San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan is ready to return for a run at a sixth NBA title next season.
The Spurs announced on Monday that Duncan had decided to exercise his contract option to play another season - at a salary of $US10.3 million ($A11.15 million).
Duncan, the No.1 overall selection in the 1997 NBA draft, has played his entire 17-year career with the Spurs.
But some had speculated that after San Antonio's NBA championship triumph over the Miami Heat, Duncan might elect to head off into the sunset with his five titles.
While the 38-year-old is in the twilight of his career, Duncan has remained extremely effective.
The 14-time All-Star averaged 15.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks over 74 regular-season games in 2013-14.
He averaged 16.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists while starting all 23 playoff games, helping the Spurs to the club's fifth NBA title since 1999.
Duncan is the Spurs' all-time leader in games played with 1254, points scored with 24,904 and rebounds with 13,940.
He is one of five players, along with Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to win five NBA titles and five Most Valuable Player awards for the regular season or NBA finals.
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