‘Honored to be the next in line:’ Spurs legend Tim Duncan speaks on induction into Hall of Fame

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts – Spurs legend, Tim Duncan, is on the cusp of his Hall of Fame night.

After 19 seasons, 5 NBA Championships, 3 NBA Finals MVP’s and 2 NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, the ultimate honor comes his way. Saturday night at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, Duncan will officially become a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Today, during the Class of 2020 press conference, Duncan talked about being the latest in a long line of Spurs to get the Call from the Hall.

“We have hopefully a couple more coming down the pipeline (Manu Ginobili & Tony Parker),” Duncan told reporters. “I’m honored to be the next in line. The city of San Antonio was the perfect place for me. The city, the fans, the organization, all the way down the line and I’m honored to represent that here.”

Spurs legend and Hall of Fame member, David Robinson (Class of 2009) will present Duncan for his enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The big men were teammates on the Spurs from 1997 to 2003, winning two NBA titles during that span. Dubbed the Twin Towers, Robinson was a huge influence on and off the court for Duncan.

“The truth is, he didn’t really mentor me in a way where he took me aside and told me how to do things or showed me how to do things,” Duncan said. “He was himself; he was a great person; a great player, and I got to sit there and watch him do it and learn from being around it, and it was just an amazing blessing to have that.”

Known as the Big Fundamental, Tim Duncan will enter the Hall along with Kevin Garnett and the late Kobe Byrant. Timmy, Kobe and KG headline the star-studded class. Kobe was a fierce competitor, and his Lakers had their fair share of battles with Duncan and the Spurs. Over the years, both Timmy and Kobe have talked about their respect and admiration for one another, so it’s fitting they are entering the Hall of Fame in the same class.

“The greatest competition brings the best out of you and that’s what he always did,” Duncan said. “You always had to be at your best and bring your best from start to finish if you were playing against him or any of his teams. That’s what I appreciate about remembering playing against him and being on the court with him. It was an honor to share the court with him.”

The Class of 2020 Enshrinement Ceremony is Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 5:30-8:00 p.m. Live on ESPN.