Tim Duncan retires after 19 seasons, five NBA titles, two MVP crowns, 15 All-Star appearances and as San Antonio Spurs' all-time leading scorer 

• e-mail

San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan has announced his retirement from the NBA after 19 illustrious seasons with the organisation.

The 40-year-old has ended weeks of speculation about his future and will bow out of the game with one of the most decorated resumes in NBA history.

For his career, the 6ft 11in forward averaged 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game and is the only player to start and win an NBA Championship in three different decades.

Tim Duncan has retired from the NBA after 19 glory-laden seasons with the San Antonio Spurs

Duncan won league MVP honours in 2002 and 2003 and was also NBA Finals MVP in 2003

All of Duncan's success came alongside current Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who drafted him in 1997

Duncan is also one of only two players in NBA history to record at least 26,000 points, 15,000 rebounds and 3,000 blocks in his career, the other being Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Selected as the No 1 overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, Duncan would help the Spurs win five NBA championships and post a 0.710 regular season winning percentage during his tenure - the best during a 19-year stretch in NBA history.

In his decorated career, Duncan picked up Rookie of the Year honours as well as two NBA MVP awards, three NBA Finals MVP awards, 15 All-Star selections and 15 All-NBA Team selections. 

The Wake Forest graduate was an All-Defensive Team on 15 different occasions which is most all-time.

Duncan totalled 26,496 points, 15,091 rebounds and 3,020 blocked shots during his 19 years in the NBA. 

Duncan and his Spurs team-mates visited President Obama at the White House following their 2014 win

Duncan also met President George Bush, following the Spurs' NBA Championship victory in 2003