On Monday, San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor declared tomorrow, July 21, as “Tim Duncan Day.” We’ll share a few of our favourite protection on Duncan tomorrow, however to kick issues off earlier than that, we requested a few of our workers to mirror on Duncan’s profession and to share a few of their favourite tales or moments.
Tim Duncan has at all times been the consummate skilled and a pillar of the Spurs group for the previous 19 years. The NBA could by no means see one other mannequin of consistency and excellence like Timmy once more. His humility and work ethic led to an historic profession that’s arguably one of many best careers in any sport ever. The reverberations of dedication to the crew over self will proceed to be felt and acknowledged for generations to return. Duncan could by no means really get the popularity he deserves and that’s simply the best way he desires it. – Winston Harris
(Picture by Stephen Dunn/Getty Photographs)
There’s nothing about Tim Duncan’s influence on the sport, town of San Antonio and the world, that hasn’t already been written. The toughest a part of his retirement is understanding that his profession will now be nothing however tales, YouTube movies, statistics in a document e book and a jersey hung from the AT&T Heart rafters for eternity. My future children won’t ever be capable to see Tim Duncan stay. They received’t be capable to watch the draft lottery and see San Antonio draw the primary choose. They received’t be capable to witness analysts and specialists debate if San Antonio ought to choose Duncan or Keith Van Horn. They’ll by no means see Duncan dominate three a long time price of Corridor of Fame expertise in Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki or Blake Griffin. They received’t perceive that Tim Duncan not solely demanded the most effective out of himself, but additionally his teammates and everybody that surrounded him. Or how his presence and persona, irrespective of how muted, uplifted Spurs followers and your complete metropolis of San Antonio for 19 years. The toughest a part of Duncan’s retirement is understanding that with each passing day, microscopic items of his legacy will probably be forgotten and misplaced ceaselessly, till there’s nothing however the aforementioned YouTube clips and tribute items. The archives will bear in mind Duncan as winner, however together with his retirement, we’ve all misplaced. – John Diaz
The way in which Tim Duncan went about being celebrity was utterly distinctive, from staying in class for 4 years to retiring by a brief crew press launch somewhat than a season lengthy reward receiving tour. At each level in between, he epitomized manufacturing, consistency, and substance over model. For practically twenty years, his singular focus was ensuring his Spurs acquired extra buckets than the opposite crew did. The connection between him and Coach Popovich was not like every other, and San Antonio was the proper metropolis for them to stay and work in. Along with being the best energy ahead ever he’s one of many best gamers, winners, and teammates in basketball historical past, and it’s as a result of he labored exhausting and earned it each single day. I might say we’ll by no means see one other participant together with his mixture of expertise and quiet humility, however the tradition he helped construct retains discovering guys who’ve gotten over themselves. Thanks Tim, for all that you’ve achieved, constructed, and proven us. – Tom Petrini
Tim Duncan’s humble nature was not solely a novel distinction to his contemporaries, however was a deliberate approach to make sure that he had no friends. The right athlete. – Ryan McCallum
My favourite half about Tim Duncan is he did it his approach. Individuals say that to explain athletes and other people on a regular basis however no one absolutely embodied that mantra fairly like Duncan did. From his garments, to his interviews, to his model on the courtroom, he’s at all times been uniquely vanilla. Even within the early years when Kevin Garnett would yell in his face throughout video games, Duncan would stay unfazed, wanting on with a 1,000-yard stare as he quietly notches one other double-double. Regardless of cries of “boring” from a technology of NBA followers, he by no means modified his model and remained a beacon of consistency. 5 championships, 19 straight playoff appearances, 15 All-Star video games, numerous different accolades, but he was hardly within the nationwide highlight. Outdoors from native HEB commercials, you hardly ever noticed Duncan on TV exterior a Spurs sport. Whether or not it was his alternative or not, Duncan’s obscurity is what San Antonio followers liked essentially the most about him. Who cares if no one else is paying consideration? He’s our star, our legend. You may maintain the commercials. We’ll take the rings. – Keff Ciardello
(Picture by Ronald Martinez/Getty Photographs)
I grew up with Tim Duncan as my function mannequin and my hero. My first yr watching NBA basketball as a six yr previous was the yr earlier than he acquired drafted. Over practically twenty years {of professional} basketball, he at all times exemplified competitors, excellence, exhausting work, and was (is) the epitome of selflessness, each on and off the courtroom. I’ve by no means met the person, but he taught me a lot with out saying one phrase. Watching him stroll in direction of the locker room in OKC this Could, taking one final have a look at the hardwood earlier than pointing skyward together with his again turned to the basketball world gave me chills. I spent the higher a part of the final two months hoping that he would come again for one ultimate experience, so I might purchase as many nosebleed seats as I might subsequent season and take in each minute of Tim Duncan potential. Now that he’s made it official, I’m right here on the age of 25 a greater individual due to him, and I do know many others share that feeling. Thanks Tim. – Zac Graham
I’ve been a Spurs fan since I used to be six years previous. I nonetheless bear in mind going to my first sport on the Alamodome in opposition to the Portland Trailblazers. I used to be hooked from there on out. As I acquired older, Tim Duncan grew to become one among my idols. Not solely was he a dominating power on the basketball courtroom, however I discovered its what he did off the courtroom that really outlined him. His Breast Most cancers bowling event, basketball camps and what he’s accomplished for town. I don’t know a Spurs crew with out Tim Duncan and subsequent season will probably be bizarre. However I’m grateful I acquired to observe him play. Thanks, Timmy! Comfortable retirement. – Stephen Anderson
I’ve been lucky sufficient to be on the Alamodome and AT&T Heart for some nice moments in Tim Duncan’s profession, from the 1999 Championship run on all through his profession. Overlaying his penultimate All-Star look was one second I particularly loved. A couple of years earlier than that, after I coated dwelling video games recurrently, I bear in mind pondering that I used to be getting to observe what absolutely have been the ultimate years of his profession and being grateful for the privilege. I watched each one among his video games after that with a distinct perspective, and I additionally discovered lots about management from his instance. Other than the numerous issues town and the franchise need to be glad about, I’m additionally grateful that my nephews and different children in San Antonio acquired to develop up idolizing an athlete who did it the proper approach. In an age the place among the high jersey and sneaker sellers generally find yourself within the headlines for the fallacious causes, I take consolation in understanding children are proudly carrying their #21 jerseys round San Antonio. – Michael De Leon