NBA Legend Tim Duncan Becomes First Major Athlete to Endorse a Candidate With Bloomberg Ad

San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan became the first major athlete to endorse a candidate in the 2020 presidential election cycle, appearing in a 30-second ad for former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s campaign.

The Virgin Islands native said he’s endorsing the billionaire because of his relief work when two Category 5 hurricanes hit the Caribbean islands in 2017.

“Food and water were running low and people on the islands needed help,” Duncan said in the ad. “His team, among many others, acted fast to aid in feeding, clothing, and getting people to safety. And in this, Mike Bloomberg showed his true compassion for helping those in need.”

As a player, Duncan was widely known as quiet and reserved, rarely speaking to the media about social and political causes. But Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who coached Duncan throughout his career, has been one of the few NBA coaches to speak often about his distain for President Donald Trump.

The 15-time NBA All-Star has been an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs since July 2019 following his retirement from playing basketball four years ago. Duncan, who played all 19 of his NBA seasons with the Spurs, is currently a finalist for the 2020 NBA Hall of Fame class.

Bloomberg was the last candidate to join in the 2020 Democratic primary, and on Wednesday, he will participate in his first debate on the campaign trail in Nevada at 9 p.m. EST.