The wins and losses will be remembered, but what I’ll remember most are the people:The fans inside the arena and out, the staff and coaches who pushed me and held me together, the teammates (and even opponents) who will be lifelong friends, sharing my ups and downs with family and close friends, and, most importantly, the snapshots of my kids growing up and reveling in watching Dad work.
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San Antonio Spurs long time coach Gregg Popovich described five-time National Basketball Association champion Tim Duncan Tuesday as the best example of a leader any coach in the National Basketball Association could hope for. “He led by example”. He grew emotional as he says he “enjoyed the ride” and he thanked Spurs fans and all of those who have reached out in the last two days.
“I about lost it on that one”, Duncan said during the interview streamed online by ViVid Streaming. The goal was to create a superteam of Duncan, Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady that would dominate the Eastern Conference and compete with the Kobe-Shaq Lakers for championships.
The 40-year-old Duncan, who was selected as the first overall pick in the 1997 National Basketball Association draft, spent his entire career with the Spurs – an anomaly in a league where players often change teams. Duncan said he got a personal note from Kerr saying something along those lines.
It’s unlikely anyone other than the Warriors comes out of the West this season, but after all these years, one must know to never count out Ginobili and the Spurs.
“I could probably still play”.
“But he’s why I’m standing”.
“Came early, stayed late, was there for every single person, from the top of the roster to the bottom of the roster”.
Duncan, a native of the Virgin Islands, was a 3-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player and a two-time regular season MVP.
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“Thank you to the city of San Antonio for the love and support over these years”, Duncan concluded.
