Spurs’ $245m five-time NBA champion turned MMA fighter looks unrecognizable in new role
For such an enormous man, NBA nice Tim Duncan stored a low profile after retiring in 2016.
Selected first total in the 1997 NBA Draft, he spent his complete 19-year profession with the San Antonio Spurs.
It introduced the Hall of Fame energy ahead 5 titles, $245 million in profession earnings and a repute as one of the best ever to do it.
Duncan labored briefly as an assistant coach for the Spurs between 2019 and 2020 however stayed out of the limelight, preferring a quiet life.
‘The Big Fundamental’ typically sported close-cropped hair throughout his enjoying days however induced a stir when he appeared at Spurs coaching in November 2024.
Spurs beat reporter Matthew Tynan’s photograph on X confirmed Duncan with facial hair and dreadlocks.
Despite his 6ft 11in body, he was towered over by present Spurs star Victor Wembanyama — the 7ft 5in sensation.
“Duncan giving off: I said we don’t worry about a thing, coz every little thing is gonna be alright,” one fan wrote.
“Tim Duncan is my spirit animal…” one fan added.
“Since when I start looking like Lenny Kravitz,” one other fan mentioned.
Wemby has now emerged as the future face of the NBA because the Spurs put together to tackle the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.
Duncan has stayed on as an assistant coach and advises head coach Mitch Johnson with schemes, in addition to guiding gamers.
6
6
His can be enjoying a much more essential role as he helps San Antonio icon Gregg Popovich recovers from his stroke.
Spurs CEO RC Buford revealed how essential the previous star has been for the President of Basketball Operations to Jared Weiss of TheAthletic.
“It’s the reason why, with Pop’s stroke rehabilitation, Tim’s in the gym with him every day, and that’s not because Pop is telling him to be there,,” he mentioned. “It’s because Tim feels the emotional connection to want to be there in the ways that Pop was there for him.
“Any time persons are in city, they will be in there.”
It is the least that Pop deserves, but it still takes a stand-up man to give up his time and help out someone who inspired them.
As the Alien looks to take his career to new heights, there is no one better to keep him grounded than Duncan.
6
6
Tim Duncan’s passions outside the court
Duncan opened Blackjack Speed Shop — an auto customization garage with locations in San Antonio and New Braunfels, Texas — with pal Jason Pena in 2013.
He didn’t get his driver’s license until his sophomore year of college but soon fell in love with cars.
The 15-time All-Star bought a Porsche 911 Turbo with his first contract.
“I like to go and get my automobiles labored on,” I told ESPN.
“I’ve at all times liked automobiles. I feel it did not actually take off till later in faculty [when] I began loving horsepower and velocity.
“As I got to the league, I was able to see more and know more about cars. It just kind of grew and grew and grew.”
6
Duncan has additionally been maintaining match by taking over MMAtogether with his coach Adamant he might have fought professionally.
Jason Echols of Echols Fitness in San Antonio posted a clip of him kickboxing the Spurs icon, who he has skilled for over a decade.
“When he walked in the door, I could see that he was very hungry to learn martial arts, and his movement, his absorption of the martial arts was just phenomenal,” I’ve told Bleacher Report.
“You could really see the athleticism that existed in him already. He caught onto these movements, and he was able to absorb them better and pick it up better than the average person because of his athleticism. His size…it’s incredible to watch him move. Now the world is seeing it.
“I’m 5-10, so to be in entrance of somebody of that dimension, it takes extra bodily vitality to coach a beast like that. It’s exhausting holding the mitts for him, exhausting getting hit by him. Even although he is lugging on me and never executing full energy, simply to take a wallop from his leg, it is fairly an impression.”
Duncan was known as a disciplined player who preferred substance over flashy moves. On the mat, he is a different beast.
“He’s an animal,” added Echols. “It’s a unique factor than what you see out on the court docket. The extra intense the coaching will get, the extra calm he turns into, which you’ve got seen on the court docket. The manner he executes the actions, he is af****** monster.”
David Robinson, who won two titles alongside Duncan in San Antonio and is taller at 7ft 1in, has also trained in MMA.
Obviously, people would love to know who is the best of the giant athletes — Duncan comes out on top.
“They’ve completed a little bit of it [sparring] already,” Echols explained in 2018. “David is at a stage the place he is not as superior as Tim is. I’ve began extra just lately than Tim, however to look at these two guys transfer round collectively is unquestionably a spectacular sight to see.
“[Duncan] would be a legit competitor. For sure. He has a desire to learn and compete. He has the heart for it. He most definitely would be a competitor. I would highly encourage him not to.
“Being a retired Spurs participant, I would not need him going on the market and getting punched and kicked by a few of these guys, however Tim could be a competitor. David would study to turn out to be one. They are each aggressive guys and never used to shedding.”
Stay up to date with the NBA across all our talkSPORT platforms – subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news, opinion, exclusive interviews and our each day unfiltered, unscripted present ‘The S* Word, from 8am ET
