“If you’re looking for a fearless warrior who plays his A-game every single night, you’d have a hard time finding anybody better than Timmy in any era.” — Former Wake Forest head coach Dave Odom

Ask any athlete how and why they started playing basketball and you will most likely hear a variation of similar explanations and reasons, not many athletes can attribute their induction to the world of basketball to a hurricane.

It is a somewhat fitting beginning for Timothy Theodore “Tim” Duncan, as has been taking the NBA by storm since 1997. Often criticized as being boring and quiet, it did nothing to stop Tim becoming one of the NBA’s most consistent and composed athletes, demonstrating the positives of his superior basketball mental toughness.

With a Psychology Degree to boot, Tim Duncan, is familiar with the ins and outs of sports psychology for basketball and the many benefits of working on a solid mental game. Basketball psychology teaches athletes how to unlock their full potential by overcoming mental barriers that are often brought on from a variety of situations on and off the court.

Tim Duncan is no stranger to handling adversity. After losing his mother at the young age of 14, Duncan took up basketball as a way to deal with his frustration and pain; he initially encountered difficulties due to his size and awkwardness.

Duncan later resisted the temptation of leaving Wake Forest University early, in 1994 – 1995, to go pro. A decision that he also knew would result in him giving up money as the NBA was considering the introduction of a Rookie Salary Cap in 1996. It later emerged that the decision to stay at Wake Forest University was due to him having previously promised his mother that he would finish college with a degree.

During his university days, Duncan became the epitome of a stoic player, so much so that the opposing fans would taunt him as “Mr. Spock”. He was named Defensive Player of the Year three times and also became the third-best shot-blocker in NCAA history (3.98 bpg). He was voted All-ACC First Team three times and earned first-team All-America honors twice, and was a unanimous pick for both USBWA and Naismith College Player of the Year. Duncan led the 1996–97 NCAA Division I in rebounding, was 10th in blocked shots (3.3 bpg) and 28th in scoring (20.8 ppg). He also won the 1997 John Wooden Award.

In the 1997 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs drafted Duncan as the number 1 overall draft pick, and alongside David Robinson, quickly formed the “Twin Towers” intimidating tandem that caused so much havoc inside the paint.

Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich once said about Duncan’s mental toughness, that his “demeanour was singularly remarkable”, he can always “put things into perspective” and never got “too upbeat or too depressed.” Robinson went on to add that “He’s the real thing. I’m proud of his attitude and effort. He gives all the extra effort and work and wants to become a better player.”

In his basketball career, Duncan has collected a number of individual and team honors, including being a two-time MVP (2002, 2003), four-time NBA champion (1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007) and three-time NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, and 2005).

The Tim Duncan Foundation, which his (ex) wife Amy Duncan heads, promotes health, education and recreation causes that improve the lives of young children in San Antonio, Winston-Salem and St. Croix.

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