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Why Tim Duncan doesn’t get Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or Dwyane Wade respect



January 06 09

Can Tim Duncan get some love?

Forget, for a moment, that the Spurs have won 14 of 17. And forget that this injury-riddled crew suddenly has the second best record in the Western Conference and are capable of challenging the Cavaliers, Celtics, and Lakers.

I’m talking about career love. Or even career recognition for his four NBA Titles, MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, and being the building block for the best organization in pro sports.

Duncan wins. Correction. San Antonio, Duncan’s team, wins. That’s what matters to the former first overall pick. Yet, in a results orientated business like the NBA, he gets less respect than a New Kids On The Block comeback or Rocky sequel.

Duncan’s backers always have to justify his status as an elite player. If winning is the mark of greatness, the currency among the crème de la crème, elite players –that would be the Kobes, LeBrons, and D-Wades of this world- should have to justify why they are worthy of Duncan.

That’s right: the lanky post is the bar others should aspire to. Not vice-versa. Duncan, arguably the greatest power forward of all-time, continues to be slept-on.

Well, why?

‘The Big Fundamental’ nickname says it all. Casual fans are entertained by flash, glitz, and aerial antics, while even serious fans don’t always like razor sharp efficiency and methodical brilliance. Duncan’s technical genius is under-appreciated.

Location. Location. Location. San Antonio is a quiet city and the Spurs are unable to get the same attention as bigger markets. The national media will always cover the Knicks’ on-going soap opera or the Lakers even though the Spurs deserve better.

There is also the matter of perception. Most reporters think because Duncan plays like a robot, he lacks personality. One famous scribe even dubbed him ‘Timmy Robot’ after the Will Smith flick I-Robot. This perception is wrong. Duncan has a great sense of humour and an interesting perspective that doesn’t get nearly enough national attention.

Of course, Duncan doesn’t care about getting love, which means he’ll continue to be overlooked. Hopefully, we will wake up. And hopefully, we will then recognize his accomplishments.

Is Duncan as good as Bryant, James, and Wade? If so, why doesn’t he get more respect? Get at us in the comment box with thoughts and come back to HoopsVibe The Blog for more NBA tidbits. Photo courtesy of killbucky.



148 Comments: Why Tim Duncan doesn’t get Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or Dwyane (...)

Posted by
ULTIMATE WARRIOR
on 01.9.2009		 IVE ALWAYS HATED THE WAY THE MEDIA PORTRAY THE SPURS AS BORING, AND HOW DUNCAN IS A ROBOT WITHOUT ANY EMOTIONS. I COULD CARELESS WHAT PEOPLE SAY, THE MOST IMPORTANT IS WINNING, AND THE MAN THEY CALL THE BIG FUNDAMENTAL HAS DONE THAT. .
Posted by
Miller Lite is better than Bud light
on 01.9.2009		 kobe, bron bron, and wade are very talented players. they are more talented than Duncan. But they are not as accomplished. So I give the edge to Duncan, if we talk about their respective careers. .
Posted by
Dexter
on 01.9.2009		 I dont think Wade deserve the championship because everybody knows the Mavs got cheated. Everytime he touches the ball, its a foul. Also Kobe only has 1 championship, because in 2000-2001, Duncan didnt play in the playoffs because of injury and the Spurs were the defending champs so the Lakers got lucky. In 2002, the Kings were robbed by the cheating refs, and thats according to Tim Donaughy’s testimony. So kobe has a deserved 1 championship and Wade has 0. So Lebron, Kobe, and Wade has a total of 1 deserved championship while Duncan has 4. .
Posted by
Iron Fist
on 01.9.2009		 Kobe, lebron, and Wade has a combined 4 championships, 1 MVP awards, and 1 NBA Finals MVP award. Duncan has 4 championships, 2 MVPs, and 3 FInals MVP awards. You don’t have to be a bran surgeon to figure this out! .
Posted by
Stewie
on 01.9.2009		 You guys are out of your damn minds! Duncan does not need to do all of that silly stuff, all he needs to do is be himself, and educated journalists and fans will have no choice but to recognize him. .
Posted by
HArdy
on 01.9.2009		 HAHAHAHA! how about TIm Duncan cheating on his wife with different whores. That will stalk up his status and people will begin to consider him the greatest NBA player in history. .
Posted by
Mr. Swoosh
on 01.9.2009		 Duncan going to strip clubs and dating playboy bunnies? lol...he does have millions and he can do all of that, except, HE IS A NICE GUY! .
Posted by
HeavyLifter
on 01.9.2009		 LOL, I cant imagine Tim doing all of that brown pride. But i think you’re right. People love to suck up to bad boys. That is why there is a reason people talk more about Marbury than him. .
Posted by
brown pride
on 01.9.2009		 Duncan needs to get angry, punch someone in the face, yell at someone he just did a facial dunk to, get pulled over for DUI, be on trial for rape charges and illegal gun posession, visit strip clubs regularly, and divorce his wife and play around with playboy models. This way he will get the recognition he deserves. People will finally realize how much greater he is than any NBA player today. .
Posted by
Barack
on 01.9.2009		 Duncan needs to show some emotion and passion like lebron, kobe or wade. problem is he lacks a bit of aggression and energy, despite all of these years being the best player in the NBA since he was drafted. .
Posted by
help me!
on 01.9.2009		 If there is a lifetime achievement award given to NBA"s current active players, Duncan is the landslide winner! .
Posted by
MMA Fighter
on 01.9.2009		 Shout out here from South Beach! Duncan deserves this well written article. After all the years of his accomplishments, finally he is given recognition! .
Posted by
Magic Johnson
on 01.9.2009		 The Spurs are definitely the biggest threat to my Lakers in the West. Respect for Duncan out of all these years of rivalry, there are no hard feelings! .
Posted by
Scarface
on 01.9.2009		 The Spurs have ahd all these injuries, but because of Duncan theya re still contenders. Man, i wouldnt be surprise if they oust the Lakers and beat either the Celtics or Cavs in the Finals. That"ll be 5 rings for Duncan and most likely he’s 4th FInals MVP trophy. .
Posted by
Cruzer
on 01.9.2009		 Be Cool, you must have an IQ of a 1st grader. The Big Fundamental rarely gets the exposure, and when he does, haters like you gets jealous and make a fool out of your pitiful self. .
Posted by
MVP
on 01.9.2009		 Damn, even Timmy has haters, but at least 95% of you agree he is the best player on this planet since the Jordan-Pippen era! .
Posted by
PigSkin
on 01.9.2009		 even if Tim sore 0 points, he is still more successful than any player playing in the NBA today. .
Posted by
Hot Sauce
on 01.9.2009		 Why are people so freakin Dumb. I read most of the post here and nobody ever said Duncan is better right now than Kobe, Dwayne, or Lebron. All of the people only said is that Duncan have a much more superior career and much more success. That is the freaking truth, is this a third grade chatroom. Can you guys READ, the topic is Duncan’s career! and at this stage, he is the best! .
Posted by
Anderson
on 01.9.2009		 Everyone has their off night. But if you are smart enough, you’ll realize that the author is talking about CAREER LOVE, not just now. If we talk about careers, Duncan has a better one than Kobe, Bron, or The Flash. .
Posted by
the stock is down
on 01.9.2009		 Mr. Amazing only scored 8 pts vs the Paper Clips. He isn’t even the same player anymore. The love should have been shown a couple years ago in his prime time. He’s still good, but I wouldn’t compare him to the other three at this point .
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Oly Sandor

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Oly Sandor

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Oly Sandor is an NBA analyst and sports journalist based out of Vancouver, Canada.After years of the free-lance game, Oly Sandor is bringing his unique brand of NBA analysis exclusively to (...) More  






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© 2009 CraveOnline Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. NBA Blog : Why Tim Duncan doesn’t get Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or Dwyane Wade respect - Updated on 01.6.2009