If it wasnt like that, Tim wasnt interested. The Wizards charged back behind Porzingis, who had three baskets in a little more than two minutes to cut it to 105-102 with 2:21 remaining. Buford, Blucas and Babby will be in attendance. San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan gives thanks in stirring Hall of Fame speech, As Duncan enters Hall, he relishes the journey, From the Virgin Islands to the Hall of Fame: Tim Duncans unlikely journey, Texas earns No. It was a heartfelt speech that didn't appear to rely much on a teleprompter. During the 2022 Hall of Fame Press Conference, Ginobili made sure to credit his former Spurs teammate, Tim Duncan, for achieving enough success to receive the highest honor a player could land in their basketball career. Every business begun before the Internet now faces the same challenge: How to transform to compete in a digital economy? 21 jersey in a moving ceremony. Ginobili mentioned that he "learned so much" from being his fellow Hall of Fame member and former teammate. Listen to Hall of Fame inductee and former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson's full speech at the Pro Football HOF Class of 2020 enshrinement ceremony. He was already playing like he belonged. On ExpressNews.com: Mike Finger: In Hall of Fame, Tim Duncan finds another perfect fit. The star-studded class, led by Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and the late Kobe Bryant, was chosen in April 2020, but the enshrinement ceremony was delayed due to the pandemic. I think Pop shared stories about who he was, his background, and Pop doesnt open up to that a lot now. Manu also shared how Popovich helped him and his family not only on the court, but also off it.+, Manu Ginobili got emotional thanking Gregg Popovich in his Hall of Fame speech pic.twitter.com/hHV18Fwe4y, ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) September 11, 2022. He was a guy that wanted to enjoy the moment he was in at that point, as opposed to just looking ahead and always dreaming up.. Tim Duncan | Hall of Fame Enshrinement Speech NBA 19.8M subscribers Try it free Subscribe 19K Share Save 813K views 1 year ago Check out Tim Duncan's full speech following his. Were talking about it, and I said, Listen, Tim, my job is to represent you. Duncans older brother, Scott, is working alongside the Hall of Famers childhood friend, Rashidi Clenance, to chronicle his beginnings. Tim Duncan thanks Gregg Popovich for the impact he had on his life, on and off the court. 1 overall, Popovich booked a flight to the Virgin Islands to spend time with Duncan. Without the willingness from Ginobili to sacrifice, it's highly unlikely the Spurs would have had a dynasty. He just loved playing the game and went about his business. 11965351007, Ja Morant shows off gun on Instagram Live, Draymond Green on Westbrook: You kind of start questioning yourself, Source: Telekom Bonn targets Davide Alviti, Olimpia Milanos Devon Hall suffered a right knees lesion, Brescia stuns Milano to set Coppa Italia Semifinal against Pesaro, Olimpia takes the floor in the Italian Cup,Coach Messina: Small details crucial in elimination games, Lenovo Tenerife officially signs Leandro Bolmaro, Marko Guduric reportedly close to extend with Fenerbahce, Singapore to host FIBA Intercontinental Cup under three-year partnership. Neither team had a double-digit lead through three quarters, but Toronto appeared to be taking control when it opened a 97-84 advantage with 9:24 to play. Of course, it wasnt. That one season fighting alongside the power forward made a powerful impression on Blucas. It still resonates loudly at the teams facility. He thanked his three children and wife Vanessa. Looking at 5 key stats heading into Saturday's clash between top East teams Philadelphia and Milwaukee. We already know about the mind-boggling stats, the five titles, the two MVPs and 15 All-Star appearances, not to mention the fact Duncan retired in 2016 ranked second in playoff victories, first in playoff double-doubles and third in postseason rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Wizards. Winning was what he was concerned with, nothing else. There was a high standard for success achieved during Ginobili's time with the Spurs. James Edward Rice (born March 8, 1953), nicknamed "Jim Ed", is a former Major League Baseball left fielder and designated hitter.He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 26, 2009, as the 103rd member voted in by the BBWAA.Rice played his entire 16-year baseball career for the Boston Red Sox.. Rice was an eight-time American League (AL) All-Star and was named the AL's Most . Thats less about what he did and more about how he did it. It started with Cory Alexander, then (Phoenix Suns coach) Monty (Williams), then Malik (Rose), Antonio Daniels.. Thats also not why hes being inducted. Tims like, Im not kidding you. Keep in mind that despite Duncans near-flawless fundamentals, he never flashed awe-inspiring athleticism. Tim Duncan shows appreciation for the teammates he had the opportunity to share the floor with during his 19 years with the @spurs. Thats when Elliott says he learned that you could show him something youve been doing for years, like Timmy did to those kids in the league, but hed turn around in 10 minutes and be better than you. section: | slug: tim-duncan-thanks-gregg-popovich-in-heartfelt-moment-during-hall-of-fame-speech | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | "He always took the lead, even Manu and Tony looked toward him, and he gave of himself in a very humble and quiet way. The move came as no surprise within the organization, as it understood from the beginning that Duncan would assist Popovich for only a short period. He was previously the head coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs among other clubs, and a former rugby . He got just as emotional when he talked about his basketball family. The Argentine icon almost got teary eyed as he sent his heartfelt Thank you to Coach Pop, who made it possible for him to thrive in the NBA. After Kyle Kuzma made a pair of free throws to cut it to one, VanVleet knocked down another 3 that made it 113-109, and Siakams three-point play with 15 seconds to go put it away. Weve got work to do, Spurs CEO R.C. After every incident and report, the people close to Morant the Grizzlies organization, his teammates, his agent defended him. Scott Duncan says the documentary will highlight the islands influence on Tim Duncans ascension. As the Spurs started preparations for Duncans induction ceremony, a contingent of staffers strolled past general manager Brian Wrights office. Tim Duncan will officially become a Hall-of-Famer on Satuday. Ginobili mentioned that David Robinson could have been an option to present him at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, but called Duncan as a 'no-brainer' for a choice. They told me and made me take pride in everything I did.. Its this great balance of, Were gonna work our asses off, and thats whats expected of everybody. This is the most nervous Ive ever been in my life, Duncan said. Wright had 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds. The truth is, its impossible to distill Duncans career into words or some lengthy think piece. Kobe Bryant is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame now, along with contemporaries Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, headliners of a group of nine who got their delayed and. Even in retirement, he texts members of the Spurs staff saying he misses them, that he cant wait to get back into the gym with them. Until your good is better and your better is best., "My mom and my dada combined zero basketball knowledge. He has a resume that can be stacked up against fellow inductee Kobe Bryant: five-time NBA champion, three-time Finals MVP, two-time NBA MVP, 15-time All-NBA, 15-time All-Defensive team, 15-time All-Star. Retired Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas, who was named to seven Pro Bowls and five First-Team All-Pro squads, has been named one of the 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. NOcommercial, non-profit, or governmental use of any kind is allowed without Sportando's written permission. Tim Duncan's Naismith Hall of Fame Induction Speech 05/15/2021 5 NBA champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) 3 NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005 2 NBA Most Valuable Player (2002, 2003) 15. List of journal articles on the topic 'Great Britain. Tomjanovich was still coaching the rival Houston Rockets when Duncan joined the Spurs as the No. If he wasnt 6-11, you would have no idea that he was who he became.. "With his teammates, he set the quiet example of competing every day," Pop said. He opted not to go too emotional when it comes to Duncan, though, as Ginobili instead chose to clown his good friend and former teammate with an old joke about him. Plus, Duncan wanted to be there for his teammates and live out the whole college experience. Be the best at everything I did. The enshrinement ceremony for the Basketball Hall of Fame's 2020 and 2021 classes -- which includes late Lakers legend and 18-time NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant and 15-time All-Stars Tim Duncan and . 11:23 pm ET, Vintage Harden leads Philly to statement win over Bucks, Morant to miss 'at least' two games after IG post, Celtics seek revenge against streaking Knicks, Bucks vs. 76ers odds, picks, computer sims, NBA DFS picks, lineups, advice, March 4 strategy, Grizzlies' Clarke out for season with Achilles injury, Window for Durant, Suns is open -- until it's not, Morant to miss two games after video with gun, Nuggets beat Grizz, likely lock up West's top spot, Randle's game-winner runs Knicks' win streak to eight. He thanked Wake Forest coach Dave Odom. #20HoopClass enshrinee, Tim Duncan. He thanked many in the Spurs organization, including the Holt family, CEO R.C. You draft around your superstar and their leadership qualities. 2019: Al Attles, Carl Braun, Charles "Chuck" Cooper . The message was clear from Ginobili: No Duncan as his teammate, and there's no Hall of Fame consideration for himself at the end of his basketball career. I need to be sensitive to his feelings., I remember turning to him and saying, Well, listen. Im going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.. So, lets have a good time doing it. So, after graduation, Blucas booked the trip to the island. Hes the most selfless individual Ive ever been around, said coach Gregg Popovich. Thats kind of what matters most to Tim, and its so pure. [Pause 2:24:00] BK's ambitions after leaving university; wasn't seeking career like friends; disillusioned with corruption etc. "He told me in his last days, pulled me over and said, 'My boy better not change, you cannot let my boy change, I want him to be the same person he is today," Pop said. He was a 15-time All-NBA team member, a three-time Finals most valuable player and two-time regular season MVP.. The five-time NBA champ was notorious for his reticent personality. The least-touted of Wake Forests three recruits from the 1993 class, Duncan expected to redshirt as a freshman. His 1,001 career victories are. To this day, Duncan remains a regular inside the Spurs practice gym on the Northwest side of San Antonio. Tim Duncan #20HoopClass pic.twitter.com/nU1hUNyG6O. I said, This is going to be tough. And it was.. Ginobili put together a highly impressive NBA career in addition to the success he achieved in the EuroLeague and with the Argentinian men's national team. Ill never forget looking at Randolph Childress and saying, Hey, weve got to go tell (coach Dave) Odom not to redshirt this kid. We went down there and just told him.. Pop being crazy, he thought Scot Pollard was who we should Draft, Buford said. I thought that was normal, but it was not., Duncan thanked Popovich for teaching me about basketball, but even beyond that teaching me that its not all about basketball.. Check out Tim Duncan's milestones throughout his career from his first points in Milwaukee to his 25,000th point at the Staples Center. Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 4, 2023. 8 seed Texas Tech or No. VanVleet missed another 3 and Beal missed a jumper to force the extra period. "They told me, and made me have pride in everything I did. Recovery time from this injury varies from player to player, but he is likely out for about a year. Hall of Fame acceptance speech. Buford even admitted that the kiss of death was to become good friends with Tim because I think we traded everyone that Timmy was good friends with. I wanted to see where he came from, the lessons, morals and all the things that he applied to the game, he said. You are an exceptional person. Ja Morant being sued after allegedly punching a 17-year-old boy more than a dozen times and flashing a gun at him over the summer (accusations he has denied). He wasnt just the leader because he was the best player, he was the best player because he was a tremendous leader. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili will reunite this September at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 3 Kansas, QB prospect Will Levis doesnt lack confidence at combine, SA Veterans Memorial wins region crown, advances to state semis. NBA (@NBA) May 15, 2021 Duncan's speech was a celebration of all the people who played a role in getting him to this point, whether they were in the world of basketball or in his personal. Never let it rest. Today, during the Class of 2020 press. Ginobili's humble attitude has clearly continued into his retirement. So, when they return to the beach, Duncan calmly explains, Hey, youve got to piss on it., Im like, Ha ha, funny Island Boy. Timmy was in the gym that day, just working with Lonnie because he was out of shape after missing all that time [after] he tore his meniscus and missed the first eight weeks of the season. At the time, Duncan was finally settling into retirement, attending his childrens functions regularly, being a real dad, hes told friends. Noel is in his ninth NBA season out of Kentucky, he brings a strong defensive impact to the floor but his lack of an offensive game makes him difficult to play outside of specific matchups and lineups. NBA (@NBA) May 15, 2021 Saturday, Garnett was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Marc Blucas (center), a longtime friend of Tim Duncans, shares a laugh with he and Grant Hill in 2014. Duncan has long considered Popovich a father figure, and its not uncommon for the two to meet up on the anniversary of Williams death for a beer and deep conversation. Once they got it cleaned up, Timmys like, Lonnie, get your ass back out on the court. Duncan got emotional in discussing his long-term connection with the 72-year-old Popovich. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting. I think with the way Pop and Tim connected it also became a very caring environment.. He was the one who made them all feel comfortable and let them know what he expected of them. . You are an exceptional person, thank you for teaching me about basketball, but even beyond that, teaching me that its not all about basketball its about whats going on in the world, about your family. Tim Duncan's ascent to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was not preordained. Its different when Ginobili talked about Popovich, however. Tim Duncan is a Hall of Fame basketball player because he is a Hall of Fame person. 2 seed in Big 12 tournament, No. He always did what was best for the team. He won four titles with the Spurs during his 16-year career with the franchise, becoming a two-time All-Star and a Sixth Man of the Year winner in the process. Duncan never tried to convince the brass to keep his friends. The fruit of all those long hours - the record-tying 82 PGA TOUR wins and 15 major championships - earned him his spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday, as Woods was inducted. Ginobili gave his speech at the induction ceremony on Saturday. #20HoopClass pic.twitter.com/PZ7UhmFQ3K. Recensioni racchette Padel // He is my favorite basketball player of all time. You are not pissing on me. His 1,001 career victories are third all-time. Those were probably the qualities I noticed first when I spent that time with him.. "This is the most nervous I've ever been in my life,". Together they formed one of the league's all-time dynasties, winning five titles together -- 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014 -- in three decades. Robinson had been an NBA scoring leader and played for some good teams in San Antonio, but the arrival of a spindly Wake Forest graduate ushered in the Twin Towers era in San Antonio and made the Spurs title contenders. In 12-minute thank-you note to all who helped put him on the dais at the Mohegan Sun and put his bust into the museum in Springfield, Mass., Duncan cataloged what he called a journey that doesnt make sense.. Im 40. It was never with his voice, but with his personality that Timmy set the tone.. "You are an exceptional person. Grizzlies star Ja Morant was allegedly seen showing off a gun on his IG Live this morning.pic.twitter.com/HlhvoWlnYy, ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 4, 2023. Announcer: ( 00:01) Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich & Tim Duncan Speeches at Manu Ginobili Retirement Ceremony House of Highlights 568K views 3 years ago Chris Webber's Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement. Duncan, Blucas said, views his enshrinement ceremony as a family reunion of sorts. During his. You can e-mail himhere, find his archivehereand follow him onTwitter. As far as the teams were concerned, the championship teams were all kind of different. Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place. Im sorry to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire organization for letting you down. Jury takes an hour to reach verdict over deal at Port S.A. New food truck park opens at The CO-OP SA, 10 things to do this weekend in San Antonio, Armando Montelongo loses bid to get fraud claims tossed, Photos show a massive alligator on an Atascosa County road, Privately run zoos in Texas adapt to new roles. Popovich is not in the Hall of Fame, though it is widely assumed that his call is coming in the not-too-distant future. That makes him eligible to be on the Nets playoff roster. I think it was loyalty to Pop, a loyalty to the organization. Saturday night at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, Duncan will officially become a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 2 seed in the West. Click here. No shame in an out-of-shape rookie tossing his cookies after a workout with the retired Tim Duncan. Clarke went down at the end of the first quarter Friday night and had to be helped off the court. 1 seed in Big 12 women's basketball tournament. . Duncan was just Duncan, crediting others. - Tim Duncan #20HoopClass pic.twitter.com/nU1hUNyG6O. After a long delay due to COVID-19, the Class of 2020 was finally inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night. He hadnt even done anything, but I saw how comfortable he felt out there. Example video title will go here for this video, Screen Test goes to the Oscars: Contenders and predictions for the 2023 awards. The two formed the famous "Twin Towers" combo that won championships in 1999 and 2003. He accomplished all that, became the only player to start for a title-winning team in three different decades, and fans in San Antonio know he was so much more. So, I cant really be worried about Davids point of view on this, said Babby, who also represented Hall of Fame inductee Tamika Catchings. Tim Duncan listened while guests spoke about him during his jersey. He was supremely talent and that's only part of the makeup of a winner. Now, I know this is bull-, he said. The two formed the famous "Twin Towers". Sean Elliott told a story about how he invited Tim to his house and showed him how to play Mortal Kombat, and within five minutes Duncan was beating him on the machine in Elliotts home. All of these moments: the jersey retirements, MVP ceremonies going back to the Wooden Award (in college) he looks at all those things as an opportunity to get all these people together from a lot of different parts of his life. Ginobili and Parker are likely to be included in future Hall of Fame classes. The greatest power forward in history is officially in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He mentioned his late parents, William and Ione, who he said came with a combined zero basketball knowledge., But they taught me more about the game than anybody else, Duncan said. Duncan, who celebrated his own Hall of Fame honor . Duncan didnt talk like that to get in his opponents heads and intimidate them, he actually wanted to teach the game while playing it, even if it gave his competitors an advantage, maybe because he knew he could still beat them. Its a pretty incredible story, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. Things moved beyond the mentoring stage. In his first game against Duncan, Tomjanovich watched the Spurs new star catch a ball in the post and knew basketball history was about to change. He is not a finalist for the 2021 class, which will be announced on Sunday . The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. He was so even-keeled and so competitive at the same time. As such, Duncan earned returned praise from other members of his Hall of Fame class as well. Timmy would set The Gun up for himself, and he would take it down for himself, Buford said. The San Antonio Spurs retired Tim Duncan's No. I cant wait to see you guys up here, Duncan said with a laugh. In many ways, those close to Duncan consider the circumstances surrounding his enshrinement almost perfect. Grant Afseth Sep 9, 2022 2:25 PM EDT In this story: San. The formal induction ceremony, which also welcomed Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett into the Hall of Fame, was supposed to be held last year, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mar/2023: Lego 41093 Ultimativer Produkttest Beliebteste Lego 41093 Aktuelle Schnppchen : Preis-Leistungs-Siege. In the background, of course. On Saturday, in front of a coat-and-tie-clad audience at an arena in Uncasville, Conn., Duncan finally cracked. Congrats, Timmy!#TDHoF | #20HoopClass pic.twitter.com/jUZTUq0Zim, San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) May 16, 2021, "My mom and my dada combined zero basketball knowledge. That was evident during his Hall of Fame induction speech Saturday an event so big Gregg Popovich didnt coach the Spurs Saturday to be there. His longevity is nearly unparalleled in the modern game, and his greatness is the common thread tying San Antonios championships together. Youre not gonna fool the landlocked white kid into thinking Ive got to pee on my own foot to make it not hurt, Blucas said. He never breathed too much of his own air, Babby said. E-Book Overview. Just, for everything, thank you for being the amazing human being that you are.. He could have smack talked his new teammate, but let his game do the talking instead. FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images. But they taught me more about the game than anyone else. " You talked with my dad, Duncan said. 1.6M views, 37K likes, 21K loves, 1.7K comments, 10K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from San Antonio Spurs: Watch Tim Duncan's full speech from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. His game wasnt the sexiest, but it was beautiful to purists and brutal to opponents. But a look inside Tim Duncan, the man, provides some clues explaining how a rail-thin kid from the U.S. Virgin Islands one with aspirations to become an Olympic swimmer before Hurricane Hugo destroyed all the local pools in 1989 took the league by storm and elevated not only the unproven Popovich but an entire NBA franchise with simple, yet crucial character attributes instilled by his parents, Delysia Ione and William Duncan, on the 82-square-mile island of St. Croix in the Caribbean. I said, Oh my God, this guy can really play, Tomjanovich said. To me, that captures everything about him.. Special thanks to Debra England and Alina Levy and all the others whose help in organizing the Exodus conference was essential and greatly appreciated. Theyll also tell you that at his peak, he was as unstoppable as anybody else with a bust in Springfield. Duncan's voice broke as he talked to his children, telling them they were special human beings and he can't wait to see what's next for them. The Spurs play Monty Williams Phoenix Suns on the day of the ceremony in the first game of a back-to-back set in San Antonio. Before Duncan ever played a game in the NBA, his former agent, Lon Babby who later worked with the Phoenix Suns as a front office executive said he quickly learned a valuable lesson from the power forward. During Ginobili's speech, he thanked Duncan for the impact he made on him and the Spurs team as a whole. Thats just one of several displays of professionalism over the years from Duncan that set a standard for the rest of the franchise to follow. Contributor for Dallas Basketball, All Knicks, Inside The Rockets, and The Magic Insider. But they taught me more about the game than anyone else. " We get it that Duncan and John Salley are the only players in NBA history to win titles in three different decades, and that Duncan is the first Hall of Fame inductee to play his entire career of at least 15 seasons for the same coach. VanVleet added 10 assists and Pascal Siakam had 15 points and seven assists for Toronto. Another star honored in Springfield was Tim Duncan. Transcribe Your Own Content Try Rev and save time transcribing, captioning, and subtitling. His textbook post moves, his patented bank shot, and his ultra-disciplined defense all made him unstoppable on the court and provided a model for big men after him to learn from. You guys demanded the best of me, Duncan said. From there, Duncan went through the list of people who played an important role in his journey, with two of the most prominent individuals who were by his side along the way sitting in the crowd. The Nets can sign Claxton up to two 10-day contracts before deciding whether or not to add him to the roster full time or waive him. SENSE OF HUMOR: Before joining the cast of the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and later starring opposite Katie Holmes in First Daughter in an acting career spanning more than 30 movie credits, Marc Blucas was a senior guard at Wake Forest playing above my gene pool when a 17-year-old Duncan walked into the gym on the first day of school. Grizzlies reserve big man Brandon Clarke a key part of their frontcourt rotation is out for the season due to a torn Achilles, the team announced Saturday. Man, I learned so much about you, how to be a leader, how to be an example on the court and off the court so, appreciate you, Tim.". It wasnt about him. You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth. Tim Duncan Duncan, who won five NBA championships, said giving a speech Saturday was more overwhelming than any game he ever played. "I played the game with a passion." He also shouted out fellow inductees Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant. Tim Duncan's upbringing in St. Croix helped set the stage for one of the most successful careers in NBA history. And on a personal level, I love the guy," Popovich said. "I played the game hard," Garnett. Manu Ginobili revealed why he chose former San Antonio Spurs teammate Tim Duncan to present him at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Clarke shot a free throw, stepped into the lane, then pivoted to run back on defense and went down grabbing his leg. Blucas belly laughs now at the Lonnie Walker IV vomit story, because it reminds him of a similar tale from the visit to St. Croix that highlights Duncans quick and witty sense of humor, attributes that pay dividends in combating the grind of a long NBA season. Erick Savage (@ErickSavage13) March 4, 2023. He ranks 15th in points (24,496), sixth in rebounds (15,091) and fifth in blocks (3,020). While the Grizzlies are not calling it a suspension, it is one in practice. Youre 22. Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. . Manu Ginobili made it a point to thank his former San Antonio Spurs teammate, Tim Duncan, during his Hall of Fame speech. Good, better, best. Thats a tone that he set. His voice wavered as he addressed coach Gregg Popovich, last but not least. New guys kept coming in to round it out, and he was the guy who welcomed them all. And youre teaching me lessons about teamwork and leadership. He was just always willing to sublimate his own ego for the betterment of his teammates., Duncan conducted himself similarly with the franchise over the years when it came to transactions. Even if Kobe was still here, hed still get most of the attention, and thats just perfect for Tim because it really captures the essence of his career and who he is.. I want to go down to St. Croix for a week or so and see how this all started. . Fame, selling work; success is something else; inner satisfaction, relationship with God. Different superstars have different styles of leadership. Remember, Duncan stayed at Wake Forest all four years, despite Bufords belief he wouldve been the first overall pick as a sophomore, maybe even as a freshman. And who can forget that Duncan teamed with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili to reel off 126 playoff victories, the most in NBA history by any trio which also owns the most regular-season victories in NBA history (575) and register as the first set of three teammates or more to capture four championships side-by-side since Magic Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper and Kurt Rambis, according to Elias Sports Bureau?