How A Promise To His Mother Helped Tim Duncan Land With The Spurs In 1997

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Credit: San Antonio Current

Tim Duncan played for the San Antonio Spurs for 18 years and it was a match made in heaven. During that time, the veteran big man averaged 19 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3 assists per game on 50.6% shooting. He also earned 15 All-Syar appearances, 2 MVPs, and 5 NBA Championships.

From the jump, Duncan was elite and the Spurs had what they needed to contend for years to come.

But things could have gone very differently for Duncan had he decided against finishing out his degree. You see, back when he was 13 years old, Duncan made a promise to his mother (who was on her deathbed) that he’d stay in school and earn his degree.

This promise inspired him not to head straight into the NBA in 1995, and he stayed in Wake Forest instead to earn his degree in Psychology.

(via grunge.com)

Despite becoming a breakout high school star in St. Croix, Duncan was only offered a handful of scholarships due to worry over the strength of his competition. He signed on to attend Wake Forest, and quickly proved to be a phenom, to the point he was encouraged by some to leave school early and land that fat NBA contract. But Duncan decided to stay in school for a very personal reason: he promised his mother on her deathbed that he would get his college degree. And he did, earning a degree in psychology and even co-authoring a chapter in a psychology book during his time at Wake Forest.

This delay is actually part of the reason he ended up in San Antonio. The team didn’t have a lottery pick back then and by the time Duncan was ready to enter the league (1997), he had earned enough attention to become the number one pick that year.

He would join Robinson in San Antonio that season but would eventually be joined by Tony Parker, Mani Ginobili, and head coach Greg Popovich.

As for the rest, well, the rest is history — and today, Duncan is recognized as one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball.

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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
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