By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-14 14:36:09 | Updated at 2024-11-22 02:31:20
1 week ago
NBA icon Tim Duncan sent social media wild as he made a return to the San Antonio Spurs this week.
The former power forward has enjoyed a quiet life away from the court and the spotlight since his departure from the NBA in 2016.
However, he managed to cause a buzz Wednesday when he was spotted at the Spurs' team facilities.
Duncan, a Spurs legend who played in San Antonio for 19 seasons, paid a visit to his former team to watch practice.
Spurs fans naturally went wild for the the 48-year-old's attendance but most were left stunned by his appearance.
Duncan was spotted sporting dreadlocks and facial hair in a photo shared by Matthew Tynan on X, formerly known as Twitter.
NBA icon Tim Duncan sent social media wild as he looked unrecognizable this week
But the most eye-catching element of the image was the fact that Duncan was dwarfed by Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
Nicknamed 'The Big Fundamental,' Duncan stands at a massive 6-foot-11 and was known for his height on the court. But the 7-foot-3 20-year-old Frenchman towered over the NBA great.
'Wemby makes duncan look 6’6,' one fan quipped in the comment section, adding a crying emoji.
'Wemby makes Tim Duncan look small,' a second echoed.
A third added: 'Bro Tim (one of the best defenders of all time) next to Victor looks freaking wild.'
'how is wemby that much taller than duncan good lord,' one stunned social media user asked, while another added, 'Wow he’s short!'
Duncan was the cornerstone of the Spurs dynasty that lasted from 1999 until 2014.
He was drafted as the top pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, going on to win Rookie of the Year in his debut season.
Fans on social media were stunned at how Victor Wembanyama dwarfed Duncan
'The Big Fundamental' guided the San Antonio Spurs to five NBA Championship titles
He guided the team to five NBA Championship titles, winning two MVP awards and three Finals MVPs.
Making an All-Star appearance in 15 of his 19 seasons, Duncan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
His appearance at Spurs training comes amid a period of uncertainty for the franchise after head coach Gregg Popovich was sidelined.
It was revealed this week that the 75-year-old, who has been absent since the beginning of the month, suffered a mild stroke on November 2.
Popovich has started a rehabilitation program and is expected to make a full recovery but there is currently no timeline for his return with assistant coach Mitch Johnson taking his place.
Duncan previously had a stint as Popovich's assistant coach from 2019 to 2020, making his debut as acting head coach on March 3, 2020 in a comeback win over the Charlotte Hornets, which the coach missed for personal reasons.
He stepped down from the assistant coaching position later that year.
