Tim Duncan's A Slam Dunk In School Yards Too

Basketball star Tim Duncan's passion for sport has grown from his professional life into other courts as well. In only six years, his Tim Duncan Foundation, has raised well over half a million dollars to support programs promoting youth sports, health, research and education.

Through fund raising events with other athletes, corporations and local celebrities, Duncan’s Foundation supports various programs in South Texas, US Virgin Islands and North Carolina. A mobile mammography unit for the uninsured, American Cancer Society, San Antonio’s Children’s Shelter and Kids Sports Network have all been beneficiaries.

The Foundation has also implemented the Tim Duncan’s Character Program, an incentive program for school kids to make good choices and demonstrate what Duncan and his wife, Amy, feel are the six key character traits: respect, integrity, fairness, dependability, caring and civic responsibility. Awards and gifts are given to over 3000 kids annually to recognize their good deeds.

Duncan sees a direct link between such traits and sports. He says, “I think that basketball and sports in general offer a lot of great lessons to kids. Dedication. Teamwork. Camaraderie. Team sports introduce you to all types of personalities and help you appreciate differences in others and build friendships. Being part of something beyond yourself is powerful.”