Three Things I Will Miss About Tim Duncan
The day came and went, and it’s still so surreal.
The man I idolized throughout my childhood decided to walk away from the game on which he had an enormous impact. Without a farewell tour or cry for attention, Tim Duncan retired in the most Tim Duncan way possible.
This article will not debate where Tim Duncan sits on the all-time great rankings or why he should reverse his decision, return to the Spurs and win a sixth championship.
That can be discussed at some later time. This article is about celebrating what made Duncan one of San Antonio’s most beloved community members to ever grace the River Walk.
1. The Signature Moves
To the less-than-casual fan, Duncan pounding the ball on the high post with his back to the basket was probably boring; but to those who frequented Spurs games, those who knew basketball, it was genuinely exciting.
When Duncan began his signature post up, you knew that something beautiful, dare I say perfect, was about to happen.
Time and time again, Timmy performed that simple yet smooth pivot to face his opponent, only to then give him that deadly blank Tim Duncan stare.
Facing the basket and watching his teammates’ off-ball movement, he’d throw in a couple jab steps to keep his soon-to-be victim guessing his next move.
Backboard, bucket. Repeat.
To mix things up, he would forgo the early pivot and back down his opponent with surprising strength for someone who wanted to be nicknamed Merlin. Throw in a little shoulder shimmy, and he’d finish it off with that tough fade-away bank.
The man is known for hitting some ridiculous shots, most notably while falling down with multiple bodies surrounding him. Not only were these shots difficult, he would do them throughout the clutch moments of the game. (Remember his incredibly clutch shot just before Derek Fisher hit that bullshit .4 buzzer beater that shouldn’t have counted but counted but shouldn’t have but did anyway even though it really shouldn’t have?)
Simply put, Tim Duncan was clutch.
2. Timmy Antics
As good as he was on the court, Tim Duncan takes goofiness off of the court to a whole new level. Although he tried to stay out of the spotlight and wasn’t keen on attention, the cameras still loved him.
Whether it was the way he dressed:
Or perhaps his unique silly moments on the bench:
The man could get a good chuckle out of you even when he wasn’t trying.
3. Dedication to Team
I could make a never-ending list of things I loved about Tim Duncan, but what really stands out to me is the love he had for the silver and black.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” — John Quincy Adams
On this saddddddddd occassion, teammates and opponents alike from both the past and present are pouring their praises for The Big Fundamental. If you’ve ever watched a Spurs timeout, you know one of the first guys off the bench to encourage his teammates was Duncan. He wasn’t the most vocal leader, but he made his presence known.
If you ever saw Timothy argue, it always (emphasis on always) was only with a ref after a called foul on him. Duncan wouldn’t yell at his teammates if he didn’t get the ball, he wouldn’t throw a fit on the sideline when the team was struggling, and he would never question a move that Popovich made. He wasn’t a diva, he didn’t make outlandish demands to the organization, he didn’t have the ego of a typical superstar. Rather, he was the ultimate player, teammate and friend.
Ultimately, it’s incredibly sad to see Duncan not only leave the Spurs, but the game in general. No matter what, he always gave his all; he had a drive in him that never stopped nor settled, and he always wanted to win for not only himself, but also his team.
I hope you enjoy retirement and we will definitely miss you, Timmy.
P.S. I will always miss when you used to school the young guns.
