The whole NBA world knows how Gregg Popovich acts, especially during interviews and press conferences. He usually gives one word answers, and more often than not, trolls the person asking the question.
But things were way different as he addressed the media on Tuesday afternoon, talking about the retirement of arguably his favorite son, Tim Duncan. In a video uploaded by Jabari Young on his Twitter account, Coach Pop had this to say:
“It's not a show of humility in any sense or form. People who grew up with me know me,” Popovich explained. “I would not be standing here if it wasn't for Tim Duncan. I'd be in the Budweiser League someplace in America, fat and still trying to play basketball or coach basketball. But he's why I'm standing. He's made livings for hundreds of us, staff and coaches, over the years and never said a word, just came to work every day. Came early, stayed late, was there for every single person, from the top of the roster to the bottom of the roster, because that's who he was, in all those respects.”
The Big Fundamental announced his retirement yesterday after a stellar 19-year, all in a San Antonio Spurs jersey, and all under Popovich. During that stretch, he has won five NBA championships, a Rookie of the Year trophy, two league MVPs, and three finals MVPs.
His coach had only good words for his long-time player:
“He's irreplaceable. It can't happen, We're all unique. I guess each one of us is unique. But he's been so important to so many people, it's just mind boggling. To think that he's going to be gone makes it really difficult to imagine walking into practice, going to a game, getting on the bus, taking him a piece of carrot cake — whatever it might be.
“You don't see Timmy beating his chest as if he was the first human being to dunk the basketball, as a lot of people do these days. He's not pointing to the sky. He's not glamming to the cameras. He just plays, and we've seen it for so long it's become almost mundane. But it's so special that it has to be remembered.”
When asked if he's going to reach out to Duncan for a possible job in the Spurs' coaching staff, he said he is “way too smart” for any coaching position, adding:
“I don't think we're going to see Timmy going up and down the sidelines much, but I have a notion he will at least listen to being involved, somehow or other, maybe even on a part-time basis. I'm certainly going to hit with everything I have to keep him around here as long as I possibly can because he means that much to everyone in the organization.”
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