Greatest shot blocker in each NBA team’s history

Best shot blocker in San Antonio Spurs history: Tim Duncan

There’s a reason Tim Duncan is universally regarded as the greatest power forward in league history and a top-10 player of all time. Not only were his numbers terrific, but Duncan was also one of the best leaders and a winner in every sense of the word.

Duncan was the rare four-year college athlete. It showed from the moment he got to the league, exuding poise and patience as a 21-year old not many guys in their 30s ever truly find. He was an elite operator out of the post, who could go over either shoulder with either hand and kiss the ball off the glass with his patented bank shot.

His defense and rebounding were sound. He defended the rim as if his life depended on it. There wasn’t anything inherently exciting about Duncan. There weren’t many poster dunks or whiffle ball-like swats. He just went out and did his job, only he did it at the highest possible level, helping the San Antonio Spurs to five championships.

The true beauty about Duncan wasn’t his statistical averages. Rather, his unselfish nature was the key part in Gregg Popovich’s system that emphasized the team over any one player. Once San Antonio’s franchise guy bought in, everyone else fell in line, leading to the consistent success the Spurs had in Duncan’s 19 years in the NBA.

Timmy could get the Spurs 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, or shut down the opposing teams best inside weapon. He could also defer to teammates when necessary or play sparingly due to matchups. Lot’s of players say they want to win, but not many are willing to show it the way Tim Duncan did during his Basketball Hall of Fame career.