Chris Bosh on the side of Tim Duncan that people did not see: "He was intense, he was focused, he was passionate"

Tim Duncan has a reputation for being a quiet person who was simultaneously a fantastic basketball player. There is some truth to that because he never cared about being flashy, playing basketball with limited flair while focusing on the fundamentals.

Former All-Star power forward Chris Bosh would disagree because he saw Tim play with passion firsthand. They had frequent matchups in the early 2010s due to the two NBA Finals series between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.

"Every time I played that guy, he was intense, he was focused, he was passionate, and he played hard. Every single time,"Bosh said on NBA 75 Stories. "You can't tell that because, for one, he's big. Always very stoic in his demeanor, but he was always very intense. He did not wear it on his face all the time, but I think that was his mind trick… I'm gonna play hard and I'm gonna do whatever it takes to help my team, he brought that every day."

One cannot discount Duncan's passion for the game

Most people would think Tim is an emotionless person because of his demeanor and the reputation he has gained over the years. However, when you ask his peers, he might come off as a bit stoic, but he was a passionate basketball player.

Bosh is not the only person who has talked about Duncan's intensity on the court. As constant competitors throughout their careers, Steve Nash and Duncan were familiar with each other. They were friendly rivals due to how often they played against each other in the western conference. Through those years, Nash got to know Duncan more and saw behind the stoic front.

"If you thought Timmy because didn't show a lot of emotions or had a poker face a lot that he wasn't a great competitor, nothing could be farther from the truth," Nash said ahead of Duncan's Hall of Fame induction speech.

Knowing this shows that Duncan was the ultimate competitor, as he did not show it on his face. He kept a stoic front to show he was serious about the competition and wanted to keep playing the game properly. However, he did have some petty moments, including his duels with Kevin Garnett.

Duncan has a case for being the best power forward ever

Even though he was not considered a passionate competitor, Duncan backed this up with his tremendous success. He is a five-time champion with the San Antonio Spurs and has 15 All-Star, All-Defensive Team, and All-NBA nods. He also has two regular-season MVPs and three Finals MVPs in his cabinet.

Tim is arguably the best power forward in NBA history because of his effectiveness and consistency in winning over almost two decades. He did not have the flashiest style, but he made it work. Duncan was stellar in every facet of the game, as he was elite at offense and lockdown defense.

He was every coach's dream because his skillset enabled him to be a focal point of any system due to his talent, physical gifts, and approach to the game.

Related: David Robinson on Tim Duncan being similar to Michael Jordan: “Tim is every bit the assassin that Michael was”