Tim Duncan
I'm surrounded by nothing but great people. I've been blessed with that, so really, I've got no choice but to be an all-around good person.Collection: Great
I enjoy jokes, smiling, and making people smile. I may be a little different, but that's OK, who wants to be normal anyway?Collection: Smile
Like every other car guy, I've watched 'The Fast and the Furious,' and I want to go out and race and drift and all the crazy stuff. Another one of my favorites is 'Cobra.' That's where I got my love for the Merc, where he had the one that had the license plate that said 'AWSOM 50.'Collection: Car
I have the loving support of my girlfriend who still attends Wake Forest and is nearing graduation. She helps me cope with the everyday rigors of being an NBA player.Collection: Graduation
You have to adjust to what your team needs and what you're able to do.
I'm just going to play whatever game is in front of me.
I don't do style. I just show up for the games.
The time when there is no one there to feel sorry for you or to cheer for you is when a player is made.
When you have to stop and think about things is when they go wrong.
In all seriousness, it really should be difficult for me to be too strange. After all, a great family raised me.
I'm a loyal guy. I'm a man of my word, and I assumed other people would be that way. That's just not the case in life.
If I have my kids, I drive something with four doors. If I don't have my kids, I can drive whatever I want.
We really have some of the best fans in the NBA, in sports in general. Here, you get a consistent base, people support. People love the Spurs, and that's special. That's not everywhere.
I'm not going anywhere. You can print that wherever you want to. I'm here and I'm a Spur for life.
I'm not better when I force shots. I'm going to take them as they come. They are really sagging in there, trying to take me out of the game. It's my job to find guys. I want to be aggressive and take my shots, but I can't force them.
I've been competitive from day one. It's in my nature. Whether people recognize that or not, I don't know how they can't. I'm not gonna go out there and try to hurt somebody or win by all means. But if it's up in the air, I'm gonna try harder than you to get it done.
At this point, if I were to psychoanalyze myself, I'd have to say I am a clown, cleverly disguised as a regular person.
I had great friends, support and teaching at Wake Forest.
I just wanted to win on the road, honestly. I don't remember the road ever being this tough.
I'm not serious most of the time.
If he wants to fight, we can fight. I don't have any problem with him, but we can do it if he wants to.
When our assists lead to baskets, that's us playing our best, and we begin knocking down shots.
The only nickname I've ever had is Merlin, like the magician. I don't know why.
Charles Barkley taught me a lot when I played against him. How he would use his body or use his dribble to get people in there and all that stuff.
I have always liked knives. Then somebody gave me one. Then somebody gave me another one. Then I liked having them and started buying them. I started finding ones I liked, ones with funky blades.
I like R&B. I listen to music, not singers.
I'm not really a flashy guy anywhere else - I don't dress flashy or anything else - but I like to keep my cars nice, and I like to customize them. I can do things a little flashier and a little faster, and with a little bit more thought. This is kind of the release part of basketball.
I didn't have my first car until after the end of my senior year. I got a Yukon Sport.
Karl Malone used a lot of veteran stuff that I thought was cool. Charles Barkley taught me a lot when I played against him. How he would use his body or use his dribble to get people in there and all that stuff. Veteran moves.
The first time I played against Seattle was the only time I felt destroyed. Vin Baker just manhandled me. The whole thing, their double teams, their movement, everything. I must've had eight turnovers. Which isn't a big deal for me because I turn the ball over a lot.
I think competitiveness is taken in a different way by different people. I'm not a yeller and a screamer, a jumper and a pusher.
I believed in what I was. I didn't believe that would translate into any of the five championships. But I knew that I could affect the game.
I started not enjoying myself. It wasn't fun at times. And I always said when that point comes when it's not fun anymore, then I'm done.
I don't know how their ranking goes or anything else, and I tell people I don't really care how the rankings go.
Honest truth is I didn't really know from year to year what people were making. I think that was the best perspective to have.
We took pride in representing where we came from, took pride in being from small places, and places all around the world and being able to come together and make ourselves into a team, into a group of guys with one goal and get that done.
Luckily, I had a long career and made good money.
I don't dunk anymore.
I am going to walk away when I'm ready to walk away. Not because of a win or a loss.
Basketball's so much like life: if something's going great, you wait a minute, it will change. If something's going bad, you wait a minute, it will change. So I try to play things on such an even keel, knowing that things are going to change. You take the good with the bad; you don't get too excited, you don't get too down and sometimes that's the hardest thing in the world to do when you're in the midst of it, but that's the best way to handle it.Collection: Basketball
I don't try to change myself to impress anybody. I'm just who I am.Collection: Basketball
I'm still learning. Hopefully I can keep getting better, and not stop where I am now.Collection: Basketball
I am who I am because of the people who I grew up with and where I'm from.Collection: Basketball
You've got to stay ready, especially around here. That's what we preach, you'll get your opportunity whether it comes at the beginning or in the middle or in the end whenever it may be. When your time comes, you need to be ready to go because you're going to earn your minutesCollection: Basketball
They say I have no emotions, but I'm excited even if you can't see it.Collection: Basketball
It always feels good to win, it's always tough to lose.Collection: Winning
Competition is great for everyone. Sports can teach you so much at an early age, including camaraderie and sportsmanship. Competition aspect is something I've always been big on - I always wanted to compete in something. It was swimming for many years, then I moved on to basketball. I had to find a way to channel my competitive energy, so I'm lucky that basketball worked out for me.Collection: Basketball
Standing on the court and holding up that trophy - it's so great you want to keep doing it over and over again.Collection: Basketball
I've never gotten too high or too low. It only messes you up.Collection: Basketball
I'm just somebody that isn't that impressed by [Michael Jordan]. There really isn't anybody in the world I'm impressed with.Collection: World