Tim Duncan Has Emotional Praise For Gregg Popovich During Hall Of Fame Speech: "You Were An Exceptional Person, Thank You For Teaching Me About Basketball. But Even Beyond That, Teaching Me That It's Not All About Basketball."

Originally posted on Fadeaway World | By Lee Tran | Last updated 5/15/21

Tim Duncan is widely considered the greatest power forward of all time. Duncan won 5 championships during his time with the San Antonio Spurs and is the best player in the history of the franchise. His style of play was based on the very fundamentals of basketball, and he dominated the game with his well-honed skills. Tim Duncan was a low-key superstar, but that didn't make him any less effective on the court, and that shows in the myriad of accolades that he earned.

During Duncan's Hall of Fame speech, he took the time to shout out his former coach, Gregg Popovich. Gregg Popovich was Tim Duncan's coach during the 5 championship runs, and they clearly share a deep bond.

The standard you set. You showed up after I got drafted, you came to my island. You sat with my friends, my family, you talked with my dad. I thought that was normal. It's not.

You were an exceptional person, thank you for teaching me about basketball. But even beyond that, teaching me that it's not all about basketball. It's about what's happening in the world, about your family. Just, for everything. Thank you for being the amazing human being that you are.

The names of Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich will forever be linked. They share a connection beyond just a regular coach-player connection. There is no doubt that Tim Duncan wouldn't be the same player without Popovich, and it is clear that Popovich wouldn't have the same success without Duncan.

This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.

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