Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs is the winner of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the second straight season, the NBA announced today.

The five-time NBA All-Star finished the season averaging 23.3 points (seventh in NBA), 12.9 rebounds (third) and 2.93 blocks (third) in 81 games. Duncan turned in 58 double-double (points-rebounds) performances this season, including a league-high six 20-plus point and 20-plus rebound outings. On March 21, 2003, he scored his 10,000th career point becoming the 13th fastest player in NBA history to score at least 10,000 points and grab at least 5,000 rebounds.

The 7-foot, 260-pound forward totaled 962 points in MVP balloting, including 60 of a possible 119 first-place votes, from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Players were awarded 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for each second-place vote, five for third, three for fourth and one for each fifth-place vote received.

This season, Duncan led the Spurs to a 60-22 overall mark, which tied for the best record in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks, and their fourth Midwest Division title during his six-year NBA career. San Antonio also earned the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs and home-court advantage throughout the postseason. He is the second San Antonio Spurs player to win the MVP award, joining teammate David Robinson who was so honored for the 1994-95 season.

The first overall selection in the 1997 Draft by the Spurs, Duncan joins an elite list of only 10 players in NBA history to collect multiple MVP awards: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six-time winner), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain (four), Larry Bird (three), Magic Johnson (three), Moses Malone (three), Bob Pettit (two) and Karl Malone (two). Duncan is the first back-to-back winner since Jordan in 1990-91 and 1991-92.

A five-time recipient of the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week Award, Duncan scored 30 or more points 16 times and 20 or more 56 times during the 2002-03 season. He hit his second career regular season triple-double (third overall) vs. the Los Angeles Clippers on March 14 finishing with 24 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in 34 minutes of play. Duncan also collected 25 rebounds on February 1, the league season-high this year.

On February 11, Duncan was selected to play for the 2003 USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team that will compete in the 2003 FIBA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Voted as a starter in this year’s All-Star Game, Duncan scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a 155-145 double overtime West victory on February 9 at Atlanta’s Philips Arena.

Along with his two MVP Awards, Duncan has also collected the 1997-98 Rookie of the Year, the 1999 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, the co-MVP of the 2000 NBA All-Star Game and the 2001-02 NBA IBM Award during his six-year pro career.


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