It took more than $25M for Tim to realize that not all people are trustworthy.

Tim Duncan made a name for himself as a master of fundamentals during his playing years. However, he forgot the basics when it came to managing his finances.

In 2015, the San Antonio Spurs legend faced a major setback off the court when he lost over $25 million for entrusting a shady financial adviser named Charles Banks with his investments. Upon realizing his mistake, Duncan sued Banks for over $1 million. But despite losing millions, Timmy refused to be consumed by the negativity that came with his bad decision.

“Luckily, I had a long career and made good money,” Duncan said at the time. “This is a big chunk, but it’s not going to change my life in any way. It’s not going to make any decisions for me.”

Duncan’s rude awakening

Timmy couldn’t believe that he fell victim to a faulty financial adviser who mismanaged his hard-earned money and broke his trust. The bad experience served as a rude awakening for the easygoing and too-trusting NBA legend.

As he reflected on his financial setback, Duncan said he had zero hatred for others. However, the ordeal would always remind him of the moment he learned a valuable lesson in life and business.

“I’m not a speech guy. I’m not gonna go out and preach to people,” he said. “I’m not going to go on a circuit trying to warn people. I’m a loyal guy. I’m a man of my word, and I assumed other people would be that way. That’s just not the case in life.”

A $25 million loss didn’t make Tim go broke

Duncan made a staggering $242 million throughout his 19-year NBA career. That said, “The Big Fundamental” was on point to say that a $25 million loss was indeed a huge blow, but it wasn’t going to make him broke.

Outside his career earnings, the Spurs legend also embarked on some business ventures, primarily his BlackJack Speed Shop with long-term business partner Jack Pena. The business was a one-stop auto customization shop founded in 2013 to cater to car enthusiasts just like Duncan.