Deacon Sports Xtra: Tim Duncan: Unexpected Opportunities to Unprecedented Success
5/14/2021 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
On a charter flight to Salt Lake City, the Demon Deacons were en route to a New Year's Eve nationally televised matchup between two top-10 ranked teams — No. 2 Wake Forest led by Tim Duncan against No. 7 Utah, led by Keith Van Horn.
Coach Dave Odom, sitting in an adjoining aisle seat from Duncan, put his hand on the big man's arm.
"Hey Timmy," Odom said. "We can win this game, you know?"
Duncan matter-of-factly looked up at his coach.
"Why else would we go play it?" he responded.
"He expected to win every game," Odom said. "He was not affected by who, where or when, and not impacted by the stakes. No matter who we played, he had no fear. He played his very best against the very best teams and very best players."
Saturday Tim Duncan will become the first Demon Deacon to be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts as part of a nine-member 2020 class that also includes Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tamika Catchings, Patrick Baumann, Kim Mulkey, Barbara Stevens, Eddie Sutton and Rudy Tomjanovich.
Duncan led Wake Forest to two ACC Championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances — including runs to the Elite Eight and Sweet 16. His name is littered all across the Wake Forest Basketball record book, ranking second with 1,570 career rebounds and fourth with 2,117 career points. He holds the Wake Forest and ACC record with 481 career blocked shots. His jersey has been retired at Wake Forest, and he's previously been inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame and the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.
Not too bad of a career, considering Odom's original plan for Duncan as a freshman was to redshirt.
"We didn't know it was going to be a turning point, because this 6-foot-9, 190-pounder showed up on campus," Odom said. "It was a series of events that turned in our favor, and I think in his favor unexpectedly — but it did. We were able to plug in and take advantage of the opportunities we had at that time, and the situation at that time.
"He would have eventually found his way into the starting lineup and stardom. But the way the situation occurred so unexpectedly really sped the process up beyond anybody's comprehension."
With both Ricky Peral and Makhtar N'Diaye also part of the same incoming class as Duncan, the belief was the other two were more 'readymade' to compete in the ACC and it would take time to develop Duncan into a polished contributor. But as the Deacs traveled to the Great Alaskan Shootout, Odom received word from the ACC that there were eligibility concerns with both Peral and N'Diaye, and they would have to sit.
"That was a shock to us," Odom said. "There was nobody left. It was just Tim.
"He played so well in Alaska, and it became clear the rulings from the NCAA were going to come slower than we anticipated. We decided we were going to play him. I'd seen evidence out there that he could become very good. We were going to integrate him into our team as quickly as we possibly could."
Duncan embraced his new role and nearly averaged a double-double as a freshman, finishing the campaign with 9.8 points and 9.6 rebounds a contest.
"I'm thinking Tim is going to redshirt, and then we'd find a place for him down the road," Odom said. "It wasn't until mid-freshman year that we determined we had something special here and we had to play to that. He embraced that opportunity to be a factor in our season even as an 18 or 19-year old freshman.
"He had a really good freshman year. Not all-star good, but really good. The goal then became to get as much strength and weight on him in the offseason, then have him refine his skills. We went to work on that in the spring and summer, and he stayed with us the entire summer to work with the weight coaches."
One attribute that was present from the outset in Duncan's game was his defensive presence. He blocked 124 shots en route to setting the ACC career record for blocks in his four seasons at Wake Forest.
"He was a defender, rebounder and shot-blocker before he was an offensive threat," Odom said. "He was a hard worker. We had good coaches, but he was unique in that you didn't have to push him to get better — he did it naturally. He was always available for coaches to work with him. He was like somebody who was driven by thirst, the thirst to acquire more knowledge about the game. The more he studied and practiced the game, the more he loved the game. He was like a sponge."
In an era when the ACC was arguably at its pinnacle, Duncan and the Deacs put together an unprecedented run — grabbing back-to-back conference championships while camped out in the top-10 nationally for nearly all of his final three seasons on campus. Along with teammates including Randolph Childress, Jerry Braswell, Tony Rutland, and Sean Allen, the Demon Deacons exhibited the teamwork, work ethic and talent needed to win championships and compete with the best nationally.
"When we were at our best, we had a team full of them — I'm talking eight-to-10 guys," Odom said. "We really did. We had some really good hard-nosed, team players. They really wanted to be good as a team. Tim Duncan was really a team-oriented player, so that made it easier for him to play with his teammates, and for them to play with him.
"That was something that only those inside would know. There wasn't a player inside our team those four years who weren't delighted he was with them. They were all for him, because they knew he was for them."
After collecting the Wooden Award in 1997 as the nation's best college basketball player, Duncan was selected first in the NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs, where he led them to five NBA championships while earning All-Star status 15 times.
"It wasn't a matter of if, but when," Odom said about Duncan's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. "His when came early, as it should have. He's coming off being named one of the top-five players in the history of the game, so there's no surprise he was picked. I'm just happy it was done early, and I know he is as well. I know he's excited.
"His family, coaches, friends and folks from Wake Forest and the San Antonio Spurs organization will all be there. It's going to be a wonderful occasion and one that's justified. He's getting a just award that he should be getting. And he will take that in the same way he's taken everything — with great aplomb, dignity and humility."
Odom and his wife Lynn will be there this weekend to see the induction ceremony.
"Anytime anybody who you've had a chance to affect in any small way is successful, I'd be less than honest if I didn't admit it gave me an inner glow," he said. "Tim, as many of the others, is very much like my son. I've got a son (Ryan) who coaches. Anytime he wins, I win. I feel that happy for him. I'm pleased and excited. I feel that way with Tim. Every time he played, made a move, blocked a shot, got a rebound — every time he scored the winning basket, I got an inner glow. It's the same as if he were my son.
"There will be that same inner glow Friday and Saturday in Connecticut, when he's recognized for his achievements and ability to be a great player on a great team in a great organization."
Odom believes Duncan was perfect for Wake Forest, but Wake Forest was also perfect for Duncan.
"Wake Forest meant a lot to him," Odom said. "It gave him an opportunity to develop at his own pace. Wake Forest being the kind of university it is, it's smaller by ACC standards — that seemed to fit him perfectly. It provided smaller classes and a chance to get to know everybody on campus.
"I think Wake Forest as a university should get a lot of credit for allowing him to develop at his own pace. He'd be the first to say that. Some of his best friends are still his teammates from here at Wake Forest."
Not yet a subscriber or know someone who would like to receive these stories in their email inbox? Click here for the DSX subscription link - share it with your friends!
Coach Dave Odom, sitting in an adjoining aisle seat from Duncan, put his hand on the big man's arm.
"Hey Timmy," Odom said. "We can win this game, you know?"
Duncan matter-of-factly looked up at his coach.
"Why else would we go play it?" he responded.
"He expected to win every game," Odom said. "He was not affected by who, where or when, and not impacted by the stakes. No matter who we played, he had no fear. He played his very best against the very best teams and very best players."
Saturday Tim Duncan will become the first Demon Deacon to be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts as part of a nine-member 2020 class that also includes Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tamika Catchings, Patrick Baumann, Kim Mulkey, Barbara Stevens, Eddie Sutton and Rudy Tomjanovich.
Duncan led Wake Forest to two ACC Championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances — including runs to the Elite Eight and Sweet 16. His name is littered all across the Wake Forest Basketball record book, ranking second with 1,570 career rebounds and fourth with 2,117 career points. He holds the Wake Forest and ACC record with 481 career blocked shots. His jersey has been retired at Wake Forest, and he's previously been inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame and the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.
Not too bad of a career, considering Odom's original plan for Duncan as a freshman was to redshirt.
"We didn't know it was going to be a turning point, because this 6-foot-9, 190-pounder showed up on campus," Odom said. "It was a series of events that turned in our favor, and I think in his favor unexpectedly — but it did. We were able to plug in and take advantage of the opportunities we had at that time, and the situation at that time.
"He would have eventually found his way into the starting lineup and stardom. But the way the situation occurred so unexpectedly really sped the process up beyond anybody's comprehension."
With both Ricky Peral and Makhtar N'Diaye also part of the same incoming class as Duncan, the belief was the other two were more 'readymade' to compete in the ACC and it would take time to develop Duncan into a polished contributor. But as the Deacs traveled to the Great Alaskan Shootout, Odom received word from the ACC that there were eligibility concerns with both Peral and N'Diaye, and they would have to sit.
"That was a shock to us," Odom said. "There was nobody left. It was just Tim.
"He played so well in Alaska, and it became clear the rulings from the NCAA were going to come slower than we anticipated. We decided we were going to play him. I'd seen evidence out there that he could become very good. We were going to integrate him into our team as quickly as we possibly could."
Duncan embraced his new role and nearly averaged a double-double as a freshman, finishing the campaign with 9.8 points and 9.6 rebounds a contest.
"I'm thinking Tim is going to redshirt, and then we'd find a place for him down the road," Odom said. "It wasn't until mid-freshman year that we determined we had something special here and we had to play to that. He embraced that opportunity to be a factor in our season even as an 18 or 19-year old freshman.
"He had a really good freshman year. Not all-star good, but really good. The goal then became to get as much strength and weight on him in the offseason, then have him refine his skills. We went to work on that in the spring and summer, and he stayed with us the entire summer to work with the weight coaches."
One attribute that was present from the outset in Duncan's game was his defensive presence. He blocked 124 shots en route to setting the ACC career record for blocks in his four seasons at Wake Forest.
"He was a defender, rebounder and shot-blocker before he was an offensive threat," Odom said. "He was a hard worker. We had good coaches, but he was unique in that you didn't have to push him to get better — he did it naturally. He was always available for coaches to work with him. He was like somebody who was driven by thirst, the thirst to acquire more knowledge about the game. The more he studied and practiced the game, the more he loved the game. He was like a sponge."
In an era when the ACC was arguably at its pinnacle, Duncan and the Deacs put together an unprecedented run — grabbing back-to-back conference championships while camped out in the top-10 nationally for nearly all of his final three seasons on campus. Along with teammates including Randolph Childress, Jerry Braswell, Tony Rutland, and Sean Allen, the Demon Deacons exhibited the teamwork, work ethic and talent needed to win championships and compete with the best nationally.
"When we were at our best, we had a team full of them — I'm talking eight-to-10 guys," Odom said. "We really did. We had some really good hard-nosed, team players. They really wanted to be good as a team. Tim Duncan was really a team-oriented player, so that made it easier for him to play with his teammates, and for them to play with him.
"That was something that only those inside would know. There wasn't a player inside our team those four years who weren't delighted he was with them. They were all for him, because they knew he was for them."
After collecting the Wooden Award in 1997 as the nation's best college basketball player, Duncan was selected first in the NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs, where he led them to five NBA championships while earning All-Star status 15 times.
"It wasn't a matter of if, but when," Odom said about Duncan's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. "His when came early, as it should have. He's coming off being named one of the top-five players in the history of the game, so there's no surprise he was picked. I'm just happy it was done early, and I know he is as well. I know he's excited.
"His family, coaches, friends and folks from Wake Forest and the San Antonio Spurs organization will all be there. It's going to be a wonderful occasion and one that's justified. He's getting a just award that he should be getting. And he will take that in the same way he's taken everything — with great aplomb, dignity and humility."
Odom and his wife Lynn will be there this weekend to see the induction ceremony.
"Anytime anybody who you've had a chance to affect in any small way is successful, I'd be less than honest if I didn't admit it gave me an inner glow," he said. "Tim, as many of the others, is very much like my son. I've got a son (Ryan) who coaches. Anytime he wins, I win. I feel that happy for him. I'm pleased and excited. I feel that way with Tim. Every time he played, made a move, blocked a shot, got a rebound — every time he scored the winning basket, I got an inner glow. It's the same as if he were my son.
"There will be that same inner glow Friday and Saturday in Connecticut, when he's recognized for his achievements and ability to be a great player on a great team in a great organization."
Odom believes Duncan was perfect for Wake Forest, but Wake Forest was also perfect for Duncan.
"Wake Forest meant a lot to him," Odom said. "It gave him an opportunity to develop at his own pace. Wake Forest being the kind of university it is, it's smaller by ACC standards — that seemed to fit him perfectly. It provided smaller classes and a chance to get to know everybody on campus.
"I think Wake Forest as a university should get a lot of credit for allowing him to develop at his own pace. He'd be the first to say that. Some of his best friends are still his teammates from here at Wake Forest."
Not yet a subscriber or know someone who would like to receive these stories in their email inbox? Click here for the DSX subscription link - share it with your friends!
Wake Forest Women's Basketball Highlights vs Gardner-Webb (Dec. 22, 2025)
Monday, December 22
Steve Forbes - Postgame Presser vs. Vanderbilt
Sunday, December 21
Steve Forbes - Postgame Presser vs. Longwood
Thursday, December 18
Football Media Availability (12/16/25)
Tuesday, December 16