Tim Duncan and the Golden Age of Power Forwards

Tim Duncan, who recently decided to retire after 19 seasons, will be remembered as the greatest power forward in NBA history. And while he managed to rise to the top of the list, Duncan also played in an era that could be considered the golden age for power forwards. Let’s take a look back at the players Duncan made his bones against over nearly two decades.

Tim Duncan and the Golden Age of Power Forwards

Jermaine O’Neal

Greg Nelson

O’Neal entered the NBA during the prep-to-pros age, joining the Portland Trail Blazers as a teenager. He didn’t pop in Portland, but a trade to Indiana gave O’Neal room to grow and led to an 18-year career. At his best, O’Neal averaged 24.3 points and 8.8 rebounds in 2004-05.

Chris Webber

Bill Frakes

Webber entered the NBA as a star after two seasons at Michigan as part of the Fab Five. He was a productive player in the league from Day 1, as he was named Rookie of the Year and made five All-Star Game appearances.

Shawn Kemp

Manny Millan

Kemp’s fall from grace was a swift one, but there was a time when he was one of the NBA’s most electric players. He teamed up with Gary Payton in Seattle to create a fast-paced offense that made it to the NBA Finals and pushed Michael Jordan’s Bulls to six games in 1996. Kemp made six All-Star appearances and was picked for three All-NBA teams.

Pau Gasol

John W. McDonough

Duncan’s replacement in San Antonio has maintained a long, successful career since he was drafted in 2001. Before joining the Spurs, Gasol was a young star in Memphis, the missing piece for title teams in Los Angeles and a productive big in Chicago.

Dennis Rodman

Richard Mackson

Many of the players on this list were great scorers as well as rebounders. Rather than focus on the offensive side of the ball, however, Rodman turned himself into a rebounding savant and dominated the boards like none before or after him. His sacrifices on offense helped net five titles with the Pistons and Bulls and earn a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Dirk Nowitzki

John Biever

One of Duncan’s long-time rivals in the Western Conference, Nowitzki has held the Mavericks together as the focal point of their offense for more than 15 years. In that time, the surefire Hall of Famer has played in 13 All-Star Games and earned 12 All-NBA honors. Nowitzki, who was named league MVP in 20007, finally got over the hump when he defeated LeBron James’s Heat to win a title in 2011.

Karl Malone

John Biever

Karl Malone was one of the most consistent players in NBA history, averaging better than 20 points and seven rebounds per game in Utah for 17 seasons straight. He captured an MVP award during the Michael Jordan era and likely would have won a title if he didn’t bump in the Bulls in two straight Finals.

Charles Barkley

John W. McDonough

The ‘Round Mound of Rebound’ was a small-ball forward before the term was created. As he has noted, Barkley was no three-point shooter, but he possessed a rare ability to both handle the ball on the perimeter and punish opponents in the post. Barkley will be remembered for failing to win a title, but he posted over 20,000 points, 12,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists in 16 seasons.

Kevin Garnett

Walter Iooss Jr

One of the most successful players to enter the NBA straight out of high school, Garnett won a title with the Celtics and captured league MVP as a member of the Wolves. He’s long been none as one of the NBA’s most unselfish superstars, yet he managed to average 17.8 points and 10 rebounds for his career. Garnett is reportedly considering retirement, and he’ll definitely be nominated to the Hall of Fame when the time comes.

Tim Duncan

John W. McDonough

The man of the hour decided to retire after 19 NBA seasons—all with the Spurs. Duncan won five NBA titles, made 15 All-Star appearances and was added to 10 All-NBA teams. One of the all-time teammates, Duncan’s greatness still netted three NBA Finals MVP awards and two regular season MVP selections.