NBA fans stunned as five-time champion turned MMA fighter with $245m earnings is unrecognizable at game
For such a big man, NBA great Tim Duncan kept a low profile after retiring in 2016.
Selected first overall in the 1997 NBA Draft, he spent his entire 19-year career with the San Antonio Spurs.
It brought the Hall of Fame power forward five titles, $245 million in career earnings and a reputation as one of the best ever to do it.
Duncan briefly worked as an assistant coach for the Spurs between 2019 and 2020 but stayed out of the limelight, preferring a quiet life.
'The Big Fundamental' often sported close-cropped hair during his playing days but caused a stir when he appeared at Spurs training in November 2024.
Spurs beat reporter Matthew Tynan's photo on X showed Duncan with facial hair and dreadlocks.
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Despite his 6ft 11in frame, he was towered over by current Spurs star Victor Wembanyama -- the 7ft 3in Rookie of the Year.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Duncan has kept himself busy since calling it a day nine years ago.
But on Sunday night, he made an appearance at the Spurs vs Warriors game.
He attended the game with his wife Vanessa, and fans couldn't get over how different he looks compared to his playing days.
"Duncan giving off: I said we don’t worry about a thing , coz every little thing is gonna be alright," one fan wrote.
"Tim Duncan is my spirit animal…" one fan added.
"I've always loved cars. I think it didn't really take off until later in college [when] I started loving horsepower and speed.
"As I got to the league, I was able to see more and know more about cars. It just kind of grew and grew and grew."
Duncan has also been keeping fit by taking up MMA, with his coach adamant he could have fought professionally.
Jason Echols of Echols Fitness in San Antonio posted a clip of him kickboxing the Spurs icon, who he has trained for over a decade.
"You could really see the athleticism that existed in him already. It caught onto these movements, and he was able to absorb them better and pick it up better than the average person because of his athleticism. His size…it's incredible to watch him move. Now the world is seeing it.
"I'm 5-10, so to be in front of someone of that size, it takes more physical energy to train a beast like that. It's hard holding the mitts for him, hard getting hit by him. Even though he's lugging on me and not executing full power, just to take a wallop from his leg, it's quite an impact."
Duncan was known as a disciplined player who preferred substance over flashy moves. On the mat, he is a different beast.
"He's an animal," added Echols. "It's a different thing than what you see out on the court. The more intense the training gets, the more calm he becomes, which you've seen on the court. The way he executes the movements, he's a f****** monster."
David Robinson, who won two titles alongside Duncan in San Antonio and is taller at 7ft 1in, has also trained in MMA.
Obviously, people would love to know who is the best of the giant athletes -- Duncan comes out on top.
"They've done a bit of it [sparring] already," Echols explained in 2018. "David is at a level where he's not as advanced as Tim is. He started more recently than Tim, but to watch those two guys move around together is definitely a spectacular sight to see.
"[Duncan] would be a legit competitor. For sure. He has a desire to learn and compete. He has the heart for it. He most definitely would be a competitor. I would highly encourage him not to.
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"Being a retired Spurs player, I wouldn't want him going out there and getting punched and kicked by some of those guys, but Tim would be a competitor. David would learn to become one. They are both competitive guys and not used to losing."
It's unlikely that 48-year-old Duncan will be giving UFC chief Dana White a call any time soon but should he step into the Octagon, he will surely have a reach advantage at the very least.