Larry Nance Jr. explains why Tim Duncan belongs on his Mount Rushmore of NBA GOATs: "Inspired the whole generation of power forwards and centers"

Singling out the greatest player in the history of the NBA is a thankless task. Trying to isolate one guy from an eight-decade-long timeline is harder than it sounds, and one would think that picking four players — or, as it's popularly referred to, your Mount Rushmore — would be easier. However, the same thing happens every single time. Someone always gets left out.

But when Larry Nance Jr. was presented with the challenge, he went with three names that have become the usual suspects in these all-time conversations, and one guy who too often flies under the radar.

The usual suspects and Duncan

Nance Jr., quite obviously, is the son of Larry Nance Sr., the original high-flying forward and the first-ever Slam Dunk Contest champion. Growing up, he watched his dad pull off all kinds of tricks, moves, and classic old-school fundamentals that shaped his understanding of the game from the moment he could walk. Simply put, basketball surrounded him his entire life.

And since he was born in Akron, Ohio, the same birthplace as LeBron James, Nance Jr. didn't hesitate to put "The King" on his Mount Rushmore. Apart from Bron, there was no question about Kobe Bryant, the guy who was wrapping up his farewell tour right when Larry entered the league as a rookie. And then, of course, the man many still consider the absolute GOAT, the one player whose absence would instantly discredit any top-four list: Michael Jordan. That made three. But the question of who gets that fourth spot remained?

After a brief pause, Nance Jr. filled it with a name that too often gets left out of these debates: the quiet, steady, relentlessly dominant Tim Duncan.

"I'mma put Tim Duncan on there. I love Tim Duncan. He was one of my favorite players growing up," Nance Jr said in his recent appearance on the "Ball in the Family Podcast."

"He should (get the credit he deserves). Him, Dirk, KG, that inspired the whole generation of power forwards and centers," he added.

Subjectively, even his father could have made the list, but sticking strictly to the facts… Duncan's place is more than justified.

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Duncan's influence is up there 

Timmy-D was never a guy who jumped out of the box with his performances in front of the media or through flashy theatrics on the court. Rather, he let his game do the talking — and boy, he did so in style. The San Antonio Spurs experienced an absolute renaissance the moment Duncan joined their ranks as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft.

Nearly two decades later, they walked away with five championships, and Tim was the central piece in all of them. Duncan is also a two-time MVP, a 15-time All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection and a 15-time All-Defensive member. Safe to say his accolades alone are more than enough to cement him among the elite of the elite.

But then there's his undeniable impact on the game itself. With his quiet demeanor and extremely fundamental approach, hence the nickname "The Big Fundamental," Duncan inspired an entire generation of bigs who valued precision over flash. And because of that, Timmy will always be a part of that GOAT discussion, no matter who makes the list.

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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.