Tim Duncan

[le_sean]

The best and leaving in the classiest way.

Can't wait until Lebron's 3 hour retirement special featuring celebrity guests after a similar farewell tour to Kobe with 45 min presentations at the beginning of each game.

 

[TNT87]

About as humble a superstar as you ever want to see in any sport. Truly a class act and a great player.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Much respect to Duncan. Not the biggest basketball fan, but the way he conducted himself made me respect a lot.

In a sea of pompous, arrogant, over-promoted stars was Tim Duncan. A guy who would just show up to the arena, do his job (do it well might i add) and then go home. No showing off, no ego. Nothing. Just a basketball player playing the game. Pure class and humility all the way as evidenced by the fact he's not even going to be at his retirement conference.

With all of that being said, how much of this decision was influenced by the events that unfolded in free agency? San Antonio was a legitimate title contender before the Warriors went nuts, but obviously their moves changed things. Seems crazy to me Duncan would walk out on another legit shot at a title if it was there. Though he did look kind of old towards the end of the year anyway.

Rides off into the sunset not with a bang, but a whimper. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

Good bye Duncan. You were a hell or a player.

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

double post

 

[le_sean]

Much respect to Duncan. Not the biggest basketball fan, but the way he conducted himself made me respect a lot.

In a sea of pompous, arrogant, over-promoted stars was Tim Duncan. A guy who would just show up to the arena, do his job (do it well might i add) and then go home. No showing off, no ego. Nothing. Just a basketball player playing the game. Pure class and humility all the way as evidenced by the fact he's not even going to be at his retirement conference.

With all of that being said, how much of this decision was influenced by the events that unfolded in free agency? San Antonio was a legitimate title contender before the Warriors went nuts, but obviously their moves changed things. Seems crazy to me Duncan would walk out on another legit shot at a title if it was there. Though he did look kind of old towards the end of the year anyway.

Rides off into the sunset not with a bang, but a whimper. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

San Antonio is still a legit contender. They won 67 games last year, which was overshadowed by the Warriors. Yeah they lost to the Thunder but they replace Duncan with Gasol, who averaged double the PPG and added 4 more RPG than Duncan. I wouldn't sleep on them.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Kobe needed his Rivera/Jeter pat-on-the-back fest playing for a team that was garbage while this man just went to work and did his job. True professional that has never been about himself.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

And he retires the only way he could have.

That is perfect.

Literally perfect.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

My only regret is that he was literally a missed free throw by Kahwi Leonard away from six

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Nothing but respect for Duncan. Reminds me a lot of Lidstrom in his consistency and how he handled himself.

 

[JS19]

Such an absurdly consistent player, plus I love his quiet attitude. All he was as a basketball player was showing up, dominating, and going home. He didn't care about the attention and bravado that other stars seem to be crazy about. Pretty sad to see him leave, I just realized I've been watching him for nearly 10 years.

 

[Tom Brady]

Sad day for Spurs fans all around the world, i had a blast watching him, my favorite player of all time.

 

[Six Assets]

Great player, probably 10th all time. No way near the level of Kobe though, which is no knock on him. Still a hella great player.

 

[Jack Straw]

Farewell to an all-time great.

 

[Morozov]

I remember when I was really young I hated him, so did many of my friends. So boring, where's the dunks, where's the stomping round the court talking ****. Uninformed young me thought he sucked, KG was much much better.

Then I started to get older, I started to get more mature, and my appreciation of Duncan grew and grew. It became cool to me that this guy was a professional, that he didn't feel the need to go around spouting off, he was quiet, unassuming, unselfish, and got the job done. He didn't need attention, he didn't need validation, he just worked hard and got the rewards. His play always did the talking and it spoke loud and clear.

For that reason, I've come to have such a soft spot for Timmy as so many do. I know it's weird, but I can plot my development from young punk kid to reasonable adult through my appreciation of the big fundamental. I've had many conversations with a couple of guys I watch ball with where we have had this same reflection, poll us when we were younger, give me KG, give me C-Webb, today give me TD without hesitation.

And now, unsurprisingly, I ****ing loathe KG.

 

[Morozov]

Nothing but respect for Duncan. Reminds me a lot of Lidstrom in his consistency and how he handled himself.

Great comparison I think. The guy who is consistent, dominant, great team success, and yet always the guy who felt like he was just there. Appreciated by everyone and yet seemingly unnoticed at times as well, or perhaps just taken for granted. It's easy to forget them at times in a world where so many people want to say look at me look at me. Substance over style in a world seemingly obsessed with style at times.

 

[Power Man]

Such an absurdly consistent player, plus I love his quiet attitude. All he was as a basketball player was showing up, dominating, and going home. He didn't care about the attention and bravado that other stars seem to be crazy about. Pretty sad to see him leave, I just realized I've been watching him for nearly 10 years.

At Wake Forest, Tim Duncan published a paper in a psychology journal. Look at the title. https://t.co/XwcsRN3H9T https://t.co/e1YIl8Nqec

 

[pahlsson]

sad

it's all KDs fault too

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Top 12 all time. Casual fans will always consider the more exciting, flashy, Lakers Kobe and Magic better, but Tim was great and won 5 rings also. The Admiral never won a ring w/o Tim.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

What a player, so much class

NBA is going to miss this guy

Great career Tim, enjoy your retirement

 

[Melrose Munch]

Time for Tim to rest

 

[Voight]

Best PF ever. Look up loyalty in the dictionary and you will see him and Kobe, sucks we are losing two absolute legends in the same year.

I spent parts of my early years in SA, always had a small piece of me devoted to the Spurs. Model franchise led by a model player. His 2003 finals was one of the best ever.

 

[darko]

Best PF ever. Look up loyalty in the dictionary and you will see him and Kobe, sucks we are losing two absolute legends in the same year.

I spent parts of my early years in SA, always had a small piece of me devoted to the Spurs. Model franchise led by a model player. His 2003 finals was one of the best ever.

The difference being that Kobe was handsomely paid to be loyal while Duncan took paycuts for the team to remain a contender.

 

[Morozov]

And he asked the Lakers to trade him like ten years back. Had the Lakers and Chicago been able to agree on a deal then "loyal" Kobe would have been gone as was his wish.

Pretty sure the Lakers also had a deal lined up for him but Kobe vetoed it because they weren't one of the destinations he requested.

 

[KaylaJ]

It's really not going to hit me until the first game and he's not there. It'll be weird when I go to the AT&T Center and his picture isn't on the revolving roster out front. It'll probably make me emotional when I see in person his jersey after they retire it above me in the rafters. I've said it before, but I remember where I was when the Spurs won the draft and being dumbfounded. If you had told me back then that SA would be so successful I would've probably laughed. If you had told me the quiet big guys would one day actually get respect I would've called the loony bin.


Until all then I have a bunch of happy memories that fans from other teams would die for, Kobe fans reminding me that apparently his goodbye tour is still ongoing, and others trying to tell me that KD's decision was more important in this than the health of a 40 year old's knees ....