He has 22,413 points, 12,466 rebounds, and 2,455 blocks (through last night’s game against the New Orleans Hornets) for his career.

Also, he has career averages of 20.3 points per game, 11.3 rebounds per game, and 2.2 blocks per game.

Moreover, he is a two-time NBA MVP, Rookie of the Year, three-time NBA Finals MVP, nine-time All NBA 1st Team, eight-time All Defensive 1st Team, All Star MVP and 4 NBA Championships on his resume.

With all these accomplishments to an incredible career, I know some of you are wondering what other reason would Tim Duncan be my favorite athlete?

There is one word for me: Consistency

Somehow in our current culture, we have overlooked and undervalued the role of consistency in creating greatness. We all believe greatness comes from being dynamic or spectacular, but not from consistency.

Tim Duncan represents the perfect vehicle to show how consistency is greatness and that we should appreciate it more when we see it in our lives.

He has never had the high-flying attack of a Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan and currently Blake Griffin or the dramatic flare of a Magic Johnson or the brute strength of Shaq or Karl Malone and now Lebron James.

Duncan has done with smarts, excellent timing and antipication and doing it over and over again the same way for 15 years.  So much so that Shaq gave him the nickname, “The Big Fundamental” as a compliment. I have never heard the word, fundamental, ever being used as a compliment.

The question is why has consistency while respected but overlooked just like Tim Duncan has been for his career?

Unfortunately, being consistent in anything is considered boring or dull (one of the criticisms of Duncan) and also if you are consistent then you are considered more of a craftsman than an artist.   You are more like a blacksmith or jeweler instead of a Picasso or Van Gogh.

Moreover, NBA Basketball is the only professional sport where one individual can dramatically affect the outcome in a team concept and can create an image in the public’s mind that’s nearly unshakeable.

We have been spoiled by Dr.J in the 70’s, Magic and Bird in the 80’s, Jordan in 90’s, and Kobe Bryant and Lebron James in the 2000s with their dramatic and spectacular play.  While Tim Duncan has chiseled away at his greatness like an ax chopping down a huge tree.

Also, I believe Duncan is like a Honda Accord or Nissan Maxima. While everyone respects these cars on how well made they are, but no one desires them as their dream car. However, both cars have lasted over 20 years in an extremely competitive car industry where flashy cars have come and gone.

Well, I have appreciated his career and the fact that he has a hand in (along Coach Popovich) creating the winningest franchise (San Antonio Spurs) in all of North American Professional Sports since the beginning the 2000 decade.

He has helped create a passionate fan base in this South Texas city of San Antonio and for the entire region down to the Texas/Mexico border. Also, as his career is winding down and coming to a close, people are beginning to realize how good he has been in his career and up and coming big men like Roy Hibbert of the Indiana Pacers, DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings, Tristan Thompson of the Cleveland Cavaliers have all considered Duncan as their role model (and even mentor) on how to have an excellent NBA career.

In closing, I wanted to write a blogpost about my favorite athlete and appreciate that he has shown all of us that being consistent is greatness too.  And greatness can’t be overlooked no matter what kind of package it comes in.