Robinson began college with no expectations of playing in the NBA, but like Duncan, won numerous national player of the year awards in his senior season.
[1] Robinson was selected as the #1 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, but had to wait two years to join the Spurs because of his active-duty obligation with the Navy.
Robinson led the Spurs to the greatest single season turnaround in NBA history at the time in his rookie season, as he led the Spurs to a 56–26 record and to the second round of the NBA Playoffs where they would lose to the eventual Western Conference champions Portland Trail Blazers in seven games.
Prior to being selected number one overall by the Spurs in the 1997 NBA Draft, Tim Duncan played at Wake Forest for four years.
Despite playing on an inexperienced squad, Duncan would lead Wake Forest to a 26–6 record, including a 12–4 record in ACC play, a second consecutive ACC tournament championship, and a trip to the NCAA Elite Eight, where despite 14 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists from Duncan, Wake Forest would fall to eventual national champion Kentucky 83–64.
In Duncan's playoff debut, he had a bad first half and with the Spurs trailing the Phoenix Suns 50–45 at halftime, Suns coach Danny Ainge decided to put less defensive pressure on Duncan, and as a result, would finish Game 1 with 32 points and 10 rebounds as the Spurs would emerge with a 102–96 victory in Game 1.
The Twin Towers were able to lead the Spurs to an NBA-best 37–13 record in the shortened 50-game season, earning home court advantage throughout the playoffs as a result.
[22] Duncan and Robinson were dominant once again in Game 4 as they combined for 42 points and 35 rebounds en route to a 96–89 win over the Knicks and a 3–1 series lead.
[23] In the final seconds of Game 5, Tim Duncan and David Robinson double teamed Latrell Sprewell on his last-second shot attempt to win Game 5 78-77 off of another dominant performance by the "Twin Towers", who combined for 46 points and 21 rebounds,[24] to win their first ever NBA championship and Duncan would be named NBA Finals MVP.
[25] The success of the "Twin Towers" would continue through the 1999–2000 season as they finished second place in the Midwest Division with a 53–29 record and would earn the #4 seed in the NBA Playoffs.
The following season, the "Twin Towers" would lead the Spurs to an NBA-best record of 58-24 and would earn home court advantage throughout the 2001 NBA Playoffs.
The "Twin Towers" would lead the San Antonio Spurs to another Midwest Division title the following season, this time finishing as the #2 seed in the Western Conference.
[28] In the final season of the "Twin Towers", they, coupled with the newly formed "Big Three" of Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginóbili would lead the Spurs to an NBA-best record of 60-22 and would earn home court advantage throughout the entire playoffs for the third time in the last five years.
In the conference semifinals against the Lakers, Tim Duncan was matched up against eventual teammate Robert Horry, and would dominate him the entire series.
Following the NBA Finals victory, Duncan said: "We were all confident that something would happen, that we would turn the game to our favor, and it did", but felt sad that Robinson retired after winning his second championship ring.