SAN ANTONIO
Tim Duncan brought more than gaudy numbers night after night for 19 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.
Fittingly, while the Spurs retired Duncan’s No. 21 on Sunday night, those stats rarely came up.
“I don’t even want to talk about rebounds or points and all that sort of things,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “This individual made it possible for everybody that we brought in to be a part of this culture and be a part of the program.”
Duncan’s jersey was raised to the AT&T Center rafters in a ceremony following a 113-100 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. His number now hangs not far from banners celebrating the five NBA championships he and the Spurs won during his career.
“I’ve gotten just an amazing response and just an overwhelming amount of love from these guys of what I meant to them,” Duncan said during a five-minute speech. “It doesn’t even explain how much they meant to me. I got so much more from you guys, from my teammates, than they can explain that they got from me. I know that.”
With his son, daughter and girlfriend by his side, Duncan listened and laughed as Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili ribbed and praised their longtime teammate.
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