Spurs Roster & Trade Rumors: Tim Duncan Leaves Team for 'The Punisher' Comic Book?

In a concrete sign of just how big NBA stars are, one of them has been cast to appear in the next issue of "The Punisher" comic book.

It doesn't come as a surprise that Marvel has chosen San Antonio Spurs player Tim Duncan to be part of the upcoming "The Punisher" release. The 6'11" forward has made it pretty obvious that he is a big fan, writes Pounding The Rock. In fact, in early 2012, a fan posted a photo of Duncan's pre-game practice knee brace, which revealed a custom-painted logo of "The Punisher," before he eventually placed a protected covering over it. 

"During the games the brace is covered with a sleeve, so you would not see this unless you were in the AT&T Center around two hours before game time. I have watched him warmup other times this season and never noticed it, so it may be new. It reminds me of the skeleton shoes he wore early season," according to a post by janieannie on Pounding The Rock. 

In May 2014, George Kiel also posted a photo on Twitter showing Duncan's Punisher-themed knee braces for the Spurs vs Mavericks game, as reported by Bleacher Report. 

News of his participation in the next Punisher comic was revealed via a Facebook post on BlackJack Speed Shop, the automobile customization store that he owns. The announcement came with a teaser photo of how he is illustrated in the issue. 

"Ok Tim Duncan and Punisher Fans; this is what you have all been waiting for! Thank You to our Friends at Heroes and Fantasies, Marvel Comics and Gunn Automotive group. We are proud to announce a very special release of The Punisher featuring TD!!! Tim and BlackJack will also be building a replica of the car featured in the comic! Want to win this Car??? All of the proceeds from this auction will be donated to a local San Antonio Charity! Stay tuned to Win!!! ‪#‎blackjackspeedshopbuilt‬," said the post. 

To fans of both Duncan and "The Punisher," this bit of info is awesome news. Not only will they get to see their favorites in one page, but they will also take part in a good cause. A replica of the car that will be featured in the issue will be built and then auctioned off, and the proceeds will go to a charity in San Antonio. Details of this philanthropic move are unclear as of this writing. 

According to a post on the comments of the Facebook announcement, the artist who worked on the comic is San Antonio native Mike Choi, who will be visiting the city for a signing at Heroes and Fantasies on October 25, or the date when the special issue will be released.