SAN ANTONIO – Video of Tim Duncan kickboxing recently went viral and now we’re learning more about Duncan’s martial arts abilities and his trainer.
Jason Echols posted a video on social media of him and Duncan kickboxing. Bleacher Report spoke to Echols about training the Spurs’ legend.
Recommended Videos
Echols told Bleacher Report Duncan was initially a friend of a friend, but they hit it off and he has been training him for nearly a decade.
What happens when your training parter is 7ft tall ??😵 #martialarts #kickboxing #fitness #training #timduncan #jasonechols #goat #sanantonio #spurs #nba #champion #echolsfitness #jema #gym #kenpo #taekwondo #muaythai #hkickboxing #duncantv #AllSportsDynamicMovementSystem
Posted by Echols Fitness on Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Echols discussed a variety of topics during the interview. He said it’s incredible to watch Duncan move at his size, and his speed and athleticism is “phenomenal.”
Echols added he’s been able to see a different side of Duncan. The interview included this excerpt:
"I believe I saw a different side of him, because he's a roaring lion in martial arts."
"He's an animal. It's a different thing than what you see out on the court."
"The more intense the training gets, the more calm he becomes, which you've seen on the court. The way he executes the movements, he's a f--king monster."
He added his opinion of Duncan is different from what he believes is the public’s perception of Duncan:
“I get to see his passion, and he's incredibly funny. He's a super humorous guy.”
“We laugh our asses off a lot when we're training. I think he's actually a better person than the public even thinks he is.”
Echols wrapped up the interview by saying he has also had the pleasure of training another Spurs legend, David Robinson.
When asked if Duncan or Robinson could compete in MMA, Echols said even though he would not encourage it, Duncan would be a legit competitor and Robinson would learn to become one.
“They are both competitive guys and not used to losing,” Echols said.
Read the full interview from Bleacher Report here.
--------------------------------------------------------
Don't miss a thing. Get email alerts from KSAT12 today.
Get alerted to news events as they happen or sign up for a scheduled news headline email that is delivered right to your inbox. Breaking news, severe weather, daily forecasts, entertainment news, all of the day’s important events to keep you up to date wherever you are.
Sign up today. It's Free.