Dear Tim Duncan – A Letter To Tim Duncan

Dear Tim Duncan,

You’ve finally done it, you’ve finally called it a day after all these years. I knew this day would come, and I’ve anticipated it for some time, but I’m still as shocked and humbled by it than I could have ever prepared for.

I had a sense this was coming. After the Spurs bowed out against the Thunder in the Playoffs, I sensed this could be the end for you. I believed it was the right time. I sat there and watched, as you left it all out on the court. A 40 year old veteran, leaving your heart and soul out there, outplaying teammates who were supposed to be the superstars in your team, who let you down.

I watched as the Oklahoma crowd, and even some of the players knew it could be the end, and gave you a standing ovation as you left the court. My heart sank. I know it could be the end, and it was.

Perhaps we would have liked for you to tell us it could be, but then again, it’s so Tim Duncan of you not to. There will be no farewell tour. There will no celebration. You will just ride off into the sunset quietly, just like we all thought you might. It really personifies who you are, simply and utterly, a class act.

There were nights where you were a monster. After the game, reporters would ask you what you did personally to get into that zone, your replies would always be perfect; “Tony was great tonight”, “Manu was great tonight”‘, “Coach Pop put me in a position to be successful”. It’s not everyday we come across a selfless superstar in the NBA, but you fell into that rare category.

Watching Greg Popovich getting so emotional when talking about you today was gut wrenching. To see a man like that, the way he is, getting choked up and teary eyed talking about one of his players was pure, raw emotion. The way he was speaking, it was like he was talking about his own son. After the interview was finished, he walked away quietly, lonely, and all by himself, resembling the loss of a beloved member of his family. That’s the impact you had on him, and so many personalities around the NBA, fans included.

I’m going to miss a lot of things about you, Tim. Your court greatness, the blank stare into opponents and the referees eyes, your leadership, your sacrifice, your willingness to wear whatever you wanted, no matter how it looked. To be honest, the entire basketball world is going to miss everything about you, and so they should.

People used to say you were boring to watch, but the brilliance in your fundamentally simplistic play was genius. You were amazing, and the bank was open for you on more nights than anyone else in NBA history.

I wish you could see all the tributes you are receiving, but through all the glitz and glamor of the NBA, you forgot to get Twitter. So very fitting.

We will miss you Tim Duncan. I hope we see you around the NBA often, because I know you’d like to fade into the distance as a memory, as close to an urban legend myth as any superstar would strive to achieve.

You were an honor to watch through all these years. Enjoy retirement and good luck in your next phase of excellence.

Without question, the greatest power forward we’ve ever seen.