Episode 30 - "The Big Fundamental" | The Ring of the Rowel San Antonio Spurs Docuseries 

People constantly saying, "The Greatest Power Forward of all time," is selling Duncan short. He is one of the greatest players of all time. No one says, Kareem was the greatest center of all time or Jordan was the greatest shooting guard of all time. Duncan doesn't have some of those guy's accolades, the points or the 6-0 record in the Finals, but they don't have Duncan's either. He never missed the playoffs during his entire career. He never won fewer than 50 games during a full season and managed to win 50 in a shortened season. He has 5 rings. I'd argue Duncan has the greatest basketball career in the history of the NBA.

My favorite player of all time, the greatest power forward of all time and my dark horse for greatest player of all time, but people will always argue with me on that. He was drafted two months before I was born and he retired right before I graduated from high school, so he’d been there basically my entire life. Can’t believe it’s been almost 7 years since he hung it up, and boy do I miss him. Thanks Timmy for all you’ve done.

I get roasted many times for saying this but for me - the spurs Duncan era is and always will be the "gold standard" of a true basketball.

i just cant express how much i miss timmy

We’re about to have another GOAT with Wembanyama 🙏🏻

The greatest power forward all time greatest spur all time 🐐🐐🐐🐐

Here are the quintessential examples of Tim Duncan; 1. Loyalty: being the main cornerstone of an upcoming franchise in the 2000’s era by going to every single year to the playoffs, play superstar opponents, winning championships, and becoming a dynasty til the very end of his career is amazing. 2. Unselfish: He truly never had an ego of what he wanted in his career, he knew in his life he didn’t care about anything like his fame of his celebrity status or wanting more money then any other athlete. We all know he’s still the GOAT, top 10 player, and even saying greatest PF ever and 2 way player all time. 3. Sportsmanship; He had great teammates around him, he had David Robinson for his career til 2003, he had Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, making them the winningest trio in the NBA playing 14 seasons together, and his teammates accomplished awards and titles on their own resumes. Plus making this team international players to show the NBA players are talented the world like Duncan himself. 4. Pop; he had one coach for his entire career and Duncan accepted him for who he was not just as a coach, but as a father figure he wanted. Pop coaches him extremely hard to where Duncan didn’t want to be treated differently he wanted to be treated the same. 5. Respect; every fan in different generations that loves the NBA will have talk about who’s the greatest and any person wants to be right in their own way and debate on who’s better on stats, championships, or anything. You have to put Tim Duncan in that conversation because fans, athletes todays, even legends would say Duncan is the GOAT. As for me, he’s the quintessential GOAT. You are the big fundamental, the GOAT, and a hall of famer. Thank you TD

I grew up idolizing this man, and for my entire life up until 2016, I didn't know of an NBA without Tim Duncan in it. This is a bit of a read but I hope it helps people appreciate the kind of player and person he was. I remember in 2010-2011, the Spurs started the first half of the season on a 70+ win pace. After a couple of seasons of relative mediocrity, I was hopeful that the Spurs would win the championship again. As the season wore on, the Spurs had so many key injuries to the team, and even though they ended up as the No. 1 seed in the West, they got beat up by the 8 seed "grit-n-grind" Grizzles, and I was crushed. The Spurs looked old and slow, beat up and injured. Their play style seemed increasingly stagnant and outdated. I remember thinking, "This is the last best chance we will have in the Tim Duncan era." You can imagine how amazing it was to see the Spurs begin a renaissance starting in 2011-2012, after acquiring Kawhi Leonard and with Pop embracing a new playing style. That 2012 Spurs team was not only good, but dominant. They won the last 10 games of the regular season, and the first 10 games of the playoffs. 20 straight games! Even though they eventually lost in the WCF, I knew these Spurs were championship material. To start the 2012-2013 season, Tim Duncan was visibly in the best shape he had been in years, looking slimmer and more agile, sharp and focused. By the end of the season, he made First Team All-NBA, at the age of 37! And if you saw his game, you couldn't help but be in awe of his mastery of the fundamentals, his control of the flow and pace of the game, his basketball IQ, top-notch defense and team play. He was the whole package, that late into his career, routinely making far younger and more athletic big men look silly in the process. In the first half of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, he put up 25 points on 10-12 FG, finishing with 30 PTS and 17 REB. It was a gusty all-time performance for the old man. If not for one shot, he would have had a 4th Finals MVP, beating a peak Lebron James and juggernaut of a team in the Miami Heat, all at age 37. He would certainly be a place or two up in the GOAT conversation. In 2014, maybe he wasn't as dominant, but was no less important. His complete embrace of an egalitarian motion offense, and his willingness to play a high level role for the Spurs, being the best player on the court when he needed to be, was nothing short of amazing. After hitting a clutch basket in OT to close out the OKC Thunder in the WCF, he boldly predicted in his post game interview, "We'll do it this time". He KNEW that this Spurs team was going to bring home the title, and they did, with the most lopsided margin-of-victory in NBA Finals history! If you think of the type of team the Spurs were in 1999 or 2003, compared to how they played in 2014, those teams couldn't have been any more different. And yet, Tim Duncan was just as key as ever for all of those teams, accepting the evolution of his game and that of the NBA as a whole, coming out on top at the end. How many all time greats can we say the same thing for? Even in 2015 and 2016, the Spurs were there, competing for the NBA title, even as the reins of the team were being handed to Kawhi Leonard. It's very telling, that even in the last year of Tim Duncan's career, the Spurs won 67 games, a franchise record, with Tim Duncan still being a defensive anchor helping his team achieve new heights. We all know Tim Duncan is an all-time player, and in his peak was an unstoppable force on the court rivaled by few in NBA history. But for me, it's his consistency after so many years, the dedication to his craft, the trust he had in his coaches and teammates, and the selfless sacrifices he made to elevate himself and those around him, even in the last stages of his career, that sets him apart, and makes him a transcendent once in a lifetime player, in the mold of Bill Russell.

Growing up in SA and watching all this from childhood to adulthood was one of the most blessed experiences I have ever had. It's been an amazing education. Thanks to Timmy and the Spurs for their tremendous example and pursuit of excellence.

One of the main reasons why I became a San Antonio Spurs fan. Tim Duncan is my goat 🐐 fan from England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Go Spurs Go 🏀🖤🤍🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

🐐 #21 Old Man River Walk

This is my GOAT. No one knows how much I miss Tim Duncan.

tearing up at the end i miss this man so much

Timmy 🩶🖤

Old Man Riverwalk!

This brought a tear to my eye. I miss Timmy so much. I watched him play his entire career. I was lucky to see him play live. What a special player. Timmy Por Vida.

You know, I've been following the NBA for 26 years. 25 of them I support San Antonio. Tim has been my idol since 1998. I always looked up to him, I was always surprised by his skills, his qualities as a person, as a teammate, as a player. Watching this video, I cried again ... I cried from sadness for Timmy. I cried with joy that I saw his entire career. And I'm happy that I chose the best power forward and, I'm sure, the best teammate as an example for me. Thank you for everything, Tim Duncan!

Thank you Duncan 🙏🏾 for not leaving. Thank you for carrying the torch .

My favorite player of all time. Thank You Timmy!

Tough act to follow. Maybe one of a kind.

One of my favorite Ring of the Rowel episodes yet! Timmy will always be my favorite player of all-time! ⚪⚫🏀

Great player and by the looks of everything an amazing person. This is my all time favourite player. I don't have player jerseys since I live in a poor country where money is hard to come by but for one of my birthdays my wife got me a t-shirt with the spurs logo on the front and 21 on the back...best gift ever. Tim Duncan is simply awesome 👍 and as always Go Spurs Go!

Dominate in west. Been so great being a spurs fan all these years.

Thank you Tim. The most important player to any franchise in history.

Para mi, es el mejor jugador de la historia. Simplemente el mejor

The greatest PF of all time and a top 5 player of all time imo. Arguably the greatest defensive player of all time too tbh Timmy your a legend

Thanks Tim Duncan you are the best!

Tim was not only important to the Spurs, he was pivotal to San Antonio. I saw the city grow alongside the examples and accomplishments made by Tim Duncan. The city and fans hold him in the highest regard.

GOAT. Plain and simple

Tim Duncan vs KG and Dirk is always a fun to watch. then Tim Duncan vs Shaq is something else.

Tim and Dirk are the greatest PF’s to ever play the game. Texas should be proud. Dirk the greatest offensive PF to ever play, changed how the position is played forever and had the greatest playoff run of any single player putting his team on his back ever. Tim, the greatest all around PF at his position ever and will probably remain that for eternity. Consistency, dominance and health year after year, championship after championship.. Tim deserves to be mentioned in the top 5 with MJ, Kobe, LBJ, (Larry.. Magic.. whoever you want to be 4th..) Tim should be in that 5. A lot of players were dominate, Tim was consistently dominate. From the time he came in to the time he left.. 17 years is a long time to be top of your position.

That pass from Duncan to Purdue and to Ellie mane 👏 wish I saw more of those games

The greatest power forward ever, I really miss timmy.

Where's his damn statue tho

I was 11 years old when Tim Duncan was drafted and 30 years old when he retired, the post TD era was rough, but I can assure you, I’m just as excited as I was in 1997 about the future of our franchise.

Man tears have been shed

Damn I miss Duncan, he was the true Big Fundamental and had the ultimate bag if tricks

I remember waiting at the quarry for a autograph with my cousin as kids but we didn’t make the cutoff soooo close to the GOAT was good enough for me

Beautifully done Spurs Video Team! Amazing work

It was a privilege to see that man play really see how the game is supposed to be doing what you supposed to do then with your supposed to be on the court

The Greatest for me!!! Go Timmy!!!

Watching this after we got the number 1 pick for Wemby. Tim will always be the One. If Wemby is anywhere close to Tim, we did it again fam.

Top5 all-time

thank you timmy!!

As a Suns fan I really didn't like it when Spurs were always beating us in the Playoffs but now as times have passed, man do I love and appreciate Timmy, probably the most likeable humble guy in the history of NBA. Greatest PF of all time no doubt, The Big Fundamental, wish you health and a wonderful life in retirement Timmy.

GOAT 🐐

Timmy!!! Go Spurs Go!!!

I feel like this video should be shown to our student-athletes, or even just regular students. If our future leaders can be half as good as Timmy is as a person -how humble and hardworking he is (to name a few traits), then the world is in good hands.

TD21 forever! Timmy was the reason i became a spurs fan! GSG!

Die hard laker fan here and man i used to watch my lakers battle it out with the spurs, best playoff series to watch. Much respect to tim, top 10 all time

I hope we win the lottery this year!🙏🙏🙏🙏, but if we don't win the lottery...I hope the Spurs would select a player who would lead the team to championships the way Timmy did.👊👊👊

Best PF to ever do it 🔥

My favorite player of all time! Mr. Winning Himself Timothy Theodore Duncan will always be one of the greats no matter what anyone says! 🖤🤍🏀🔥

What a legend. Thanks for all the great memories Timmy.

The GOAT and my favorite player of all time!!!

Thank you Tim!

Miss you Timmy. Greatest PF of all time.

GOAT

My favorite player of all time. Sensational power forward, both ends on the court. I surely do miss him.

Timmmmmyyy

gracias por todo lo que nos diste tim

Tum Duncan is the kind of man you want your son to be. The Greatest Spur of all time. He made Everyone who played with him better. The real role model. Thr Big Fundamental.

My model player in the sport of basketball. The iconic teacher-pupil duo of Coach Pop - Tim Duncan. Spurs the best.

Right in the feels.

He is him!

I was 6 years old when Tim was drafted and I feel so lucky to have been able to watch and remember his entire career! Tim was a big part of why I enjoy playing, watching and coaching basketball so much to this day!! He is the GOAT!

SANT ANTONIO in Duncans era was everything. Players are humble and everyone is the right piece to complement each other. Silent as a players but different kind of beast as a team with no big name superstars.

It has been truly a pleasure watching you all these years. Thank you Timmy!

Long time Spurs fan here. It really was a sad day when Timmy decided to hang them up in 2016. He spoiled us with so much success on the court. I debate with people that he actually has a legit case to be top 3 ever in the NBA. Of course people will argue that, but he has a long list of accolades that put him high up. Regardless of opinions, we will probably never see another player like Tim Duncan. Thanks again for all the great memories...

🐐

I cried at the end not gonna lie

Greatest power forward of all time

I’ve heard a lot of interviews with HOF players and they just about ALL put Tim in their all time starting five. That’s says it all.

Timmy!!

Tim the GOAT

I had the pleasure of having Wake Forest basketball season tickets for Tim's senior year. It was a blast watching him play! The one thing I took away from watching him play was that he was a winner, but...........he was a winner in concert and in partnership with his teammates, never at the expense of his teammates. He was an unselfish superstar, something that is rare in sports at the professional level.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this. And now that we have Wemby, I can’t help but imagine hopefully what kind of success we will have with him, but nothing gets me more emotional than watching this video about my All-Time favorite player. Crying on a random Tuesday night.

So grateful to live in the 210 and be a spur !!!

I love how consistent and yet so different every episode is:

These videos are just so well done. Really great. A proper portrayal of a great story about a quietly amazing champion.

Timmy!

My favorite player all time grew up watching him 🙏💯

I love how rivals as Jet and Fisher are featured here. I LOVE YOU SPURS!

Timmy I felt the love all the way here in West Africa!

My FAVORITE player of all time I miss watching you play...thanks for the championships and all the wonderful memories...I really hope you're enjoying your retirement...GO SPURS GO!!!! ✌🏽🤓

One of the top great power forwards to play the game along with KG and Dirk...Tim a great team player and a winner 🏆

The dude could still give us 10 super quality minutes per game right now, I have no doubt. The Spurs should re-sign him.

My goat and I swear post 2012 timmy revival (the diet that made him lean as fuck after a decade of having to think of shaq) was so beautiful that make me want to cry 😂 it was so tough seeing him with that leg and so heavy in 10 and 11, without him becoming lean and kawhi and green allowing us to survive the wing battle (we didn’t have anything and Bruce was horrible during his last years and we don’t talk about Jefferson 😂 ) we wouldn’t have been relevant in the decade, I still remember so many commentators of other teams talking about Timmy being quick, man I could talk all day about duncan, during 2012 to 2015 I swear Timmy was outpacing all the bigs and pf in transition the majority of times, specially in playoffs. The league is lucky spurs didn’t won 8 rings (timmy tear his acl 00, 04 fisher shot in a pivotal game 5, 06 manu fault dirk in game 7, 13 Ray Allen shot and pop not trusting Timmy to rotate and rebound, etc, meh)

My all time favorite. What a great video! Go spurs go. Now its WEMBY time

As ll you can say Hallelujah to the Hall of famer with ease no hesitation.

The best #1 overall pick in NBA history.

One of the greatest of all-time.💯💥

David made me become a San Antonio fan. Timmy made me love'em!

Thank you Tim Duncan

Goat

My greatest sports idol.

Timmy's attitude was the key!!!!

Talk about a low maintenance superstar!! What a guy!

Miss tim❤

Hell yeah