In the world of NBA greats, Tim Duncan stands tall as a competitive player who helped the San Antonio Spurs clinch five championships and also got two NBA MVP titles under his name. However, the debate surrounding his greatness in the NBA has raged for years. Some argue he is one of the greatest players of all time, whereas others say that was overhyped and benefited from playing around with talented teammates. One such debate has been restarted recently. But How?

In the recent episode of “Gil’s Arena Podcast,”  the panelists got into a heated debate among themselves regarding which player had the best aura in the NBA. It was at this moment that Gilbert Arenas dropped a fact that no one was aware of. “Tim Duncan used to be like I can’t wait till T-Mac comes so we can shut this sh*t down. I said man we supposed to be here like eight hours; he said wait till T-Mac comes, wait till T-Mac comes,” said Arenas during his podcast.

The incident that he recalled during this segment was that he, along with Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, and Tim Duncan, had gone to a shoot for Adidas. Tim Duncan wanted to leave as soon as possible but was waiting for Tracy McGrady to take a step. The wait for the shoot was estimated to be eight hours, but McGrady pulled it down to twenty minutes. Here Arenas wanted to emphasize that Duncan, despite having five championships under his name, was dependent on someone with seven NBA All-Star titles.

Duncan’s career with the San Antonio Spurs is a testament to consistency and excellence. His fundamental style of play earned him the nickname “The Big Fundamental,” a moniker that speaks volumes about his approach to the game. Over 19 seasons, Duncan averaged 19 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, numbers that underscore his dominance but fail to capture the full extent of his impact. His leadership and defensive prowess were instrumental in transforming the Spurs into a dynasty, with a winning percentage of.719 during his tenure of 1392 games, which is the second-highest in NBA history.

The debate, however, didn’t stop there. Brandon Jennings, another member of Gil’s Arena crew, dismissed Arenas’ claims by stating that Anthony Edwards is better than T-Mac. He also added that, according to him, Chinese basketballer Yao Ming had the best aura. At the beginning of the podcast, Rashad McCants vividly described an incident when he experienced Chicago Bulls’ legend Michael Jordan’s aura. “Bro when I tell you when he walked in the room it was like a ripple effect that went like wooof, I’m here. Everyone stopped,” said McCant during the podcast.

The debate over Tim Duncan’s greatness is fascinating. It is a debate that will likely continue for many years to come. However, even though Arenas talks about how Duncan was dependent on McGrady, did you know McGrady himself wanted to play by the side of Tim Duncan?

When Tracy McGrady talked of having Tim Duncan by his side

Tim Duncan had been a phenomenal player for the San Antonio Spurs. But the Orlando Magic was this close to finalizing a deal to have Duncan on their team during his free agency, but that didn’t happen. If that would have happened, it would have made McGrady’s hypothetical scenario come true.

McGrady, in an interview last year, expressed his belief that the trio of him, Grant Hill, and Tim Duncan could have formed an unstoppable force in the NBA. “Having Grant Hill, I think we would have competed for a championship in the Eastern Conference, but Tim Duncan? T-Mac and Grant Hill? C’mon, bro, you already know that’s championships,” said McGrady during the interview (as per Basketball Network). The thought of Duncan’s interior dominance complementing McGrady’s perimeter skills and Hill’s playmaking ability is enough to make any basketball fan wonder what would have happened.

While history took a different turn, with Duncan remaining in San Antonio to build a dynasty, McGrady’s statement serves as a testament to Duncan’s impact and the respect he commanded from his peers.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.