Tim Duncan wore jersey number 21 for the San Antonio Spurs in 2007. He wore No. 21 throughout his NBA career, making the number closely identified with the five-time champion.
Duncan joined the Spurs as the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft after starring at Wake Forest. By the 2006–07 season, he was the centerpiece of a veteran San Antonio team that also featured Tony Parker, Manu Ginóbili, Bruce Bowen, and coach Gregg Popovich.
The Spurs won the 2007 NBA championship by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. Duncan averaged 18.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in the series, while Tony Parker won Finals MVP. Duncan’s No. 21 was later retired by San Antonio in 2017.
The number also had personal meaning: Duncan wore No. 21 at Wake Forest in honor of his brother-in-law, Ricky Lowery, who had taught him basketball and had worn that number in college. No. 21 is therefore both a Spurs landmark and part of Duncan’s personal story.