Chapter 547 Duncan's Jersey Retirement Ceremony

After Ginobili finished speaking, it was the last person's turn, also the most important person to Duncan, Popovich.

"Back then, choosing him was a very 'difficult' decision, so difficult that even the cats and dogs in your house could have made it."

Popovich's opening remarks displayed his typical old man humor.

This sentence also evoked memories for many people at the scene. Back then, in order to select Duncan, Popovich and "Red Auerbach" competed to tank.

In the end, the goddess of luck favored San Antonio, which also contributed to the Spurs' more than 20 years of strong history.

"He loves to eat carrot cake. I don't even remember how many times I brought him cake. I brought it for almost 20 years, which is really 'annoying.'"

Popovich also shared a little secret between him and Duncan in his subsequent speech.

This secret fully reflects the relationship between the two, like mentor and apprentice, and also like father and son.

"I don't want to talk about scoring or rebounding data. I just want to say that he made everyone better. I thank him for giving me the opportunity to coach this team, because with him, I can lead this team in my own way.

He is the most sincere and stable person I have ever seen. He has been the same for more than ten years. I want to say to Tim's deceased parents that Tim is the same as when he came here, he has not changed."

Popovich's final words were also very touching.

Duncan's eyes were unconsciously red. Perhaps he is not good at expressing emotions with words, but the feelings between the two do not need to be described with words.

When Popovich finished his last sentence, there was a long and continuous applause and cheers.

Popovich and Duncan, the two most important totems of San Antonio, that was also their best memory, a very long memory.

After Popovich finished speaking, Duncan took the initiative to come over and hug him. The two hugged for more than a minute.

When the cheers subsided, the two separated, and Duncan took the microphone, preparing for his speech as the protagonist.

"Last night was the most difficult night of my life, because I needed to make a speech of more than 30 seconds, which is a super difficult thing."

Duncan's opening revealed his honest side, but it made the fans at the scene laugh.

This was indeed a bit difficult for Duncan.

"But I finally completed it. On the most important occasion of my career, I have to thank many people. They (referring to those retired players) all do this."

Duncan's next words made the audience laugh even more.

Duncan is like many college graduates, directly using a template to make his speech!

"Thank you San Antonio fans..."

But no matter what, Duncan began his thanks.

In this regard, he and Tang Tian both put the fans first.

After the fans were the teammates, after the teammates were the management, and finally the coach.

When talking about his teammates, he looked at Popovich and said a sentence.

"Coach, I think I should tell you that since Tang came to the team, the carrot cakes you gave me have been snatched away by that guy. That guy is the ultimate lover of cakes."

Popovich was stunned for a moment. He obviously didn't expect such a thing, but then he laughed out loud.

After laughing, he couldn't help but shake his head again.

He once thought that Tang Tian would become the next Duncan, and that he could coach Tang Tian until the day he retired.

If that were the case, his carrot cake might not have stopped because of his retirement, and neither would those red wines in his refrigerator that he couldn't finish drinking now.

Duncan finally thanked the two most important coaches in his life.

"Thank you, Coach Odom, for giving me the opportunity, thank you for coming here, thank you, Popovich, we won together, created the team culture together, you are not only my coach, but also like my father."

Duncan's final speech was as touching as Popovich's.

One is an old man with a steady but playful personality, and the other is a taciturn old guy. The two resonated unconsciously.

And in the final closing remarks, Duncan also rarely used his humor, although it was a bit cold.

"I didn't wear jeans today, I wore a suit, but I didn't wear a tie. Also, my speech exceeded 30 seconds."

One sentence was in response to Parker's teasing of his dressing style, and the other was a self-deprecating remark.

Very cold humor, but it drew continuous cheers from the scene.

After all, this can be regarded as the first joke Duncan made in public.

Duncan's speech ended, and the scene entered the final jersey unveiling.

Like the championship banner unveiling, the black curtain covering the surface of Duncan's jersey slowly opened, revealing the unique jersey inside.

Duncan, No. 21, 1997~16.

Like those retired Spurs jerseys beside him, Duncan's name will also be permanently hung in the sky above the ATT Center, just like them.

After the jersey retirement ceremony ended, Duncan stayed to watch the second half of the game between the two sides.

Inspired by the jersey retirement, the Spurs played a perfect half in the second half, and they finally successfully reversed the score.

At the last moment of the game, Ginobili returned to his peak, and a series of high-difficulty three-pointers helped the Spurs narrowly beat the Pelicans to win the game.

The Pelicans' 19-game winning streak was ended, but for them, losing a game is nothing. No matter how strong a team is, it cannot win every game.

Moreover, it is excusable to lose a game on such a night.

After the game, Tang Tian was pulled by Duncan to go to a bar for a party. Parker, Ginobili, Diop, and Leonard all went.

Last time in Rio, Duncan missed the party gorgeously. This time, he organized it himself.

But for them, this will be a very meaningful party.

Just as Tang Tian and Duncan were partying, Fox Sports continuously reported some black history related to Tang Tian.

These news quickly topped the hot searches on social media.

"When Tang Tian played for the University of Connecticut, he ran to the streetball courts in New York to participate in streetball one-on-ones to win money. According to NCAA regulations, this is not allowed."

"When signing a contract with the Spurs, Tang Tian insisted on signing a two-year contract, which ultimately led to the subsequent departure. In other words, if the two sides had signed a three-year or four-year contract, Tang Tian would still be a Spurs player now."

"Tang Tian has been involved in the Pelicans' management decisions all these years. He is a player who interferes with management more seriously than LeBron James."

"Tang Tian once gave advice on Whiteside's contract signing, suggesting that the team sign him with a longer low-salary contract, which is also a major reason why Whiteside left the Pelicans last summer."

……

This series of news broke out, immediately causing an uproar.

Especially the one-on-one winning news during the NCAA period and the Spurs signing years.

These were things that the outside world had never known before.