Tim Duncan’s first love before becoming the 15th NBA All-Star wasn’t really basketball. Growing up in the Virgin Islands, Duncan was an ambitious swimmer.
Duncan says he swam “5,000 to 8,000 meters a day, six days a week.” Duncan, 13, aimed to create a 1992 Olympic swimming team. Mother Nature had other plans.
Hurricane Hugo destroyed the only Olympic-sized swimming pool in his hometown, and as a result he trained at sea. Olympic training is one thing, but swimming in the Caribbean is a challenge in itself. Later, he was afraid of sharks and turned to playing basketball. Duncan’s fear of sharks still plagues him.
Fortunately, despite Hurricane Hugo ruining Duncan’s dream at the time, he’s become one of the biggest power forwards in NBA history, spending a whopping $ 242 million throughout his career. I earned!
