Shaquille O’Neal has faced countless legends in his career, but few earned his respect like Tim Duncan. On a recent episode of The Big Podcast, Shaq opened up about the toughest era he played in, the late ’90s and early 2000s, and how Duncan was one of the biggest problems he ever had to deal with.
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Despite his undeniable greatness, Duncan rarely gets the respect he deserves. While people don’t usually try to tarnish his legacy, the Spurs legend often goes under the radar. And Shaq shared his thoughts on why that happens.
Shaq said that Duncan wasn’t flashy, he quietly did his job and stayed away from the limelight. He wasn’t very outspoken either, or maybe he simply was disinterested in everything else. Regardless, Shaq believes his nonchalant attitude contributed a lot to the five-time NBA Champion’s absence from the public discussions.
“Remember when he got his MVP, he had his jean [shorts] and f****ng Jesus sandals,” Shaq recalled the instance as an example of Duncan’s attitude. He simply didn’t care about anything else and was all about his game. The big fella then referred to a comment previously made by his best friend, Charles Barkley, to call Duncan the GOAT power forward.
“Charles always says that he was the greatest power forward ever, and I agree,” he said. At the end of the day, the media and internet discussions dictate a player’s standing on all-time lists. And Shaq understands that very well. So, even if Duncan doesn’t get featured on sports TV or NBA subreddits, his legacy ranks very high in the eyes of other athletes, especially his former teammates and his opponents.
Danny Green called Tim Duncan his best leader
Duncan’s greatness wasn’t just on the stat sheet. It was in his leadership. Danny Green, who played with Duncan in San Antonio, recently reflected on how steady and impactful Duncan was behind the scenes. According to Green, Duncan’s influence as a leader was second to none.
On an episode of Inside the Green Room with Danny Green, the former NBA star put Duncan above LeBron James, another one of his teammates, as a leader. When asked who was the better leader between Duncan and LBJ, he said, “Timmy!”
“You do not [hear] the vocal as much because they know him to be quiet, but he is not as quiet as you think. In the locker room, in those timeouts, he is letting you know what’s going on. But he’s encouraging,” Green explained.
While he enjoyed his time with LeBron as well, Green believes that Duncan was also like a coach when talking to other players, which sets him apart.
