Like Robinson, Duncan led the Spurs to another turnaround as he led the Spurs to a 56-26 record and qualification for the 1998 NBA Playoffs, which is the first of what would become a 21-year playoff streak for the San Antonio Spurs, which would last Tim Duncan's entire career with the Spurs. ĭuncan quickly became a dominant force in the NBA as he was named to the All-NBA First Team in his rookie season as well as being selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game in his rookie season and was named NBA Rookie of the Year for that year. The duo helped lead the team to NBA championships in 19. Both Robinson and Duncan were skilled offensive players, and the Twin Towers also anchored the Spurs' formidable defense.
The Twin Towers played together for the Spurs from 1997 to 2003. Paired together, the 7'1" Robinson and the 6'11" Duncan became known as the Twin Towers.
With that #1 pick, they drafted Tim Duncan. "Twin Towers" era Īfter having the third-worst record in the 1996–97 season, the San Antonio Spurs won the NBA draft lottery, giving them the #1 pick in the 1997 NBA draft. ĭespite a disappointing senior season losing in the semifinals of the ACC tournament and getting beat by Stanford in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Duncan had an impressive year that season as he won numerous national player of the year awards, including being a unanimous pick for the Oscar Robertson Trophy and the Naismith Award, and was voted ACC Player of the Year again. Duncan would be named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year for a remarkable season with Wake Forest. Despite playing on an inexperienced squad, Duncan would lead Wake Forest to a 26–6 record, including a 12–4 record in ACC play, a second consecutive ACC tournament championship, and a trip to the NCAA Elite Eight, where despite 14 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists from Duncan, Wake Forest would fall to eventual national champion Kentucky 83–64. ĭuncan's leadership at Wake Forest stepped up in his junior year as Wake Forest lost his teammate Randolph Childress to graduation and selection in the 1995 NBA draft. Duncan would be named to the All-ACC 1st team that season. In his sophomore season, Duncan led Wake Forest to a win over a Rasheed Wallace-led North Carolina squad in the ACC Championship Game and would also lead Wake Forest to a #1 seed in the 1995 NCAA tournament and a trip to the Sweet 16, but despite Duncan's 12 points and 22 rebounds in their Sweet 16 game, Wake Forest would lose to Oklahoma State 71–66 in the Sweet 16. Despite never making the Final Four, Duncan's college career at Wake Forest was considered to be a success.
#TIM DUNCAN DAVID ROBINSON PRO#
Despite many speculations that Duncan would go pro early and would be the number one pick if he did so, he would not go pro until he graduated from college and played all four of his years with Wake Forest. Prior to being selected number one overall by the Spurs in the 1997 NBA Draft, Tim Duncan played at Wake Forest for four years. As a result, the Spurs finished the season with a dismal 20-62 record.
The 1996–97 season was a particularly frustrating season for the Spurs as Robinson would hurt his back in preseason play and would not return until December, and six games after he finally returned, he suffered a season-ending injury as he broke his foot. Robinson's success would continue on as he was named NBA MVP in 1995 and one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, and he would lead the Spurs to the playoffs in each of the next six seasons, but he would only lead the Spurs to the Western Conference finals once in that span, where he would go head-to-head against chief rival Hakeem Olajuwon as the Spurs would fall to the Houston Rockets in six games. Robinson would be unanimously named the NBA rookie of the year that season. Robinson led the Spurs to the greatest single season turnaround in NBA history at the time in his rookie season, as he led the Spurs to a 56-26 record and to the second round of the NBA Playoffs where they would lose to the eventual Western Conference champions Portland Trail Blazers in seven games. Prior to Robinson's arrival, the Spurs were one of the worst teams in the NBA as they were just coming off of a 21-61 record. Robinson was selected as the #1 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, but had to wait two years to join the Spurs because of his active-duty obligation with the Navy.
Robinson led Navy to the Elite Eight in the 1986 NCAA tournament as a #7 regional seed. Robinson began college with no expectations of playing in the NBA, but like Duncan, won numerous national player of the year awards in his senior season. David Robinson played four years of college basketball at Navy prior to being selected first overall in 1987 by the Spurs.
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