We all knew the day would come, but maybe not this soon: The Spurs legendary forward Timothy Theodore “Tim” Duncan hung up his kicks and called it a day as a player in the National Basketball Association deciding to forgo a farewell tour.
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Duncan was never one for big endorsement deals or look-at-me press conferences, which is why he was often overshadowed in the public eye by more outsized personalities like the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and Cleveland’s LeBron James.
“If asked to write a script for my career 19 years ago, there is no way I would’ve been able to dream up this journey”, Duncan said. Before he retired, Duncan and Kevin Garnett were the only two players left in the National Basketball Association from their 1997 draft – Duncan was the first-overall draft pick that year and Garnett the fifth. Also the number of decades in which he won National Basketball Association championships, something no other player in league history has done, and the number of times he came off the bench in his regular-season career. “And it would be because he’s the most real, consistent, true person that I’ve ever met in my life”.
“Tim Duncan is one of the most dominant players in NBA history”, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said, adding that Duncan’s “understated selflessness made him the ultimate teammate”.
“I don’t think we’re going to see Timmy going up and down the sidelines much”, Popovich said.
Spurs fans have been watching the 40 year old, Tim Duncan play for 19 years.
But Tim Duncan is an inspiration to NBA players, particularly Jahlil Okafor, a player caught in the mix of center or power forward, of youth, and of the NBA potential to have his own star in the NBA someday. Thank you to the fans all over the world.
It’ll be hard to create a culture like the one the Spurs have, because it’ll take a leader who is committed win lose or draw to his team.
But the San Antonio Spurs coach made a wonderful exception Tuesday.
Serrano says he understands why some say Duncan’s low-key approach on the court mirrors the city’s personality.
With Monday featuring sports news like Jordan Spieth announcing he will skip the Olympics, UFC being sold for over $4 billion and Giancarlo Stanton setting a record by smashing 61 homers in the home run derby, the Duncan retirement is one that stood out to me.
So we’re playing the Spurs and I get the ball on the post.
Papa Duncan is truly looking down from heaven, immensely proud the job that Pop did to live up to his promise.
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A quick Google search for the product comes up empty, but it’s safe to say this fine piece of memorabilia dates back to Duncan’s days as a pitchman for adidas.
