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-Shep

All Filler, No Thriller: Thank You Timmy D

“I am not a role model.” This is in reference to a 1993 Nike commercial featuring NBA Hall of Famer, Charles Barkley.  In an era of ego-driven athletes-- fueled by skyrocketing contracts, 24/7 Truman Show-esque media coverage, and social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, one player has managed to feed his (basketball) ego while staying (sometimes literally) grounded - “The Big Fundamental” Tim Duncan, or has he likes to call himself, “Merlin.” (I’ll get to that in a moment).  I could spend time firing off the numerous accolades that Tim Duncan the basketball player has earned over the course of his 19-year, Hall of Fame-worthy career, but frankly that would be as mundane as watching an infinite-looping Vine of Tim hitting a 17-foot bank shot from the wing. Instead I’m here to celebrate Tim Duncan the human being, and why everything he’s not, is everything that makes him great.

ULTIMATE TEAMMATE

From his prime, to now deep into the sunset years of his career, Timmy D has been class personified when it comes to being a teammate. He reminds you of the kid on your high school team who knows he’ll never see any action unless there’s a blowout, catastrophic injury, or the obligatory Senior Night start in which he’s immediately pulled after the first 10 seconds- and yet, he’s totally fine with it. He’s the first one off the bench during timeouts running out to embrace his teammates with open palms and a smile. He’s the one who starts chants on the sidelines, the one who initiates dry-humored pranks to get a brief smirk during tough stretches in games, the one who gives you the head pat and whispers, “don’t sweat it” after you make a huge mistake even though he knows it may cost the game. It didn’t matter if Timmy played 40 minutes, 20 minutes or no minutes, up by 10 or down by 30, he was consistently involved in his team. That’s something you don’t see from many professional athletes, much less those of Hall of Fame caliber.

HE’S (LITERALLY) NOT FLASHY

Duncan is the guy who once showed up to accept the NBA MVP award wearing an ill-fitting black shirt front-tucked into a pair of Jim Harbaugh-esque khaki pants. Before (and after) the implementation of the Allen Iverson Rule NBA dress code, he often wore awkwardly colored plaid shirts tucked into voluminous, loose-fitting jeans held together by a mismatched belt. In short, he dressed more like a down-on-his-luck substitute chemistry teacher rather than a high-profile, millionaire athlete. He was and still is relatable to those of us who lack the ‘fashionista’ gene—did I also mention that he was recently caught wearing a total dad-like novelty T-shirt recently?

HE’S FUNNY….NO SERIOUSLY, HE’S FUNNY

Duncan has a sense of humor akin to that of Norm Macdonald— notoriously dry but exceptionally witty. Nothing showcases his comedic abilities more than this Footlocker ad or the local spots for H-E-B Grocery Stores, including this one in particular where he recites a poem about a smoked brisket (alongside teammates Bruce Bowen and Brent Barry). He pulls juvenile pranks to amuse himself, such as the long-time running gag of messing with former San Antonio teammate and current Spurs’ analyst Sean Elliott—Duncan would bounce basketballs off the back of his head, take the foam covering off of the microphone and flip his tie over his shoulder during the pregame broadcasts. (His pregame handshake with teammate Patty Mills is also noteworthy). How about the time official Joey Crawford once tossed him from a game because of excessive laughing while on the bench?!?! See, he’s THAT funny.

DUDE NERDS OUT

Earlier I had mentioned the nickname “Merlin” because well, that’s what he wanted his nickname to be when he first entered the league. So it’s all too fitting to know that Duncan has tattoo of the famed Arthurian wizard on his chest. He is an avid Dungeons & Dragons player, an attendee of the Texas Renaissance Festival and has a vast collection of knives and swords. Tattoo aside, this is the literal embodiment of my dad—he kept the collections and various festival attendances but dropped the D&D once he married my mom. Could you imagine a game of D&D with Duncan and Vin Diesel (who too is an admitted player- particularly a witch hunter, a character Diesel also played in a film)? I would pay to see the greatness that would ensue.

This is just a glimpse into what makes ol’ Timmy D a remarkably relatable human. Even I, a self-proclaimed ‘Spurs Hater’, own a Duncan jersey. I may never like them (or him) for dismantling the Cavaliers in the ’07 Finals, but I respect the body of work that has taken place over the span of 19 seasons. I might be writing this prematurely—as Duncan hasn’t officially released a statement on retirement, but if this was in fact the last time he’ll ever wear an NBA jersey, I just want to say THANK YOU! It’s been an honor to not only watch your greatness define a generation of basketball, but also see you become a superstar who IS a role model for malleable young minds of those watching. It’s been a helluva ride, and I’ve enjoyed mostly every minute of it (even if it was through a T.V.).

Edward A. Ornelas / San Antonio Express-News