Tim Duncan

Timothy " Tim" Theodore Duncan (born the April 25th 1976 with Holy Cross in the Virgin Islands) is an American player of Basket-ball, evolving/moving in the team of NBA of the San Antonio Spurs.

Biography

Beginnings

Born in the United States Virgin Islands, Tim Duncan is in its youth one of the best hopes in Natation and dreams to dispute the OJ of 1992 in Barcelona. Two major events then strongly will touch it and direct its future. In September 1989 the cyclone Hugo devastation the only swimming pool of Olympic size of the island. Confronted with difficult conditions of drive from now on, having mainly to involve itself in the ocean, and knowing a fall in its progression, it decides to give up swimming for the tennis shoe. Then its 14th birthday day before, his/her mother dies of a cancer. Little before it had made him promise, like with the two sisters of Tim, to finish its studies and to obtain a diploma. It will respect this promise later by refusing the enticing offers of franknesses NBA to finish its university course. Having begun the tennis shoe tardily, it tests some difficulties of expressing its potential but ends up becoming the player dominating of its college, the St Dunstan' S Episcopal High School, concluding its senior year with 25pts from average. Consequently several universities, whose Providence, Hartford or Delaware, try to recruit it, but it is for the coach of Wake Forrest, Dave Odom, which Tim decides to play.

University career

Duncan joined a team of the elite of the American university championship, the Demon Deacons de Wake Forest, since this one reached the Sweet 16, the eighth of finale, at the time of tounoi final NCAA 1993. However it is also a team in rebuilding since its best player, Rodney Rogers, has just left the team to be registered in Draft NBA 1993. At the time of its first year, 1993-94, Duncan and its fellow-member Randolph Childress lead the team to a poor assessment of 20 victories for 11 defeats. If the " large Tim" start to impose its play posts low and its shots halfway, they are especially its great defensive qualities, in particular with against and with the rebound, which point out it. It thus finishes its 1st year with statistics of 9.8 items (55% of general address and 75% with the throw-francs) 9.6 rebounds and 3.76 counter. It is then selected to represent the United States with the Goodwill Ranges of 1994.

At the time of its year sophomore (2nd year), it passes a course and leads its team finally tournament of prestigious Atlantic Coast Conférence (ACC) against the university of North Carolina (UNC). At the time of this match, it muzzles the star of Tar Heels Rasheed Wallace while Childress offers the title to Wake Forrest on a basket in the ultimate seconds of the prolongation. The Deacons Demon are thus presented trustful to tounoi final NCAA, but once again their course concluded at the stage from Sweet 16 after a defeat, 66-71, against the team of Oklahoma State of famous Bryant " Big Country" Reeves. The season does not remain less positive about it as well from a collective point of view with the title of the ACC as of a point of a sight personnel since Duncan is elected Défensive Player off the Year. He is also elected in the AlACC First TEAM, the 5 major ideal of his conference, rewards that he will also obtain at the time of his 2 last academic years thanks to statistics in big rise: 16.8pts (59% of general address and 74% with the throw-francs) 12.5 rebounds 2.1 master keys decisive and 4.2 counter.

As a junior (3rd year), gives it exchange for Tim and its team since Randolph Childress is presented to the draft. But Duncan as an unchallenged leader carries out Wake Forrest, in spite of the inexperience of its coéquipers, with a new title at the time of the tournament of conference ACC. Unfortunately, seized up, it fails at the time of March Madness, again at the time of Sweet 16. Dazzling throughout the year, Duncan (19.1pts 12.3rbs 2.9pd 3.7ct) is again elected Defensive Player off the Year and better player of its conference.

For its last year, Duncan receives the assistance in the racket of the young promising pivot Loren Woods. The team gains her 13 first matches but fails the final tournament once again, against Stanford (72-66) and her leader star Brevin Knight. Its splendid season (20.8pts 14.7rbs 3.2pd 3.3ct) is worth all the individual honors to him: better player of the ACC, better defender NCAA for the 3rd time and especially better player NCAA since it gains John Wooden Award and Naismith College off the year 1997.

While finishing its university course, it goes to counter-current of the tendency of the end of the Années 1990, where the majority of the players are registered with the Draft NBA after one year or two with the FAC, even directly after the college. Tim Duncan becomes at the end of its university career the second best contror of the history of the NCAA and one of the ten players to have compiled more 2 000 points and 1 500 rebounds in career.

Career in NBA

Tim Duncan is selected in the forefront of the draft 1997 by the San Antonio Spurs, team which leaves one catastrophic season following the wound of her major player, David Robinson. The impact of old of Wake Forest is immediate. With 21 points of average per match, he is easily elected NBA Rookie off the Year (better beginning). The duet which it forms with David Robinson is worth them the title of new “twin towers” of the NBA, in reference to the pair which formed Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson in the Années 1980.

During the season 1999 shortened because of the strike, Duncan and Robinson lead the club to title NBA, by beating the New York Knicks finally.

During the season 2001-2002, Duncan is named Meilleur player regular season. It gains once again the reward the following season. During this season, it finally leads Spurs to a new title NBA by eliminating from conference the Los Angeles Lakers, triple champions in title, and beating the New Jersey Nets in finales NBA. At the time of the ultimate match, it misses little the double quadruple with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 master keys decisive and 8 counter.

It gains again title NBA with Spurs at the time of the season 2005.

Tim Duncan was elected by the journalists in the 2005 most effective player among the four great American sports (Basket-ball, Baseball, American football and Hockey)

Because of a wound to the foot, Duncan delivers one rather disappointing season 2005/2006 and Spurs are made eliminate in semi-final from conference by Mavericks.

At the time of the season 2006-2007 Tim Duncan takes along San Antonio to the third place of the Western conference with 58 victories and 24 defeats. “Dream Tim” finishes the season with an average of 20.0 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.4 decisive master keys.

He will be elected in the defensive standard team of the season 06-07. He is accompanied by Bruce Bowen which finishes with the most votes.

Playoffs NBA 2007 are synonymous with success, Spurs eliminate Nuggets on the score from 4-1. San Antonio had lost the first range, but the experiment, the defense and athletic qualities of the players of the roster make that the frankness texane will gain the four matches following. The semi-final is played against Phoenix. Duncan is again champion NBA with Spurs by carrying out a " sweep " (4-0) vis-a-vis the Riders of Cleveland de LeBron James. On the other hand, for the first time it is not indicated MVP of the finale since it is Tony Parker which gains the prestigious distinction. For certain experts of the American tennis shoe, he is regarded as the largest strong winger of all times in front of Karl Malone.

Olympic Games

Although born in Virgin Islands, Duncan obtains American nationality and is member of the national team of the United States at the time of the tournament qualifier for the Olympic Games of Sydney in 2000. But a wound with the knee prevents it from taking part in the Olympic Games.

Four years later, it takes part again in the tournament qualifier for OJ of 2004, and takes part this time in the Olympic Games where the United States does not bring back that bronze.

It is one of the only large players not to have declined the invitation with the OJ, when other players evoked safety reasons (fear of the attacks), or of health, often pretexts to mask their lack of interest for an Olympic title.

After the rout of the Plays of 2004, Duncan declares that it is “ with 95% sure that its career FIBA is finished ”.

Prize list

4 times champion of NBA in 1999, 2003, 2005 and in 2007
Elected Better player of the league in 2002 and 2003
Elected better player of the finales of NBA in 1999, 2003 and 2005
Elected NBA Rookie off the Year (better beginning from the year) in 1998

Selected in the standard team of the beginners in 1998
Selected in the AlNBA First TEAM (standard team of the league) in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
Selected in the AlNBA Second TEAM (second standard team of the league) in 2006
Selected in the AlDefense First TEAM (defensive standard team of the league) in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 , 2005 and 2007.
Selected in the AlDefense Second TEAM (second defensive standard team) in 1998, 2004 and 2006

Selected for the AlStar Range in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007
Elected better player of the AlStar Range in 2000

Player having made a success of the most shootings of the season of NBA in 2002 (764)
Player having marked the most throw-francs of the season of NBA in 2002 (560)
Player having taken the most rebounds of the season of NBA in 2002 (1042)
Player having taken the most defensive rebounds of the season of NBA in 2002 (774)

External bonds

Official site
Card nba.com

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Beats-smg: Tim Duncan

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