Tim Duncan (born April 25, 1976) is an NBA basketball player who is a native of the United States Virgin Islands. Duncan plays for the San Antonio Spurs.
Basketball was not his first sport as a child; he was a nationally-ranked swimmer. However, the only Olympic-size pool in the Virgin Islands was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Duncan then took up basketball, eventually becoming an All-American at Wake Forest.
He was drafted in 1997 and immediately caused an impact, averaging 21.1 points per game his first season. The 1999 season was shortened because of a strike, but when the season began in February, Duncan began to help his team win the franchise's first world championship. They beat the New York Knicks in five games to become champions. Duncan then participated with the United States national team in the Championship of The Americas in Puerto Rico, helping them qualify for the 2000 Summer Olympics. However, a knee injury forced him to stay out of the Olympics.
In the 2001-2002 season, Duncan was named the league's MVP, joining teammate David Robinson as Spurs members who have earned this award. After 2002-2003, Duncan was named MVP for the second season in a row. Duncan and his Spurs teammates made it all the way to the NBA finals, where they beat the New Jersey Nets 88-77 in Game Six to once again win the NBA's world championship. Duncan was named Finals' MVP as well. His lifetime averages in points, blocks, assists, and rebounds are higher in the playoffs than in the regular season.
Duncan scored 53 points in an NBA game on December 26, 2001 in a home game against the Dallas Mavericks.
