The story of the San Antonio Spurs started with George Gervin. It continued with David Robinson. But it took off when Tim Duncan joined the organization.
Robinson and Duncan were the cornerstones of the Spurs' first two championship teams, guiding the franchise to titles in 1999 and 2003.
Robinson took Duncan under his wing after the Spurs drafted him first in 1997. He knew the organization had found someone special. However, what took him by surprise was that the Wake Forest product was even better than advertised.
"We went to Colorado, and I brought Tim to my house in Colorado," The Admiral said in an interview with Shams Charania for RealGM.com. "Started working out with him every day, and just watching him, that guy could score at will on me. I thought, 'Hey, I'm a pretty decent defensive player, and he could do this on me?' He could do it on anyone. He uses both hands, shoots off the backboard."
Robinson was still the leader of the Spurs early in Duncan's career. However, the latter was ready to be at the helm of the franchise by his third year in the league.
Despite finding out firsthand how good Duncan was, Robinson still struggled with the idea of giving up the reins. He knew that his time was up, but he had trouble letting go of being the franchise player.
"Did I struggle with it at times? Yes," the legendary big man said . "And even now I still do and I know physically I don't do the same things I did at 24. But still, I even struggle with it mentally at times and the Lord just teaches us that we have a place."
Robinson was still the Spurs' leading scorer in the 1997-98 season, averaging 21.6 points per game. Duncan wasn't far behind, putting up 21.1 points per contest en route to winning the Rookie of the Year.
In Tim's second season, he topped the team in scoring, averaging 21.7 points per game compared to David's 15.8. The Spurs would win their first championship that same season, beating the New York Knicks in five games in the NBA Finals.
From that season, the Spurs were no longer Robinson's team — they were Duncan's. The result? Three more championships, with The Big Fundamental playing a key role in each title run.
While he was initially torn about letting Duncan be the franchise player, Robinson realized that it's about team success first and foremost.
Years later, in an interview with HoopsHype , the 1995 MVP described Duncan's arrival in San Antonio as the best thing to ever happen for his career.
"Obviously, having owners like Red McCombs and Peter Holt was fantastic, and coaches like Larry Brown and Pop were phenomenal. But I can say that Tim is probably the best thing that ever happened to me. He helped me as an individual to grow up and be a better player. He helped us achieve the long-term goals that we set, winning championships," Robinson said.
Robinson was ultimately inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021, alongside Duncan. He is still, without a doubt, one of the greatest centers the NBA has ever seen.
And no, Robinson doesn't live in Duncan's shadow. If anything, it's impossible to write a Spurs story without mentioning the two together. That's how great they were on the court.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
