Tim Duncan, the powerhouse who dominated the NBA, carved a niche for himself by setting an unbeatable record in All-Defensive Team selections, claiming a spot 15 times throughout his career—eight of those as a 1st Teamer and seven as a 2nd Teamer. It’s an extraordinary feat, especially when you consider that his career spanned 19 years. Such consistent recognition is almost hard to fathom when looking back.
Curiously, despite his defensive prowess, Duncan never clinched the Defensive Player of the Year award—a surprising fact for any basketball aficionado. He never even placed second, with his highest voting finishes being third in 2001 and 2007.
Duncan’s name is etched in the NBA history books, ranking fifth in total career blocks with 3,020. His uncanny ability to guard the paint was a sight to behold, owing much to his instinct and impressive physical traits—particularly his 7-foot-5 wingspan he developed at Wake Forest—that allowed him to excel as a shot-blocker. Remarkably, even at the age of 36 during the 2012-13 season, he still managed to block an impressive 2.7 shots per game.
His defensive skills were instrumental in leading the San Antonio Spurs to five NBA championships over those 19 seasons. Without his defensive fortitude, reaching such heights would have been a significantly steeper climb.
