncan resigned as the Spurs' assistant coach on November 12, 2020.

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